Marcos Benedito Schimalski

Evaluating Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 Data to Map Sucessional Forest Stages in a Subtropical Forest in Southern Brazil

Studies designed to discriminate different successional forest stages play a strategic role in forest management, forest policy and environmental conservation in tropical environments. The discrimination of different successional forest stages is still a challenge due to the spectral similarity among the concerned classes. Considering this, the objective of this paper was to investigate the performance of Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 data for discriminating different successional forest stages of a patch located in a subtropical portion of the Atlantic Rain Forest in Southern Brazil with the aid of two machine learning algorithms and relying on the use of spectral reflectance data selected over two seasons and attributes thereof derived. Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) were used as classifiers with different subsets of predictor variables (multitemporal spectral reflectance, textural metrics and vegetation indices). All the experiments reached satisfactory results, with Kappa indices varying between 0.9, with Landsat-8 spectral reflectance alone and the SVM algorithm, and 0.98, with Sentinel-2 spectral reflectance alone also associated with the SVM algorithm. The Landsat-8 data had a significant increase in accuracy with the inclusion of other predictor variables in the classification process besides the pure spectral reflectance bands. The classification methods SVM and RF had similar performances in general. As to the RF method, the texture mean of the red-edge and SWIR bands were considered the most important ranked attributes for the classification of Sentinel-2 data, while attributes resulting from multitemporal bands, textural metrics of SWIR bands and vegetation indices were the most important ones in the Landsat-8 data classification.

Avaliação da Restauração Florestal de uma APP Degradada em Santa Catarina

This study evaluated the process of restoration in a degraded Permanent Preservation Area (PPA) in the municipality of Pouso Redondo, Santa Catarina state, six years after the initial plantation of trees and isolation of the area. Tree species were surveyed and increment of richness by natural establishment was quantified. Syndromes of propagule dispersion and regeneration guilds were determined. A total of 918 individuals from 73 species were found; 48 (65.8%) of them were species naturally established in the area. 71.2% of the species were classified as zoochoric (71.2%), and 54.8% as light demanding for climax. After six years, the restoration process was characterized by a trend of richness increment and replacement of initial by late successional species, indicating the relevance of the natural regeneration mechanism.

Partição de nicho por grupos funcionais de espécies arbóreas em uma floresta subtropical

This study aimed to investigate functional attributes of tree species along different topographic position, in a forest located in Upper Uruguay region, in Santa Catarina. The wood density (WD), potential height (Hmax), leaf area (LA), specific leaf area (SLA), leaves renovation regime, regeneration and dispersal guilds were determined for the 20 most abundant species in the sampled area. The functional structure was evaluated through a community weight matrix (CWM) of traits values for each sampling unit. Mean values of elevation, declivity and curvature were extracted for each sampling unit, from a Terrain Digital Model in a resolution of 1 m. The data was analyzed through linear correlations, Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA), Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and linear simple model. The results indicated significant and negative correlation between Hmax x LA and Hmax x SLA. The topographic gradient significantly influenced the functional structure of tree component. It is concluded that the occupation of different positions along the topographic gradient and the forest vertical profile by tree species were mediated by different ecological strategies.

DETERMINAÇÃO DO RENDIMENTO DE MATÉRIA-PRIMA DE Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden & Cambage POR MEIO DE DIFERENTES MÉTODOS DE DESDOBRO

The aim of this study was to determine the yield of raw material of Eucalyptus benthamii through the tangential and radial sawing, besides classifying the logs for the presence of end splits. The classification of logs as for the splits was accomplished by means of visual analysis, using a concept which was applied according to the intensity of the defect. Subsequently, the logs were separated into two diametric classes (20 to 25, and 25.1 to 30 cm) and processed in three sawing systems (tangential block, radial and tangential block with curved face), each treatment consisting of 3 replicates with 10 logs each. Statistical analysis of yield data was carried out using the Kolmogorov Smirnov test, Analysis of Variance and Tukey test. In the results it was observed that most of the logs of smaller diameter class presented median intensity, whereas for larger diameter class, the intensity was low. The average net yields found were 43.5% and 39.2% for the lower and upper classes, respectively, which were influenced by the splits of parts and the trimming. It was observed that the tangential sawing block and curved face were the methods that presented greater use of lumber of the class 20 to 25 cm, while in the class 25.1 to 30 cm, the block and radial tangential system were equivalent.