Land Use and Variations of Air Temperature in the Interior and Surrounding Areas of Serra do Cipó National Park, Minas Gerais

Abstract

In the state of Minas Gerais-Brazil the Espinhaço mountain has important influence on the local and regional climate organization and contains important conservation units, especially the Serra do Cipó National Park, near the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte. Considering the occupation characteristics, marked by a strong alteration of the geoecological stratum, the objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of different types of land use in the variations of air temperature, comparing the interior and neighboring areas to the park. Data analysis included data from Climatological Normals (1961-1990), annual time series of meteorological stations (INMET) in the period between 1961-2016 and daily time series obtained in the field (April/2016 to September/2017). Trend and correlation analysis was used in the long-term series and microclimate analysis resources (statistics, cartography etc.) to the time-daily data series. In relation to the results it is possible to highlight: (1) evidence of alteration of the components of the radiation balance due to changes in land use in favor of greater availability of sensible heat in the Belo Horizonte - Seven lagoons axis demonstrated by the correlation values; (2) the relative role of vegetation in attenuating temperature variations, a condition only present inside the forest environment with a total predominance of dense arboreal stratum.