Quanto Sobra de Verde em uma Metrópole? Um Estudo Sobre a Cobertura Vegetal Remanescente em Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil

The expansion of human activities has caused a significant loss of biodiversity globally, with anthropogenic land uses rapidly expanding and urban areas growing quickly, resulting in deforestation and fragmentation of natural ecosystems. The city of Fortaleza, an example of this phenomenon, has faced disorganized urban growth, loss of vegetation cover, and deep socio-environmental challenges throughout its history. This resulted in the loss of most of the municipality's vegetation cover and the fragmentation of the remaining areas. This study aims to quantify the remaining vegetation fragments in Fortaleza, map the municipality's original ecosystems, and map the remaining native vegetation. Using geomorphology maps and correlating the typical vegetation types in each original landscape unit, we mapped the city's native ecosystems, identifying seven categories: coastal grasslands, dune ecosystems, vegetation of coastal tablelands, mangroves, riparian forests, caatinga, and dry forests. Using high-resolution satellite images and the maximum likelihood method, we found that 62% of the territory is urbanized, and much of the remaining areas are already devoid of vegetation. Only about 16% of the municipality's surface still has vegetation fragments. The preservation of vegetation cover and urban biodiversity is a fundamental goal for the sustainable development of cities, providing various ecosystem services, such as maintaining fauna and preventing floods, especially in the context of climate emergency. The study identified remaining natural areas and locations requiring legal protection. We suggest the creation of Conservation Units, Urban Parks, and green areas connecting existing fragments, as a vital goal for the sustainability of Fortaleza and the conservation of urban biodiversity

Art · Humanities · Agricultural and Food Sciences · Banana Cultivation and Research · Geography and Environmental Studies

• How Much Green is Left in a Metropolis? A Study on the Remaining Vegetation Cover in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil

  Open Access•Maria Ligia Farias Costa, Jucelina De Oliveira Santos et al.•Sociedade & natureza•2025

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