Changes in Land Use in Southern Amazonas: A Quantitative Analysis in the Municipality of Lábrea

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze land use patterns in the municipality of Lábrea from 2000 to 2022.   Theoretical framework: Although deforestation is historically related to the strength of agribusiness capital in the state of Mato Grosso, it has currently advanced in a region, which encompasses the states of Acre, Amazonas and Rondônia. Spatial analyzes indicate that the municipality of Lábrea (AM), together with Porto Velho (RO), Apuí and Novo Aripunã are responsible for 52% of the deforestation in a region. Given the above, knowing the patterns of land use in Lábrea helps to identify new occupation frontiers, in addition to showing itself as an indicator of biodiversity loss and threats to traditional peoples.   Method/design/approach: The research is a quantitative study using geoprocessing tools, such as ArcGis 10.6 software. The areas of land use were quantified in the period from 2000 to 2022 and a descriptive statistical analysis was carried out in order to verify the variability of deforestation in the defined period.   Results and conclusion: The results showed that deforestation in Lábrea in the period from 2000 to 2022 had an average of 248.8 km² reaching its maximum point in 2022, with 700 km² of deforested area. The intensity of land use and occupation runs mainly in its southern portion, being a strong indicator of illegal land appropriation for agricultural development.   Research implications: The contribution of the research deals with the knowledge of land use patterns in the municipality of Lábrea, demonstrating critical analysis that will serve as a theoretical basis for the creation of new public policies focused on the balance of land use with regional development.   Originality value: This research is original and demonstrates a temporal analysis of land use in a municipality in the southern State of Amazonas and its main implications.