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(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Relationship between land surface temperature and fraction of anthropized area in the Atlantic forest region, Brazil

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Author(s):
Wanderley, Raianny L. N. [1, 2] ; Domingues, Leonardo M. [1] ; Joly, Carlos A. [3] ; Rocha, Humberto R. [1, 2]
Total Authors: 4
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Astron Geofis & Ciencias Atmosfer, Dept Ciencias Atmosfer, Lab Clima & Biosfera, Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Energia & Ambiente, Programa Posgrad Ciencia Ambiental, Sao Paulo - Brazil
[3] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Dept Biol Vegetal, Campinas, SP - Brazil
Total Affiliations: 3
Document type: Journal article
Source: PLoS One; v. 14, n. 12 DEC 5 2019.
Web of Science Citations: 0
Abstract

There is growing evidence that modification of tropical forests to pasture or other anthropic uses (anthropization) leads to land surface warming at local and regional scales; however, the degree of this effect is unknown given the dependence on physiographic and atmospheric conditions. We investigated the dependence of satellite land surface temperature (LST) on the fraction of anthropized area index, defined as the fraction of non-forested percentual area within 120m square boxes, sampled over a large tropical forest dominated ecosystem spatial domain in the Atlantic Forest biome, southeastern Brazil. The LST estimated at a 30 m resolution, showed a significant dependence on elevation and topographic aspect, which controlled the average thermal regime by 2 similar to 4 degrees C and 1 similar to 2 degrees C, respectively. The correction of LST by these topographic factors allowed to detect a dependence of LST on the fraction of non-forested area. Accordingly, the relationship between LST and the fraction of non-forested area showed a positive linear relationship (R-2 = 0.63), whereby each 25% increase of non-forest area resulted in increased 1 degrees C. As such, increase of the maximum temperature (similar to 4 degrees C) would occur in the case of 100% increase of non-forested area. We conclude that our study area, composed to Atlantic forest, appears to show regulatory characteristics of temperature attenuation as a local climatic ecosystem service, which may have mitigation effects on the accelerated global warming. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 15/50682-6 - Climate-smart watershed investments in the montane tropics of South America (ClimateWise)
Grantee:Humberto Ribeiro da Rocha
Support Opportunities: Research Program on Global Climate Change - Thematic Grants
FAPESP's process: 12/51872-5 - ECOFOR: Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in degraded and recovering Amazonian and Atlantic Forests
Grantee:Carlos Alfredo Joly
Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants