Climate change and/or sociocultural changes in the Legal Amazon

Abstract

Climate and socio-cultural changes have produced climatic variations in several regions, such as influencing the dynamics of the water cycle in basins in the Amazonia biome. Based on recent climate events, those changes might be affecting the hydrological cycle in the tropical areas, therefore, the study proposes to establish connections between the biological functioning of the forest and the climate produced naturally and/or by the anthropic (sociocultural) activity, considering three environmental variables: temperature, precipitation and emission of CO₂, and as sociocultural variables: man-made fires and the deforestation by clearcutting and progressive cut. Methodology: The study considered only the Brazilian Amazonian biome, with a 2-year long time frame, starting in January of 2004 to January of 2016. The data required for the study was collected from INPE, INMET, NOAA, IBGE, PRODES, and DETER databases. Results and discussion: A correlation was observed between demographic density and deforestation which can be justified by a capitalistic approach for the use of the land - a pioneer of expansion over the territory. The clearcutting technique has inverse correlations with the maximum average temperature, and the demographic density. Positive correlations were among annual averages rainfall values, the occurrence of fires and the elevation of CO₂. Positive correlations were obtained from CO₂ concentration and the demographic density. The climate change variables showed positive correlations among maximum temperature averages, progressive cut deforestation, demographic density rates, CO₂ concentration and mainly with the occurrence of fires. There were low and inverse correlations among clearcutting deforestation and other variables, but a strong inverse correlation with the amount of precipitation. Conclusion: It is important to keep track of the deforestation of the Amazon biome that is nurtured by socio-cultural anthropological practices such as criminal fires. The study observed that there were direct and inverse correlations that were strongly related to the socio-economic scenario. Therefore, extreme climatic events such as droughts and flooding in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest can relate to the negative interaction between society and the natural environment.