Improved tree height estimation of secondary forests in the Brazilian Amazon

This paper presents a novel approach for estimating the height of individual trees in secondary forests at two study sites: Manaus (central Amazon) and Santarém (eastern Amazon) in the Brazilian Amazon region. The approach consists of adjusting tree height-diameter at breast height (H:DBH) models in each study site by ecological species groups: pioneers, early secondary, and late secondary. Overall, the DBH and corresponding height (H) of 1,178 individual trees were measured during two field campaigns: August 2014 in Manaus and September 2015 in Santarém. We tested the five most commonly used log-linear and nonlinear H:DBH models, as determined by the available literature. The hyperbolic model: H = a.DBH/(b+DBH) was found to present the best fit when evaluated using validation data. Significant differences in the fitted parameters were found between pioneer and secondary species from Manaus and Santarém by F-test, meaning that site-specific and also ecological-group H:DBH models should be used to more accurately predict H as a function of DBH. This novel approach provides specific equations to estimate height of secondary forest trees for particular sites and ecological species groups. The presented set of equations will allow better biomass and carbon stock estimates in secondary forests of the Brazilian Amazon

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time, and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space. While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes, vast areas of the tropics remain understudied. In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity, but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases. To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge, it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Mapeamento do uso e cobertura da terra a partir da segmentação e classificação de imagens-fração solo, sombra e vegetação derivadas do modelo linear de mistura aplicado a dados do sensor TM/Landsat5, na região do reservatório de Tucuruí - PA Mapping land use cover using segmentation and classification of fraction images, soil, shade and vegetation, derived from a linear mixing model applied to Landsat-5 TM data, Tucuruí reservoir region - Pará

Técnicas de sensoriamento remoto são fundamentais para o monitoramento das mudanças de uso da terra, principalmente em áreas extensas como a Amazônia. O mapeamento de uso da terra, geralmente é realizado por métodos de classificação manual ou digital pixel a pixel, os quais consomem muito tempo. Este estudo aborda a aplicação do modelo linear de mistura em uma imagem Landsat-TM segmentada para o mapeamento das classes de uso da terra na região do reservatório de Tucuruí-PA para os anos de 1996 e 2001.<br>Remote sensing techniques are mandatory for monitoring land use changes in large areas such as the Amazon. Land use mapping is usually performed by both manual and digital pixel based classification methods which are cost and time-consuming. In this study an image segmentation approach is applied to unmix TM-Landsat images for mapping land use classes in Tucuruí-PA reservoir region to 1996 and 2001

Soybean yield estimation by an agrometeorological model in a GIS Produtividade de soja estimada por modelo agrometeorológico num SIG

Agrometeorological models interfaced with the Geographic Information System - GIS are an alternative to simulate and quantify the effect of weather spatial and temporal variability on crop yield. The objective of this work was to adapt and interface an agrometeorological model with a GIS to estimate soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield. Yield estimates were generated for 144 municipalities in the State of Paraná, Brazil, responsible for 90% of the soybean production in the State, from 1996/1997 to 2000/2001. The model uses agronomical parameters and meteorological data to calculate maximum yield which will be penalized under drought stress. Comparative analyses between the yield estimated by the model and that reported by the Paraná State Department of Agriculture (SEAB) were performed using the "t" test for paired observations. For the 1996/1997 year the model overestimated yield by 10.8%, which may be attributed to the occurrence of fungal diseases not considered by the model. For 1997/1998, 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 no differences (P > 0.05) were found between the yield estimated by the model and SEAB's data. For 2000/2001 the model underestimated yield by 10.5% and the cause for this difference needs further investigation. The model interfaced with a GIS is an useful tool to monitor soybean crop during growing season to estimate crop yield.<br>Os modelos agrometeorológicos integrados em Sistemas de Informação Geográfica - SIG são uma alternativa para simular e quantificar o efeito da variabilidade espacial e temporal do clima sobre a produtividade agrícola. O objetivo deste trabalho foi adaptar e integrar um modelo agrometeorológico num SIG para estimar a produtividade da soja [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Foram geradas estimativas de produtividade para 144 municípios do Estado do Paraná, responsáveis por 90% da produção de soja no Estado, em cinco anos-safra no período de 1996/1997 a 2000/2001. O modelo utiliza parâmetros agronômicos e dados meteorológicos para o cálculo da produtividade máxima, a qual é penalizada quando ocorre estresse hídrico. A análise da comparação entre as estimativas municipais obtidas pelo modelo e aquelas divulgadas pela Secretaria de Estado da Agricultura e do Abastecimento (SEAB) do Paraná foi feita através do teste "t" para pares de observação. No ano safra 1996/1997 o modelo superestimou a produtividade em 10,8% em relação à SEAB, o que pode ser atribuído à ocorrência de oídio, cujo efeito não é considerado no modelo. Nos anos safras de 1997/1998, 1998/1999 e 1999/2000 não foram identificadas diferenças (P > 0,05) entre as estimativas do modelo e da SEAB. Em 2000/2001 a produtividade foi subestimada pelo modelo em 10,5%, sendo que as causas desta diferença precisam ser melhor investigadas. O modelo integrado no SIG mostrou ser uma ferramenta viável para acompanhar a cultura da soja ao longo da estação de crescimento, e estimar a produtividade em municípios do Estado do Paraná