SPATIO-TEMPORAL MAPPING OF THE INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES Pinus sp. IN THE NORTHERN AREA OF THE LAGOA DO PEIXE NATIONAL PARK-RS

Abstract

A problem of global dimensions, the occupation of areas by invasive alien species is studied in this paper focusing on the increasing presence of Pinus sp in the Lagoa do Peixe National Park, at Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. From satellite imagery and the use of remote sensing and geoprocessing techniques, this paper presents a space-time mapping of the presence of this invasive alien species in the northern area of the Park, from 1985 to the 2017. Planted and disseminated areas of Pinus were mapped through visual analysis and pixel classification by the Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) method, using images from the Landsat and Rapid Eye satellites. The results showed a constant growth rate in the areas of Pinus, with acceleration at the end of the analyzed period, confirming the invasive capacity of Pinus sp and the dispersion of their seeds by the wind. The excellent performance of the SAM algorithm in the identification of Pinus areas was demonstrated, as well as the importance of the use of satellite images in the analysis of the question.

Keywords: Remote Sensing; Spectral Angle Mapper; Forest Ecology