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Deforestation and Forest Fires in Roraima and Their Relationship with Phytoclimatic Regions in the Northern Brazilian Amazon

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Abstract

Deforestation and forest fires in the Brazilian Amazon are a regional-scale anthropogenic process related to biomass burning, which has a direct impact on global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions. Containment of this process requires characterizing its spatial distribution and that of the environmental factors related to its occurrence. The aim of this study is to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of deforested areas and forest fires in the State of Roraima from 2000 to 2010. We mapped deforested areas and forest fires using Landsat images and associated their occurrence with two phytoclimatic zones: zone with savanna influence (ZIS), and zone without savanna influence (ZOS). Total deforested area during the interval was estimated at 3.06 × 103 km2 (ZIS = 55 %; ZOS = 45 %) while total area affected by forest fires was estimated at 3.02 × 103 km2 (ZIS = 97.7 %; ZOS = 2.3 %). Magnitude of deforestation in Roraima was not related to the phytoclimatic zones, but small deforested areas (≤17.9 ha) predominated in ZOS while larger deforestation classes (>17.9 ha) predominated in ZIS, which is an area with a longer history of human activities. The largest occurrence of forest fires was observed in the ZIS in years with El Niño events. Our analysis indicates that the areas most affected by forest fires in Roraima during 2000–2010 were associated with strong climatic events and the occurrence these fires was amplified in ZIS, a sensitive phytoclimatic zone with a higher risk of anthropogenic fires given its drier climate and open forest structure.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the project “Ecology and Management of Natural Resources of the Roraima’s Savanna” (PPI/INPA 015/122) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development of Brazil (CNPq 303081/2011-2), under a fellowship for R.I. Barbosa. P. E. Barni was supported under a post-graduate fellowship of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel of Brazil (CAPES). The State University of Roraima (UERR), the National Institute for Research in Amazonia (INPA; Roraima’s Office), the National Institute of Science & Technology of the Environmental Services (CNPq – INCT/ServAmb) and the Post-Graduate Program in Climate and Environment (CLIAMB) provided material and logistical support. R. B. Matos helped in the field activities. Comments and suggestions have been added by P. M. Fearnside, J. J. de Toledo, D. Adams, J. G. Ribeiro, E. M. Lima-Neto, C. Campos, L. Nagy and P. M. A. Graça. Two anonymous reviewers and R. G. Pontius Jr. made comments and helped to improve the final version of the manuscript.

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  1. State University of Roraima (UERR), Rodovia BR 210, km 70, São João da Baliza, Roraima, 69375-000, Brazil

    Paulo Eduardo Barni

  2. Post-graduate Program in Natural Resources (PRONAT), Federal University of Roraima (UFRR), Campus Paricarana, Boa Vista, Roraima, 69300-000, Brazil

    Vaneza Barreto Pereira

  3. National Institute for Research in Amazonia (INPA), Av. André Araújo 2936 – Aleixo, Manaus, Amazonas, 69060-000, Brazil

    Antonio Ocimar Manzi

  4. Roraima’s Office (NPRR), National Institute for Research in Amazonia (INPA), Rua Coronel Pinto 315 – Centro, Boa Vista, Roraima, 69301-150, Brazil

    Reinaldo Imbrozio Barbosa

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Barni, P.E., Pereira, V.B., Manzi, A.O. et al. Deforestation and Forest Fires in Roraima and Their Relationship with Phytoclimatic Regions in the Northern Brazilian Amazon. Environmental Management 55, 1124–1138 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-015-0447-7

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