Geotecnologias aplicadas ao estudo espaço-temporal da degradação ambiental em São Jose de Espinharas – PB.

Abstract

The semi-arid region has as native biome caatinga, which over time, has suffered deforestation, leading to the degradation process due to bad farming practices and extensive livestock, besides the extraction unsustainable. This work aims to study the environmental degradation and vegetation cover in São José de Espinharas in Paraíba hinterland, in a period of 20 years. In this scenario, one can make use of geotechnology in identifying and monitoring areas in the degradation process. The methodology consisted in a deductive and comparative approach in the analysis of the uses and environmental degradation, with the creation of a database, which allows the identification of spatial patterns, temporal and semantic vegetation and environmental degradation, generating detailed information about the vegetation types and levels of degradation in São José de Espinharas. With a comparative of images 1998, 2008 and 2018, it was found that more than 90% of the native vegetation was altered. The dense vegetation class increased from 4, 31 % in 1998 to 8,41 % in 2018, concentrating on the higher areas. The main results of this research also indicate that Semidense Vegetation, increased from 12.57% to 42.24%, during the 20 years, and is currently the main class of vegetation. While areas with higher levels of degradation are concentrated near water sources such as rivers and dams, possessing soil exposed areas prone to erosion, leading to siltation of waterways due to agricultural exploitation. In the city, the Degradation Levels Severe and Moderate Severe, reduced their areas, from 9.92% to 5.58% and 18.05% to 3.89% for the period 20 years and the degradation level Moderate Low corresponding to 42.51% of the local area.