Characterization of the Forest Reserve Embrapa/Epagri at Caçador(SC) (Brazil) neighborhood using Ikonos image

Abstract

The Reserve is located in an area of great economical importance. The region is under intense anthropogenic process, what means a possibility of regional biodiversity reduction. The forest patch has an area of 1.157,48 hectares and is one of the most representative remnants of the Mixed Ombrophilous Forest, also called Araucaria Forest. This paper objective was to analyze the pattern of the Reserve surroundings, up to 2 km around of the Reserve perimeter. The land use map was obtained by visual interpretation, using Ikonos imagery plus fieldwork and the typological classes were used for the landscape analysis, which consisted of some traditional landscape ecology metrics. It was evidenced that the presence of man-made forest in the perimeter of the Reserve is strategic for the impact of the edge effect the reduction. It was also verified that more than 80% of the Reserve surroundings patches are smaller than 5 hectares, and presents irregular shape. The average of 1,04 patches/100 ha indicates a high regional fragmentation. The Reserve surrounding landscape would be improved with the application of the Brazilian environmental rules to the neighborhood rural properties, considering that the riparian areas would act as natural corridors connecting small patches to the Reserve area.