Environmental Services Generated by Forests Protected by the Brazilian Army Located in the Metropolitan Area of Recife

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research was to analyze the evolution of the climatic environmental services generated by four fragments of the Atlantic rainforest under the protection of the Brazilian Army, located in the metropolitan area of Recife, through the comparison of Surface Temperatures (St) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) generated as from the images captured by the TM Landsat 5 satellite in time periods ranging from 19 to 21 years. Before being under the responsibility of the Army, the areas studied were used for the growth of sugarcane and grassland for livestock. It was possible to conclude that the climatic conditions within the fragments analyzed have improved over the years, and that the Surface Temperature comparison method through the analysis of the radiation balance was considered appropriate to the comparative study of the environmental evolution of forest fragments.

Keywords:
environmental services; atlantic rainforest; forest fragment; Brazilian Army; geoprocessing (GIS).