Assessing the Wall-to-Wall Spatial and Qualitative Dynamics of the Brazilian Pasturelands 2010–2018, Based on the Analysis of the Landsat Data Archive
Brazilian livestock is predominantly extensive, with approximately 90% of the production being sustained on pasture, which occupies around 20% of the territory. It is estimated that more than half of Brazilian pastures have some level of degradation. In this study, we mapped and evaluated the spatio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/4/1024 |
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| author | Claudinei Oliveira dos Santos Vinícius Vieira Mesquita Leandro Leal Parente Alexandre de Siqueira Pinto Laerte Guimaraes Ferreira |
| author_facet | Claudinei Oliveira dos Santos Vinícius Vieira Mesquita Leandro Leal Parente Alexandre de Siqueira Pinto Laerte Guimaraes Ferreira |
| author_sort | Claudinei Oliveira dos Santos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Brazilian livestock is predominantly extensive, with approximately 90% of the production being sustained on pasture, which occupies around 20% of the territory. It is estimated that more than half of Brazilian pastures have some level of degradation. In this study, we mapped and evaluated the spatiotemporal dynamics of pasture quality in Brazil, between 2010 and 2018, considering three classes of degradation: Absent (D0), Intermediate (D1), and Severe (D2). There was no variation in the total area occupied by pastures in the evaluated period, in spite of the accentuated spatial dynamics. The percentage of non-degraded pastures increased by ~12%, due to the recovery of degraded areas and the emergence of new pasture areas. However, about 44 Mha of the pasture area is currently severely degraded. The dynamics in pasture quality were not homogeneous in property size classes. We observed that in the approximately 2.68 million properties with livestock activity, the proportion with quality gains was twice as low in small properties compared with large ones, and the proportion with losses was three times greater, showing an increase in inequality between properties with more and fewer resources (large and small properties, respectively). The areas occupied by pastures in Brazil present a unique opportunity to increase livestock production and make areas available for agriculture, without the need for new deforestation in the coming decades. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:08:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b6d4a74acc24f78b4cc4b5060327614 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:08:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b6d4a74acc24f78b4cc4b50603276142023-11-23T21:55:47ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922022-02-01144102410.3390/rs14041024Assessing the Wall-to-Wall Spatial and Qualitative Dynamics of the Brazilian Pasturelands 2010–2018, Based on the Analysis of the Landsat Data ArchiveClaudinei Oliveira dos Santos0Vinícius Vieira Mesquita1Leandro Leal Parente2Alexandre de Siqueira Pinto3Laerte Guimaraes Ferreira4Image Processing and GIS Laboratory (LAPIG), Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiania 74001-970, GO, BrazilImage Processing and GIS Laboratory (LAPIG), Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiania 74001-970, GO, BrazilImage Processing and GIS Laboratory (LAPIG), Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiania 74001-970, GO, BrazilEcology Department, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, SE, BrazilImage Processing and GIS Laboratory (LAPIG), Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiania 74001-970, GO, BrazilBrazilian livestock is predominantly extensive, with approximately 90% of the production being sustained on pasture, which occupies around 20% of the territory. It is estimated that more than half of Brazilian pastures have some level of degradation. In this study, we mapped and evaluated the spatiotemporal dynamics of pasture quality in Brazil, between 2010 and 2018, considering three classes of degradation: Absent (D0), Intermediate (D1), and Severe (D2). There was no variation in the total area occupied by pastures in the evaluated period, in spite of the accentuated spatial dynamics. The percentage of non-degraded pastures increased by ~12%, due to the recovery of degraded areas and the emergence of new pasture areas. However, about 44 Mha of the pasture area is currently severely degraded. The dynamics in pasture quality were not homogeneous in property size classes. We observed that in the approximately 2.68 million properties with livestock activity, the proportion with quality gains was twice as low in small properties compared with large ones, and the proportion with losses was three times greater, showing an increase in inequality between properties with more and fewer resources (large and small properties, respectively). The areas occupied by pastures in Brazil present a unique opportunity to increase livestock production and make areas available for agriculture, without the need for new deforestation in the coming decades.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/4/1024Landsatpasture degradationBrazilian pasturelands dynamicslow carbon agriculture |
| spellingShingle | Claudinei Oliveira dos Santos Vinícius Vieira Mesquita Leandro Leal Parente Alexandre de Siqueira Pinto Laerte Guimaraes Ferreira Assessing the Wall-to-Wall Spatial and Qualitative Dynamics of the Brazilian Pasturelands 2010–2018, Based on the Analysis of the Landsat Data Archive Remote Sensing Landsat pasture degradation Brazilian pasturelands dynamics low carbon agriculture |
| title | Assessing the Wall-to-Wall Spatial and Qualitative Dynamics of the Brazilian Pasturelands 2010–2018, Based on the Analysis of the Landsat Data Archive |
| title_full | Assessing the Wall-to-Wall Spatial and Qualitative Dynamics of the Brazilian Pasturelands 2010–2018, Based on the Analysis of the Landsat Data Archive |
| title_fullStr | Assessing the Wall-to-Wall Spatial and Qualitative Dynamics of the Brazilian Pasturelands 2010–2018, Based on the Analysis of the Landsat Data Archive |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing the Wall-to-Wall Spatial and Qualitative Dynamics of the Brazilian Pasturelands 2010–2018, Based on the Analysis of the Landsat Data Archive |
| title_short | Assessing the Wall-to-Wall Spatial and Qualitative Dynamics of the Brazilian Pasturelands 2010–2018, Based on the Analysis of the Landsat Data Archive |
| title_sort | assessing the wall to wall spatial and qualitative dynamics of the brazilian pasturelands 2010 2018 based on the analysis of the landsat data archive |
| topic | Landsat pasture degradation Brazilian pasturelands dynamics low carbon agriculture |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/14/4/1024 |
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