IDENTIFICATION OF CRITICAL AREAS THE OCCORENCE OF FIRE IN THE BELÉM ENDEMISM AREA

Abstract

The action of fire represents an important slice of the damage generated to forest ecosystems in regions with anthropic pressure. This study aimed to investigate the spatial and temporal dimension of fire action in the Belém endemism area, in the last 20 years, and evaluate the potential of vulnerability of the forest remnants of this territory, owing to belong to ancient pioneer occupation front and having about a third of its area covered with forests that harbor endemic species. The data were worked within a spatial analysis scenario through geoprocessing techniques. The results show three zones of fire recurrence as critical (vulnerable) scenarios for forest remnants (Indigenous Lands and Conservation Units, mainly) of important biodiversity. About 22% of the occurrences occurred in Mature Rainforest, 18% in Secondary Regrowth and 29% in Pasture, representing 70% of the total records in more than a decade, besides the clear indication of the participation of traditional land use practices, even with the reduction of deforestation. The areas of greatest recurrence of heat sources occurred in microregions with a degree of rural development much below from national average, mainly in ​​environmental preservation criteria.