Explore inhabitants’ perceptions of wildfire and mitigation behaviours in the Cerrado biome, a fire-prone area of Brazil

Fire represents an important natural feature of Brazilian landscape, especially in the Cerrado biome. The Cerrado is the economic livelihood of thousands of people from rural areas in Brazil. It is one of the most important hotspot of biodiversity in the world but also it is a fire-prone area thanks to the high flammability index of the vegetation. Residents and native people of this environment use fire very frequently. The majority of wildfires are caused by humans, though there are some aggravating natural factors affecting the risk, intensity and severity of wildfires. Since residents are continuously involved in fire suppression activities, understanding their perceptions is important for the decision makers who must assess the local capacity to preserve natural resources. This study explores perceptions about wildfire risk and fire mitigation behaviors within three municipalities of the state of Tocantins (Brazil). The study demonstrates that survey participants perceived wildfire risk as rather high, although the perceptions were complex and conflicting among interviewees. A wide range of confused perceptions about fire ignition and heterogeneous point of view have carried out form the survey. However, the residence of interviewees and their educational attainment result the variables that significantly (p-value <0.05) affect the inhabitants’ perceptions

Climate-Smart Forestry in Brazil

AbstractBrazil is the second largest forested country in the world with a high level of naturalness and biodiversity richness, playing a significant role in the adoption of mitigation and adaptation strategies to climate change. Although the Brazilian federal government is mainly responsible for the protection of natural ecosystems, the decentralization process, which demands competences of the states and municipalities, allowed the establishment of several agencies and institutions dealing with monitoring, assessment, and management of forest ecosystems through a complex and interrelated number of forest policies. Nevertheless, the deforestation rate, with a consequent loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, represents critical challenges, attracting worldwide attention. The variety of mitigation and adaptation measures adopted over the years represents viable tools to face climate change and to promote climate-smart forestry in Brazil. Notwithstanding the positive effects achieved in the last decade, a better coordination and practical implementation of climate-smart forestry strategies is required to reach nationally and internationally agreed objectives.This chapter aims to depict the Brazilian forestry sector, highlighting the management strategies adopted overtime to counteract climate change

FIRE EFFECTS ON SOIL FUNGI IN A CERRADO VEGETATION AREA ACCORDING TO THE COLLECTION PERIOD

The Cerrado is recognized for its biodiversity, but is currently considered a threatened biome. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of low-intensity fire on the abundance and richness of fungal communities in a Red Yellow Latosol in Sensu Stricto Cerrado. Five treatments were defined in control and burned plots, which represent the soil collections as a function of the periods after prescribed firing. The fire effects were evaluated in the 0-5 and 15-20 cm layers of soil depth. For statistical analysis, the Shanon-Wiener, Simpson and Berger-Parker indexes were used. A significant reduction of 33.3% was observed (ANOVA; Dunnett Test p> 0,05) in total abundance (UFC.g-1), in the superficial layer and in the deeper soil profile (15-20 cm) of the burned plots when compared to the control plots. However, it was observed a fungi recolonization at 2 months after burning. A total of 21 fungi genera were found, and more diversity was observed in the burned plots compared to non-burned. The maximum Shanon-Wiener index was H´=0,85 in the 15-20 cm depth for the burned plots. For the dominance index, a maximum value of 70% was observed for the Aspergillus genus (in the treatment before burning for the 15-20 cm depth). The fluctuations in the diversity of fungi after burning were not affected by the fire, but by the rainfall indexes in the treatments after burning. The equity was uniform and showed differences in the numerical richness in burned plots and control. Rainfall has a great impact on the fungal recovery speed

Modeling for estimation of load and moisture of fuel in Cerrado area

A umidade do material combustível é um fator importante para o conhecimento do comportamento do fogo. Por isso esse trabalho a finalidade de estimar a umidade do material combustível através da modelagem de variáveis meteorológicas em uma área de Cerrado localizada na cidade de Gurupi, sul do estado do Tocantins. Os dados meteorológicos em campo foram obtidos através de uma miniestação, que fornecia umidade relativa do ar, temperatura e velocidade do vento, permanecendo ligada durante todo o período de experimento, que ocorreu durante 7 meses, com um total de 10 coletas, em dias esporádicos. O material combustível foi coletado de 5 em 5 minutos, em um recipiente plástico, e pesado em uma balança com precisão de 0,01g e após isso armazenado em sacos de papel com identificação. As amostras foram secadas em estufas durante 72 horas a uma temperatura de 75ºC, e novamente pesadas para obter o peso do material seco.The moisture of combustible material is an important factor in the knowledge of fire behavior. Therefore, this work aims to estimate the moisture content of fuel material by modeling meteorological variables in a Cerrado area located in the city of Gurupi, southern Tocantins state. Field meteorological data were obtained through a mini-station, which provided relative humidity, temperature and wind speed, remaining on during the entire experiment period, which occurred during 7 months, with a total of 10 collections, on sporadic days. The combustible material was collected every 5 minutes in a plastic container and weighed on a 0.01g scale and then stored in ID paper bags. The samples were dried in greenhouses for 72 hours at room temperature of 75 °C, and again weighed to obtain dry material weight

Dinâmica espacial da paisagem do Parque Estadual do Jalapão (TO) de 2000 a 2015

Landscape modification and habitat fragmentation have become major research topics. They are considered serious threats to biodiversity. The disturbance history of the area of Jalapão State Park (Parque Estadual do Jalapão – PEJ) was analysed given its characteristic as a Conservation Unit (CU) of integral protection inserted into the Cerrado biome. Thus, the objective of this research is to update the map of land use and cover of this CU and analyse the metrics that quantify habitat connectivity and fragmentation in the landscape ecologyfor 2015 based on the land use map for 2000. In order to plot the PEJ's 2015 map of land use, we used the scene 221/67 (orbit/point) of August 8, 2015, from the Landsat 8 satellite, OLI sensor, since it covered the entire study area and did not present cloud cover. In the digital image processing, radiometric correction, pre-classification, and association of classes of soil use were performed. Subsequently, a supervised classification was performed through visual interpretation. To verify map accuracy, the Kappa coefficient was calculated. Its value was 0.92. From the updated map, calculations of landscape ecology indexes were performed considering area, size, shape, border, and proximity of fragments. The procedures were performed using the software GIS ArcGIS 10.4 and the free extension Patch Analyst 5.2. Based on the maps of land use and cover, and indexes of landscape ecology, it is possible to verify that there were changes in the landscape. As for metrics, it can be concluded that the CU is fragmented (564 fragments) and has a high spatial heterogeneity, a complex form, and an irregular shape due to values of MPS, PSCoV and MSI.A modificação da paisagem e a fragmentação do habitat tornaram-se grandes temas de pesquisa, uma vez que são consideradas ameaças graves para a biodiversidade. Considerando o histórico de perturbação da área do Parque Estadual do Jalapão (PEJ), dado sua característica de Unidade de Conservação (UC) de proteção integral inserida no bioma Cerrado, o objetivo desta pesquisa é atualizar o mapa de uso e cobertura do solo dessa UC e analisar as métricas que quantificam a conectividade do habitat e a fragmentação da ecologia da paisagem para o ano de 2015, tendo como base o mapa de uso e ocupação do solo do ano 2000. Para elaborar o mapa de uso do solo do PEJ de 2015, utilizou-se a cena 221/67 (órbita/ponto) de 8 de agosto de 2015 do satélite Landsat 8, sensor OLI, por abranger toda a área de estudo e por não ter cobertura de nuvens. No processamento digital das imagens foram realizadas a correção radiométrica, a pré-classificação e a associação das classes de uso do solo, e, posteriormente, classificação supervisionada por meio de interpretação visual. Para verificar a precisão do mapa foi calculado o coeficiente de Kappa, cujo valor foi de 0,92. A partir do mapa atualizado foram realizados os cálculos de índices de ecologia da paisagem referentes à área, tamanho, forma, borda e proximidade dos fragmentos. Os procedimentos foram realizados no software SIG ArcGIS 10.4 por meio da extensão gratuita Patch Analyst 5.2. Com base nos mapas de uso e cobertura do solo e nos índices de ecologia da paisagem, pode-se constatar que houve mudanças na paisagem. Quanto às métricas, conclui-se que a UC se encontra fragmentada, apresenta 564 fragmentos e possui alta heterogeneidade espacial e forma complexa e irregular em razão dos valores de MPS, PSCoV e MSI

Doses de calcário nos atributos químicos de solo de várzea do sul do Tocantins

The low fertility of Cerrado soils is a limiting factor for root development for the main plants cultivated for agricultural production, promoting low productivity ha-1. The objective was to evaluate the effects of applied doses of Calcium Carbonate PA, in a dystrophic Tb Melanic Gleissolo from lowland plains in the south of the State of Tocantins. To understand the development of the fertility effect of nutrients such as Ca, Ca+Mg, P, Mg, and K and to verification of the pH reaction and Al and Fe. The experiment was carried out in the municipality of Gurupi (TO), in the experimental area of the Federal University of Tocantins, Gurupi campus, being conducted in randomized blocks with five doses of CaCO3 (0; 1.5; 3.0; 4.5 and 6.0 t ha-1), with six repetitions of 5 dm³ of soil. Every 7 days, evaluations were carried out in the laboratory of the pH level in the water, Al, and Fe, verifying the main macronutrients. It was verified that the correction of the soil by limestone favored the elevation of the pH, decreasing the contents of Al and Fe, and increasing the contents of P, K, Ca, and Mg, Ca+Mg in lowland soil.A baixa fertilidade dos solos do Cerrados é fator limitante ao desenvolvimento radicular para as principais plantas cultivadas para produção agropecuaria, promovendo baixa produtividade ha¹. O objetivo foi avaliar os efeitos de doses empregadas de Carbonato de Cálcio PA, em um Gleissolo Melânico Tb distrófico de várzea do Sul do Estado do Tocantins. Com intuito de compreender o desenvolvimento do efeito da fertilidadade dos nutrientes como: Ca, Ca+Mg, P, Mg, K e verificação da reação de pH e Al e Fe. O experimento foi desenvolvido no município de Gurupi (TO), na área experimental da Universidade Federal do Tocantins, campus de Gurupi, sendo conduzido em blocos casualizado com cincos doses de CaCO3 (0; 1,5; 3,0; 4,5 e 6,0 t ha-1), com seis repetições de 5 dm³ de solo. A cada 7 dias foram realizadas avaliações em laboratório do nível do pH em água, Al e Fe, verificando, também, os principais macronutriens. Verificou-se que a correção do solo por calcário favoreceu a elevação do pH, diminuindo os teores de Al e Fe, e aumentando os teores de P, K, Ca e Mg, Ca+Mg em solo de várzea

ARBORIZAÇÃO DAS PRAÇAS DE GURUPI – TO – BRASIL: COMPOSIÇÃO E DIVERSIDADE DE ESPÉCIES

As praças desempenham relevante papel socioambiental no cenário urbano e sua arborização é um patrimônio que deve ser conhecido e conservado. O objetivo deste estudo foi inventariar as espécies arbóreas das 16 praças de Gurupi - TO, identificá-las quanto a origem, bem como, determinar a diversidade de espécies. Foram inventariadas, com identificação a nível de espécie, todas as árvores e palmeiras pertencentes as praças do município. Dessa forma, constatou-se que a arborização das praças de Gurupi possui1386 indivíduos, 26 famílias, 91 espécies, 66% são nativas e 34% exóticas da flora brasileira, a cidade tem alta diversidade de espécies (H’ = 4,77 e D’ = 0,93), e o Oiti (Licania tomentosa Benth. Fritsch) é a espécie dominante (18,54%). As praças que apresentaram os maiores índices de diversidade de espécies foram as praças Waldir Lins (H’ = 3,66 e D’ = 0,88), Praça da Bíblia (H’ = 3,5 e D’ = 0,86) e João Borges Leitão (H’ = 3,43 e D’ = 0,88), e as que apresentaram os menores índices de diversidade foram as praças Vila Íris (H’ = 1,43 e D’ = 0,47) e José Leandro da Silva (H’ = 1,86 e D’ = 0,50)

Usage of soil in the upper course of the Lontra river in Tocantins

O monitoramento dos recursos naturais tem sido discutido em projetos de integração e análise de dados de natureza diversa, sendo identificados diferentes usos e ocupações do solo. Neste sentido as técnicas de geoprocessamento têm ganhado destaque como ferramenta de análise do uso e ocupação do solo, potencializando o planejamento das atividades a serem desenvolvidas em bacias hidrográficas, considerando a aptidão dos recursos disponíveis e as adequações por meio de gerenciamento agroambiental. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as características da rede de drenagem do alto curso do Rio Lontra, município de Araguaína (TO), mostrando os seus diferentes usos e ocupações do solo. Para o desenvolvimento dos mapas, foram utilizadas cartas imagens de satélite Landsat 8, sensor OLI, composição RGB das bandas 764, bem como ferramentas de geoprocessamento, manuseadas em plataformas do SIG e datum SIRGAS2000. Assim, foi constatado que a área de estudo possui uma rede de drenagem característica de cursos perenes, com perfil longitudinal e classificada como de 3ª ordem. Além disso, as APP’s dos corpos hídricos, até 2015, sofreram uma supressão de vegetação 8,7 ha e a atividade de uso do solo mais predominante na área é a silvicultura de eucalipto.Water resources monitoring is a discussing in integration projects and data analysis by different ways, identifying different land uses and occupations. In this sense, geoprocessing techniques gained highlight as a tool for land use and occupation analysis, enhancing activities planning developed in watersheds, considering suitability of available resources and adaptations through agri-environmental management. The objective of this study was to delimit and quantify drainage area of upper course belonging to Lontra river watershed, located in Araguaína-TO, Brazil, considering the limits by the Brazilian Forest Code, and sampling different uses and occupations of land and drainage area conditions and permanent preservation areas (APP). The maps was made by images from Landsat 8 satellite, OLI sensor, 764 band RGB composition and Google Earth images using geoprocessing tools, handled on GIS ArcGIS 10.0 and SIRGAS2000 datum platforms. 23 points were found with alteration in native vegetation cover inside APPs and water source, causing environmental problems, such as erosion processes, siltation, consequently decreasing water volume inside watershed