(UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE STEPS OF THE DEFORESTATION AND SECONDARY VEGETATION MODULE:

Suppression of forest and natural non-forest vegetation and secondary vegetation

1. Adjustment of coverage and usage maps to filter transitions with an area smaller than one hectare. Since the maps at the beginning of the series have more classification noise due to the reduced number of images for mosaic, considering these years to start the adjustments could generate accumulation of errors throughout the adjusted series. 

Therefore, the adjustment starts by taking 2000 as the base year, in three stages:

  1.  Adjustment considering transitions in consecutive years in the period prior to 2000 (adjust 1985 - 1999)
  2. Adjustment considering transitions in consecutive years after 2000 (adjusts 2001 - 2018)
  3. Adjust the year 2000 map based on the adjusted maps for 1999 and 2001.

2. Considering the 1988 map as the basis for starting the execution of the algorithm, the deforestation and secondary vegetation events are established by analyzing the trajectory of each pixel according to the criteria below:

Supression t = VN t-2
VN t-1
A t
A t+1
Secondary vegetation t = A t-2
A t-1
VN t
VN t+1
VN t+2
VN t+3

Where  VN  corresponds to any class of vegetation (Campestre Formation, Non-Forest Wet Area, Other Non-Forest Formation, Forest Formation, Savanic Formation, Mangrove), A  corresponds to any class of Anthropic Use (Annual Agriculture, Semi-perennial Agriculture, Planted Forest , Pasture, Mining, Aquaculture, Urban Infrastructure, Other Non-Vegetated Areas) and  t = 1988,…, 2018.


3. Based on the analysis of the trajectory over the time series, the algorithm allocates each pixel in one of the classes established for the product (see color palette at the end of the document):

 Class. Description  Value
Indicates Deforestation event, in a given year t, in a pixel previously allocated in the Veg class. Primary, after which the pixel is allocated in the Anthropic class (in t + 1).Indicates absence of deforestation event: permanence since the base year in one or more classes of Natural Vegetation or transition to class of Anthropic Use with permanence in this class for a period shorter than established (item 2.)2
 Primary Veg. SuppressionIndicates Deforestation event, in a given year t, in a pixel previously allocated in the Secondary Veg class, after which the pixel is allocated in the Anthropic class (em t+1).4
 Recovery for Secondary Veg.Indicates a Secondary Vegetation event in a given year t, after which the pixel is allocated to the Secondary Veg class (em t+1).5
 Secondary Veg.Indicates trajectory with the presence of a Recovery for Secondary Veg event in previous years.3
 Secondary Veg. SuppressionIndicates Deforestation event, in a given year t, in a pixel previously allocated in the Secondary Veg class, after which the pixel is allocated in the Anthropic class (em t+1).6
 AnthropicIndicates permanence in any class of Anthropic Use since the base year or trajectories with Primary Veg Suppression event or Secondary Veg event in previous years.1

For further details about the deforestation and secondary vegetation module method, access this ATBD appendix. ATBD appendix.