Análise descritiva dos aspectos biofísicos associados aos padrões de cobertura e uso da terra na bacia hidrográfica do Rio Vermelho, bioma cerrado

Abstract

This study, focused on the Rio Vermelho watershed, a representative unit of the Cerrado biome, and considering a variety of satellite data for the 2001 and 2011 period, pursued a detailed analysis of the biophysical responses, in face of the historical processes that determined andshaped the landscape transformations. Some soil characteristics, for example soil and relief, were determining factors in the spatial organization of the landscape. Climatic factors, such as seasonality, have a direct influence on biomass levels of key vegetation formations, particularly those with shallow root systems (e.g. cultivated pastures), for which reductions in vegetation index values, as high as 50%, can beobserved during the dry season, from observation and proven correlation between the values of P and EVI. In fact, natural vegetation areas, comparatively to areas dominated by cultivated pastures, show very distinct and significant biophysical behaviour (p < 0.05). Likewise, two major landscapes could be identified, i.e. “Region 1” and “Region 2”, where converted and remnant vegetation areas predominate, respectivelly.