Natural and eco-environmental vulnerability assessment through multi-temporal satellite data sets in Apodi valley region, Northeast Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this study was to improve our understanding of vulnerability and environmental change; its causes basically show the intensity, its distribution and human-environment effect on the ecosystem in the Apodi Valley Region, This paper identify, assess and classify vulnerability and environmental change in the Apodi valley region using a combined approach of landscape pattern and ecosystem sensitivity. Models were developed using the following five thematic layers: Geology, geomorphology, soil, vegetation and land use/cover, by means of a geographical information systems (GIS)-based on hydro-geophysical parameters. In spite of the data problems and shortcomings, using ESRI’s ArcGIS 9.3 program, the vulnerability score, to classify, weight and combine a number of 15 separate land cover classes to create a single indicator provides a reliable measure of differences (6 classes) among regions and communities that are exposed to similar ranges of hazards. Indeed, the ongoing and active development of vulnerability concepts and methods have already produced some tools to help overcome common issues, such as acting in a context of high uncertainties, taking into account the dynamics and spatial scale of asocial-ecological system, or gathering viewpoints from different sciences to combine human and impact-based approaches. Based on this assessment, this paper proposes concrete perspectives and possibilities to benei¬t from existing commonalities in the construction and application of assessment tools. Key words: Vulnerability, land use/cover, ecosystem, remote sensing, GIS.