THE USE OF GIS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF FOREST FRAGMENTS IN THE RIOZINHO RIVER HYDROGRAPHIC BASIN - PARANA

The objective of this research was to analyze, through satellite images processed in Geographic Information System, the spatial distribution and the metric of forest fragments in the Riozinho river hydrographic basin, located in municipalities in the interior of the state of Parana (Janiopolis, Boa Esperanca, Farol and Mambore). The methodological process was done with the construction of database in the Spring program (version 5.1.8); colored composition of satellite images applied through the ENVI program (5.1); classification of metric values as area, perimeter and Circularity Index (CI) of the fragments made in the QGIS; fieldwork to corroborate the laboratory data. The number of fragments recorded was 489 in the basin area, with a total area of 41.12 km(2); the predominant CI was 0.55 to 0.75, indicating a moderately elongated shape. The fragments are distributed in a dispersed manner in the basin with significant distance between them, presenting high fragility and this hinders the development of biodiversity. It was also observed that the fragments with larger extensions consist of areas of riparian vegetation.