Abstract
ABSTRACT A problem of global dimensions, the occupation of areas by invasive alien species is studied in this paper focusing on the increasing presence of Pinus sp in the Lagoa do Peixe National Park, at Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. From satellite imagery and the use of remote sensing and geoprocessing techniques, this paper presents a space-time mapping of the presence of this invasive alien species in the northern area of the Park, from 1985 to the 2017. Planted and disseminated areas of Pinus were mapped through visual analysis and pixel classification by the Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) method, using images from the Landsat and Rapid Eye satellites. The results showed a constant growth rate in the areas of Pinus, with acceleration at the end of the analyzed period, confirming the invasive capacity of Pinus sp and the dispersion of their seeds by the wind. The excellent performance of the SAM algorithm in the identification of Pinus areas was demonstrated, as well as the importance of the use of satellite images in the analysis of the question.
Highlights
Invasive alien species are currently a major cause of biodiversity loss on the planet, leading to changes in the structure and composition of ecosystems, to significant detrimental impacts on ecosystem services, affecting economies and the well being of human populations (IUCN, 2018).Compared with other parts of the world such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, exotic conifer plantings are relatively recent in South America, but an invasive expansion has been observed along with a rapid increase of problems generated by it (Richardson et al, 2008)
A problem of global dimensions, the occupation of areas by invasive alien species is studied in this paper focusing on the increasing presence of Pinus sp in the Lagoa do Peixe National Park, at Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil
From satellite imagery and the use of remote sensing and geoprocessing techniques, this paper presents a space-time mapping of the presence of this invasive alien species in the northern area of the Park, from 1985 to the 2017
Summary
Invasive alien species are currently a major cause of biodiversity loss on the planet, leading to changes in the structure and composition of ecosystems, to significant detrimental impacts on ecosystem services, affecting economies and the well being of human populations (IUCN, 2018).Compared with other parts of the world such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, exotic conifer plantings are relatively recent in South America, but an invasive expansion has been observed along with a rapid increase of problems generated by it (Richardson et al, 2008). Ledgard and Langer (1999) consider that the spreading sites are spots from which the dispersion of Pinus seeds is amplified due to their position in local relief and direction of prevailing winds. In a model proposed by Richardson and Higgins (1998) the wind is considered as the only vector of dispersion of Pinus seeds, and the occurrence of new individuals drops exponentially with the distance from the source of seeds. In a similar way, Ziller and Galvão (2002) report that the relief associated with the direction of the wind is a key factor in seed dispersal of Pinus elliottii and Pinus taeda which, according to studies by Bechara (2003) in Florianópolis (SC), reaches its maximum in the months of April and May
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