Influence of Road Presence in Secondary Forest Regrowth in the Amazon

Abstract

The principal predictor for deforestation of primary forests in the Amazon is distance to roads. Considering the increasing ecological importance of secondary forests (which cover from 30 to 50% of the deforested area), the present research analysed the influence of road presence in secondary forest regrowth in the Amazon. Using remote sensing, I studied the land use classification of 40 plots of 400 km2 in the States of Pará, Rondônia and Amazonas, during a 32 year period from 1984 to 2015. My results indicate that road presence influences secondary forest regrowth. Most of the land use change (deforestation) occurs in areas closer to the road (within 30 km) and with high road density, where the percentage of area covered by secondary forest remained at around 20% during the period studied. However, an area located further than 30 km from roads has three times this probability to remain as a secondary forest, at a distance farther 50 km this probability is four times, and areas with low road density have three to four times more secondary forests cover. While the influence of type of road pattern (Fishbone or Other) was not statistically significant.