Comparison among the spacial patterns of forest fragment in the urban gradient of Londrina, PR.

Abstract

This work aims to study the evolution of forest covering of Londrina county (north of Paraná 23° 23' S, 51°11' W) between 1970 and 1980. All forest fragments were mapped by photointerpretation in an area of 609,50km2, having Londrina as the center. Forest area reduction was measured in each fragment. Deforestation was not linealy correlated with distance from the city, but an area of oustanding reduction in forest coverage was noticed at 4-6 Km the urban center. The fragments smaller than 20 ha were the ones that lost the largest forested area in absolute terms. The concentration of a smaller forested area in reduced number of large fragments seems to repeat in other portions of the country.