Gonzalez, V.; Fries, A.; Rollenbeck, R.; Paladines, J.; Oñate-Valivieso, F. & Bendix, J. (2016): <b>Assessment of deforestation during the last decades in Ecuador using NOAA-AVHRR satellite data</b>. <i>Erdkunde</i> <b>70</b>(No. 3), 217-235.
Resource Description
Title:
Assessment of deforestation during the last decades in Ecuador using NOAA-AVHRR satellite data
FOR816dw ID:
1507
Publication Date:
2016-06-07
License and Usage Rights:
PAK 823-825 data user agreement. (www.tropicalmountainforest.org/dataagreementp3.do)
email:
rollenbe <at> staff.uni-marburg.de
Laboratory for Climatology and Remote Sensing
Faculty of Geography
Philipps University of Marburg
Deutschhausstr. 10
35032 Marburg
Germany
Individual:
Jhoana Paladines
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> tropicalmountainforest.org
Individual:
Fernando Oñate-Valivieso
Contact:
email:
webmaster <at> tropicalmountainforest.org
Individual:
Jörg Bendix
Contact:
email:
bendix <at> staff.uni-marburg.de
Faculty of Geography
Deutschhausstraße 10
Philipps University of Marburg
Laboratory for Climatology and Remote Sensing
35032 Marburg
Germany
Abstract:
Human activities during the last decades provoked a notable reduction in global forest cover. Knowing that <br/>
forest stands act as stock and sinks for carbon and other greenhouse gases, it is important to determine the existing forest <br/>
cover at country level and to calculate annual deforestation rates. This work uses NOAAsatellite images in a resolution of <br/>
1 km x 1 km to classify the surface of continental Ecuador in “forest” – “non-forest” pixels and to estimate the annual <br/>
deforestation rate from 1986 to 2001 as well as from 2001 to 2008. The method is based on a decision tree algorithm that <br/>
includes different spectral bands of the NOAA-AVHRRsensor and additional topographic and meteorological parameters. <br/>
The results show that the total forest cover of continental Ecuador was reduced from 48.1 % in 1986 to 36.8 % in 2008. The <br/>
calculated annual deforestation rates indicate that forest reduction increased during the last decade. The most affected area <br/>
is the Coastal Lowland, due to the enhanced population pressure, followed by the Amazon Basin, not only caused by the <br/>
governmental supported oil and mining industry, but also due to the uncontrolled timber extraction. The Andean Highland <br/>
has been less affected, because the major parts of this region were deforested before, during the Pre-Columbian-Era.
email:
rollenbe <at> staff.uni-marburg.de
Laboratory for Climatology and Remote Sensing
Faculty of Geography
Philipps University of Marburg
Deutschhausstr. 10
35032 Marburg
Germany
