NDVI and EVI applied to the analysis of the temporal dynamics of vegetation cover and land uses of the padre inácio - mato grosso river basin, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this study is to apply the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) to analyze the temporal dynamics of vegetation cover and land uses of the Padre Inácio river basin, in the State of Mato Grosso. The study is developed in the perspective that the data and information generated contribute to the environmental conservation of the Pantanal biome, which the basin is a water contributor. For this purpose, data on vegetation cover and land uses were generated for the year 2016; extraction of NDVI and EVI data for the period of 16 years; field verification for corrections and validation; calculations of the average curves of the classes for each index and preparation of the average profiles. Four classes of vegetation cover and land uses were identified in the basin: Agriculture in the Savannah Region (Ac.S); Alluvial Semidecidual Seasonal Forest (Fa); Pasture planted in the Region of Savannah (Ap.S) and Wooded Savannah with Presence of Forested Savannah (Sa+Sd). Ap.S originally occupied areas of Fa and Sa+Sd, and management practices contributed to the acceleration of degradation in the basin, a fact evidenced by the low biomass index. Currently Ac.S (sugarcane, mostly) has expanded, occupying the degraded Ap.S areas. The low density of native vegetation around the water courses signals non-compliance with forest code standards. Thus, it is urgent to take conservation management practices and recover the Permanent Preservation Areas of water courses, otherwise, the agricultural practices developed in the basin will become unviable, causing the emergence and intensification of environmental problems.