Análise da mudança da cobertura vegetal do mangal na região de Mecúfi - Cabo Delgado dos anos 2003 e 2020

Abstract

Mangroves are an ecosystem of enormous importance for protection, food security, and biodiversity conservation and refuge. They also provide numerous maintenance and regulatory services, particularly as an important carbon sink and a source of supply for coastal human populations. Mangroves, like many other ecosystems, face global threats such as elimination, pollution, overexploitation, and replacement by intensive uses such as aquaculture. This study aimed to analyze the change in mangrove cover in the Mecúfi district. The methodology used was based on digital processing of satellite images using Arcgis 10.3 geoprocessing software, integrating georeferenced data from 2003 and 2020, based on the classification for land cover mapping. The change in mangrove cover in the surveyed area appears to be strongly associated with anthropogenic factors such as salt pan construction, logging for housing and firewood, and expansion of farmland as well as natural factors, such as cyclones. However, since validation was performed using satellite imagery and Google Earth, and not through fieldwork, these causes remain plausible hypotheses, based on observed patterns and literature, but require direct on-the-ground confirmation