scholarly journals Export-oriented deforestation in Mato Grosso: harbinger or exception for other tropical forests?

2013 ◽  
Vol 368 (1619) ◽  
pp. 20120173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth DeFries ◽  
Martin Herold ◽  
Louis Verchot ◽  
Marcia N. Macedo ◽  
Yosio Shimabukuro
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
National Level ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Market Forces ◽  
Commercial Agriculture ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Agricultural Exports ◽  
Livestock Feed

The Brazilian state of Mato Grosso was a global deforestation hotspot in the early 2000s. Deforested land is used predominantly to produce meat for distal consumption either through cattle ranching or soya bean for livestock feed. Deforestation declined dramatically in the latter part of the decade through a combination of market forces, policies, enforcement and improved monitoring. This study assesses how representative the national-level drivers underlying Mato Grosso's export-oriented deforestation are in other tropical forest countries based on agricultural exports, commercial agriculture and urbanization. We also assess how pervasive the governance and technical monitoring capacity that enabled Mato Grosso's decline in deforestation is in other countries. We find that between 41 and 54 per cent of 2000–2005 deforestation in tropical forest countries (other than Brazil) occurred in countries with drivers similar to Brazil. Very few countries had national-level governance and capacity similar to Brazil. Results suggest that the ecological, hydrological and social consequences of land-use change for export-oriented agriculture as discussed in this Theme Issue were applicable in about one-third of all tropical forest countries in 2000–2005. However, the feasibility of replicating Mato Grosso's success with controlling deforestation is more limited. Production landscapes to support distal consumption similar to Mato Grosso are likely to become more prevalent and are unlikely to follow a land-use transition model with increasing forest cover.

scholarly journals ALTERAÇÃO NA COBERTURA FLORESTAL DA REGIÃO NOROESTE DA AMAZÔNIA MATOGROSSENSE

Nativa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 520
Author(s):  
Luani Rosa de Oliveira Piva ◽  
Rorai Pereira Martins Neto
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Forest Conversion ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Amazon Forest ◽  
Landsat 8 Oli ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
The Past ◽  
Landsat 5 Tm

Nos últimos anos, a intensificação das atividades antrópicas modificadoras da cobertura vegetal do solo em território brasileiro vem ocorrendo em larga escala. Para fins de monitoramento das alterações da cobertura florestal, as técnicas de Sensoriamento Remoto da vegetação são ferramentas imprescindíveis, principalmente em áreas extensas e de difícil acesso, como é o caso da Amazônia brasileira. Neste sentido, objetivou-se com este trabalho identificar as mudanças no uso e cobertura do solo no período de 20 anos nos municípios de Aripuanã e Rondolândia, Noroeste do Mato Grosso, visando quantificar as áreas efetivas que sofreram alterações. Para tal, foram utilizadas técnicas de classificação digital de imagens Landsat 5 TM e Landsat 8 OLI em três diferentes datas (1995, 2005 e 2015) e, posteriormente, realizada a detecção de mudanças para o uso e cobertura do solo. A classificação digital apresentou resultados excelentes, com índice Kappa acima de 0,80 para os mapas gerados, indicando ser uma ferramenta potencial para o uso e cobertura do solo. Os resultados denotaram uma conversão de áreas florestais principalmente para atividades antrópicas agrícolas, na ordem de 472 km², o que representa uma perda de 1,3% de superfície de floresta amazônica na região de estudo.Palavras-chave: conversão de áreas florestais; uso e cobertura do solo; classificação digital; análise multitemporal. CHANGE IN FOREST COVER OF THE NORTHWEST REGION OF AMAZON IN MATO GROSSO STATE ABSTRACT: In the past few years, the intensification of anthropic activities that modify the soil-vegetation cover in Brazil’s land has been occurring on a large scale. To monitor the forest cover changes, the techniques of Remote Sensing of vegetation are essential tools, especially in large areas and with difficult access, as is the case of the Brazilian Amazon. The aim of this work was to identify the changes in land use and land cover, over the past 20 years, in the municipalities of Aripuanã and Rondolândia, Northwest of Mato Grosso State, in order to quantify the effective altered areas. Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI digital classification images techniques were used in three different dates (1995, 2005 and 2015) and, later, the detection to the land use and land cover changes. The digital classification showed excellent results, with kappa index above 0.80 for the generated maps, indicating the digital classification as a potential tool for land use and land cover. Results reflect the conversion of forest areas mainly for agricultural activities, in the order of 472 km², representing a loss of 1.3% of Amazon forest surface in the study region.Keywords: forest conversion; land use and land cover; digital classification; multitemporal analysis.

scholarly journals Land-use-driven stream warming in southeastern Amazonia

2013 ◽  
Vol 368 (1619) ◽  
pp. 20120153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcia N. Macedo ◽  
Michael T. Coe ◽  
Ruth DeFries ◽  
Maria Uriarte ◽  
Paulo M. Brando ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
Soya Bean ◽  
Nutrient Inputs ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Small Streams

Large-scale cattle and crop production are the primary drivers of deforestation in the Amazon today. Such land-use changes can degrade stream ecosystems by reducing connectivity, changing light and nutrient inputs, and altering the quantity and quality of streamwater. This study integrates field data from 12 catchments with satellite-derived information for the 176 000 km 2 upper Xingu watershed (Mato Grosso, Brazil). We quantify recent land-use transitions and evaluate the influence of land management on streamwater temperature, an important determinant of habitat quality in small streams. By 2010, over 40 per cent of catchments outside protected areas were dominated (greater than 60% of area) by agriculture, with an estimated 10 000 impoundments in the upper Xingu. Streams in pasture and soya bean watersheds were significantly warmer than those in forested watersheds, with average daily maxima over 4°C higher in pasture and 3°C higher in soya bean. The upstream density of impoundments and riparian forest cover accounted for 43 per cent of the variation in temperature. Scaling up, our model suggests that management practices associated with recent agricultural expansion may have already increased headwater stream temperatures across the Xingu. Although increased temperatures could negatively impact stream biota, conserving or restoring riparian buffers could reduce predicted warming by as much as fivefold.

scholarly journals Tropical forest cover change in the 1990s and options for future monitoring

2005 ◽  
Vol 360 (1454) ◽  
pp. 373-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippe Mayaux ◽  
Peter Holmgren ◽  
Frédéric Achard ◽  
Hugh Eva ◽  
Hans-Jürgen Stibig ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
National Level ◽  
Forest Resources ◽  
Environmental Agreements ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Multilateral Environmental Agreements ◽  
Humid Forest ◽  
Resources Assessment

Despite the importance of the world's humid tropical forests, our knowledge concerning their rates of change remains limited. Two recent programmes (FAO 2000 Forest Resources Assessment and TREES II), exploiting the global imaging capabilities of Earth observing satellites, have recently been completed to provide information on the dynamics of tropical forest cover. The results from these independent studies show a high degree of conformity and provide a good understanding of trends at the pan-tropical level. In 1990 there were some 1150 million ha of tropical rain forest with the area of the humid tropics deforested annually estimated at 5.8 million ha (approximately twice the size of Belgium). A further 2.3 million ha of humid forest is apparently degraded annually through fragmentation, logging and/or fires. In the sub-humid and dry tropics, annual deforestation of tropical moist deciduous and tropical dry forests comes to 2.2 and 0.7 million ha, respectively. Southeast Asia is the region where forests are under the highest pressure with an annual change rate of −0.8 to −0.9%. The annual area deforested in Latin America is large, but the relative rate (−0.4 to −0.5%) is lower, owing to the vast area covered by the remaining Amazonian forests. The humid forests of Africa are being converted at a similar rate to those of Latin America (−0.4 to −0.5% per year). During this period, secondary forests have also been established, through re-growth on abandoned land and forest plantations, but with different ecological, biophysical and economic characteristics compared with primary forests. These trends are significant in all regions, but the extent of new forest cover has proven difficult to establish. These results, as well as the lack of more detailed knowledge, clearly demonstrate the need to improve sound scientific evidence to support policy. The two projects provide useful guidance for future monitoring efforts in the context of multilateral environmental agreements and of international aid, trade and development partnerships. Methodologically, the use of high-resolution remote sensing in representative samples has been shown to be cost-effective. Close collaboration between tropical institutions and inter-governmental organizations proved to be a fruitful arrangement in the different projects. To properly assist decision-making, monitoring and assessments should primarily be addressed at the national level, which also corresponds to the ratification level of the multilateral environmental agreements. The Forest Resources Assessment 2000 deforestation statistics from countries are consistent with the satellite-based estimates in Asia and America, but are significantly different in Africa, highlighting the particular need for long-term capacity-building activities in this continent.

scholarly journals DYNAMICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL STATE OF VEGETABLE COVERAGE AND LAND USE IN LANDSCAPE REGIONS OF THE SOUTHWESTERN PORTION OF THE BRAZILIAN STATE OF MATO GROSSO

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 155
Author(s):  
Sandra Mara Alves da Silva Neves ◽  
Jesã Pereira Kreitlow ◽  
Miriam Raquel Da Silva Miranda ◽  
Edinéia Aparecida Dos Santos Galvanin ◽  
João Dos Santos Vila Da Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Landsat 8 ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Time Dynamics ◽  
Paraguay River ◽  
Brazilian State ◽  
Indigenous Lands

The objective of this article is to investigate the space-time dynamics of vegetation cover and land use and the Environmental State of the landscape regions of the southwestern portion of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso.The vegetation cover and land use maps were generated from the Landsat 5 satellite images from 1984, and Landsat 8 from 2013 in the SPRING software. Map quantifications and layouts were elaborated withArcGis. The regionalization and analysis of the environmental state of the landscape were made through a regional geoecological matrix. From the results obtained, it was verified that the anthropic uses in the period of study were expanded by 134.08% while the vegetal coverings were reduced by 21.66% and the water bodies by 39%. Pasture is the predominant land use in the region, 24.09% (31,335.86 km²), mainly occupying the flat and smooth wavy terrain. Forest cover totaled 66.36% (84,967.12 km2), being found mainly in forest fragments, in which the larger territorial dimensions are either protected by environmental legislation or located in indigenous lands. Eight landscape regions were delimited in the southwest portion of Mato Grosso, including the Paraguay River Depression, which presents the landscape with the highest percentage of anthropic uses, predominantly the Degraded Environmental State. It was concluded that there is a need to adopt land use practices that minimize the environmental degradation of landscape regions, considering that during the period under investigation, the expansion of anthropic uses, mainly Livestock, directly influenced the suppression of vegetation cover.

scholarly journals Approaches of Satellite Remote Sensing for the Assessment of Above-Ground Biomass across Tropical Forests: Pan-tropical to National Scales

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 3351
Author(s):  
Sawaid Abbas ◽  
Man Sing Wong ◽  
Jin Wu ◽  
Naeem Shahzad ◽  
Syed Muhammad Irteza
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Tropical Forest ◽  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Satellite Remote Sensing ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Forest Cover Change ◽  
Ground Biomass

Tropical forests are acknowledged for providing important ecosystem services and are renowned as “the lungs of the planet Earth” due to their role in the exchange of gasses—particularly inhaling CO2 and breathing out O2—within the atmosphere. Overall, the forests provide 50% of the total plant biomass of the Earth, which accounts for 450–650 PgC globally. Understanding and accurate estimates of tropical forest biomass stocks are imperative in ascertaining the contribution of the tropical forests in global carbon dynamics. This article provides a review of remote-sensing-based approaches for the assessment of above-ground biomass (AGB) across the tropical forests (global to national scales), summarizes the current estimate of pan-tropical AGB, and discusses major advancements in remote-sensing-based approaches for AGB mapping. The review is based on the journal papers, books and internet resources during the 1980s to 2020. Over the past 10 years, a myriad of research has been carried out to develop methods of estimating AGB by integrating different remote sensing datasets at varying spatial scales. Relationships of biomass with canopy height and other structural attributes have developed a new paradigm of pan-tropical or global AGB estimation from space-borne satellite remote sensing. Uncertainties in mapping tropical forest cover and/or forest cover change are related to spatial resolution; definition adapted for ‘forest’ classification; the frequency of available images; cloud covers; time steps used to map forest cover change and post-deforestation land cover land use (LCLU)-type mapping. The integration of products derived from recent Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) satellite missions with conventional optical satellite images has strong potential to overcome most of these uncertainties for recent or future biomass estimates. However, it will remain a challenging task to map reference biomass stock in the 1980s and 1990s and consequently to accurately quantify the loss or gain in forest cover over the periods. Aside from these limitations, the estimation of biomass and carbon balance can be enhanced by taking account of post-deforestation forest recovery and LCLU type; land-use history; diversity of forest being recovered; variations in physical attributes of plants (e.g., tree height; diameter; and canopy spread); environmental constraints; abundance and mortalities of trees; and the age of secondary forests. New methods should consider peak carbon sink time while developing carbon sequestration models for intact or old-growth tropical forests as well as the carbon sequestration capacity of recovering forest with varying levels of floristic diversity.

Embedding Biodiversity Modelling in the Policy Process

2011 ◽  
pp. 388-401
Author(s):  
Nguyen Dieu Trinh ◽  
Wilbert van Rooij
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Policy Process ◽  
Decision Process ◽  
National Level ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Strategic Environmental Assessment ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Standard Tool ◽  
Support Policy

Biodiversity modeling for supporting policy processes is a relatively new field. Models can help policy makers to get a quick assessment of biodiversity and provide them with answers to some of their key questions on biodiversity. Models also allow them to evaluate the effects of proposed environmental policies on biodiversity and whether the policies are likely to meet their environmental targets and thus allow policies to be revised accordingly to meet the targets. In order to use modeling as a standard tool to support policy makers, it should be embedded in a policy process. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is such a process that is well suited to include biodiversity modeling. Besides, it is forward-looking, has proper scale and timing components, and it needs an integrated approach to link social consequences on land use change and impacts on biodiversity. The modeled impacts on biodiversity can be used in SEA to guide the decision process. The results of the GLOBIO3 application at national level in Vietnam were considered useful for policymakers; however, the tools are not yet properly embedded in a policy context requiring number of conditions to be met to deliver appropriate information to the policy makers.

scholarly journals Monitoring Landscape Changes in Japan Using Classification of Modis Data Combined with a Landscape Transformation Sere (LTS) Model

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 23-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ippei Harada ◽  
Keitarou Hara ◽  
Mizuki Tomita ◽  
Kevin Short ◽  
Jonggeol Park
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Landscape Change ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
National Level ◽  
Landscape Changes ◽  
Modis Data ◽  
Landscape Transformation ◽  
Broad Leaved Forest ◽  
Leaved Forest

Abstract Japan, with over 75% forest cover, is one of the most heavily forested countries in the world. Various types of climax forest are distributed according to latitude and altitude. At the same time, human intervention in Japan has historically been intensive, and many forest habitats show the influence of various levels of disturbance. Furthermore, Japanese landscapes are changing rapidly, and a system of efficient monitoring is needed. The aim of this research was to identify major historical trends in Japanese landscape change and to develop a system for identifying and monitoring patterns of landscape change at the national level. To provide a base for comparison, Warmth Index (WI) climatic data was digitalized and utilized to map potential climax vegetation for all of Japan. Extant Land Use Information System (LUIS) data were then modified and digitalized to generate national level Land Use/Land Cover (LU/LC) distribution maps for 1900, 1950 and 1985. In addition, MODIS data for 2001 acquired by the Tokyo University of Information Sciences were utilized for remote LU/LC classification using an unsupervised method on multi-temporal composite data. Eight classification categories were established using the ISODATA (cluster analyses) method; alpine plant communities, evergreen coniferous forest, evergreen broad-leaved forest, deciduous broad-leaved forest, mixed forest, arable land (irrigated rice paddy, non-irrigated, grassland), urban area, river and marsh. The results of the LUIS analyses and MODIS classifications were interpreted in terms of a Landscape Transformation Sere model assuming that under increasing levels of human disturbance the landscape will change through a series of stages. The results showed that overall forest cover in Japan has actually increased over the century covered by the data; from 72.1% in 1900 to 76.9% in 2001. Comparison of the actual vegetation and the potential vegetation as predicted by WI, however, indicated that in many areas the climax vegetation has been replaced by secondary forests such as conifer timber plantations. This trend was especially strong in the warm and mid temperate zones of western Japan. This research also demonstrated that classification of moderate resolution remote sensing data, interpreted within a LTS framework, can be an effective tool for efficient and repeat monitoring of landscape changes at the national level. In the future, the authors plan to continue utilizing this approach to track rapidly occurring changes in Japanese landscapes at the national level.

scholarly journals Ecology, economy and management of an agroindustrial frontier landscape in the southeast Amazon

2013 ◽  
Vol 368 (1619) ◽  
pp. 20120152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo M. Brando ◽  
Michael T. Coe ◽  
Ruth DeFries ◽  
Andrea A. Azevedo
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Deforestation Rate

The papers in this special issue address a major challenge facing our society: feeding a population that is simultaneously growing and increasing its per capita food consumption, while preventing widespread ecological and social impoverishment in the tropics. By focusing mostly on the Amazon's most dynamic agricultural frontier, Mato Grosso, they collectively clarify some key elements of achieving more sustainable agriculture. First, stakeholders in commodity-driven agricultural Amazonian frontiers respond rapidly to multiple forces, including global markets, international pressures for sustainably produced commodities and national-, state- and municipality-level policies. These forces can encourage or discourage deforestation rate changes within a short time-period. Second, agricultural frontiers are linked systems, land-use change is linked with regional climate, forest fires, water quality and stream discharge, which in turn are linked with the well-being of human populations. Thus, land-use practices at the farm level have ecological and social repercussions far removed from it. Third, policies need to consider the full socio-economic system to identify the efficacy and consequences of possible land management strategies. Monitoring to devise suitable management approaches depends not only on tracking land-use change, but also on monitoring the regional ecological and social consequences. Mato Grosso's achievements in reducing deforestation are impressive, yet they are also fragile. The ecological and social consequences and the successes and failures of management in this region can serve as an example of possible trajectories for other commodity-driven tropical agricultural frontiers.

scholarly journals Impacts of Public and Private Sector Policies on Soybean and Pasture Expansion in Mato Grosso—Brazil from 2001 to 2017

Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle C. A. Picoli ◽  
Ana Rorato ◽  
Pedro Leitão ◽  
Gilberto Camara ◽  
Adeline Maciel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Direct Conversion ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Agricultural Exports ◽  
Indirect Impacts ◽  
Public And Private Sector ◽  
Production Areas

Demand for agricultural exports in Brazil has stimulated the expansion of crop production and cattle raising, which has caused environmental impacts. In response, Brazil developed public policies such as the new Forest Code (FC) and supply chain arrangements such the Soy and the Cattle Moratoriums. This paper analyzes the effectiveness of these policies, considering the trajectories of agricultural expansion in the state of Mato Grosso in three years: 2005 (pre-moratorium and before the new FC), 2010 (post-moratorium and before the new FC) and 2017 (post-moratorium and post-new FC). Our analysis uses a detailed land use change data for both the Amazon and Cerrado biomes in Mato Grosso. In all the years considered, soybean expansion occurred in consolidated production areas and by conversion of pastures. Pasture expansion is influenced by existence of pastures nearby, by areas of secondary vegetation and deforestation. Our data and models show the effectiveness of public policies and private arrangements to reduce direct conversion from forests to crop production. However, our results also provide evidence that soybean expansion has caused indirect impacts by replacing pasture areas and causing pasture expansion elsewhere. Evidence from our work indicates that Brazil needs broader-ranging land use policies than what was done in the 2010s to be able to reach the land use goals stated in its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement.

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