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This study described the spatial and temporal profile of fires in an area proposed for creating a Conservation Unit (UC) in the Microregion of Serra de Carrancas, Minas Gerais. Images from the LandSat 5 and 8 satellites, TM and OLI sensors, were used between the years 2002 and 2015. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the NDVI difference were calculated to detect burned areas. In addition, we used a density point approach to characterize the spatial distribution of the fi res. The land cover classes analyzed were a) agriculture and pasture; b) native forests; c) planted forests; and d) cerrado. To analyze the fire-fighting efficiency, the polygons were grouped into the following size classes: I (<0.1); II (0.1 - 4); III (4.1 - 40); IV (40.1 - 200); V (> 200) hectares. We used the variables accumulated precipitation, the average temperature, and relative humidity to analyze the fire occurrences in the temporal aspect. We detected 2,747 polygons of burned areas, totaling 18,320.14 hectares. From this total, 758 polygons occurred within the UC with an area of 6,696.74 ha. The months with the highest records were August, September, and October. The years 2003, 2009, 2011 and 2014 had the highest occurrences and burned areas in the analyzed period. The grouping in size classes showed a higher frequency of burned areas in classes II and III. Therefore, the implementation of this UC should accompany a policy for preventing and fighting forest fires to preserve the ecological integrity of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As it recognizes the unerring importance of the Conversation Units (CUs) for the maintenance of natural ecosystems, this article aims to evaluate the efficiency of the vegetation conservation after the legal establishment of the Terra Roque State Park (PETeR) and the Environmental Protection Area (EPA) of the Serra Geral de Goiás (APASG) as Conservation Units (CUs). Therefore, it was sought to investigate the actual implementation of the legal regulations that govern the occupation process of these two UCs, based on the mapping of land use and coverage. Brazilian Annual Land Use and Land Cover Mapping Project (MapBiomas), at different acquisition dates and processed via spatial analysis tools in a Geographic Information System. To evaluate the level of vegetative biomass and the level of conservation of the original vegetation, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was applied. The results revealed that there were better levels of natural conservation at the PETeR than at the APASG. Thus, it can be seen that, unlike APASG, PETeR is fulfilling its goal of preserving nature. The NDVI method permitted assess the spatial-temporal dynamics of the use and coverage of the land, which had alternating values depending on the phytophysiognomic type of cerrado vegetation and the characteristics of the environment, being a good complement to the analysis of the adopted procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D deficiency is a global health problem and approaches that consider Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) can bring new perspectives of solution. About 80% of the amount of vitamin D that the body needs is produced endogenously through exposure of the skin to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlight. The average UVB exposure in urban areas will depend in part on the local climate and the amount of cover and types of trees. The study analyzed the association between green areas and vitamin D levels. A sample of 101 women aged 35 years and over, living in the city of Araraquara, Brazil, was analyzed. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was calculated as an indicator of exposure to green areas, being defined as the surrounding residential vegetation. A logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between residential vegetation index and vitamin D status. A statistically significant positive association was observed between exposure to below-median residential surrounding vegetation index and prevalence of insufficient levels of 25(HO)D (P=0,03). The study shows that lower levels of residential green are associated with a higher prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency. NbS approaches contribute to a better understanding of suitable environments for achieving good levels of vitamin D, avoiding the need for pharmaceutical supplementation of the nutrient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The watersheds comprise a portion of the land surface where the surface waters converge to a river mouth and can be found at various scales and used as planning units. This work aims to discuss the changes in the landscape of the Ceroula Stream Basin in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, through an analysis of the coverage and use of the basin surface in a twenty-nine-year temporal cut. Images from the Landsat 5 TM satellites − August 3, 1987, and August 4, 2005 − and Landsat 8 OLI – August 2, 2016 − were used to obtain the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and later quantification of representative classes of the surface. The results indicate that more than half of the native vegetation cover of the basin was replaced by anthropic activities and that most of the remaining forest biomass is related to gallery forests, while the deforested areas are located in the interfluve and in the surroundings of springs. The process of deforestation in the region may threaten the basin as a source of supply for Campo Grande city, since within it is located the Environmental Preservation Area of Ceroula, created to preserve water resources for urban supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]