Expansão da soja no cerrado maranhense: uma análise da influência antrópica no clima regional.

Abstract

The evaluation of the connections between environmental degradation in the Cerrado biome and climate change is the central focus of this research. In recent years human intervention in biomes rich in biodiversity, which is of great importance for the country has risen sharply causing significant changes in the hydrological cycle. The impact of these interventions requires conducting research with more specific approaches, which allow improve knowledge about the impacts of anthropogenic influences on regional climate and highlight the urgent need for mitigation measures. Screening procedures were based on environmental characterization of the area through satellite information (remote sensing), and detection of changes in the pattern of behavior of atmospheric variables resulting from the processing of native vegetation in agricultural areas (Soy monoculture) in the Chapadinha region -MA. Statistical techniques, including multivariate analysis (factor analysis in principal component analysis) and parametric tests (t - test, test F / ANOVA) and nonparametric (Sequential Mann-Kendall / Pettitt test) were used as main research tools. The results indicate that the native vegetation degradation process (cerrado) in the region Chapadinha started before soybean input; however, the sojicultora was crucial to make this significant impact on the climate. Impact evidence of anthropogenic changes were detected in maximum and minimum temperatures. The significant increase in extremes of temperature values is an important indication that the degradation in the Cerrado can contribute to the process of desertification in the region analyzed.