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Remote sensing systems for monitoring and quantifying tropical deforestation in the Huallaga River Valley of Peru

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Date Issued:
1989
Summary:
This thesis examines the quantification of tropical deforestation, the use of remote sensing techniques for its scientific measurement, and the many controversies surrounding the problem. Aerial photographs and Landsat-based planimetric maps were used to determine the conversion of montane rain forest in a 1,000 km$\sp2$ sector of Peru's Huallaga River Valley. Between 1963 and 1976, 244 km$\sp2$ of forest (approximately a quarter of the study area) were converted to agricultural and other land uses, an apparent deforestation rate of 19 km$\sp2$/yr or approximately 1,872 ha/yr. The method entailed the cutting and weighing of strips of Mylar overlays. Despite the photogrammetric limitations, the results demonstrate an economical and practical technique that is readily applicable to developing countries. The potential of other remote sensing systems and the application of change detection techniques such as digital image subtraction to monitor deforestation is detailed.
Title: Remote sensing systems for monitoring and quantifying tropical deforestation in the Huallaga River Valley of Peru.
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Name(s): Echavarria, Fernando R.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Craig, Alan K., Thesis advisor
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Geosciences
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1989
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 175 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: This thesis examines the quantification of tropical deforestation, the use of remote sensing techniques for its scientific measurement, and the many controversies surrounding the problem. Aerial photographs and Landsat-based planimetric maps were used to determine the conversion of montane rain forest in a 1,000 km$\sp2$ sector of Peru's Huallaga River Valley. Between 1963 and 1976, 244 km$\sp2$ of forest (approximately a quarter of the study area) were converted to agricultural and other land uses, an apparent deforestation rate of 19 km$\sp2$/yr or approximately 1,872 ha/yr. The method entailed the cutting and weighing of strips of Mylar overlays. Despite the photogrammetric limitations, the results demonstrate an economical and practical technique that is readily applicable to developing countries. The potential of other remote sensing systems and the application of change detection techniques such as digital image subtraction to monitor deforestation is detailed.
Identifier: AAI1337628 (UnM), 14538 (digitool), FADT14538 (IID), fau:11336 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1989.
Subject(s): Geography
Physical Geography
Environmental Sciences
Remote Sensing
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14538
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.