These images show a portion of the state of Rondônia, Brazil, in which tropical deforestation has occurred. The 1975 and 1986 images are MSS data. The 1992 image is TM data.

Approximately 30% (3,562,800 sq km) of the world's tropical forests are in Brazil. The estimated average deforestation rate from 1978 to 1988 was 15,000 sq km per year. Systematic cutting of the forest vegetation starts along roads and then fans out to create the "feather" or "fishbone" pattern shown in the eastern half of the 1986 image. The deforested land and urban areas appear in light blue; healthy vegetation appears red.

References

Skole, David, and Tucker, Compton, 1993, Tropical Deforestation and Habitat Fragmentation in the Amazon: Satellite Data from 1978 to 1988: Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, D. C., vol. 260, no. 5116, June, p. 1905-1910.

Ellis, William S., Allard, William, A., and McIntyre, Loren, 1988, Rondonia: Brazil's imperiled rain forest: National Geographic Magazine, vol. 174, no. 6, December, p. 772-799.

White, Peter T., and Blair, James, P., 1983, Tropical rain forests: Nature's dwindling treasures: National Geographic Magazine, vol. 163, no. 1, January, p. 2-46.

Satellite images

LM2249067007517090 (Landsat 2 MSS, 19 June 1975)

LM5232067008621390 (Landsat 5 MSS, 1 August 1986)

LT4232067009217410 (Landsat 4 TM, 22 June 1992)

Special Projects Image

A comparison image of 19 June 1975 and 1 August 1986 is available as Special Projects Image E-1855-810CT from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Customer Services.

Map

Defense Mapping Agency, 1967 (compiled 1965, revised 1967), Operational Navigation Chart N-26: edition 2, scale 1:1,000,000.