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The present study aimed to analyze the spatial–temporal variation of water streams using Quality Indexes of the Minas Gerais Institute of Water Management (WQI-IGAM), compared with physical–chemical and biological variables established by the CONAMA Resolution 357/2005 employed for water classification. A water stream in the city of Cachoeira-Alta, State of Goiás, Brazil was used as a case study. Four sampling points along the water course were planned; at each point, the variables of dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature (T) and hydrogen potential (pH) were analyzed, using portable equipment, and samples were collected for laboratory analyses of the variables total phosphorus (TP), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total nitrogen (TN), turbidity (Turb), total residues (TR) and thermotolerant coliforms (TC). The waters were classified as of poor quality in relation to the variables TP and TC. The water course was classified as class 3 for the results of TP, class 2 for the results of BOD and TC and class 1 for the results of the other variables, according to CONAMA Resolution 357/2005. It is expected that the watershed management bodies will have a greater concern in the supervision of these resources, requiring greater protection of riparian forests and adequate management of watersheds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use and soil physical quality are related. In this work, the S index was used to evaluate the physical quality of the soils of three rural settlement units located in the Brazilian Cerrado, with areas ranging from 700 to more than 4000 hectares, based on a novel method. To map the S index, a set of pedotransfer functions for water retention curves was adapted according to a broad range of clay content for Cambisols, in three depth layers. Some rural units presented associations with classes of land use. In general, deeper layers presented higher values of S. In areas with less than 370 g/kg of clay, land uses that provide low soil cover should be avoided to prevent physical degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we explored the association between land use and fish species richness on 52 coastal lagoons in Southeast and South Brazil. We measured the proportion of agriculture and urbanization around lagoons over 26 years and used the coefficient of variation (CV) as a surrogate of the temporal land cover variability. We compiled species occurrences from primary data, from the literature and from museum records, and assigned each recorded species to different habitat use groups: benthic/bottom or water column, and littoral or limnetic zones. In the Southeast, where most lagoons are subject to marine influence, richness was negatively associated to agriculture and positively associated to urbanization. In the South, where freshwater lagoons predominate, richness was negatively associated to urbanization and positively associated to agriculture. The results suggest that fish communities from freshwater coastal lagoons are more sensitive to land use than brackish lagoons. Differently from brackish lagoons, that are colonized by both freshwater and marine species, freshwater lagoons rely on neighboring lagoons as species donors. However, this apparent resilience of the brackish lagoons must be regarded with caution, since the increase in marine connections due to artificial sandbar openings may impair freshwater species with time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many aquatic species have restricted dispersal capabilities, making them the most vulnerable organisms to climate change and land use change patterns. These factors deplete Nymphaea species' suitable habitats, threatening their populations and survival. In addition, the species are poorly documented, which may indicate how scarce they are or will become. Members of Nymphaea are ecologically important as well as having cultural and economic value, making them of conservation interest. Therefore, using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) approach, climatic variables, land use, and presence points were modeled for seven Nymphaea species in South America, using three general circulation models (CCSM4, HADGEM2-AO, and MIROC5) and in two representative concentration pathways (RCPs 4.5 and 8.5) and two scenarios (2050 and 2070). Our results indicated that mean diurnal range (bio2), precipitation of the wettest month (bio13), temperature seasonality (bio15), and land use (dom_lu) were the main influencing factors. For all species, suitable areas were concentrated east of Brazil, and they were variable in northern parts of the continent. Besides, inconsistent expansion and contraction of suitable habitats were noticed among the species. For example, N. amazonum, N. rudgeana, and N. lasiophylla future habitat expansions declined and habitat contraction increased, while for N. ampla and N. jamesoniana, both future habitat expansion and contraction increased, and for N. pulchella and N. rudgeana it varied in the RCPs. Moreover, the largest projected suitable habitats were projected outside protected areas, characterized by high human impacts, despite our analysis indicating no significant change between protected and unprotected areas in suitable habitat change. Finally, understanding how climate change and land use affect species distribution is critical to developing conservation measures for aquatic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Our aim was to quantify the influence of climate and land use on major fires that occurred during the 2020 drought over the Brazilian Pantanal region. Location: Alto Paraguay Basin, central‐western flank of Brazil. Time period: 2003–2020. Methods: We calculated climatic and burned area anomalies and Spearman's correlation between precipitation and sea surface temperature (SST). We assessed water coverage to identify the impact of the 2020 drought. We produced fire recurrence maps, identified the areas that burned for the first time in 2020, and estimated the carbon loss. Lastly, we assessed the burned areas within land‐use classes and land tenure. Results: The anomalies showed that climatic variables in 2020 had an atypical behaviour, being hotter and drier than the historical average. The water surface area in the Pantanal has been decreasing annually from 2003, and in 2020 the reduction was 34% greater than the annual average. Burned areas in 2020 were 200% greater than the long‐term average, and 35% of the burned areas occurred for the first time in this year. We showed that 84% of these new fires occurred within natural vegetation, with 39% of the burned areas occurring in forests, an increase of 514%. Forest fires were responsible for 47% of the carbon loss in 2020. Finally, 70% of the fires in 2020 occurred within rural properties, 5% in indigenous lands and 10% in protected areas. Main conclusions: The unprecedented fires in 2020 were not only a result of atypical climate, but also a consequence of the intensification of fire‐related human activities. Rural properties play a major role in Pantanal fires, requiring law enforcement and a consistent plan for increasing the protection of the conservation areas. We argue that ineffective fire prevention and the lack of suppression strategies were also key in enhancing the magnitude of these fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landscape change s driven by anthropogenic activities often have negative impacts on ecosystems, jeopardizing the provision of vital services that sustain biotic elements and wildlife. Predicting the effects of such transformations is crucial for developing strategies to mitigate ecological damage. This study explores the interaction of land use changes and habitat quality estimates in the Upper Paraguay River Basin in Brazil, using the InVEST Habitat Quality model to estimate spatiotemporal landscape trends and evaluate the potential impact of land use policies for the future. Under a business-as-usual scenario by 2050, potential land use changes are simulated for shaping habitat quality, habitat degradation, and habitat rarity estimates as landscape proxies for biodiversity conservation. Results show an extensive expansion of pastures through deforestation, leading to progressive habitat degradation with a significant decay in the predicted and observed habitat quality. The habitat quality index estimates show a spatial decrease from 0.78 to 0.57 for the 1989–2050 period. The same trend is observed in protected areas for the period 2019–2050, with an increase of anthropogenic land use and a decrease of the habitat quality from 0.80 to 0.57 in conservation units, and from 0.75 to 0.53 in indigenous lands. For improved conservation outcomes, this work introduces new insights for shaping environmental actions that can be flagged as sustainable land management practices and ecological perspectives towards spatial pressures at different scales. Therefore, government institutions responsible for the protection of conservation units and indigenous communities can be informed about potential land use impacts on their territories. The findings suggest that incorporating additional scenario trends and climate-related variables could be a valuable direction for future studies to extend further the modelling approaches explored in this work. • Landscape changes threaten biodiversity in Brazil's Upper Paraguay River Basin. • Habitat quality is projected to sharply decline by 2050. • Protected areas are predicted to lose 20% of natural land cover under a BAU scenario. • Conservation units and indigenous lands face high-risk from anthropogenic pressures. • A shift to sustainable and innovative agro-pastoral practices is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical forests such as the Atlantic Forest are under constant threats from the impact of human activities, mostly being caused by the loss of native forest areas for other land uses. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of changes in land use for pasture and cacao cultivation on the richness and composition of Odonata assemblages in comparison to native forest areas. We also evaluated the species as possible indicators of these different land uses. In total, 64 streams were sampled in southern Bahia, Brazil. A total of 84 species were recorded. The results indicated that changes in land use modify the richness and composition of Odonata assemblages. Regarding composition, our results indicated a difference among the assemblages in the three land use areas and that the native areas maintain more stable assemblages. According to the indicator species analysis, 13 species were recorded as possible bioindicators for different land uses. Changes in aquatic ecosystems and their surroundings caused by different land uses a select group of different species groups, modifying Odonata diversity among these areas. Notably, land uses that maintain a certain integrity of the environment, as in the case of cacao cultivation, are the best alternatives for conserving Odonata biodiversity in comparison with pasture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to carry out a multitemporal analysis of changes in land use and land cover in the municipality of Floresta, Pernambuco State in Brazil. Landsat images were used in the years 1985, 1989, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2014, and 2019, and the classes were broken down into areas: water, exposed soil, agriculture, and forestry, and using the Bhattacharya classifier, the classification was carried out for generating land use maps. The data was validated by the Kappa index and points collected in the field, and the projection of the dynamics of use for 2024 was constructed. The thematic maps of land use and coverage from 1985 to 2019 show more significant changes in the forest and exposed soil classes. The increase in the forest class and the consequent reduction in exposed soil are consequences of the interaction between climate and human activities and the quality of the spatial resolution of the satellite images used between the years analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although global climate change is receiving considerable attention, the loss of biodiversity worldwide continues. In this study, dynamics of land use/land cover (LULC) change in the Paraguai/Jauquara Basin, Mato Grosso, Brazil, were investigated. Two analyses were performed using R software. The first was a comparative study of LULC among the LULC classes at the polygon scale, and the second was a spatio-temporal analysis of moving polygons restricted to the agricultural regions in terms of topology, size, distance, and direction of change. The data consisted of Landsat images captured in 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2013, and 2016 and processed using ArcGIS software. The proposed analytical approach handled complex data structures and allowed for a deeper understanding of LULC change over time. The results showed that there was a statistically significant change from regions of natural vegetation to pastures, agricultural regions, and land for other uses, accompanied by a significant trend of expansion of agricultural regions, appearing to stabilize from 2005. Furthermore, different patterns of LULC change were found according to soil type and elevation. In particular, the purple latosol soil type presented the highest expansion indexes since 2001, and the elevated agricultural areas have been expanding and/or stabilizing since 1997. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical semiarid regions are naturally prone to environmental damage. Human activity can worsen this situation. To understand how human actions affect the ecosystem, plan land use effectively, and establish targeted management practices, assessing environmental vulnerability is crucial. This study focuses on a sub-basin receiving water transfers from the São Francisco River in Brazil's semiarid region. Here, we map and evaluate how land use and occupation alter natural vulnerability. We also propose zoning strategies to support water resource management and implement sustainable development policies in the region. To achieve this, we conducted an integrated analysis of physical factors (soil types, geology, climate, vegetation, and landforms) and spatial land-use data using geographic information systems (GIS) and map algebra techniques. Map algebra allowed us to combine these various datasets within the GIS environment, enabling the creation of maps that synthesize both natural and environmental vulnerability across the study area. Following analysis of these vulnerability maps, our findings reveal a high level of vulnerability. The areas with high to very high degrees of natural vulnerability coincide with the places that have high slopes, high altitudes, Lithic Neosols, and thick vegetation. Furthermore, the interaction between environmental factors and human activity exacerbates vulnerability. Based on the environmental vulnerability assessment, we defined four environmental management zones. These zones require distinct protection measures and management approaches. As a method to potentially improve the basin's vulnerability scenario, soil conservation measures are recommended. This approach is highly relevant for managing land in tropical semiarid regions and, with adaptations to specific regional factors, can be applied globally., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Climate variability, land use and land cover changes (LULCC) have a considerable impact on runoff–erosion processes. This study analyzed the relationships between climate variability and spatiotemporal LULCC on runoff–erosion processes in different scenarios of land use and land cover (LULC) for the Almas River basin, located in the Cerrado biome in Brazil. Landsat images from 1991, 2006, and 2017 were used to analyze changes and the LULC scenarios. Two simulations based on the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) were compared: (1) default application using the standard model database (SWATd), and (2) application using remote sensing multiple gridded datasets (albedo and leaf area index) downloaded using the Google Earth Engine (SWATrs). In addition, the SWAT model was applied to analyze the impacts of streamflow and erosion in two hypothetical scenarios of LULC. The first scenario was the optimistic scenario (OS), which represents the sustainable use and preservation of natural vegetation, emphasizing the recovery of permanent preservation areas close to watercourses, hilltops, and mountains, based on the Brazilian forest code. The second scenario was the pessimistic scenario (PS), which presents increased deforestation and expansion of farming activities. The results of the LULC changes show that between 1991 and 2017, the area occupied by agriculture and livestock increased by 75.38%. These results confirmed an increase in the sugarcane plantation and the number of cattle in the basin. The SWAT results showed that the difference between the simulated streamflow for the PS was 26.42%, compared with the OS. The sediment yield average estimation in the PS was 0.035 ton/ha/year, whereas in the OS, it was 0.025 ton/ha/year (i.e., a decrease of 21.88%). The results demonstrated that the basin has a greater predisposition for increased streamflow and sediment yield due to the LULC changes. In addition, measures to contain the increase in agriculture should be analyzed by regional managers to reduce soil erosion in this biome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The future of land use and cover change in Brazil, particularly due to deforestation and forest restoration processes, is critical for the future of global climate and biodiversity, given the richness of its five biomes. These changes in Brazil depend on the interlink between global factors due to its role as one of the main exporters of commodities globally and the national to local institutional, socioeconomic, and biophysical contexts. Aiming to develop scenarios that consider the balance between global (e.g., GDP growth, population growth, per capita consumption of agricultural products, international trade policies, and climatic conditions) and local factors (e.g., land use, agrarian structure, agricultural suitability, protected areas, distance to roads, and other infrastructure projects), a new set of land-use change scenarios for Brazil were developed that aligned with the global structure Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) and Representative Concentration Pathway (RCPs) developed by the global change research community. The narratives of the new scenarios align with SSP1/RCP 1.9 (Sustainable development scenario), SSP2/RCP 4.5 (Middle of the road scenario), and SSP3/RCP 7.0 (Strong inequality scenario). The scenarios were developed by combining the LuccME spatially explicit land change allocation modeling framework and the INLAND surface model to incorporate the climatic variables in water deficit. Based on detailed biophysical, socioeconomic, and institutional factors for each biome in Brazil, we have created spatially explicit scenarios until 2050, considering the following classes: forest vegetation, grassland vegetation, planted pasture, agriculture, a mosaic of small land uses, and forestry. The results aim to detail global models regionally. They could be used regionally to support decision-making and enrich the global analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caatinga biome, located in the Brazilian semi-arid region, is the most populous semi-arid region in the world, causing intensification in land degradation and loss of biodiversity over time. The main objective of this paper is to determine and analyze the changes in land cover and use, over time, on the biophysical parameters in the Caatinga biome in the semi-arid region of Brazil using remote sensing. Landsat-8 images were used, along with the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) in the Google Earth Engine platform, from 2013 to 2019, through spatiotemporal modeling of vegetation indices, i.e., leaf area index (LAI) and vegetation cover (VC). Moreover, land surface temperature (LST) and actual evapotranspiration (ETa) in Petrolina, the semi-arid region of Brazil, was used. The principal component analysis was used to select descriptive variables and multiple regression analysis to predict ETa. The results indicated significant effects of land use and land cover changes on energy balances over time. In 2013, 70.2% of the study area was composed of Caatinga, while the lowest percentages were identified in 2015 (67.8%) and 2017 (68.7%). Rainfall records in 2013 ranged from 270 to 480 mm, with values higher than 410 mm in 46.5% of the study area, concentrated in the northern part of the municipality. On the other hand, in 2017 the lowest annual rainfall values (from 200 to 340 mm) occurred. Low vegetation cover rate was observed by LAI and VC values, with a range of 0 to 25% vegetation cover in 52.3% of the area, which exposes the effects of the dry season on vegetation. The highest LST was mainly found in urban areas and/or exposed soil. In 2013, 40.5% of the region's area had LST between 48.0 and 52.0 °C, raising ETa rates (~4.7 mm day−1). Our model has shown good outcomes in terms of accuracy and concordance (coefficient of determination = 0.98, root mean square error = 0.498, and Lin's concordance correlation coefficient = 0.907). The significant increase in agricultural areas has resulted in the progressive reduction of the Caatinga biome. Therefore, mitigation and sustainable planning is vital to decrease the impacts of anthropic actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies demonstrate the potential of models for the representation of phenomena such as urban heat islands. This article aimed to analyze atmospheric heat islands (UHIucl) by integrating primary air temperature data with spatial information such as land use and relief from a multicriteria model based on multiple linear regression. Furthermore, we compared the measured and estimated air temperature at 11 p.m. with the surface temperature at 10:51 p.m. (local time). These temperatures were obtained through the thermal band of the Landsat 8 satellite considering extraction points of interest in Presidente Prudente city, Brazil. The multicriteria model showed reliability in UHIucl spatialization, reaching the confidence interval (p-value ≤ 0.05). The model proves that urban surface materials are the main energy sources modulating heat transfer to the atmosphere, while vegetation has a temperature-reducing effect. Precise mappings such as the one proposed here are relevant for the formulation of measures that support decision-making by public authorities. These mappings aim at urban planning that is resilient to the effects of urban climate and can be replicated in other realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rivers in the Amazon have among the greatest biodiversity in the world. The Xingu River, one of the tributaries of the Amazon River, has a length of 1640 km, draining 510,000 km2 in one of the most protected regions on the planet. The Middle Xingu region in Brazil has been highly impacted by mining and livestock farming, leading to habitat fragmentation due to altered water quality. Therefore, comparing two rivers (the preserved Xingu River and the impacted Fresco River) and their confluence, the aims of the present study were to (1) assess the land uses in the hydrographic basin; (2) determine the water quality by measurements of turbidity, total solids, and metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, and Hg); (3) compare the zooplankton biodiversity; and (4) to evaluate the avoidance behavior of fish (Astyanax bimaculatus) when exposed to waters from the Xingu and Fresco Rivers. Zooplankton were grouped and counted down to the family level. For the analysis of fish avoidance, a multi-compartment system was used. The forest class predominated at the study locations, accounting for 57.6%, 60.8%, and 63.9% of the total area at P1XR, P2FR, and P3XFR, respectively, although since 1985, at the same points, the forest had been reduced by 31.3%, 25.7%, and 27.9%. The Xingu River presented almost 300% more invertebrate families than the Fresco River, and the fish population preferred its waters (>50%). The inputs from the Fresco River impacted the water quality of the Xingu River, leading to reductions in local invertebrate biodiversity and potential habitats for fish in a typical case of habitat fragmentation due to anthropic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-order streams are important places for river formation and are highly vulnerable to changes in terrestrial ecosystems. Thus, the land-use/land-cover plays an important role in the maintenance of water quality. However, only land-use/land-cover composition may not explain the spatial variation in water quality, because it does not consider land-use/land-cover configuration and forest cover pattern. In this context, the study aimed to evaluate the forest cover pattern effects on water quality on low-order streams located in an agricultural landscape. Applying a paired watershed method, we selected two watersheds classified according to their morphometry and average slope to discard other physical factors that could influence the water quality. Land-use/land-cover pattern was analyzed for composition and forest cover configuration using landscape metrics, including the riparian zone composition. Water quality variables were obtained every two weeks during the hydrological year. This way, watersheds had similar morphometry, slope, and land-use/land-cover composition but differed in forest cover pattern. Watershed with more aggregated forest cover had a better water quality than the other one. The results show that forest cover contributes to water quality maintenance, while forest fragmentation influences the water quality negatively, especially in sediment retention. Agricultural practices are sources of sediment and nutrients to the river, especially in steep relief. Thus, in addition to land-use/land-cover composition, forest cover pattern must be considered in management of low-order streams in tropical agricultural watersheds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beef, among all foods, has the greatest environmental impact and is associated with several chronic diseases. Brazil is one of the largest consumers of meat in the world, on par with developed countries and, most of its greenhouse gas emissions stem from deforestation and agricultural activities. Therefore, this article aims to project the economic and environmental impacts of reducing beef consumption due to changes in household preferences and an increase in beef taxes, with and without a revenue neutral mechanism (subsidies applied to food, excluding meat). To analyze this, a dynamic interregional Computable General Equilibrium model was employed, incorporating a land use change module and accounting for substitution between different food items in both consumption and production structure across regions within the Brazilian Amazon, Matopiba, and the rest of Brazil. The results show that a 40% reduction in beef consumption distributed between 2022 and 2050 could prevent deforestation on an area of approximately 65,000 km2, potentially mitigating up to 2.8 GtCO₂e (a third of the world's potential mitigation from dietary changes according to the UN). In the scenario with subsidies, the reduction in deforestation is smaller due to incentives provided to certain commodities that use pasture. Preference changes could have a virtually zero impact on GDP by 2050. Conversely, increased beef taxes could result in an overall rise in costs, leading to a negative impact on exports and GDP (subsidies only attenuate). In all scenarios, regional impacts would be heterogeneous, particularly affecting regions highly dependent on the cattle and beef sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, important biodiversity hotspots have been threatened by land use change, placing several species at risk. Some gaps in environmental licensing system represent challenges for the nature conservation and should be further investigated. Far beyond conservation strategies, the process of legalizing land use of some countries urgently needs to be reviewed, especially in places that host biological megadiversity, such as the Atlantic Forest, southeastern Brazil. This is the first multiple case study that evaluates the use of ecological descriptors in environmental impact assessment involving vegetation in different successional stages of the Atlantic Forest. The methodology was divided into two steps, i) the selection of the reports in a public environmental agency of São Paulo State and ii) the assessment of ecological criteria inherent to the vegetation survey. This study verified a scarcity of reports presenting adequate ecological descriptors according to the law in their reports, which would improve the assessment of the natural environmental framework. Although ecological parameters appear in some reports, they do not show relevant information, even though for the characterization of the succession stages of the forest fragments, thus hiding important information and leaving aside a parameter that should be essential in the approval/disapproval of reports. Thus, we suggest that the data presented and accepted by the Public Environmental Agency of São Paulo, Brazil, did not adequately characterize the stages of ecological succession in the studied areas, thus putting some ecological patterns and processes at risk. This issue must be urgently reviewed so reports should show the real threats for biodiversity. • Ecological descriptors are underutilized in EIA in Brazil • Biodiversity is threatened by the lack of rigor in EIS and EIR • Environmental agencies must be more rigorous in the ecological criteria presented in EIA • Ecological succession must be carefully evaluated in EIA [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing conservation strategies to mitigate cumulative impacts requires the understanding of historic land use and land cover changes at the regional scale. By using a multisensory and multitemporal approach, we identified the major changes driving cumulative impacts on native vegetation in northeastern Amazon. Comparing two regions, one with mining as the key driver and another where mining is associated with other industrial activities (cellulose), we explore the land use and land cover historic dynamics and derive implications for the assessment of cumulative impacts. Transitions of forest cover to pastureland, silviculture, and urban expansion were mapped in detail over a 20-year period, revealing that silviculture growth cleared more forests than pastureland expansion when associated with pulp mill activities and kaolin mining. In contrast, in a region with gold and iron mining, pastureland expansion was more relevant, clearing mainly areas surrounding new roads. This research shows that the interplay of major mining and industrial investments can produce cumulative losses of native vegetation, depending on the associated industries and infrastructure required for the project development. Our findings emphasize that the definition of spatial and temporal boundaries for the assessment of cumulative impacts must consider different trends in impact accumulation and changes in their spatial distribution over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following research analyzed the interactions between climate change and land use in the Buritirana district, a farming region located at Jalapão gateway, Tocantins state, Brazil. This relatively small area gathers high-tech soybean production developed in recent years, cattle breeding, small family farming, and none associated producers. The study focused on two groups: on the one hand farmers of the agricultural settlements Sítio and Entre Rios and on the other large soybean producers. The database was obtained by the MapBioma project and the WorldClim collection. The images retrieved were processed to plot geographic illustrations and furthermore to elaborate and interpret linear regression. Such framework intended to provide more evidences about the future perspectives of agricultural production in tropical regions. The results revealed an annual increase of average temperature in the examined region, characterized by a strong expansion of soybean monoculture, between 2013 and 2018. However, based on statistical analysis, evidence of correlating soybean expansion to climate changes in the Buritirana region could not be confirmed. Nevertheless, spread of monoculture and reduction of native flora in the Jalapão region and surroundings should be considered with concern, especially for small rural familiar farmers and for wildlife as well, even after approval of the new Brazilian Forest Code in 2008. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil use and management systems modify phosphorus (P) dynamics by changing the different P compartments. However, the interaction between land-use change and altitude is not clear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of land use on P forms in different soil aggregate classes of Ultisols located at two altitudes. Soil samples were collected in four land-use systems (agroforestry system, secondary forest, pasture, and eucalyptus) located at two altitudes in the Atlantic Forest biome, Brazil. Phosphorus fractions were assessed using sequential fractionation. In general, recalcitrant forms represented about 70% in the agroforestry system, 66% in the eucalyptus, 65% in the pasture, and 57% in the secondary forest relative to the total P content of all land uses at both altitudes. The soil aggregate classes of smaller diameter presented higher P contents in all fractions. The smallest soil aggregate classes showed up to 65% more P than the classes with smaller diameters in the different land-use systems and altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development process in Brazil has impacted the landscape over the years, causing, especially, changes in land cover. A critical topic in global studies on environmental issues. As a counterpoint to this process, the Brazilian State opted for the delimitation of protected natural spaces, with the argument of improving biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, human subsistence and the well-being of current and future generations. The article assesses changes in the biodiversity of a protected area, considered as a global biodiversity hotspot, in the Brazilian Cerrado. We used the environmental arguments associated with its creation and a 30-year time series analysis. That identified and quantified land uses, levels of landscape degradation and their environmental suitability in relation to permanent protection areas according to the Brazilian Forest Code. Forestry over 10 years (1987–1997) increased by 8%, but decreased to around 5% in subsequent periods (2007–2017). Degraded pasture areas decreased between periods of expansion of forestry. There was a reduction in the area occupied by pastures, which went from 39 to 31% in the period from 1987 to 1997, but increased by 6% in the following years (2007–2017). The results showed that the expansion of silviculture from 1987 to 1997 occurred in areas previously occupied by moderately degraded pastures, evidencing, on the other hand, an improvement in the quality of the pasture areas in the following period. In addition to forestry and pasture, there was also an expansion of irrigated agriculture in the region, as well as conflicts related to water scarcity. The study, in addition to investigating the conservation conditions of the vegetation cover in the Protected Area, can also be used as a reference in the evaluation and formulation of management plans and social coexistence strategies, which are still very limited in protected areas around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voluntary land registries can affect land use by facilitating both the public's ability to monitor land use and farmers' access to credit. We estimate the impacts of participation in a land registry on the conversion of natural vegetation to agricultural land use by examining the impacts of the rural environmental registry (CAR) in Brazil, using a dynamic land use model. We show that although participation in the CAR does not significantly affect crop area, it does influence pasture expansion, with variation by farm size and environmental compliance level. Our results provide insights for agricultural land‐use policies by illuminating how the intended environmental objectives of land registry programs might be undermined by credit policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Native vegetation in private lands plays an important role in providing ecosystem services and safeguarding biodiversity worldwide. Legal protection rules of this vegetation are thus crucial. In Brazil, since 1934, there has been a requirement for landowners to preserve a percentage of their land covered with native vegetation, the Legal Reserve. However, the 1934 legislation applies only to arboreal vegetation, while the protection of savannahs and grasslands begins after 1965 and 1989. The reference year for the application of Legal Reserves can thus have significant impacts on the amount of native vegetation legally protected. Here we tested the effects on Legal Reserve cover in São Paulo State, considering two different legal benchmarks as starting points: 1934 and 1965. Given that the 1934 law precedes the first aerial mapping in Brazil, we developed a methodology to estimate past native vegetation cover through a probabilistic approach. The forest deficit considering 1934 as the initial point is 3% lower than the one starting with the 1965 benchmark. Comparing both scenarios, the 1934 led to a reduction of 1255 farms with Legal Reserve deficit from a total of 30,417. For both scenarios, Legal Reserve deficits were concentrated in the West, Northwest, and Mid-west regions of the state. The outcomes showed that the benchmark change does not significantly affect the total area of Legal Reserves protection, the number of farms potentially benefited by this mechanism, and the amount of native vegetation deficit. However, the use of the 1934 as an initial date for considering protection of Legal Reserve can delay the implementation of the law due to a time-consuming farm-by-farm analysis, once the probabilistic map has an intrinsic limitation for an automatic process. Thus, the environmental gains with the adoption of 1934 as the initial date do not overcome the limitations of using a probabilistic map, suggesting that effective law enforcement depends on reliable and more recent baselines, allowing semi-automated analyses. This scientific evidence can be adopted by the other Brazilian States that have not yet defined the initial legal benchmark, balancing the advantages and disadvantages of adopting the 1934 Forest Act. • We compare scenarios for the Forest Act implementation considering different past vegetation cover benchmarks (1934 and 1965). • We developed a methodology for estimating native vegetation cover in 1934, because of lack of past spatialized land-use data. • The forest deficit for the benchmark of 1934 is only 3% higher than the one of the 1965 benchmark. • Given the uncertainties of the probabilistic map, the policy implementation can be delayed if 1934 benchmark is adopted. • Even with restrictions, this is the best possible map for the 1934 benchmark and can support decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore spatiotemporal changes in Hyacinth Macaw Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus distribution and the impacts of land use change over 25 years, across its vast range in central/eastern South America. Location: Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay, South America, covering almost 3 million km2. Methods: We use a novel, multi‐temporal species distribution model, to combine both year‐specific occurrence records and land use/cover data in a single model that is subsequently projected over a land cover time series. We investigate changes in geographic range over 25 years and potential drivers of range extent at multiple spatial scales (10 and 30 km) and time‐lags (current and 10 years previously). We also assess protected area coverage and impacts from degazettement within the remaining range and highlight priority areas to search for undiscovered populations. Results: The modelled range of the species increased by 75,000 km2 to over 500,000 km2 between 1995 and 2019, during which period agriculture and pasture increased by 600,000 km2 within the species' extent of occurrence. Habitat suitability was influenced most strongly by distribution of palms, forest cover and changes in pasture over 10 years and usually by predictors measured at larger spatial scales. Just 8% of the macaw's modelled range falls within protected areas, and more than 20,500 km2 of protected areas overlapping with the range have been degazetted in the last 40 years. We highlight key areas to search for undiscovered populations in under‐sampled and remote areas, especially led by community citizen science initiatives involving indigenous groups and protected area staff. Main conclusions: Novel modelling methods, combining multi‐temporal occurrence records and land cover data, appropriate for small sample sizes per year, have revealed habitat dynamics and changes to the range of this threatened species over 25 years. The method may have wide applicability for a range of species, including elusive and poorly studied species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To provide novel evidence on the average impact of climate and land use changes on habitat suitability for tropical plants and to test previous conclusions on the relative importance of these two drivers in shaping future availability of habitat for tropical plant species. Location: Brazil's Atlantic Forest domain. Time period: Plant occurrences recorded between 1960 and 2014. Baseline climate from 1960 to 2000 and land use from 2015. Projected scenarios of climate for 2041–2060 and land use for 2050. Major taxa studied: Angiosperms. Methods: We modelled the habitat suitability of 2,232 species of angiosperms from the Atlantic Forest domain, endemic to Brazil, and estimated how future climate and land use may affect species‐level habitat suitability under a moderate and a business‐as‐usual scenario for the year 2050. Results: Our results suggest that climate change alone will, surprisingly, have only a modest negative impact on the mean habitat suitability, decreasing it by 2% (median = −5 to −7%, variation associated with scenarios). Land use change alone had a more consistent negative impact on habitat suitability, causing mean and median reductions of 4 to 6%. When the effects of climate and land use are combined, the mean habitat suitability was reduced by 4% (median = −9 to −11%). Main conclusions: The combined impacts of climate and land use changes were substantial, although smaller than expected. Habitat suitability decreased for most species, but it increased substantially for some species, suggesting that the distribution of impacts across species is markedly right skewed. The impacts were typically detrimental to small‐ranged species and neutral or beneficial to widespread species. Land use change rather than climate change will likely cause more losses to the habitat of Atlantic Forest plant species within the next several decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between forest cover and streamflow of watersheds is complex and still controversial in the scientific literature. To investigate such relationship we propose an alternative method which requires the following information for each watershed: percentage of forest cover, annual rainfall, average specific streamflow (qave), and minimum mean specific streamflow in seven consecutive days (q7). As a case study, we analyzed a dataset composed by 25 watersheds located in the Espírito Santo State (ESS), Brazil. We conducted simple and multiple linear regression analyses as well as partial correlation analysis between the above parameters. To reduce the effect of heterogeneity of environmental factors, watersheds with similar characteristics in term of rainfall, drainage area, and both rainfall and drainage area were grouped by cluster analysis, and the above regression and correlation analysis was repeated on each group. Our results using the whole dataset showed that forest cover has a negative relationship with watershed streamflow. The analysis of homogeneous groups of watersheds showed that the average minimum streamflow during seven days (q7) was more sensitive to the presence of forest cover, showing a negative relationship, especially in watersheds with low annual rainfall, while in areas with high precipitation, the annual rainfall showed a strong influence on the hydrological responses of watersheds, masking the effect of forest cover. The proposed method may be easily extended to other areas, and allows the inclusion of other relevant environmental variables according to specific cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyze the financial and operational approach to land regularization and financing used in Brazil by an innovative private social enterprise in order to demonstrate that the approach widens the concept fit-for-purpose land regularization to include fit-for-purpose land financing, with relevance for wider efforts in informal settlement regularization and upgrading. In this approach, the enterprise acts as a coordinator and broker to organize the residents of informal settlements to regularize their settlements by negotiating buyouts of the underlying private owners at discounted values, handling titling and registration of the occupants, and coordinating with municipal governments to provide infrastructure. The analysis of parcel-level repayment and price data provides evidence of the sustainability of the business model and increase of property values of the regularized parcels. The results presented from the enterprise's own repayment data demonstrate that under (non-pandemic) historical conditions residents are largely able to pay an affordable monthly payment over 7--10 years to the enterprise for the service to purchase the plots and maintain the enterprise. In operation since 2001, the enterprise has regularized over 20,000 parcels in more than 30 settlements, primarily in the cities of Sao Paolo and Curitiba in Brazil. The approach suggests that it could be widely replicable and add to the set of options for regularizing informal settlements, especially when purchase of private land is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body size influences the effect of individuals and assemblages on ecosystem functioning and defines how they respond to ecosystem changes. We evaluated how body size structure of fish assemblages and functional groups respond to human modifications at catchment, riparian and local scales in 40 streams of the Pampa grasslands, southern Brazil. To describe body size structure, we calculated the mean, coefficient of variation, skewness, and kurtosis, using individual biomass data for the entire fish assemblages and separately by functional group. The results suggested that body size response depends on body size metrics, functional group, and the spatial scale of land use. From 11 functional groups, only five showed a clear response to land use. In general, most functional groups had a higher concentration of small sizes (left-skewed) in response to increased land use measured at distinct spatial scales (local, riparian, and catchment), and a greater concentration of sizes in a narrow and central distribution (higher kurtosis). However, the responses were complex and varied between the functional groups. We conclude that considering ecomorphological and trophic features separately by functional group and assessing multiple body size metrics contributed greatly to detecting the influence of land use on fish body size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Private conservation lands are essential for protecting biodiversity, but few national‐level studies have assessed their coverage and the legal frameworks that support them. Here, we review the legal mechanisms enabling conservation on private lands in Brazil and evaluate these lands' potential to reinforce the national protected area system. We found that conserving native vegetation on private lands is the most important mechanism to protect biodiversity in five out of the six Brazilian biomes. Because Brazil has a law that mandates landowners to set aside conservation areas, remnants of native vegetation were protected rather than converted to other land uses in areas of old economic frontiers. These remnants can be the cornerstones of effective regional conservation systems. Still, upgrading these remnants to privately protected areas and integrating these privately protected areas into the national protected area system remains a challenge. We suggest that the Brazilian experience provides important lessons on how other countries can design innovative policies to recognize and expand private land conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of land use changes by anthropic processes, spatially and temporally, is a fundamental tool to establish correlations between landscape patterns and processes and management of the buffer zone of Conservation Units. This study aimed to analyze the forest fragmentation and land use dynamics in the buffer zone of the Rio Doce State Park (PERD), located in Minas Gerais, Brazil, for the year 2015. Its buffer zone was delimited to a radius of 10 km, covering a total area of 128.893,36 ha. Land use classification was based on Landsat 8 image, orbit 217, point 73 and 74, and two types of ecosystems were identified: natural and anthropic. In the thematic mapping, the pressure of the anthropic use over the natural was notified, as well as the high number of forest fragments, which is a negative impact on the resilience required for the conservation of biodiversity and the local Atlantic forest. The fragments have different shapes and sizes and are distributed throughout the buffer zone of the PERD. There is a need to adopt conservation strategies, such as environmental education, reforestation techniques, recovery of degraded areas and ecological corridors. Even with a worrying current scenario, this finding makes it possible to establish an optimistic point for biodiversity conservation, associated with a tendency to reduce the forces of direct changes on natural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upland forest cover in the Amazon basin has been reduced by land use changes, e.g., the establishment of hydropower plants. Such plants cause permanent flooding and may produce periodic flooding in adjacent upland forests. We determined the short- and long-term effects of artificial flooding on the soil chemistry of upland forests adjacent to the Balbina Hydroelectric Reservoir, Amazonas State, Brazil. We randomized 20 sampling units in upland forests located on the banks of streams adjacent to the hydropower plant. Each sampling unit consisted of two paired forests: one artificial "flooded forest" near the stream and an unflooded "control forest." We performed soil chemical analyses to determine the pH and total organic C, N, Al3+, and nutrient levels (P, Ca, Mg, and K). In the short term, flooding caused soil acidification, C loss, and increased soil nutrient availability, but this effect did not occur in the long term. In the long term, soil acidity decreased, C loss occurred, and available N cumulatively decreased because of annual flooding after the impoundment of the reservoir. These cumulative N losses, associated with high C emissions, may alter the regional climate and contribute to global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Amazonian biome is important not only for South America but also for the entire planet, providing essential environmental services. The state of Rondônia ranks third in deforestation rates in the Brazilian Legal Amazon (BLA) political division. This study aims to evaluate the land use/land cover (LULC) changes over the past ten years (2009–2019), as well as, to predict the LULC in the next 10 years, using TerrSet 18.3 software, in the state of Rondônia, Brazil. The machine learning algorithms within the Google Earth Engine cloud-based platform employed a Random Forest classifier in image classifications. The Markov-CA deep learning algorithm predicted future LULC changes by comparing scenarios of one and three transitions. The results showed a reduction in forested areas of about 15.7% between 2009 and 2019 in the Rondônia state. According to the predictive model, by 2030, around 30% of the remaining forests will be logged, most likely converted into occupied areas. The results reinforce the importance of measures and policies integrated with investments in research and satellite monitoring to reduce deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon and ensure the continuity of the Amazonian role in halting climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, as in the world, the mining sector is expanding steadily. Currently, the sector accounts for 11.5% of Brazil's GDP, and the country is the world's fifth-largest producer of mining products. The environmental impacts of mining and other activities that compete for land use need to be evaluated. The objective of this work was to assess vegetation recomposition in an area where bauxite extraction occurred, using analysis of a vegetation index calculated from satellite images. The method was applied at a bauxite mine in Paragominas, Pará, Brazil. The evaluations covered the steps of opening the area, mining operations, and replanting, considering three types of replanting: natural regeneration, traditional planting, and nucleation, for the period between 2013 and 2019, using 2006 as the base situation for the secondary forest. The results showed that the replanting method directly influences the vegetation index according to satellite images. Several factors affected the values obtained, such as operational factors and topsoil used. The natural regeneration method was found to produce the best results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thinking, articulating, and promoting research focused on themes and issues inherent to urban spaces has posed challenges to various areas of science, particularly encouraging multidisciplinary research. Among the various studies on urban phenomena, those that reflect structural problems, whether of natural origin or resulting from human actions in space, stand out. Examples include recurrent flooding in various cities. In this regard, with the aim of correlating urban problems with the perspectives inherent to Urban Sustainability, this research aims to propose a flood model as a tool for thinking and planning space utilization. The method used consisted of creating a Flood Model, adopting an applied research approach and employing a multidisciplinary theoretical-methodological framework. This research was conducted using a medium-sized city, Montes Claros, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Geotechnologies and Geographic Information System (GIS) were utilized in constructing the Flood Model. As conclusions, the results point towards new perspectives on the conception of Urban Policies and Planning, seeking to establish guidelines to achieve the sustainability of urban spaces and to prevent flooding disasters and risks based on the structured model in this study. Additionally, it underscored the need for oversight of installation works in subdivisions and public area paving to require the construction of an appropriate drainage system tailored to the local reality, as well as the regulation of subdivisions and occupations in floodplains of watercourses, primarily through technical, management, and policy approaches. • The relevance of the combined use of multiple software for detection and proposal of a flood model; • Correlation between the computational techniques of the software used and proposals for urban sustainability; • The use of a real city (medium size) as a model for instrumenting the analyzes and application of the Software; • The application of multiple criteria and analyzes pointed models as alternatives and as evidence for the flood model; • The flood model proposed in this investigation points to a proposal to rethink urban planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Araguaia River floodplain is an important biogeographic boundary between the two largest South American biomes: the Cerrado (Brazilian Savanna) and the Amazon rainforest. The large-scale degradation due to land use conversion experienced in the Araguaia River watershed represents a potential source of mercury (Hg) transport to aquatic ecosystems. However, more information is needed about the dynamics of Hg distribution in savanna floodplains, including the Araguaia River floodplain. We analyzed total mercury (THg) concentrations in the bottom sediments of 30 lakes connected to the Araguaia River and four tributaries, aiming to evaluate the environment's integrity based on the geoaccumulation index (I geo) and the ecological risk index (ERI). The principal component analysis was applied to examine associations between Hg concentrations, environmental conditions, and land use intensity among lakes associated with different river systems. We used indicator cokriging to identify areas with a greater probability of Hg pollution and ecological risk associated with land use intensity. The land use data showed the predominance of areas used for pasture in the Araguaia River basin. THg concentrations in the sediments varied between 22.6 and 81.9 ng g−1 (mean: 46.5 ± 17.7 ng g−1). Sediments showed no significant pollution (I geo : 1.35 - 0.50; Classes 1 and 2) and low to considerable ecological risks (ERI: 23.5–85.1; Classes 1 to 3). THg in bottom sediments was associated with land use, water turbidity and electrical conductivity, and sediment organic matter. The indicator cokriging indicates a moderate to strong spatial dependence between land use intensity and Hg, confirming the contribution of anthropic sources to the increment of ecological risk but also the influence of extrinsic factors (such as environmental conditions, geology, and hydrology). Integrating sediment assessment and land use indices with geostatistical methods proved a valuable tool for identifying priority areas for Hg accumulation at a regional scale. • [THg] were determined in the bottom sediments of 30 savanna floodplain lakes. • [THg] in bottom sediments is related to land use intensity and organic matter. • The lakes present no significant pollution and low to moderate ecological risks. • A moderate to strong spatial dependence exists between Hg and land use intensity. • Indicator cokriging is an efficient method for identifying [THg] regional hotspots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gully erosion represents the most severe soil loss, with far-reaching consequences beyond the immediate site. Assessing the stability of gullies is particularly challenging in tropical regions with sandy soils and limited accurate data. Nonetheless, initiating gully inventories is a crucial first step in guiding public policies and conservation projects. In this study, we focus on the Upper Taquari River Basin (UTRB) situated on the fringes of the Brazilian Pantanal, where extensive erosion occurs in the upper regions and flooding occurs in the plains. We present the first qualitative and quantitative analysis of gullies in this region. Considering the historical context of the UTRB, it has long suffered from land mismanagement, particularly in livestock activities. Our objective was to evaluate the correspondence between gullies and land use classes in the MapBiomas Project, Brazil's most reliable non-governmental land use map, and the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR), the official information shared between landowners and public authorities. Thirteen remote-sensed indicators encompassing vegetation, water, soil, and terrain indices were assessed for 2022. Gullies were digitized through visual interpretation of a high-resolution Maxar Vivid Basic 2017 image. The classification was performed using the Random Forest (RF) algorithm, wherein pixels were classified into three classes: active, intermediate, and stable, based on the degree of vegetation cover and bare soil. The agreement of the gullies with the features of MapBiomas and CAR was also examined. The results revealed an overall accuracy of 96% and a Kappa index of 93% for the pixel classification. In the study area, 2960 gullies were digitized, with 60% classified as active features and only 2% as stable. Furthermore, the MapBiomas algorithm misclassified many pixels with active gullies as pasture. Conversely, the CAR data failed to identify gullies as areas demanding restoration. To address these issues, we recommend revising both land use maps to accurately represent the presence of erosions and improve decision-making that favors efficient conservation efforts of the region. As a further result of our actions, the method described here may prove valuable in formulating restoration plans for other tropical savanna regions. [Display omitted] • Visual interpretation and machine learning provide accurate gully mapping. • The percentage of vegetation cover is a viable metric for evaluating pixels. • Active pixels were misinterpreted in CAR and MapBiomas maps. • Include erosion class into land use platforms would help guide for prompt recovery. • Our method serves as previous inventory at severely degraded basins at low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water resource management in Brazil is constantly evolving, and greater knowledge about this resource allows better planning and more sustainable uses. In Brazil, the improvement of water resource management faces the difficulty of implementing the instruments of the National Water Resources Policy, such as classification of water bodies. Thus, to help improve the water management instruments in the country's northern region, the objective of the present study was to diagnose the influence of land use and occupation on the water quality of the Igarapé Nazaré microbasin. For this purpose, indirect methods of landscape analysis were applied based on the processing of remote sensing images in a GIS. For the water quality analysis, 10 collection points were selected in the watershed, with samples collected at each one in four periods (high water; HW/LW transition; low water; LW/HW transition). In the collected samples, 14 parameters were analyzed, namely: temperature, pH, electrical conductivity; turbidity; water transparency and depth; dissolved oxygen; chlorophyll a, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, total phosphorus and dissolved phosphorus; total coliforms and E. coli. The spatial analysis showed that the microbasin has about 84-% anthropized territory, with emphasis on agriculture, and sources of pollution from industries, fish farming and domestic sewage. Parameter analyses showed high values of total phosphorus (0.005-27.55-mg.L-1), total coliforms (4,103-1,09,106 CFU) and E. coli (0-5.8,105 CFU), and low DO concentration (0.0-8.33-mg.L-1), below the official limit established in all periods analyzed The water quality of the Igarapé Nazaré microbasin was found to suffer strong anthropic interference, requiring improvement of the sanitary infrastructure of city of Ji-Paraná, for maintenance of the watershed in class 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sudden increase in Amazon fires early in the 2019 fire season made global headlines. While it has been heavily speculated that the fires were caused by deliberate human ignitions or human-induced landscape changes, there have also been suggestions that meteorological conditions could have played a role. Here, we ask two questions: were the 2019 fires in the Amazon unprecedented in the historical record, and did the meteorological conditions contribute to the increased burning? To answer this, we take advantage of a recently developed modelling framework which optimises a simple fire model against observations of burnt area and whose outputs are described as probability densities. This allowed us to test the probability of the 2019 fire season occurring due to meteorological conditions alone. The observations show that the burnt area was higher than in previous years in regions where there is already substantial deforestation activity in the Amazon. Overall, 11 % of the area recorded the highest early season (June–August) burnt area since the start of our observational record, with areas in Brazil's central arc of deforestation recording the highest ever monthly burnt area in August. However, areas outside of the regions of widespread deforestation show less burnt area than the historical average, and the optimised model shows that this low burnt area would have extended over much of the eastern Amazon region, including in Brazil's central arc of deforestation with high fire occurrence in 2019. We show that there is a 9 % likelihood of the observed August fires being caused by meteorological conditions alone, decreasing to 6 %–7 % along the agricultural–humid forest interface in Brazil's central states and 8 % in Paraguay and Bolivia dry forests. Our results suggest that changes in land use, cover or management are the likely drivers of the substantial increase in the 2019 early fire season burnt area, especially in Brazil. Burnt area for September in the arc of deforestation had a 14 %–26 % probability of being caused by meteorological conditions, potentially coinciding with a shift in fire-related policy from South American governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Caatinga is the property of Revista Caatinga and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There is an increasing availability of spatially explicit, freely available land use and cover (LUC) time series worldwide. Because of the enormous amount of data this represents, the continuous updates and improvements in spatial and temporal resolution and category differentiation, as well as increasingly dynamic and complex changes made, manual data extraction and analysis is highly time consuming, and making software tools available to automatize LUC data assessment is becoming imperative. This paper presents a software developed in R, which combines LUC raster time series data and their transitions, calculates state-of-the-art LUC change indicators, and creates spatio-temporal visualizations, all in a coherent workflow. The functionality of the application developed is demonstrated using an LUC dataset of the Pantanal floodplain contribution area in Central Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ambiente e Água is the property of Revista Ambiente e Agua and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aims to understand the response of the trophic state index (TSI) of a reservoir under different watershed land-use scenarios. A novel methodology was applied to the Verde River Basin in the south of Brazil, which is exploited by agricultural activity and has a reservoir for water supply. An ecohydrological model was used to calculate daily nutrient concentrations in the water system, which allowed the determination of the reservoir's TSI. The authors propose a new TSI known as TSImod, considering phosphorus, nitrogen, and chlorophyll in its determination. The results indicate that TSImod may be more appropriate for classifying highly impacted environments when compared to the index currently used in Brazil. The Verde River Reservoir was classified as mesotrophic under the current land-use scenario and eutrophic under the proposed scenarios. The framework developed in this study can be replicated in other watersheds to evaluate the impacts of land-use change on water quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The largest and most dynamic agricultural frontier in Brazil is known as MATOPIBA, an area that covers part of the Cerrado biome. Within this region, Western Bahia stands out as a large producer of soy and cotton. There are no studies that quantify carbon stocks for different land uses and land cover types in Western Bahia, which hinders comprehension of the role of agricultural expansion in carbon dynamics and the development of sustainable agriculture policies. Here, we evaluate how the land use changes in this region have affected the carbon balance in the aboveground biomass (AGB), belowground biomass (BGB), and soil reservoirs. We collected soil samples for areas with different land uses and land cover types to estimate soil carbon stocks (SCS) and combined remote sensing results and modeling techniques to develop a historical reconstruction of spatial patterns of SCS, AGB, and BGB during the period 1990–2018. The replacement of areas from the forest formations class with pasture and rainfed agriculture reduced the 100 cm depth SCS (SCS100) by 37.3% (p = 0.031) and 30.3% (p = 0.053), respectively. By contrast, the conversion of pasture and rainfed agriculture to irrigated agriculture increased SCS100 by 34% (p = 0.034) and 26.5% (p = 0.022), respectively. Spatial changes in historical carbon stocks are strongly associated with land use changes that occurred between 1990 and 2018. We estimated a non-significant loss of 61.9 Tg-C (p = 0.726) from the total carbon stocks (calculated as the sum of AGB, BGB, and SCS) of which 80% of the losses came from soil stocks, 11% from BGB, and 8% from AGB. These findings reveal the need to monitor carbon stocks in sandy soils to reduce the uncertainties of estimates and support the development of effective sustainable agriculture policies. The best alternatives for reducing carbon losses in the Cerrado are to maintain natural forest cover and to recover soils through sustainable soil management, especially in pasturelands where soil carbon stocks are lowest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of Blue Carbon as an integral part of global climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies requires quantification of drivers and rates of organic carbon (OC) burial and storage. However, there is limited recognition of how land use impacts benthic assemblages, their bioturbation potential, and OC burial in mangrove forests and tidal flats. Here we evaluated the effects of mangrove deforestation on benthic bioturbation potential (BPc), sediment accretion rates (SARs), and OC and total nitrogen (TN) burial in mangrove soils and tidal flat sediments from three estuaries in tropical Brazil. SARs based on 210Pb dating varied significantly among undisturbed estuaries (2.1–18.6 mm yr−1) and the OC and TN burial rates were respectively 46% and 16% higher than global averages. The cleared mangrove sites had a twofold lower SAR, 40‐fold lower OC burial, and over 100‐fold lower TN burial when compared to undisturbed forests, revealing the pervasive impacts of land use. Variation in benthic assemblage structure and BPc among sites suggests that the composition and activity of macrofaunal communities may facilitate OC burial in some cases, yet the global extent and significance of bioturbation requires further study. Our work reveals a strong spatial variability in C burial in undisturbed mangrove forests and a decreased capacity of mangroves to accumulate C and sediments due to land use effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining linkages among multiple sustainable development outcomes is key for understanding sustainability transitions. Yet rigorous evidence on social and environmental outcomes of sustainable development policies remains scarce. We conduct a national-level analysis of Brazil’s flagship social protection program, Zero Hunger (ZH), which aims to reduce food insecurity and poverty. Using data from rural municipalities across Brazil and quasi-experimental causal inference techniques, we assess relationships between social protection investment and outcomes related to sustainable development goals (SDGs): "no poverty" (SDG 1), "zero hunger" (SDG 2), and "health and well being" (SDG 3). We also assess potential perverse outcomes arising from agricultural development impacting "climate action" (SDG 13) and "life on land" (SDG 15) via clearance of natural vegetation. Despite increasing daily per capita protein and kilocalorie production, summed ZH investment did not alleviate child malnutrition or infant mortality and negligibly influenced multidimensional poverty. Higher investment increased natural vegetation cover in some biomes but increased losses in the Cerrado and especially the Pampa. Effects varied substantially across subprograms. Conditional cash transfer (Bolsa Familia [BF]) was mainly associated with nonbeneficial impacts but increased protein production and improved educational participation in some states. The National Program to Strengthen Family Farming (PRONAF) was typically associated with increased food production (protein and calories), multidimensional poverty alleviation, and changes in natural vegetation. Our results inform policy development by highlighting successful elements of Brazil’s ZH program, variable outcomes across divergent food security dimensions, and synergies and trade-offs between sustainable development goals, including environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information survey and the land use and land cover (LULC) change monitoring are essential to understand the changes in the landscape and their impacts on the environment. The Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) constitutes the second largest biome in Brazil and is highly relevant because of its rich biodiversity. The Cerrado in the Maranhão State is facing a high conversion rate of its natural vegetation into agricultural systems because of the agricultural development policies. This article aims to analyze and quantify the LULCC in the Chapadinha microregion, Maranhão State, Brazil, by comparing Landsat satellite images from 2000, 2009, and 2019. The Chapadinha microregion covers an area of more than 14,000 km2 and, since 2000, presents significant spatial transformations related to agricultural expansion. The goal of this expansion is the economic development based on agricultural commodities (mainly soybean monoculture) for exportation. The study area is the third microregion in terms of agricultural production in Maranhão. The satellite image interpretation showed a reduction of more than 800 km2 of natural vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Catalana de Dret Ambiental is the property of Universitat Rovira I Virgili and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Due to its low share of energy-related emissions, energy systems models have overlooked the implications of technological transition in the agricultural sector and its interaction in the wider energy system. This paper explores the role of agriculture intensification by using a novel agricultural-based energy systems model. The aim is to explore the future role of Brazil's agriculture and its dynamics with other energy sectors under two carbon constraint scenarios. The main focus has been to study resource competition between sugarcane and natural gas at a country level. Results show that in order to meet the future food and bioenergy demand, the agricultural sector would start intensifying by 2030, improving productivity at the expense of higher energy demand, however, land-related emissions would be minimised due to freed-up pasture land and reduction in deforestation rates. Additionally, the development of balanced bioenergy and natural gas markets may help limit the sugarcane expansion rates, preserving up to 12.6 million hectares of forest land, with significant emissions benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]