Paper
21 October 2014 Pasture evapotranspiration as indicators of degradation in the Brazilian Savanna: a case study for Alto Tocantins watershed
Ricardo G. Andrade, Antônio H. de C. Teixeira, Edson E. Sano, Janice F. Leivas, Daniel C. Victoria, Sandra F. Nogueira
Author Affiliations +
Abstract
The Alto Tocantins watershed, located in the Brazilian Savanna (Cerrado biome), is under an intense land use and occupation process, causing increased pressure on natural resources. Pasture areas in the region are highly relevant to the rational use of natural resources in order to achieve economic and environmental sustainability. In this context, remote sensing techniques have been essential for obtaining information relevant to the assessment of vegetation conditions on a large scale. This study aimed to apply this tool in conjunction with field measurements to evaluate evapotranspiration (ET) against pasture degradation indicators. The SAFER algorithm was applied to estimate ET using MODIS images and weather station data from year 2012. Results showed that ET was lower in degraded pastures. It is noteworthy that during low rainfall period, ET values were 22.2% lower in relation to non-degraded pastures. This difference in ET indicates changes in the partition of the energy balance and may impact the microclimate. These results may contribute to public policies that aim to reduce the loss of the productive potential of pastures.
© (2014) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Ricardo G. Andrade, Antônio H. de C. Teixeira, Edson E. Sano, Janice F. Leivas, Daniel C. Victoria, and Sandra F. Nogueira "Pasture evapotranspiration as indicators of degradation in the Brazilian Savanna: a case study for Alto Tocantins watershed", Proc. SPIE 9239, Remote Sensing for Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Hydrology XVI, 92391Z (21 October 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2067225
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Cited by 3 scholarly publications.
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KEYWORDS
Vegetation

MODIS

Remote sensing

Agriculture

Soil science

Meteorology

Radon

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