ESTIMATION OF BIOMETRIC PARAMETER USING SATELLITE DATA

This work utilized multispectral satellite images as the only source of data for determination of structural parameter of a eucalyptus forest, based on procedures used in other areas of monoculture forests, through a methodology that optimizes the monitoring and a position control. This work aimed at verifying the possibility to determine biomass by evaluating an area of eucalyptus plantation in Botucatu/SP Brazil, using Landsat satellite images, GIS tool, and statistical analysis techniques. For reviews of the planted area and the necessary calculations Landsat 5/TM digital images acquired from the U.S. Geological Survey/Earth Resources Observation & Science Center (EROS) were used, as well as forest inventory data for analysis in the field. The verification of the developed method, briefly, proceeded through the characterization of the structures of culture, from the integration Landsat 5/TM image and field data, statistical procedures were done correlating the degree of linear dependence among variables and biometric digital, obtained by Index Normalized Difference Vegetation and reflectance of bands 3, 4 and 5. Among other steps and results, the equation was satisfactory to estimate the biomass of the stem and bark, based in the combined analyses of the coefficient of determination (R2). It is emphasized that the estimation of some biometric parameters using satellite data associated to field data are efficient.