Análise da Distribuição Espacial e Representatividade Geográfica das Unidades de Conservação do Domínio Fitogeográfico da Caatinga

Abstract

Caatinga is Brazilian biome with unique characteristics. It is localized in a tropical region where expects humid climates but has a semiarid climate. It is considered an exclusively Brazilian biome with presence of endemic species as well as endemic genera from semiarid region. The present study introduce a quantitative and spatial analysis of protected areas inserted within the Phytogeographical Domain of the Caatingas, with focus on analysis of the spatial distribution among the different ecoregions of Caatinga. With files on shapefiles format from Brazilian Protected Areas (UC’s), available in the official database of Ministry of the Environment, it was used geoprocessing tools, which calculated areas of those conservation units, inserted in the mosaic of ecoregions as well as registered in the National Register of Conservation Units (CNUC). In addition, it was defined four different categories of Protected Areas according of the decreasing level of protection to biodiversity conservation: Group I (Full Protection); Group II (Particular Reserves); Group III (Sustainable Use); Group IV (Environmental Protected Areas). The results reveals a small proportion of caatinga domain, which is legally protected by the Protected Areas network. Ecoregions with insignificant or none percentage of conservation units of Group I - PI are shown. There is an indication of a small increase in the amount of conservation unitsin the Caatinga, even presenting ecoregions with scarce protected areas. With these results, it reveals how the caatinga has fewer areas protected by legal limits. Part of the ecoregions has a very limited representation in the national system of Protected Areas. The data are evaluate within the context of insertion of these legally protected units in the last eight decades.