FOREST COVER EVALUATION IN THE ATLANTIC FOREST LANDSCAPE OF THE OURO PRETO REGION – MG, IN THE YEAR 2010

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the current state of conservation and the landscape connectivity in the area covering part of the counties of Ouro Preto, Mariana and Ouro Branco, MG. This area is located at the upper course of the Velhas river, Carmo river, Gualaxo do Sul river and Colônia creek. The region belongs to the Mata Atlantica phytogeographic ecosystem and encompasses different Conservation Units (CUs). RapidEye AG (Jun/2010) with 5 m of spatial resolution images were used. The study area was divided into three classes: Seasonal semideciduous montane forest; Natural vegetation 2; Anthropic use. The results showed that the study area is well preserved, particularly inside the CUs where the fragments are bigger and are considered priority sites for conservation. The natural formations of the region corresponded to 87.08% of the study area. The metrics showed that the average distance between the 262 fragments is 72.18 m. The shape of the fragments do not favor the preservation of biodiversity, because they are complex and irregular (fractal). The application of edge effects initially increases the fragmentation and, subsequently reduces the size of individual vegetation spots, smoothing their complex shapes. Strong anthropic pressures are present outside the buffer zone of the State Park of Itacolomi. The weak points are those surrounding pastoral and mining areas, mainly field areas of CUs in Ouro Branco and pasture areas inside the Cachoeira das Andorinhas State APA.