CLASSIFYNG SUCCESSIONAL FOREST STAGES USING IKONOS IN ATLANTIC FOREST OF RIO DE JANEIRO

Abstract

Due to the advancement of urban areas on the Atlantic Forest, it is needed constant monitoring of this biome, particularly concerning the Conservation Units. This work was conducted in the Pedra Branca State Park, metropolitan area of the municipal district of Rio de Janeiro. The goal of the study was to differentiate forest succession stages through visual interpretation of a high resolution orbital image. The image classification obeys a hierarchy of classes from a general level (Level I) to a specific level (Level II). The forest formations were classified according to the Brazilian forest law in different secondary successional stages, as early, middle, and advanced stages, besides primary forest. It was verified that 83% of the total area of the basin of the Camorim river are covered by forest in different stages of ecological succession. The areas in more advanced stage of succession (advanced stage and primary forest) had equalized in extension to the areas in early stage (middle and early stages), occupying 336 ha (42%) and 328 ha (41%), respectively. This means that despite the great human pressure that it suffers in its neighborhood, the study site still keeps important remnants for the Atlantic Forest conservation.

Keywords

• Due to the advancement of urban areas on the Atlantic Forest
• it is needed constant monitoring of this biome
• particularly concerning the Conservation Units. This work was conducted in the Pedra Branca State Park
• metropolitan area of the municipal district of Rio de Janeiro. The goal of the study was to differentiate forest succession stages through visual interpretation of a high resolution orbital image. The image classification obeys a hierarchy of classes from a general level (Level I) to a specific level (Level II). The forest formations were classified according to the Brazilian forest law in different secondary successional stages
• as early
• middle
• and advanced stages
• besides primary forest. It was verified that 83% of the total area of the basin of the Camorim river are covered by forest in different stages of ecological succession. The areas in more advanced stage of succession (advanced stage and primary forest) had equalized in extension to the areas in early stage (middle and early stages)
• occupying 336 ha (42%) and 328 ha (41%)
• respectively. This means that despite the great human pressure that it suffers in its neighborhood
• the study site still keeps important remnants for the Atlantic Forest conservation.