Landscape quality and soil loss across the simulation of environmental scenarios in the Brazilian savannah

Abstract

The present study applied spatial metrics to assess the current fragmentation of the landscape in the Metropolitan Region of Goiânia (RMG), in order to establish priority areas for forest maintenance and restoration. For this, three scenarios were simulated, the first being the current condition, the second considering the forest restoration in Areas of Permanent Protection (APP) along the water courses, while in the third scenario the reforestation occurred in the regions of high and very high environmental vulnerability in the study area. This research also aimed to evaluate the loss of soil by laminar erosion applied to the three proposed scenarios for the region. This study showed that, in the RMG, according to the current configuration of the landscape, there has been high fragmentation of the remnant vegetation, where the reforestation is highly recommended. The spatialization of these results and the indication of areas for reforestation and conservation act as a guideline to public policies and in collective decision-making involving all the municipalities of the RMG.

Keywords:
Forest fragmentation; Landscape metrics; Anthropization; Environmental Vulnerability; Cerrado