Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-21T18:15:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Christiane Niedzielski.pdf: 4084375 bytes, checksum: 6db48007b00d8ba00b0200c43e28601a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-04-03 / Landscape Ecology aims to the global understanding of the landscape and land use planning, also integrating social sciences, geophysical and biological one. Along water courses the marginal portions influenced by periodic flooding represent highly dynamic environments and landscape studies consider their classes as landscape elements. This three-dimensional and transitional space between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems is the riparian zone. Thus, this study intends to analyze the structural and functional connectivity in the riparian landscape of Pitangui, S. Jorge, and S. João rivers in the Second Paraná Plateau. By means of geoprocessing the images for landscape analysis were performed in Guidos 1.3 and 2.0 Fragstats softwares. The classification of landscape elements considered core areas, edges, corridors, branchs and islands. Pitangui River has 500.23 ha distributed in 243 riparian forest patches (FR), where 71.09 ha were 195 patches of hydrophilic vegetation (VH), and 173.04 ha were 132 patches of mesophilic vegetation (VM). São Jorge River has 101.31 ha in 117 FR patches, 51.14 ha were 150 VH patches, and 81.24 were related to 82 VM patches. São João River has 180.47 ha distributed in 71 FR patches, 36.24 ha in 143 VH patches, and 28.6 in 30 VM patches. In the three rivers there are a large number of small patches and few relatively large areas tending to elongate irregular shapes. Relating to the functional analysis, the São Jorge FR is the most deprived of nuclear areas. All the three rivers VH have very little cartographic nuclear area although the VM Pitangui was the largest cartographic nuclear area. All the riparian metacommunities of the three rivers evolved were naturally fragmented. So, vegetation bands along the rivers act as ecological corridors to the riparian metacommunities. / A Ecologia de Paisagens possui o objetivo de compreensão global da paisagem e o ordenamento territorial, sendo integradora de ciências sociais, geofísicas e biológicas. Nos cursos d’água, as porções marginais influenciadas pelas inundações periódicas representam ambientes altamente dinâmicos e nos estudos de paisagem são considerados como classes de paisagem e a análise da relação entre seus elementos permite fazer inferências acerca de sua importância ecológica. Esse espaço tridimensional e transicional entre ecossistemas aquáticos e terrestres é denominado zona ripária. Neste sentido, este estudo busca analisar a conectividade estrutural e funcional na paisagem ripária dos rios Pitangui, São Jorge e São João, no Segundo Planalto Paranaense. Por meio de geoprocessamento as imagens foram preparadas para a análise da paisagem nos programas Guidos 1.3 e Fragstats 2.0. A classificação dos elementos da paisagem considerou áreas nucleares, bordas, corredores, falsos-corredores e ilhas. O rio Pitangui, com 500,23 ha, distribuídos em 243 fragmentos de floresta ripária (FR), 71,09 ha, distribuídos em 195 fragmentos de vegetação hidrófila (VH) e 173,04 ha distribuídos em 132 fragmentos de vegetação mesófila (VM). O rio São Jorge com 101,31 ha, distribuídos em 117 fragmentos de FR, 51,14 ha distribuídos em 150 fragmentos de VH e 81,24 ha distribuídos em 82 fragmentos de VM. E o rio São João com 180,47 ha, distribuídos em 71 fragmentos, 36,24 ha com 143 fragmentos de VH e 28,6 ha distribuídos em 30 fragmentos de VM. Nos três rios há um grande número de pequenos fragmentos e poucas áreas relativamente extensas, com tendência para formatos alongados e irregulares. Quanto a analise de funcionalidade, rio São Jorge é o mais desprovido de áreas nucleares florestais; para a VH e VM, os três rios possuem pouquíssima área nuclear cartográfica. As metacomunidades nas zonas ripárias nos três rios se desenvolvem em áreas fragmentadas de maneira natural. Assim, as faixas de vegetação remanescente às margens dos rios compõem corredores biológicos para as metacomunidades ripárias.

For landscapes dominated by agriculture, land cover plays an important role in the balance between anthropogenic and natural forces. Therefore, the objective of this thesis is to describe two different methodologies that have been implemented to create high-resolution land cover classifications in a dominant agricultural landscape. First, an object-based segmentation approach will be presented, which was applied to historic, high resolution, panchromatic aerial photography. Second, a traditional per-pixel technique was applied to multi-temporal, multispectral, high resolution aerial photography, in combination with light detection and ranging (LIDAR) and independent component analysis (ICA). A critical analysis of each approach will be discussed in detail, as well as the ability of each methodology to generate landscape metrics that can accurately characterize the quality of the landscape. This will be done through the comparison of various landscape metrics derived from the different classifications approaches, with a goal of enhancing the literature concerning how these metrics vary across methodologies and across scales. This is a familiar problem encountered when analyzing land cover datasets over time, which are often at different scales or generated using different methodologies. The diversity of remotely sensed imagery, including varying spatial resolutions, landscapes, and extents, as well as the wide range of spatial metrics that can be created, has generated concern about the integrity of these metrics when used to make inferences about landscape quality. Finally, inferences will be made about land cover and land cover change dynamics for the state of Iowa based on insight gained throughout the process.

Submitted by Aelson Maciera (aelsoncm@terra.com.br) on 2017-08-30T18:07:03Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DissLCCD.pdf: 4056126 bytes, checksum: ed6319985f95cfa7a1084a7fd08bef23 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-09-25T18:11:08Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DissLCCD.pdf: 4056126 bytes, checksum: ed6319985f95cfa7a1084a7fd08bef23 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-09-25T18:11:15Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 DissLCCD.pdf: 4056126 bytes, checksum: ed6319985f95cfa7a1084a7fd08bef23 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-25T18:15:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DissLCCD.pdf: 4056126 bytes, checksum: ed6319985f95cfa7a1084a7fd08bef23 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-20 / Outra / The advancement of human occupation and the evolution of its many activities have put many ecosystems at risk. The loss of native vegetation to agricultural practices has resulted in the fragmentation of habitats, which has serious consequences for biodiversity. Protected areas exist to try to avoid these interferences, but enforcement is not always effective and can avoid impacts. This scenario makes fundamental the analysis of the landscape of protected areas in macro-scale in order to try to predict and to reverse the impacts resulting from the expansion of the anthropic occupation. In view of these considerations, this dissertation aimed to obtain information about the landscape of the State Environmental Protection Area Rio Pandeiros (PSA Pandeiros), through the use of structural indexes of the landscape. The information was inserted and analyzed in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The landscape structure was evaluated through the land use and land cover dynamics of PSA Pandeiros in 1995 and 2015. The evaluation of priority areas for PSA conservation was evaluated through the application of landscape metrics based on the results of the use and coverage evaluation from the land. And the evaluation of the location of ecological corridors for the PSA area was carried out based on the analysis of PSA connectivity potential from the results of the landscape metrics. The results showed that agricultural activities have strong influence structure of the landscape, mainly the pasture. The advancement of agricultural practices has made the landscape of the PSA suffer some degree of fragmentation which if not controlled will have serious consequences for the local biodiversity. The PSA still presents some fragments that have been considered high conservation areas due to their size and shape, are essential areas for actions that encourage the protection of the PSA. The analysis of the location of the ecological corridors showed that the proposed corridors are located in conservation priority areas and, therefore, their consolidation is necessary so that the fragmentation process of the PSA begins to be reversed and that the PSA may in the near future have A more connected landscape to ensure the 26 species of medium and large mammals found in the PSA and all the biodiversity that is interconnected. / O avanço da ocupação humana e a evolução de suas inúmeras atividades têm colocado diversos ecossistemas em perigo. A perda de vegetação nativa para práticas agrícolas tem resultado na fragmentação dos habitats o que gera graves consequências para a biodiversidade. As áreas Protegidas existem para tentar evitar estas interferências, mas nem sempre a fiscalização é efetiva e consegue evitar os impactos. Esse cenário torna fundamental a análise da paisagem de áreas protegidas em macro escala de forma a tentar prever e reverter os impactos resultantes da expansão da ocupação antrópica. Diante dessas considerações, esta dissertação teve como objetivo a obtenção de informações sobre a paisagem da Área de Proteção Ambiental Estadual do Rio Pandeiros (APA Pandeiros), por meio da utilização de índices estruturais da paisagem. As informações foram inseridas e analisadas em Sistemas de Informação Geográfica (SIG). A estrutura da paisagem foi avaliada através da dinâmica de uso e cobertura da terra da APA Pandeiros em 1995 e 2015. A avaliação de áreas prioritárias para conservação da APA foi avaliada através da aplicação de métricas da paisagem baseadas nos resultados da avaliação do uso e cobertura da terra. E a avaliação da localização de corredores ecológicos para a área da APA foi realizada baseada na análise do potencial de conectividade da APA a partir dos resultados das métricas da paisagem. Os resultados mostraram que as atividades agrícolas têm forte influência estrutura da paisagem, principalmente a pastagem. O avanço das práticas agrícolas fez com que a paisagem da APA sofresse certo grau de fragmentação que caso não seja controlado trará sérias consequências para a biodiversidade local. A APA ainda apresenta alguns fragmentos que foram considerados como áreas de alta prioridade para a conservação devido ao seu formato e tamanho, são áreas essenciais para ações que incentivem a proteção da APA. A análise da localização dos corredores ecológicos mostrou que os corredores propostos estão localizados em áreas prioritárias para a conservação e dessa forma, a sua consolidação é necessária para que o processo de fragmentação da APA comece a ser revertido e que a APA possa num futuro próximo ter uma paisagem mais conectada a fim de assegurar as 26 espécies de mamíferos de médio e grande porte encontrada na APA e toda a biodiversidade que está interligada.

Submitted by Jos? Henrique Henrique (jose.neves@ufvjm.edu.br) on 2017-03-09T17:35:13Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) natalia_viveiros_salomao.pdf: 2312588 bytes, checksum: 733919ffcb929e3dc1d52793e03adbc8 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Rodrigo Martins Cruz (rodrigo.cruz@ufvjm.edu.br) on 2017-03-30T16:37:04Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) natalia_viveiros_salomao.pdf: 2312588 bytes, checksum: 733919ffcb929e3dc1d52793e03adbc8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-30T16:37:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) natalia_viveiros_salomao.pdf: 2312588 bytes, checksum: 733919ffcb929e3dc1d52793e03adbc8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior (CAPES) / As altera??es na estrutura da paisagem provocadas pelo homem ou por agentes naturais determinam o objetivo fundamental da ecologia da paisagem. Os impactos no solo s?o consideradas as principais causas da perda da biodiversidade, pois s?o respons?veis pela perda e fragmenta??o de habitats. A implanta??o de corredores ecol?gicos ? uma estrat?gia para minimizar os processos de degrada??o de fragmentos florestais e garantir a conserva??o de esp?cies e ecossistemas. O objetivo desse trabalho ? analisar e determinar ?reas suscept?veis ? implanta??o de corredores ecol?gicos, ligando essas ?reas ao Parque Estadual Serra do Intendente, a fim de garantir a conserva??o dos dom?nios brasileiros Cerrado e Mata Atl?ntica, no munic?pio de Concei??o do Mato Dentro, Minas Gerais. Para tanto, primeiramente, foi realizada a din?mica da vegeta??o da ?rea de estudo entre os anos de 1979 e 2015, a partir da matriz de transi??o. Para a confec??o da matriz, foi realizada a classifica??o visual do mosaico de fotografias a?reas de 1979 e a classifica??o supervisionada de uso e ocupa??o do solo da imagem de sat?lite LANDSAT 8 de 2015. Ambas as classifica??es resultaram em tr?s classes de vegeta??o, sendo elas herb?cea, arbustiva e arb?rea. Ap?s a an?lise da din?mica da vegeta??o, foi realizada a an?lise da estrutura da ?rea, calculando-se as m?tricas de paisagem: m?tricas da ?rea (?rea da paisagem e porcentagem da paisagem), m?tricas de fragmentos (n?mero dos fragmentos), m?tricas de borda (raz?o entre ?rea e total de bordas), m?tricas de forma (tamanho e forma dos fragmentos) e m?tricas do vizinho mais pr?ximo (conectividade entre os fragmentos). A an?lise da din?mica da vegeta??o resultou em uma redu??o da vegeta??o arb?rea e um crescimento da vegeta??o herb?cea e arbustiva. J? a an?lise da estrutura resultou em uma maior fragmenta??o, maior n?mero de fragmentos irregulares, maior total de bordas e redu??o da conectividade entre os fragmentos. Para definir as ?reas de implanta??o dos corredores ecol?gicos, foi analisado o potencial ecol?gico e estrutural da paisagem. Para a confec??o do mapa de potencial ecol?gico determinaram-se as vari?veis e seus pesos, sendo os maiores pesos para as vari?veis vegeta??o e hidrografia, somando ambos 80% do total e os menores pesos para as vari?veis altitude e declividade, somando ambos 20% do total. A confec??o do mapa de potencial estrutural foi de acordo com o c?lculo das m?tricas da classe, sendo elas: m?dia da ?rea do fragmento, m?dia do formato dos fragmentos, m?dia do total de bordas e m?dia da conectividade. Assim, os resultados conclu?ram que ?reas pr?ximas aos corpos d??gua, com menor total de bordas e maior conectividade entre os fragmentos eram ?reas mais favor?veis aos corredores, j? que garantiam o equil?brio e conserva??o das esp?cies nativas, favorecendo o fluxo g?nico e a desfragmenta??o dessas ?reas. O presente trabalho demonstrou que a ?rea de estudo, embora fragmentada, apresentou cobertura vegetal acima de 60% e, portanto, o habitat encontra-se conservado, ressaltando-se a import?ncia de se conhecer a ?rea tanto estrutural quanto ecologicamente, a fim de garantir um bom resultado nas pr?ticas conservacionistas. / Disserta??o (Mestrado) ? Programa de P?s-Gradua??o em Ci?ncia Florestal, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, 2016. / Changes in the structure of man-made landscape or natural agents determine the fundamental goal of landscape ecology. The impacts on soil are considered the main causes of loss of biodiversity because they are responsible for the loss and fragmentation of habitats. The establishment of ecological corridors is a strategy to minimize the degradation processes of forest fragments and ensure the conservation of species and ecosystems. The objective of this work is to analyze and determine areas susceptible to implementation of ecological corridors, linking these areas to the Parque Estadual Serra do Intendente, in order to ensure the conservation of the Atlantic forest and Cerrado biomes in the municipality of Concei??o do Mato Dentro, Minas Gerais. To do so, first was conducted the dynamics of the study area between the years of 1979 and 2015 from the visual classification of the mosaic of photographs 1979 areas and supervised classification of soil use and occupation of the LANDSAT satellite image 8 of 2015. Both ratings resulted in three classes of vegetation, shrubby, arboreal and herbaceous. For the analysis of structural dynamics, used the landscape metrics: metrics of the area (landscape area and percentage of the landscape), fragments metrics (number of fragments), edge metrics (ratio of area and perimeter and full of edges), so metrics (size and shape of the fragments) and metrics of the nearest neighbor (connectivity between the fragments). Analysis of the structure has resulted in a greater fragmentation, a greater number of irregular fragments, the larger total of edges and reduced connectivity among the fragments. To set the deployment areas of ecological corridors, was analyzed the potential structural and ecological landscape. For the preparation of a map of ecological potential was the biggest weights for classes of vegetation and hydrography, adding both 80% of the total and the smallest weights to the altitude and slope classes, adding both 30% of the total. For the preparation of a map of structural potential, was analyzed the metrics of the classes of the fragment area landscape, the average shape of the fragments, the average total of edges and average of connectivity. Thus, the results concluded that areas close to water bodies, with less total of borders and greater connectivity between the shards were most favourable to the halls, as guaranteed the balance and conservation of native species, favoring the gene flow and the defragmentation of these areas. It appears in this work that the though fragmented area, features cover above 60%, and therefore, the habitat is maintained. In addition, it is necessary to know the structural area as ecologically, in order to ensure a good result in conservation practices.

Florida’s seagrasses are ecologically important marine environments which have suffered major degradation caused by increasing anthropogenic pressures. A 2011 seagrass die-off event caused by an algal bloom in the Florida Indian River Lagoon (IRL) was particularly severe with a majority of seagrass lost in areas such as the Banana River. An understanding of how this coastal marine environment changed is an important step toward better managing resources for conservation. Modern tools and methods provide new opportunities to study these changes at the landscape scale, a scale that informs on the larger more comprehensive state of a system. Classified satellite imagery and spatial landscape metrics were used to quantify changes in IRL Banana River seagrass landscape patterns following the die-off event. Thirty-six landscape metrics in four categories (Area-Edge, Shape, Core Area and Aggregation) were used to discern the spatial complexities of habitat changes over space and time in the IRL study area. Seagrass loss from 2011 to 2013 based on image classifications was as high as 91% in the Banana River study areas. Landscape metrics indicate that following the seagrass die-off in the IRL, meadows became more fragmented, patches became more isolated, and the amount and spatial complexity of meadow edge was reduced. For the most part, these landscape structural changes in the IRL increased with more severe amounts of seagrass loss. The metrics were evaluated and scored for their effectiveness in detecting seagrass landscape changes and their ability to provide consistent detection with variable resolution imagery. The top metrics in order of highest evaluation score were Total Edge, Splitting Index, Total Core Area, Effective Mesh Size, Landscape Shape Index, Edge Density, Perimeter-Area Ratio Distribution, Average Core Area, Disjunct Core Area Distribution Mean and Patch Shape Index. Area-edge and aggregation type metrics were identified as the best metrics for evaluating landscape changes under different degrees of seagrass loss in the IRL. Landscape metrics applied to classified images have the ability to provide quantitative and informative techniques for monitoring seagrass health.

Dentre os mecanismos de planejamento ambiental passíveis de serem utilizados a ecologia de paisagem e o zoneamento ambiental têm se destacado como estratégicos, pois buscam a compatibilização entre o desenvolvimento econômico e a qualidade ambiental. O presente trabalho apresenta uma metodologia que alia à legislação a ecologia de paisagem e, desta forma, um zoneamento ambiental que conserve áreas florestadas mesmo que fora das áreas de proteção permanente (APP) impostas pela legislação, utilizando como modelo a região políticoadministrativa denominada o Vale do Taquari, RS, Brasil. Os resultados encontrados demonstram que 45% das terras são indicadas para uso intensivo (AUI), 38% para uso restrito (AUR), 14% são APPs e 2,3% correspondem à drenagem. No entanto, na área de uso intensivo há 74,85km² (3,4%) de área florestada que, de acordo com os critérios de ecologia de paisagem, deveriam ser conservados, Esta área corresponde à cobertura ocupada pelos fragmentos maiores que 0,05km² nesta zona (AUI). Contudo, há 961,39km² (51,4%) de florestas na AUR, porém, considerando que já há recomendação de não retirada destas florestas nesta zona (AUR), em virtude da declividade superior a 20%, pode-se concluir que além da área de proteção permanente, a região do Vale do Taquari tem 1.035,89km² (21,27%) de cobertura florestal nativa a ser conservada. / Among the mechanisms of environmental planning that can be used the landscape ecology and environmental zoning has been highlighted as strategic, because searching for the consistency between economic development and environmental quality. This paper presents a methodology that combines legislation with landscape ecology, and thus an environmental zoning that preserves forest areas even outside of permanent protected areas (PPA) imposed by legislation, taking as a study area the Taquari Valey, RS, Brazil. The results show that 45% of the lands are indicated as intensive use (AUI), 38% for restricted use (AUR), 14% are PPAs and 2.3% correspond to the drainage. However, in AUI and AUR are 19.05% and 9.05% respectively, of forested area that, according to the criteria of the landscape ecology, should be preserved.

Dentre os mecanismos de planejamento ambiental passíveis de serem utilizados a ecologia de paisagem e o zoneamento ambiental têm se destacado como estratégicos, pois buscam a compatibilização entre o desenvolvimento econômico e a qualidade ambiental. O presente trabalho apresenta uma metodologia que alia à legislação a ecologia de paisagem e, desta forma, um zoneamento ambiental que conserve áreas florestadas mesmo que fora das áreas de proteção permanente (APP) impostas pela legislação, utilizando como modelo a região políticoadministrativa denominada o Vale do Taquari, RS, Brasil. Os resultados encontrados demonstram que 45% das terras são indicadas para uso intensivo (AUI), 38% para uso restrito (AUR), 14% são APPs e 2,3% correspondem à drenagem. No entanto, na área de uso intensivo há 74,85km² (3,4%) de área florestada que, de acordo com os critérios de ecologia de paisagem, deveriam ser conservados, Esta área corresponde à cobertura ocupada pelos fragmentos maiores que 0,05km² nesta zona (AUI). Contudo, há 961,39km² (51,4%) de florestas na AUR, porém, considerando que já há recomendação de não retirada destas florestas nesta zona (AUR), em virtude da declividade superior a 20%, pode-se concluir que além da área de proteção permanente, a região do Vale do Taquari tem 1.035,89km² (21,27%) de cobertura florestal nativa a ser conservada. / Among the mechanisms of environmental planning that can be used the landscape ecology and environmental zoning has been highlighted as strategic, because searching for the consistency between economic development and environmental quality. This paper presents a methodology that combines legislation with landscape ecology, and thus an environmental zoning that preserves forest areas even outside of permanent protected areas (PPA) imposed by legislation, taking as a study area the Taquari Valey, RS, Brazil. The results show that 45% of the lands are indicated as intensive use (AUI), 38% for restricted use (AUR), 14% are PPAs and 2.3% correspond to the drainage. However, in AUI and AUR are 19.05% and 9.05% respectively, of forested area that, according to the criteria of the landscape ecology, should be preserved.

The indicators help us to describe and to understand the landscape. The objective of this thesis was to define, to test and to criticise indicators of structure and indicators of heterogeneity. The set of widely used landscape indicators was chosen and has applied to two databases of different scale {--} CORINE on a scale 1:100 000 and Biotopy ČR on a scale 1:10 000. Every indicator has been applied to both databases. The information given by the particular indicator when applied to one database was compared to the information given by the same indicator applied to the other. The both were compared. The aim was to evaluate to what extent is the usage of the indicator in question appropriate. Therefore we gain the unique comparison of the two different databases resulting in an overview of their practical exploitation, thus the main value added of the study.

Dentre os mecanismos de planejamento ambiental passíveis de serem utilizados a ecologia de paisagem e o zoneamento ambiental têm se destacado como estratégicos, pois buscam a compatibilização entre o desenvolvimento econômico e a qualidade ambiental. O presente trabalho apresenta uma metodologia que alia à legislação a ecologia de paisagem e, desta forma, um zoneamento ambiental que conserve áreas florestadas mesmo que fora das áreas de proteção permanente (APP) impostas pela legislação, utilizando como modelo a região políticoadministrativa denominada o Vale do Taquari, RS, Brasil. Os resultados encontrados demonstram que 45% das terras são indicadas para uso intensivo (AUI), 38% para uso restrito (AUR), 14% são APPs e 2,3% correspondem à drenagem. No entanto, na área de uso intensivo há 74,85km² (3,4%) de área florestada que, de acordo com os critérios de ecologia de paisagem, deveriam ser conservados, Esta área corresponde à cobertura ocupada pelos fragmentos maiores que 0,05km² nesta zona (AUI). Contudo, há 961,39km² (51,4%) de florestas na AUR, porém, considerando que já há recomendação de não retirada destas florestas nesta zona (AUR), em virtude da declividade superior a 20%, pode-se concluir que além da área de proteção permanente, a região do Vale do Taquari tem 1.035,89km² (21,27%) de cobertura florestal nativa a ser conservada. / Among the mechanisms of environmental planning that can be used the landscape ecology and environmental zoning has been highlighted as strategic, because searching for the consistency between economic development and environmental quality. This paper presents a methodology that combines legislation with landscape ecology, and thus an environmental zoning that preserves forest areas even outside of permanent protected areas (PPA) imposed by legislation, taking as a study area the Taquari Valey, RS, Brazil. The results show that 45% of the lands are indicated as intensive use (AUI), 38% for restricted use (AUR), 14% are PPAs and 2.3% correspond to the drainage. However, in AUI and AUR are 19.05% and 9.05% respectively, of forested area that, according to the criteria of the landscape ecology, should be preserved.

Despite the important values forests play in the tropics, sustainable forest management still remains a challenge as manifested through continued forest loss. The objective of this study was to provide information on the dynamics of forest cover and their drivers vital for enhancing sustainable forest management in the Lake Victoria crescent, Uganda. Several methodologies including remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems techniques, analysis of landscape patterns and various social science techniques were integrated in working towards the stated goal. Results showed that the Lake Victoria crescent, Uganda covering an area of about 1,509,228 ha, experienced a decline in forest cover from 9.0% in 1989 to 4.4% in 2009. This was in comparison with non-forest cover which increased from 58.7% in 1989 to 63.5% in 2009 while open water coverage generally remained unchanged averaging 32.3% from 1989 to 2009. Mean annual deforestation rate from 1989 to 2009 decreased with a weighted mean rate of 2.56%. Both deforestation and afforestation declined between 1989 and 2009 although deforestation still exceeded afforestation. In addition to deforestation, the Lake Victoria crescent also experienced forest fragmentation from 1989 to 2009. Forests greater than 100 ha in size were the most vulnerable to forest fragmentation yet they still constituted a big proportion of forest cover in 2009. Deforestation was a consequence of proximate causes which were triggered by a number of underlying drivers acting singly or in combination, with underlying drivers being more influential. In a bid to promote sustainable forest management, there is a need to continue with efforts to curb deforestation and forest fragmentation, especially amongst forests greater than 100 ha. This could be achieved through empowerment of local communities to take a core role in sustainable management of forest resources. / Ph. D.