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Abstract We describe the geographical variation in tree species composition across Amazonian forests and show how environmental conditions are associated with species turnover. Our analyses are based on 2023 forest inventory plots (1 ha) that provide abundance data for a total of 5188 tree species. Within-plot species composition reflected both local environmental conditions (especially soil nutrients and hydrology) and geographical regions. A broader-scale view of species turnover was obtained by interpolating the relative tree species abundances over Amazonia into 47,441 0.1-degree grid cells. Two main dimensions of spatial change in tree species composition were identified. The first was a gradient between western Amazonia at the Andean forelands (with young geology and relatively nutrient-rich soils) and central–eastern Amazonia associated with the Guiana and Brazilian Shields (with more ancient geology and poor soils). The second gradient was between the wet forests of the northwest and the drier forests in southern Amazonia. Isolines linking cells of similar composition crossed major Amazonian rivers, suggesting that tree species distributions are not limited by rivers. Even though some areas of relatively sharp species turnover were identified, mostly the tree species composition changed gradually over large extents, which does not support delimiting clear discrete biogeographic regions within Amazonia.

The Brazilian Amazon is one of Earth’s most biodiverse and ecologically important regions. However, research investments for biodiversity in the biome are disproportionately low compared with other regions of Brazil. In 2022, the Amazon received 13% of master's, doctoral and postdoctoral scholarships and hosted 11% of all researchers working in biodiversity postgraduate programs. Amazonian institutions received approximately 10% of all federal budget spent on grants and scholarships and about 23% of all resources destined to support long-term ecological sites. The cities of Manaus and Belém concentrate about 90% of all grants and scholarships available for the entire region. Despite per capita research investment in the Amazon being equal to or better than that available for the more economically developed regions of Brazil, the distribution of resources by area is highly unequal. Increasing research funding for the Amazon region requires differential input by federal agencies and more transnational collaborations and integration between Amazonian programs and international funds.

Abstract Since the publication of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment report, the concept of ecosystem services has gained visibility around the world, as many of these services are seen as essential for human well-being and their activities, and represent, in addition, an opportunity for financial support for conservation strategies of ecosystems under threat. In this context, this work aims to estimate the monetary values associated with ecosystem services and the losses linked to LULC change in the period of 1985-2021 in the Gurupi river basin, in one of the most deforested regions of the Brazilian Amazon. The results show that the decrease in forest areas caused a loss of monetary value of ecosystem services of US$ 1961 million. The net gain in the analyzed period derived mainly from the increase in agricultural areas devoted to soybean cultivation, with a reduction in areas devoted to other food crops, which may represent a risk to food security in the region.

O artigo apresenta um breve panorama da Ciência e Tecnologia na Amazônia em uma perspectiva regional, discute o papel das universidades, instituições científicas e tecnológicas e centros de saberes, e discorre sobre os desafios para a mobilização dessas instituições para o desenvolvimento territorial sustentável, considerando alguns atributos territoriais e atores regionais. Para tanto, foram utilizados dados e indicadores nacionais da pós-graduação, investimentos e distribuição geográfica das instituições públicas de ensino e pesquisa na Amazônia e, ao final, são apresentados caminhos para o desenvolvimento de uma estratégia regional de Ciência e Tecnologia. Conclui-se que, apesar do considerável avanço nas últimas décadas, ainda se tem uma realidade de investimentos inexpressivos na região e que é imperativo um projeto que incorpore Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação às dinâmicas produtivas, capazes de conformar um novo modelo de desenvolvimento na Amazônia brasileira.

Abstract Using 2.046 botanically-inventoried tree plots across the largest tropical forest on Earth, we mapped tree species-diversity and tree species-richness at 0.1-degree resolution, and investigated drivers for diversity and richness. Using only location, stratified by forest type, as predictor, our spatial model, to the best of our knowledge, provides the most accurate map of tree diversity in Amazonia to date, explaining approximately 70% of the tree diversity and species-richness. Large soil-forest combinations determine a significant percentage of the variation in tree species-richness and tree alpha-diversity in Amazonian forest-plots. We suggest that the size and fragmentation of these systems drive their large-scale diversity patterns and hence local diversity. A model not using location but cumulative water deficit, tree density, and temperature seasonality explains 47% of the tree species-richness in the terra-firme forest in Amazonia. Over large areas across Amazonia, residuals of this relationship are small and poorly spatially structured, suggesting that much of the residual variation may be local. The Guyana Shield area has consistently negative residuals, showing that this area has lower tree species-richness than expected by our models. We provide extensive plot meta-data, including tree density, tree alpha-diversity and tree species-richness results and gridded maps at 0.1-degree resolution.

Este artigo analisa o panorama da sustentabilidade urbana da Região de Integração (RI) Baixo Amazonas para os anos 2000 e 2010 e relataos respectivos avanços e desafios em direção à sustentabilidade. RI é definida como uma unidade de análise composta por 13 municípios situados na metade setentrional do estado do Pará, Brasil. A região foi escolhida por reunir grandes empreendimentos minerários juntamente com intensa atividade agropecuária, situação que justifica a importância de mensurar o nível de sustentabilidade municipal. Para tal, aplicou-se o Sistema de Índices de Sustentabilidade Urbana (SISU), caracterizado por três indicadores temáticos, a fim de se obter um panorama tridimensional, a saber: o Índice de Desenvolvimento Humano Municipal (IDHM); o Índice de Capacidade Político-Institucional (ICP); e, o Índice de Qualidade Ambiental (IQA). Apurou-se na amostra temporal disponibilizada pelos órgãos oficiais, que apenas o IDHM apresentou avanços em todos os municípios estudados. Quanto ao ICP, somente Santarém e Monte Alegre não apresentaram incrementos, enquanto Juruti destacou-se por mais acréscimos na melhoria na autonomia fiscal e gestão pública municipal. Quanto ao IQA, quatro municípios (Belterra, Juruti, Santarém e Terra Santa) expressaram avanços no período pesquisado, enquanto os demais municípios tiveram seus índices reduzidos. Em geral, o estudo aponta que os principais desafios encontrados para estes municípios rumo à sustentabilidade relacionam-se à baixa cobertura de saneamento básico, notadamente quanto à adequação das instalações, aumentos do consumo de energia pela pressão doméstica, uso expressivo da frota de veículos, taxas de redução da cobertura vegetal, desmatamento e degradação florestal em toda a RI.

Abstract The structure of urban secondary forests and their potential for meliponiculture in the eastern Amazon was studied in the municipality of Belterra, Pará. The sampling was carried out in 25 plots of 40 m2 in two areas (0.1 ha) of secondary forests (SF), in which three classes of DBH values were considered (C1:1 cm ≤ DBH ≤ 5 cm; C2: 5 cm < DBH ≤ 10 cm and C3: DBH ≥ 10 cm). a total of 230 individuals were registered in SF I, comprising 66 species and 27 botanical families and 185 individuals in SF II, comprising 43 species distributed in 24 botanical families. The highest richness and abundance were verified for C1, followed by C2 in both areas. In SF I, the basal area values (G=1.509) were higher than in SF II, while the total volume (V=20.21) was higher than SF I, the mean height for C3 was higher in SF II, and C1 and C2 were higher in SF I. The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was higher in SF I (H = 3.722) than in SF II (H=3.197). It was observed that 75% species have bee pollination systems (mellitophilous flora) and are thus considered sources of honey resources.

Abstract In a time of rapid global change, the question of what determines patterns in species abundance distribution remains a priority for understanding the complex dynamics of ecosystems. The constrained maximization of information entropy provides a framework for the understanding of such complex systems dynamics by a quantitative analysis of important constraints via predictions using least biased probability distributions. We apply it to over two thousand hectares of Amazonian tree inventories across seven forest types and thirteen functional traits, representing major global axes of plant strategies. Results show that constraints formed by regional relative abundances of genera explain eight times more of local relative abundances than constraints based on directional selection for specific functional traits, although the latter does show clear signals of environmental dependency. These results provide a quantitative insight by inference from large-scale data using cross-disciplinary methods, furthering our understanding of ecological dynamics.

Wildfires associated with land-use and climate change have considered a key driver to the Amazon forest collapse. However, achieving a detailed understanding of how human-related disturbances impact forest successional trajectories needs comprehensive information spanning forest strata. Here, we investigate the impact of recurrent wildfires on forest structure, species diversity, and composition, making a comprehensive assessment of the regenerating, understory, and canopy tree communities in a sustainable use reserve in the eastern Amazon. Plant communities were described across 16 forest stands (old-growth, burned once and twice) sampling a total of 3620 individuals and 326 tree and palm species. Wildfires affected all attributes of forest structure. Aboveground biomass decreased by 44% in forest burned once, and 71% in twice-burned forest stands. Forest canopy was the most affected strata after the second fire, with a 44%-decrease compared to unburned forest. The same pattern emerged for basal area, which decreased by an average of 27.5% after the first fire and 53.8% following the second fire event. Overall, plant communities experienced a 50%-loss of species richness after two fires, including both dominant and rare species. Plant communities also became more dissimilar as fire events accumulated, with 58%–61% increase in species dissimilarity following two fires events. As wildfires reoccured, the old-growth forests of our focal landscape were converted into a mosaic of regenerating forest stands dominated by local short-lived pioneers (i.e. low-biomass early-regenerating forest stands) and a few tree species less sensitive to fire. Our findings highlight the urgent need to secure a resilient future for Amazonian forests with actions needed to support local livelihoods whilst reducing the prevalence of ignitions sources and allowing forest recovery.

Changes in species distribution in response to climate change might challenge the territorial boundaries of protected areas. Amazonia is one of the global regions most at risk of developing long distances between current and future analogous climates and the emergence of climate conditions without analogs in the past. As a result, species present within the network of Protected Areas (PAs) of Amazonia may be threatened throughout the 21st century. In this study, we investigated climate velocity based on future and past climate-analogs using forward and backward directions in the network of PAs of Amazonia, in order to assess the climatic risk of these areas to climate change and verify their effectiveness in maintaining the current climate conditions. Using current (1970–2000) and future (2041–2060) average annual air temperature and precipitation data with a resolution of 10 km, climate velocities across the entire Amazon biome and average climate velocities of PAs and Indigenous Lands (ILs) were evaluated. The results show that the effects of backward velocity will be greater than that of forward velocity in the Amazon biome. However, the PA network will be less exposed to backward velocity impacts than unprotected areas (UAs)–emphasizing the importance of these areas as a conservation tool. In contrast, for the forward velocity impacts, the PA network will be slightly more exposed than UAs–indicating that the current spatial arrangement of the PA network is still not the most suitable to minimize impacts of a possible climate redistribution. In addition, a large extent of no-analog climates for backward velocities was found in central Amazonia, indicating that high temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns in this region will surpass the historical variability of the entire biome, making it a potentially isolated and unsuitable climatic envelope for species in the future. Most of the no-analog climates are in PAs, however the climate risks in ILs should also be highlighted since they presented higher climate velocities than PAs in both metrics. Our projections contrast with the median latitudinal migration rate of 2 km/year observed in most ecosystems and taxonomic groups studied so far and suggest the need for median migration rates of 7.6 km/year. Thus, despite the important role of PAs and ILs as conservation tools, they are not immune to the effects of climate change and new management strategies, specific to each area and that allow adaptation to global changes, will be necessary.

The goal of this study was to determine the anthropization evolution of the Guamá river basin in the years 2000, 2008 and 2018 by means of the Anthropic Transformation Index. Land use and cover maps were obtained from two databases, Project Mapbiomas (Brazilian Annual Land Use and Land Cover Mapping Project) and PRODES (Project for the Satellite Monitoring of the Brazilian Amazon Forest). The main classes defined in the mapping process are: forest, natural non-forest vegetation, agriculture and livestock farming, secondary vegetation, urban infrastructure, water and others. Secondary vegetation was considered as the area where the forest classes of Mapbiomas intersects with the deforested areas of PRODES, as determined by the map algebra operator. The expansion of agriculture and livestock farming achieved an increase of about 10%, while the forest was reduced in almost 10%. The Guamá river basin obtained an Anthropic Transformation Index of 4.44 in 2000, 5.04 in 2008 and 5.09 in 2018, going from a regular to a degraded state in 18 years. The occupation process caused major alterations in the natural components of the landscape over the course of 18 years, notably in the amount of forest. Protection of 35% of the remnant primary forest in the Guamá river basin is vital for the conservation of water resources vulnerable to changes in land use.

Tree mortality has been shown to be the dominant control on carbon storage in Amazon forests, but little is known of how and why Amazon forest trees die. Here the authors analyse a large Amazon-wide dataset, finding that fast-growing species face greater mortality risk, but that slower-growing individuals within a species are more likely to die, regardless of size.

The National Policy for Environmental and Territorial Management of Indigenous Reserves – (PNGATI in Portuguese) aims to promote quality of life in a sustainable way for indigenous peoples in their lands, respecting socio-cultural autonomy and their own forms of territoriality. This text shows and discusses its socio-political reach and mobilization involved in the implementation of PNGATI with the indigenous peoples of the Paru de Leste River, northern Amazon. Data were collected during the construction stages and execution of the Territorial and Environmental Management Plan through 2014 to 2018. The data suggest that despite some permanent implementation challenges, the management plan was built in order to respect the constitutional precepts of autonomy and collective well-being, empowering, within the limits of this public policy, the indigenous peoples of the region.

This work analyzed sustainability performance of 26 municipalities in the so-called amazon arch of deforestation in the state of Pará, Brazil in the years 2000 and 2010, using the Sustainability Barometer with 31 indicators in social, economic and environmental dimensions. The results show that Altamira and Novo Progresso have intermediate performance in two years and five municipalities progressed to the intermediate level in 2010 while the other remained in a critical situation. There was a slowdown in deforestation in municipalities, but despite the positive results achieved, they were unsatisfactory to change the sustainability status of municipalities.

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the degree of anthropic transformation of a river basin in the Amazon region. We used the digital data of the TerraClass Project to calculate the Anthropic Transformation Index - ATI. In order to verify spatial and temporal changes along a decade in the Gurupi river basin, we used the database of the years 2004 and 2014. The results showed an increase of anthropic changes in the basin over a decade, as a result of forest cover conversion into agricultural and pastures areas. Although the Gurupi river basin remains at a regular level of degradation after a decade, the intensification of land use and land cover change is a threat to the few rainforest remnants of the river basin, which can lead the region to the next level of degradation, if effective forest protection, conservation and restoration actions are not implemented in the region.

Este trabalho objetivou analisar o uso e cobertura da terra e o potencial da regeneração natural para a restauração florestal na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Apeú, localizada na Zona Bragantina, a mais antiga região de colonização da Amazônia. O estudo utilizou as técnicas de sensoriamento remoto e geoprocessamento para a classificação da imagem do sensor Landsat-8/OLI do ano 2017. O tratamento e análise dos dados, confecção e edição do mapa de uso e cobertura foram realizados no software ArcGis versão 10.1. As áreas com regeneração natural somam mais de 18%, considerando-se pasto sujo e vegetação secundária, e são consideradas áreas em processo de sucessão. Encontrou-se um pouco mais de 20% de áreas destinadas ao uso agropecuário e 20% de áreas com solo expostos, o que se deve à crescente urbanização. A análise na BHRA evidencia que as florestas primárias conservadas e degradadas dominam 47% do território da bacia. O percentual de vegetação secundária e pasto sujo indicam que a região possui médio potencial para a regeneração natural para fins de restauração.

The objective of the study was to identify the sustainability scenario in the metropolitan region of Santarém, state of Pará, Brazil, for the years 2000 and 2010, based on the Urban Sustainability Indices System by three indices, 10 indicators, and 19 variables. Progress was made in the performance of the municipalities that compose this region in relation to the Political-Institutional Capacity Index and the Municipal Human Development Index. There was no improvement for the Environmental Quality Index. Investments in the quality of services, productive chains, spatial planning, and environmental management are necessary to improve sustainability levels in this region.

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-20537-x

A Floresta Amazônica abrange 1/3 das florestas tropicais úmidas do planeta. Desta área, aproximadamente 62% encontra-se no território brasileiro sendo o mais extenso dos biomas brasileiros predominantemente florestais. Considerando as dimensões continentais da Amazônia brasileira e, portanto, todas as dificuldades que evidentemente se apresentam ao policiamento e fiscalização de toda a sua extensão, o monitoramento in loco de todas as áreas autuadas nas ações de fiscalização de combate ao desmatamento torna-se algo quase que inexecutável. O IBAMA é o órgão responsável por essa hercúlea tarefa, de verificar se as leis ambientais estão sendo obedecidas. Caso exista alguma infração, este instituto pode embargar e multar os proprietários. Entretanto, torna-se necessário avaliar se os embargos estão sendo respeitados. Portanto, este estudo teve o objetivo de verificar a efetividade dos embargos em áreas atuadas por desmatamento ilegal, no período de 2004 a 2016, nos municípios Dom Eliseu, Paragominas, Rondon do Pará e Ulianópolis, sudeste do Estado do Pará. Para isto desenvolveu-se uma aplicação web para o monitoramento dessas áreas, tendo como suporte técnicas de geoprocessamento e sensoriamento remoto. A análise destas áreas foi realizada pela interpretação do perfil temporal do NDVI-MODIS juntamente com imagens Landsat 5 e 8. Como resultado, pode-se observar que em apenas 30% dos polígonos houve o cumprimento do embargo (regeneração natural), enquanto os outros 70% estavam irregulares, onde foi encontrado classes de agricultura ou pasto, caracterizando descumprimento de embargo. Os resultados indicaram um elevado potencial da ferramenta para o monitoramento e apresentando-se como excelente recurso de suporte para a fiscalização ambiental. Os resultados também indicam o elevado potencial das análises espectro-temporais de índices de vegetação em conjunto com imagens de melhor resolução espacial para o monitoramento da cobertura vegetal.Â

A região metropolitana de Belém (RMB) concentra 1/3 da população do estado do Pará, Brasil, e sua recente expansão tem causado uma série de problemas sociais e ambientais, que comprometem o acesso à infraestrutura e serviços, e também impactam outros fatores que influenciam a sustentabilidade urbana. Nos últimos anos, várias metodologias de avaliação da sustentabilidade das cidades têm sido propostas, porém os desafios ainda são enormes, no sentido de incorporar uma visão pluridimensional na avaliação da sustentabilidade urbana. No presente trabalho aplicou-se o Sistema de Índices de Sustentabilidade Urbana (SISU) para a RMB, com o objetivo de analisar os níveis de sustentabilidade dos municípios que compõem essa região metropolitana e verificar as limitações e os desafios em aplicar esse método de mensuração na Amazônia. Foram empregados 7 indicadores para o índice de qualidade ambiental (IQA), 4 para o índice de capacidade político institucional (ICP) e o índice de desenvolvimento humano municipal (IDHM). Os resultados obtidos mostram que há pouca variação nos índices IQA e IHDM, sendo que os municípios menos populosos, como Santa Bárbara e Benevides apresentam melhor IQA, e os de maior porte, como Belém e Ananindeua, o melhor IDHM. Entretanto, é em relação ao ICP que esta região metropolitana apresenta a maior desigualdade intermunicipal, refletindo assim, a necessidade do fortalecimento institucional e político dessa região.

The sustainability of rural settlements projects in Amazon has been questioned with regard to environmental impacts and socio-economic precariousness of rural populations. In recent years, several methods of assessing the sustainability of these settlements have been proposed, but the challenges are still enormous in order to incorporate a multidimensional view in assessing the quality of these settlements. This study aims to analyze the level of sustainability of rural settlements of Pará state, Brazil through the Sustainability Barometer (BS). Four themes were selected (social, economic- productive, organizational and environmental) and 28 indicators drawn from a social and environmental assessment made by the National Institute of Colonization and Agrarian Reform – INCRA. Two categories of settlements were compared: Conventional Projects (PAC) and Environmental Differentiated Projects (PAD). Both categories of rural settlements were demonstrated not to provide good quality of life to families considering the precariousness of basic services offered to rural settlers. On the other hand, both categories of settlement are in the same situation in terms of sustainability (Potentially Unsustainable - according to BS), the PAD model presents greater potential for economic and ecological sustainability.

Neste trabalho, buscou-se elaborar um panorama da sustentabilidade dos nove estados da Amazônia Legal, com base em cinco dimensões, 13 temas e 54 indicadores que compõem o Índice de Desenvolvimento Sustentável ”“ IDS. Os resultados indicam que há diferenças nos níveis de sustentabilidade dos estados. Apenas Roraima foi classificado com um desempenho aceitável do IDS, enquanto o Maranhão apresentou nível crítico e os outros estados se mantiveram na faixa de alerta. As particularidades e vulnerabilidades de cada estado refletem as condicionantes históricas, as características geográficas e os modelos de desenvolvimento adotados. Considera-se que o IDS é uma ferramenta eficaz de avaliação devido à sua capacidade de abordar os temas essenciais da sustentabilidade e por sua simplicidade metodológica.

Esta pesquisa apresenta um panorama da sustentabilidade em sete municípios paraenses, que fazem parte do polo de produção do dendê (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) na Amazônia oriental. Trata-se de uma área com aproximadamente 46.000 km² que apresenta diferentes padrões de usos da terra, considerada prioritária para a implementação da política nacional dos biocombustíveis por apresentar grandes extensões de terras em condições edafoclimáticas favoráveis. A pesquisa, utilizando o Barômetro da Sustentabilidade – BS, faz uma avaliação ex ante do nível de desenvolvimento dos municípios, analisando dados quantitativos e qualitativos de diferentes fontes a partir de 2010. Foram empregados dezesseis indicadores para o bem-estar humano (social) e nove para o bem-estar ecológico (ambiental), ajustados à escala do Barômetro. Os resultados do BS mostraram que os municípios ocupam posições intermediárias e potencialmente insustentáveis, o que reflete a fragilidade socioeconômica e ambiental da região estudada.

Few analytical tools have been applied in sustainability studies in Amazonia, especially in the State of Pará. Municipalities in Pará included in the Centers for Biodiesel Production program of the Brazilian government, particularly Moju, are undergoing a phase of intensive agroindustrial investment for the production of Oil Palm, and of firm insertion of family agriculture in such a process. In this context, questions have arisen about the ability of Moju in absorbing such a public policy, represented by new territorial dynamics and which require strong local capacity of environmental management. This research aims to evaluate the institutional dimension of sustainability of the municipality of Moju by verifying the conditions presented by the city council vis-à-vis environmental management. We used the Barometer of Sustainability (BS) for this analysis, taking into account five themes (institutional structure, operational structure, terms of conduct adjustment, rural environmental register and landholding tenure) and 33 indicators, complemented by interviews with local administrators and entrepreneurs. Results revealed that Moju is indeed equipped for full environmental management, but also that this operational structure is still inadequate, which should certainly bring out problems if this policy is put into effect.

Despite the growing ecological and social importance of second-growth and regenerating forests across much of the world, significant inconsistencies remain in the legal framework governing these forests in many tropical countries and elsewhere. Such inconsistencies and uncertainties undermine attempts to improve both the transparency and sustainability of management regimes. Here, we present a case-study overview of some of the main challenges facing the governance of second-growth forests and the forest restoration process in the Brazilian Amazon, with a focus on the state of Pará, which is both the most populous state in the Amazon and the state with the highest rates of deforestation in recent years. First, we briefly review the history of environmental governance in Brazil that has led to the current system of legislation governing second-growth forests and the forest restoration process in Pará. Next, we draw on this review to examine the kinds of legislative and operational impediments that stand in the way of the development and implementation of a more effective governance system. In particular, we highlight problems created by significant ambiguities in legal terminology and inconsistencies in guidance given across different levels of government. We also outline some persistent problems with the implementation of legal guidance, including the need to understand local biophysical factors in order to guide an effective restoration program, as well as difficulties presented by access to technical assistance, institutional support and financial resources for the establishment and monitoring of both existing secondary forests and newly regenerating areas of forest. Whilst we focus here on a Brazilian case study, we suggest that these kinds of impediments to the good governance of second-growth forests are commonplace and require more concerted attention from researchers, managers and policy makers.

As Áreas de Preservação Permanente (APPs) desempenham um papel fundamental na manutenção dos principais fatores que regulam os processos hidrológicos e de conservação biológica. Na Amazônia, as APPs vêm sendo ocupadas com atividades econômicas de alto impacto ambiental que levam à supressão de vegetação, desrespeitando o regime legal desse tipo de área protegida. Este artigo analisa os conflitos de uso da terra dentro das áreas destinadas à preservação e propõe uma delimitação dessas áreas de acordo com o Código Florestal Brasileiro de 2012, no municipio de Moju, um dos mais importantes polos de produção de biodiesel do estado do Pará. A pesquisa utilizou imagem multiespectral de alta resolução do satélite RapidEye de 2010 para uma classificação supervisionada que determinou oito classes de cobertura e uso da terra, com especial atenção para a floresta, o cultivo agrícola e cultivo de óleo de palma (Elaeis guineensis). As terras alteradas do município perfazem 30,29% do total, sendo que 17,07% estão ocupadas pela pecuária. Somente 5,2% do território de Moju é legalmente definido como APP. Destas áreas, 29,3% se encontram em uso conflituoso, onde predomina a pastagem, presente em 15,6% das APPs do município. O cultivo de palma corresponde a apenas 0,63% da área da APP e a 2,17% do município. A aplicação das novas regras de recomposição de APPs pelo novo Código Florestal Brasileiro irá resultar em perda de 60,69% de área recuperada em APPs neste município.

Os mapas são representações gráï¬cas que podem contribuir na gestão territorial. Assim, este artigo tem o objetivo de analisar espacialmente se a expansão da dendeicultura (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) no Pará, ocorre apenas em áreas alteradas (desflorestadas) ou também está avançando para as áreas preservadas. O recorte espacial adotado foi o município de Tomé-Açu que desempenha papel signiï¬cativo no desenvolvimento econômico regional com base na agricultura familiar, ter tradição em cultivos agroflorestais, e possui uma localização geográï¬ca estratégica no polo de produção do dendezeiro no Estado. Utiliza-se uma abordagem interdisciplinar para integrar dados de sensoriamento remoto e técnicas de modelagem cartográï¬ca (álgebra de mapas). Os resultados para o período estudado (2001-2013) apontaram que os cultivos de dendezeiro estão concentrados, principalmente, em áreas indicadas para a atividade agropecuária, embora, também ocorram nas áreas indicadas para a preservação (principalmente, faixas dos rios). Situação que reforça a necessidade de acompanhar o avanço desta atividade na Amazônia.

A melhor homenagem que podemos fazer à querida professora Bertha Koiffmann Becker – falecida em 13 julho de 2013, aos 82 anos – é refletir sobre a importância de sua obra para a Amazônia

Brazilian law does not currently define the characteristics that should be used to distinguish different successional stages of second-growth forest. This lack of clarity poses difficulties for licensing the clearance, management and conservation of secondary native vegetation. The aim of this study was to propose an classification system of secondary vegetation by successional stage based on field-work covering three municipalities in Pará, in addition to existing literature. Inventories were made in 128 plots of 0.16 ha per study site and used 18 floristic-structural descriptors. Plots of the three stages were then subjected to a discriminant analysis, which allowed the separation of three stages of succession, based on 16 floristic and structural measures. However, only eight descriptors showed significant discrimination power among the three successional stages. These descriptors were used to develop a classification system termed Capoeira Class (CapClas). CapClass is a system composed of three equations that discriminate the successional stages with more than 70.3% accuracy. This work corroborates the assumption that there are three distinct successional stages with distinct structures, and that floristic-structural descriptors can be used in the implementation of a classification system of secondary vegetation.

Land-use change, including tropical deforestation for agriculture and subsequent agricultural abandonment, may change the stoichiometry of nutrient cycling in tropical secondary forests relative to mature forests. While phosphorus (P) is conservatively cycled in these mature forests, nitrogen (N) losses during an agricultural phase may provoke conservative N cycling processes in young secondary forests. Here we explore differences in nutrient cycling properties among secondary and mature forests of the eastern Amazon, including litter nutrient concentrations and rates of litter production and decomposition. In a chronosequence of successional forest age, N production in litterfall and N loss during litter decomposition were low in young forests but increased with increasing forest age, whereas P was conservatively cycled in all forest ages. Litter N concentration was positively correlated with the rate of mass loss in a litterbag study and with a mass balance estimate of litter decomposition based on annual litterfall and litter stock measurements. Therefore, while P is conservatively cycled and may limit or co-limit productivity in these forests, variation in N content of litter among forest successional stages may be related to differences in decomposition rates and mean residence times of litter, thus linking N availability with rates of litter decomposition and P cycling.

In northern Brazil, the metropolitan area of Belém, Pará, harbors the largest urban population in the Amazon with more than two million inhabitants, and retains remnant primary forests occupying less than 400 km2, about 30% of the original coverage. These forests are fragments located on river islands and on continental areas with restricted access such as military bases, public schools and research institutions, and official forest reserves. This study aimed to survey the trees in six major forest fragments, varying in size from 2 to 15 ha, as well as to identify the species most vulnerable of disappearing in the region. These fragments were Amafrutas (15 ha), Trambioca Island (2 ha), city park “Bosque Rodrigues Alves” (15 ha), Combu Island (10 ha), Gunma reserve (10 ha), and Mocambo reserve (5 ha). Forest fragments were surveyed using fixed quadrates of 250 m2 with the inclusion of all trees with Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) ≥ 10 cm at 1,30 m from the soil. The forest inventories registered 759 tree species in 69 families, of which 12 are officially listed as endangered based on the 1992 Brazilian national list (Instruction of the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Natural Resources - IBAMA, September 2008) and the 2008 Pará state list (Decree nº. 802, de 20/02/2008). These species are: Aspidosperma desmanthum Benth. ex Müll. Arg. (Apocynaceae), Cedrela odorata L. (Meliaceae), Eschweilera piresii S.A. Mori (Lecythidaceae), Euxylophora paraensis Huber (Rutaceae), Hymenolobium excelsum Ducke (Leguminosae), Manilkara huberi (Ducke) Chevalier (Sapotaceae), Tabebuia impetiginosa (Mart. ex DC.) Standl. (Bignoniaceae), Mezilaurus itauba (Meisn.) Taub. ex Mez (Lauraceae) e Qualea caerulea Aubl. (Vochysiaceae).

This paper deals with integration of the remote sensing technique to vegetal cover and land use information about the city of San Francisco do Pará (Bragantina region, Pará, Brazil) which has a long history (more than a century) of land usage. Landsat TM5 (1995) and TM7 (1999) images were used, which were corrected and classified. The averages of gray level values were selected and used as parameters for grouping forests of three, six and ten years old (initial successional forest), 20 years old (intermediate successional forest) and 40 and 70 years old (advanced successional forest). After that, an interpretation key based on image visual characteristics (shape, texture, tonality) was created to distinguish among dense umbrophylous forest (terra firme and igapó), successional forests (initial, intermediate and advanced), pasture, crop, and exposed soil. The study revealed a decrease of 8.04% in forest areas. The land use study showed an increase of 5.80% for pasture, and a decrease of 2.81% for agricultural areas, characterizing a region that tends to show increased cattle breeding.

Este trabalho enfatiza a integração da técnica de sensoriamento remoto às informações de cobertura vegetal e uso da terra no município de São Francisco do Pará (Região Bragantina, Pará, Brasil), cuja área possui uma história de uso da terra com mais de um século. Foram utilizadas imagens Landsat TM5 (1995) e TM7 (1999), as quais foram submetidas a correções e classificações. Selecionou-se valores das médias dos níveis de cinza que serviram como parâmetros para agrupar florestas de idades três, seis e dez anos (floresta sucessional inicial), 20 anos (floresta sucessional intermediária) e 40 e 70 anos (floresta sucessional avançada). Em seguida, gerou-se uma chave de interpretação através das características visuais da imagem (forma, textura e tonalidade) para as florestas ombrófilas densas (terra firme e igapó), florestas sucessionais (inicial, intermediária e avançada), pastagem, cultura e solo exposto. O estudo da dinâmica apresentou diminuição de 8.04% de área florestal e com relação ao uso da terra, houve um aumento de 5.80% para pastagem e uma diminuição de 2.81% para as áreas agricultáveis, caracterizando uma região com tendência à pecuarização.

In order to characterize the forests of the Belo Monte region at the ‘Volta Grande’ of the Xingu River, Brazil, a floristic, phytosociological, structural and ethno-botanical analysis was undertaken in forested areas of Altamira, Anapu, Senador José Porfírio, and Vitória do Xingu, in the Lower and Middle Xingu River regions of Pará. In the four most common forest formations (dense broadleaf forest, broadleaf flood forest, open broadleaf forest with palms, and broadleaf forest with lianas and palms) study plots were laid out that covered a total area of 24.3 ha. Surveys included individuals in three diameter size classes: DBH ≥ 5, 10, and 30 cm. A total of 13.790 individual plants was recorded, comprising 662 species distributed in 65 botanical families. In comparing the forest types, it is concluded that the dense broadleaf forest is the most species rich (433 spp.), followed by the open broadleaf forest with lianas and palms (264 spp.), the broadleaf flood forest (203 spp.), and the open broadleaf forest with palms (140 spp.). In relation to rare species, the dense broadleaf forest showed the greatest number (141 spp.), in contrast to the open broadleaf forest with palms that showed the least (63 spp.). Caesalpiniaceae was the family that had the greatest indices of economic importance (IVIF) and of total coverage (IVCF) in all of the studied forest types except for the open broadleaf forest with lianas and palms (Lecythidaceae). Alexa grandiflora and Voucapoua americana were the species with the greatest indices (economic importance and total coverage) in all the studied Forest formations, except in the broadleaf flood forest (Pterocarpus amazonicus and Molia luscens). It is estimated that these analyzed ecosystems have a combined area of 92,68 km² in the study area. A total abundance of 403,069,870 trees with DBH ≥ 10 cm is estimated, with a total wood volume of 196,276,924 m³ and a live aerial biomass of 198,503,191 metric tons. Forest species of great interest for floral conservation programs were identified, such as the practically extinct Amazon cinnamon tree ‘pau cravo’ (Dicypellium caryophyllatum), a member of the Lauraceae that is much sought-after by the perfume industry, and another rarely found species (Sagotia brachysepala), a member of the Euphorbiaceae with a very restricted geographical distribution.

No intuito de se caracterizar a flora da região de Belo Monte ou Volta Grande do Xingu, efetuou-se uma análise da florística, fitossociologia, estrutura e etnobotânica nas fitofisionomias florestais na área de estudo que inclui os territórios de Altamira, Anapu, Senador José Porfírio e Vitória do Xingu, nas mesorregiões do baixo e médio Xingu, no estado do Pará. Nas quatro fitofisionomias florestais majoritárias (floresta ombrófila densa, floresta ombrófila aluvial, floresta ombrófila aberta com palmeira, floresta ombrófila aberta com cipó e palmeira), foram lançadas parcelas de estudos que abrangeram uma área total de 24,3 ha. Foram amostrados indivíduos em três categorias de diâmetros minímos de inclusão: DAP ≥ a 5, 10 e 30 cm. Registrou-se um total de 13.790 indivíduos compreendendo 662 espécies, distribuídas em 65 famílias botânicas. Comparando-se as fitofisionomias estudadas, concluiu-se que a floresta ombrófila densa tem a maior riqueza de espécies (433), seguindo-se a floresta ombrófila aberta com cipó e palmeira (264), a floresta ombrófila aluvial (203) e a floresta ombrófila aberta com palmeira (140). Com relação às espécies raras, a floresta ombrófila densa apresentou o maior número (141), em contraposição à floresta ombrófila aberta com palmeira, que apresentou o menor (63). Caesalpiniaceae foi a família que apresentou o maior índice de valor de importância (IVIF) e de cobertura (IVCF) em todas as fitofisionomias estudadas, à exceção da floresta ombrófila aberta com cipó e palmeira (Lecythidaceae). Alexa grandiflora e Voucapoua americana foram as espécies de maiores índices (IVI e IVC) em todas as fitofisionomias estudadas, exceto na floresta ombrófila aluvial (Pterocarpus amazonicus e Molia luscens). Estimou-se para todos os ecossistemas analisados um total de 92,68 km2 de cobertura florestal em toda a área de estudo. Estimou-se para esta área uma abundância total de 403.069.870 árvores com DAP ≥ 10 cm, volume total de madeira de 196.276.924 m3 e uma biomassa aérea viva de 198.503.191 t. Foram identificadas algumas espécies florestais de grande interesse para os programas de conservação da flora, como uma espécie arbórea praticamente extinta nas áreas onde é possível a penetração humana, o 'pau cravo' (Dicypellium caryophyllatum), uma Lauraceae muito cobiçada pela indústria perfumista; e uma outra espécie de difícil ocorrência (Sagotia brachysepala), uma Euphorbiaceae de dispersão muito restrita.

In slash-and-burn agriculture, secondary forest has a main role in the fertilization of the soil, after the burning of its plant biomass. Generally, successive burns tend to destroy all forms of regeneration, including the seed banks. With this problem in mind, the Studies of Human Impact on Forests and Floodplains in the Tropics Project (SHIFT), in which this research is inserted, after a series of basic studies on secondary forests in the region of Bragança, has been developing an alternative agricultural production in which secondary forest is used as a source of nutrients and organic matter for the soil in 'fire-free' agricultural production systems. The work was developed in the municipality of Marapanim, it was a participative experiment, a new project approach, where the farmers chose the areas. The objective of the present work was to assess the potential of the seed bank in areas subjected to different forms of soil management, characterizing qualitative and quantitatively. The hypothesis that fire diminishes the potential of seed banks and creates favorable conditions for the regeneration of invading herbaceous species was tested, as well as that chopped mulch minimizes the impacts caused by burning on plant diversity and increases the regeneration of biomass-accumulating species. The germination potential of seed banks in the treatments was monitored during 270 days. Density, species richness, families and predominating life forms were assessed in the treatments burn, chopped mulch. In the seed bank before soil management, the average density in burn was 284 individuals/m2 and in the chopped mulch it was 328 individuals/m2, and after soil management in burn there were in average 23 individuals/ m2 found and in the chopped mulch 139 individuals/m2. The most frequent species at both moments and treatments were Borreria latifolia, Fimbristylis meliacea and Cyperus diffusus. The families Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae and Poaceae appeared in high frequency in all areas and in both treatments. In addition, the families Euphorbiaceae, Melastomataceae, Malvaceae, Lamiaceae. Scrophulariaceae and Asteraceae stood out. The most common forms of life found in the treatments were herbs. The different treatments, affected the abundance and floristical richness decreasing the number of seeds of tree and shrub species, which are biomass accumulating.

Na agricultura de corte e queima, a capoeira tem como papel principal a fertilização da terra após a queima de sua biomassa vegetal. Geralmente as repetidas queimadas acabam destruindo todas as formas de regeneração, incluindo o banco de sementes. Pensando nessa problemática, o Projeto Studies of Human Impact on Forests and Floodplains in the Tropics (SHIFT), no qual esta pesquisa se insere, após uma série de estudos básicos sobre as capoeiras da região Bragantina, vem desenvolvendo uma alternativa de produção agrícola em que a capoeira é usada como fonte de nutrientes e matéria orgânica para o solo em sistemas de produção de ‘agricultura sem queima’. O trabalho desenvolvido no município de Marapanim foi um experimento participativo, uma nova abordagem do projeto, onde as áreas foram definidas pelos agricultores. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o potencial do banco de sementes de áreas submetidas a diferentes práticas agrícolas, caracterizando qualitativa e quantitativamente sua composição florística. Foram testadas as hipóteses de que o fogo diminui o potencial do banco de sementes e cria condições favoráveis à regeneração de espécies invasoras herbáceas. A cobertura triturada minimiza os impactos provocados pela queima sobre a diversidade vegetal e aumenta a regeneração de espécies acumuladoras de biomassa. O potencial de germinação do banco de sementes nos tratamentos foi monitorado durante 270 dias. Nos tratamentos queima e cobertura triturada, foram avaliadas a densidade, riqueza de espécies, famílias e formas de vida predominantes. No banco de sementes antes do manejo do solo, a densidade média na queima foi de 284 indivíduos/m2 e na cobertura triturada 328 indivíduos/m2. Depois do manejo do solo na queima, foram encontrados em média 23 indivíduos/m2 e na cobertura triturada 139 indivíduos/m2. As espécies mais freqüentes nos dois momentos e nos dois tratamentos foram Borreria latifolia, Fimbristylis meliacea e Cyperus diffusus. As famílias Cyperaceae, Rubiaceae e Poaceae apareceram em alta frequência em todas as áreas e nos dois tratamentos. Além dessas, destacaram-se as famílias Euphorbiaceae, Melastomataceae, Malvaceae, Lamiaceae, Scrophulariaceae e Asteraceae. As formas de vida mais comuns encontradas nos tratamentos foram as ervas. Os diferentes tratamentos afetaram a abundância e riqueza florística, diminuindo o número de sementes de espécies arbóreas e arbustivas, acumuladoras de biomassa.

A SOCIEDADE brasileira recebe, anualmente, a estimativa de perda de floresta na Amazônia por meio da taxa de desflorestamento divulgada pelo Inpe, a qual, em 2004, foi de aproximadamente 26.130 km² . O que não se conhece é o quanto de recursos naturais se perde a cada quilômetro quadrado de floresta destruída. Neste trabalho, apresentamos números concretos desta perda, baseados em estudos recentes sobre a densidade de plantas e de alguns grupos de animais na Amazônia. Com base nisso, defendemos a idéia de que não há necessidade de se ampliar o desflorestamento na região e que, portanto, qualquer licença de desmatamento deveria ser proibida na Amazônia. Sugerimos também que o sistema de ciência e tecnologia regional deve ser descentralizado através do desenvolvimento de programas de pesquisa integrados, focalizados no desenho e no teste de modelos de territórios sustentáveis para os diferentes setores da região.BRAZILIAN society receives yearly an estimate of the Amazonian rainforest loss by means of a deforestation rate announced by Inpe, which in 2004 was of approximatly 26,130 km². What we do not know is how much of the natural resources is lost in each square kilometer of forest destruction. In this work, we present concrete numbers of forest loss, based on recent studies of plant densities and some animal species in the Amazon region. Our findings support the idea that it is not necessary to extend further deforestation in the region and, therefore, that deforestation licenses should be forbidden. Moreover, we propose that regional science and technology system must be gradually descentralized and enhanced through the integration and development of research programs focused in drawing and testing models of sustainable territories for the different social segments of the region.

Poucas ferramentas de análise de sustentabilidade têm sido aplicadas na Amazônia, em particular no Estado do Pará. Os municípios paraenses inseridos no Polo Biodiesel, com destaque para Moju, vivem uma fase de intensos investimentos agroindustriais com vistas à produção de palma de óleo (óleo de dendê), e de firme inserção da agricultura familiar nesse processo. Neste contexto, surgem questionamentos acerca da capacidade deste município em receber uma política pública como essa, que se configura em novas dinâmicas territoriais e que requerem uma forte capacidade de gestão ambiental municipal para direcionar as atividades produtivas e sociais em direção à sustentabilidade. Este trabalho visa avaliar a dimensão institucional da sustentabilidade em Moju, verificando as condições apresentadas pelo município quanto à gestão ambiental. Utilizaram-se para esta análise o Barômetro da Sustentabilidade (BS), considerando cinco temas (estrutura institucional, estrutura operacional, termo de ajuste de conduta, cadastro ambiental rural e regularização fundiária) e 33 indicadores, e também entrevistas com gestores e empreendedores locais. Os resultados mostram que este município está habilitado para exercer a gestão ambiental plena, mas também que sua estrutura operacional ainda é deficiente, o que certamente trará problemas para a condução de tal política.

A melhor homenagem que podemos fazer à querida professora Bertha Koiffmann Becker ”“ falecida em 13 julho de 2013, aos 82 anos ”“ é refletir sobre a importância de sua obra para a Amazônia.

O surgimento da Cartografia temática representa a mudança de olhar e pensar o espaço, norteando a passagem da elaboração de mapas antes apenas em nível analítico para uma representação de síntese mais complexa dos aspectos da Paisagem, rompendo com a visão unicamente topográfica. A Geografia acompanhou esta mudança de raciocínio em face da necessidade de representar seu objeto de estudo (o espaço), tornando o mapa um de seus principais instrumentos de trabalho. Dos temas abordados, vem ganhando destaque a análise da questão ambiental, a qual parte do pressuposto da compreensão da relação sociedade e natureza. Mediante tal contexto, este artigo enfatiza os fundamentos da cartografia temática, partindo de momentos analíticos para alcançar a síntese de ocupação na Amazônia. Especificamente, analisa a ocupação ao longo da estrada Transiriri, no Sudeste Paraense. Trata-se de uma estrada não-oficial com aproximadamente 270 km de extensão, conhecida pelos altos índices de desmatamento e a presença de áreas protegidas. Foram utilizadas técnicas de sensoriamento remoto, geoprocessamento e viagem de campo para entender a configuração espacial em 2009. Em síntese, os resultados indicam que há, neste eixo de circulação, a tendência de concentração do desmatamento às margens de estradas não-oficiais na Amazônia.

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RESUMO O objetivo deste artigo é contribuir com o debate acerca do desmatamento no contexto da evolução das políticas de gestão fundiária e territorial na Amazônia, destacando seu papel relevante para o reconhecimento de direitos políticos de categorias sociais minoritárias. A associação do desmatamento na Amazônia sempre esteve correlacionada a problemas sociais e envolve diferentes agentes e fatores causadores conforme a área de abrangência e o momento de sua realização. Procuram-se evidenciar alguns dos principais fatores institucionais que contribuem para pôr em xeque as conquistas do modelo socioambiental por meio de um estudo de caso no assentamento rural categoria Projeto Agroextrativista Praialta-Piranheira, Pará. Essa análise permite concluir que a falta de coerência institucional representa um aspecto estrutural cujo desconhecimento incapacita a compreensão das dinâmicas territoriais da Amazônia.

The National School Feeding Program (PNAE) – the largest and oldest public policy in the area of ​​food and nutrition in Brazil, constituting a Food and Nutritional Security (SAN) strategy – aims to promote and guarantee access to adequate food for basic education students. Federal Law No. 11,947/2009 links the PNAE to Family Farming, determining that a minimum percentage of 30% of the financial resources transferred by the Union be allocated to the purchase of food from this productive category. This work analysed the process of purchasing food from family farming to supply school meals in the Federal Institutions of Higher Education (IFES) in the Metropolitan Region of Belém (RMB) as an instrument for local development and for SAN. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach of a theoretical-empirical nature, for which semi-structured interviews were carried out with employees involved in the purchasing process of the PNAE in these Institutions, the data were evaluated through content analysis. It was found that the organization of the PNAE in the IFES of the RMB complies with Law nº 11.947/2009, regarding the acquisition of foodstuffs from family farming. However, this acquisition is recent, it has shown important advances, although limiting factors are still present, such as the limited variety of foods, the still limited knowledge of the actors involved in the purchase process about the legislation and norms that regulate the supply of food for the PNAE. It is necessary to improve the program to the specificities of the IFES in order to improve the purchasing process of family farming, contributing to local development and SAN.

Abstract This study aimed to identify priority areas for the passive restoration of the Arauaí river basin, municipality of Moju, Pará, using a multicriteria model. This basin is located in a region with intense land use dynamics and expansion of oil palm cultivation, and with high forest loss and fragmentation. The Weighted Linear Combination method was used, with the aggregation of five criteria (Natural Erosion Vulnerability, Potential Land Use and Cover to Passive Restoration, Proximity to the Primary Forest, Forest cover deficit in PPAs, and Distance from Roads and Highways). This analysis allowed to evaluate different biophysical classes and types of land use that affect the selection of areas for restoration. A total of 207.82 km2 of priority areas for passive restoration were identified in the studied basin, with about 80% of its priority areas having medium to very high priority. The final map generated proved to be a useful instrument in the environmental management of restoration plans in the Amazon watershed.