News - 2020
A new forest cover and land use map of Santa Catarina: MonitoraSC
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
The results of the MonitoraSC project, funded by the Secretariat for Sustainable Economic Development (SDE) and carried out by the Regional University of Blumenau (FURB), were presented in a public (virtual) event on December 15th.
The event was attended by Celso Albuquerque (Secretary of SDE), Valdez Rodrigues Venâncio (President of IMA), Profa. Márcia Cristina Sardá Espíndola (Dean of FURB), Profa. Letícia Sequinatto (Pro-Dean of Research and Graduate Studies at UDESC), Gustavo S. C. Pinho (General Coordinator of Forest Inventory and Information - CGINF / DPI / SFB / MAPA), Prof. Yosio Shimabukuro (INPE), Angela Paviani (Director of Biodiversity and Climate at SDE) and members of the MonitoraSC team.
The project aimed to develop a new map of forest cover, reforestation and other land uses of Santa Catarina. Innovative technologies were used to process Landsat-8 satellite images from the year 2017, to identify and map the different land uses.
According to the authors of the study, it is the first time that the state has such a detailed and comprehensive map, with 12 different thematic classes, developped considering the particularities and the diversity of Santa Catarina’s territory. The map achieved a mean accuracy greater than 95% for all classes; it was developed with specific methodology and adapted to the environmental conditions of SC; numerous open computational codes have been developed to handle the complex data processing. This map established, with its high degree of reliability (accuracy), a baseline for the permanent monitoring of forests and other uses in the state.
As reported by the new map, native forests cover 38.0% of Santa Catarina's territory, equivalent to 3.618 million hectares, while forest plantations (Pinus spp. and Eucalyptus spp.) cover 10.5% of the state, that is, 994,000 hectares. Agriculture is present in 16.7%, including irrigated rice cultivation areas (1.77%); pastures and natural fields were mapped in another 29.2%.
The authors also state that, for the first time, the restinga (coastal sandy vegetation), present in 74,290 hectares (0.78% of the territory), was mapped in detail in Santa Catarina. In addition to these areas, the locations of potential (or original) restinga occurrences were mapped; these are areas that, due to their geological, geomorphological and soil characteristics, are of possible occurrence of the various formations of the restinga. Natural restinga remnants cover 45.8% of these “original” areas; in the remaining 54.2% there are now urban centers and cities (in 18%), pastures (in 23%), reforestation (in 9%) and, on a small scale, agricultural crops (in 1%).
The Climate and Biodiversity Directorate of SDE states, that the new map provides the necessary database for territorial planning, both at state and municipal level; it allows prioritizing regional development and natural resource conservation programs, as well as quantifying the carbon stock of the forests; furthermore, it enables the implementation of Environmental Service Payment programs, paying, for example, forest protection and restoration actions.
The work was carried out through an agreement signed between SDE and the Regional University of Blumenau (FURB) between 2016 and 2020. The project team, coordinated by prof. Alexander Christian Vibrans, was compsed by MSc Adilson Nicoletti, MSc. Murilo Schramm da Silva, MSc. Débora V. Lingner, Forest Engineers Fernanda dal Bosco, Eng. Marcus M. Bueno and Thales B. Pessatti, undergrats Artur Bizon, Gabriel Panca, Thuane L. Faria, Marlon Y. Andrade, in addition to professors Julio C. Refosco and Luciana Araújo Kohler (FURB) and Veraldo Liesenberg (UDESC). The map can be accessed at http://monitora.furb.br/.
20 new species to science
Wednesday, September 09, 2020
Since the beginning of the field work, the Floristic and Forest Inventory of Santa Catarina has been concerned with the quality of botanical identifications and with a practically exclusive component: the collection of all fertile material within and around the 500 sample plots.
In the first and second cycle, more than 30 thousand fertile plants were collected, all registered in the FURB herbarium (http://furb.jbrj.gov.br/). The first cycle was marked by more intense collections, since all fertile vascular plants were recommended to be collected. In the second cycle, plant collection was realized differently. Knowing what has already been collected in the sampling plots in the first cycle, the field biologist could focus on those not yet collected (avoiding the repeated collection of the same species, thus expanding the known local species richness). The description of new species helps to reduce the Linean Deficit of biodiversity knowledge and demonstrates that, although Santa Catarina is a pioneer state in the knowledge of its flora, there are many species still unknown.
Among the more than 30 thousand collected specimen, 20 were described as new species by science (articles cited at the end), from holotypes to paratypes. Below is the list (and some photos) of the new species, described by experts, based on IFFSC collections:
AMARYLLIDACEAE — HippeastrumverdianumBüneker&R.Bastian;categoriatipo: Parátipo;cidade: Treviso — Büneker, H.M., and R.E. Bastian. 2018. “Taxonomic novelties in southern brazilianAmaryllidaceae – IV: Hippeastrumcorreiense (Bury) Worsley, the correct name of the famous H. morelianumLem.; and H. verdianum, a new species from Santa Catarina.” Balduinia 64 (November): 42. doi:10.5902/2358198035738
BEGONIACEAE — Begoniatrevisoensis J.C. Jaramillo; categoria tipo: Holótipo; cidade: Treviso — Jaramillo, J.C., L.D.J.C. Kollmann, and P. Fiaschi. "Begonia trevisoensis, a new species of Begonia sect. Pritzelia (Begoniaceae) from Santa Catarina State, Brazil." Phytotaxa 381.1 (2018): 51-57.doi: 10.11646/phytotaxa.381.1.8
BLECHNACEAE — Salpichlaenavolubilis (Kaulf.) J.Sm.; categoria tipo: Isoneótipo; cidade: Ascurra — Cárdenas, G.G., S. Lehtonen, and H. Tuomisto. 2019. “Taxonomy and evolutionary history of the neotropical fern genus Salpichlaena (Blechnaceae).” Blumea 64 (1): 1–22. doi:10.3767/blumea.2018.64.01.01.
BROMELIACEAE — Vriesearubens J. Gomes-da-Silva &A.F.Costa; categoria tipo: Holótipo; cidade: Orleans — Gomes-da-Silva, J., and A.F. Costa. 2011. “A taxonomic revision of Vrieseacorcovadensisgroup (Bromeliaceae: Tillandsioideae) with description of two new species.” Systematic Botany 36 (2): 291–309. doi:10.1600/036364411X569499.
CAMPANULACEAE — SiphocampylusbaccaeFunez&Hassemer; categoria tipo: Parátipo; cidade: Rio do Sul eSiphocampylussevegnaniaeFunez&Hassemer;categoria tipo: Parátipo; cidade: Doutor Pedrinho — Funez, L.A., and G. Hassemer. 2016. “Two narrowly endemic new species of Siphocampylus (Campanulaceae) from Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil.” Phytotaxa 278 (3): 241–256. doi: /10.11646/phytotaxa.278.3.4
EUPHORBIACEAE — Actinostemonroselii L. Oliveira, A.L. Melo & M.F. Sales; categoria tipo: Parátipo; cidade: Angelina — Oliveira, L.S.D., A.L. Melo, M.J. Silva, P.P. Eymael, and M.F. Sales. 2015. “A new south Brazilian species of Actinostemon (Euphorbiaceae).” Systematic Botany 40 (2): 522–526. doi:10.1600/036364415X688709.
MALVACEAE — Callianthe flavaGrings; categoria tipo: Parátipo; cidade: Videira; CallianthemaritimaGrings; categoria tipo: Parátipo; cidade: Itapema e CallianthesulcatarinensisGrings; categoria tipo: Parátipo; cidade: Turvo. — Grings, M., and I.I. Boldrini. 2020. “Three new south american species of Callianthe (Malveae, Malvoideae, Malvaceae) from Atlantic Forest and a new combination.” Phytotaxa 450 (3): 257–272. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.450.3.2.
ORCHIDACEAE — Campylocentrumschlechterianum E. Pessoa & M. Alves; categoria tipo: Holotipo; cidade: São Martinho — Pessoa, E., and M. Alves. 2015. “Three new species of Campylocentrum (Vandeae, Orchidaceae) from Brazil.” Phytotaxa 217 (3): 265–272. doi:10.11646/phytotaxa.217.3.3.
POACEAE — ChascolytrumneobulbosumFunez;categoriatipo: Parátipo;cidade: Joinville — Funez, L.A., and E.R. Drechsler-Santos. 2019. "Chascolytrumneobulbosum (Poaceae: Pooideae), a new species from southern Brazil." Phytotaxa 424: 115-122. doi: 10.11646/phytotaxa.424.2.5
POLYGONACEAE — PersicariasylvestrisFunez&Hassemer;categoriatipo: Parátipo;cidade: Apiúna — Funez, L.A., and G. Hassemer. 2018. “Novelties in the genus Persicaria (Polygonaceae) in Brazil: a new species, a new combination, and a diagnostic key to all species.” Nordic Journal of Botany 36 (1): 1–7. doi:10.1111/njb.01631.
A member of the IFFSC team in an exchange program in the UK: an account of the developed activities
Monday, March 30, 2020
The Forestry Engineer Msc. Daniel Augusto da Silva, a member of the IFFSC's scientific team, participated in a six-month exchange program at Newcastle University, England, as part of his doctoral research, through a scholarship from the PDSE-CAPES program. Daniel is in his third PhD's in the Postgraduate Program in Environmental Engineering (PPGEA) of the Regional University of Blumenau (FURB). He returned to Brazil on March 21, after finishing the foreseen steps set out in his work plan.
Paper published!
Silva, D.A. da, Pfeifer, M., Pattison, Z., Vibrans, A.C. Drivers of leaf area index variation in Brazilian Subtropical Atlantic Forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 476, 118477, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118477
Read below Daniel's account about the developed activities during the exchange program:
“During the period of 07/10/19 to 20/03/2020 I’ve been working together with Dr. Marion Pfeifer in the Modeling Evidence and Policy (MEP) research group at Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. The aim of the exchange program (PDSE-Capes scholarship) was to learn new environmental modeling techniques using spatialized data and to define objectives and analysis technique for all thesis chapters, taking advantage of the large experience of Dr. Pfeifer and all MEP researchers. My project study the forest canopy structure, mainly Leaf Area Index (LAI) and canopy closure (FCover) and has the objective of understand internal and external factors that influence these variables and what is the relation of these variables with forest conservation and restoration. My first and main activity at MEP was develop the hypothesis and analyzes to describe the external factors that influence in LAI values inside IFFSC sample plots.
Alongside with Dr. Steven Rushton and Dr. Zarah Pattison, I and Dr. Pfeifer developed the graphical work hypothesis (Fig. 1), to which we applied Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) techniques that allow us to identify direct and indirect interactions between predictors and response variables.
The external factors were defined according to bibliographical review and our empiric knowledge of the study site. Using SEM allow us to identify complex relationships between environmental factors and human activities, like urban concentration and cropland. The proximity to forest edge was the main factor directly influencing LAI values and, on the other hand, are under strong influence of cropland and distance to urban areas. The scientific paper of this study is near completion to be published in the first semester of 2020. The second activity developed at Newcastle University was the development of an algorithm that allow us to upscale the LAI values measured at IFFSC sample units to all forest cover of Santa Catarina, using spectral data from the space sensor Landsat 8 OLI. To do this we use the artificial intelligence technique random forest implemented in the online platform Google Earth Engine. The aim of this study is, based on the statewide LAI map, the LAI relationship with biomass, and the large readily availability of Landsat OLI imagery, identify deforestation and selective logging areas using time series. Finally, we consolidate the collaboration between IFFSC and Global LAI Project, a world database of LAI and FCover values coordinated by Dr. Pfeifer. Using the database, we will develop a study evaluating the environmental drivers of LAI values at Pantropical scale using SEM’s as a modeling technique. Furthermore, objectives and methodology were defined for two more thesis chapters, involving the relationship between the canopy structure and the level of maturity and conservation of forests in the first one, and the influence of canopy structure, mainly FCover, in the forest natural regeneration and potentially in restauration projects."