Source Year: 2006

An unerstanding of cahnges in Amazonian landscape depends on documentation about alterations in land cover. This article highlights the efforts of the Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia relted to the topic. In particular, a longitudinal study has anlysed the social and biophysical dimensions of land use/land cover, using a multi-scalar georeferenced approach. The study areas represent a gradient of soil fertility in Amazonia and include distinct landscape mosaics, from the Amazon estuary and the Bragantia region to northeastern Rondonia, Barazil. Within the project, we emphasize studies in rural settlement areas due to their social relevance and their impacts on land cover in local and regional scales. To illustrate the potential of such studies, we present comparative results for Machadinho dOeste and Value do Anari, State of Rondonia. The multitemporal analysis included landsat images and fieldwork. Land owners, loggers, rubber tapers, and other local actors were interviewed about their production systems and land use history. The calculation of spatial metrics supported our conclusions. The results indicate that settlement design and institutional aspects play a central role in the process of landscape change. The populations, produces positive outcomes in maintaining larger patches of forest. The land cover in Amazonia, supporting policies that incorporate the socail and environmental dimensions of regional development.