Collaborative Research: Territorializing Exploitation Space and the Fragmentation of the Amazon Forest

合作研究：开发空间的地域化和亚马逊森林的破碎化

• 批准号: 1157952
• 负责人: Eugenio Arima
• 金额: $ 8.18万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-08-15 至 2014-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1157952&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Territorializing; Exploitation; Space

Despite considerable advances in understanding the causes and consequences of tropical deforestation, less is known about how it manifests itself spatially across landscapes in the Amazon. Recently the study of landscape ecology has provided much insight into the ecological consequences of forest fragmentation and loss. The project seeks to complement this ecological knowledge by illuminating the human dimensions of deforestation, examining the social and behavioral processes that generate forest fragmentation. It will do so by addressing fragmentation in Amazônia associated with roads built by loggers. Specifically, the project will develop theory about forest fragmentation by examining the network formation processes of logging roads. To accomplish this, it will develop, implement, and test spatial models that generate road networks. The project seeks to base modeling efforts on empirical information about the human drivers involved, and will therefore obtain survey data to specify model assumptions, parameters values, and constraints. Project fieldwork is needed because much remains unknown about the spatial decision-making of loggers. Of interest to the project is the manner in which multiple loggers territorialize their "exploitation" domains, as a function of local power relations. Prior research suggests that this could be a key spatial factor in explaining and potentially predicting patterns of forest fragmentation.The project possesses significant societal value beyond its contribution to basic science. Given ongoing destruction of Amazonian and other tropical forests, calls for their conservation will increase in the future. Land use policy for tropical regions will necessarily address the role of logging there, so understanding the behavior of loggers is crucial. Clearly, hardwoods represent a valuable Amazonian resource, which is all the more reason that they be logged sustainably, and that associated environmental impacts be kept to a minimum. To do this, policy must be based on a better understanding of how loggers impact the forest. The project will provide new and basic information in this regard, essential to the formulation of effective environmental policy, and to maintaining the long-term integrity of tropical forests.

尽管在了解热带森林砍伐的原因和后果方面取得了相当大的进展，但对它如何在亚马逊地区的景观中表现出空间上的影响却知之甚少。近年来，景观生态学的研究为森林破碎化和丧失的生态后果提供了许多见解。该项目旨在通过阐明森林砍伐的人类层面，研究产生森林破碎化的社会和行为过程来补充这一生态知识。它将通过解决与伐木工修路有关的亚马孙地区的支离破碎问题来实现这一目标。具体来说，该项目将通过研究伐木道路的网络形成过程来发展有关森林破碎化的理论。为了实现这一目标，它将开发、实施和测试生成道路网络的空间模型。该项目旨在将建模工作建立在有关人类驾驶员的经验信息基础上，因此将获得调查数据以指定模型假设，参数值和约束。项目的实地工作是必要的，因为很多仍然未知的伐木空间决策。该项目感兴趣的是，多个伐木者如何将其“开采”领域作为地方权力关系的一个功能。先前的研究表明，这可能是一个关键的空间因素，在解释和潜在的预测森林破碎化的模式。该项目具有重大的社会价值，超越其对基础科学的贡献。鉴于亚马逊河和其他热带森林不断遭到破坏，今后要求保护这些森林的呼声将越来越高。 热带地区的土地使用政策必然会解决伐木在那里的作用，因此了解伐木者的行为至关重要。显然，硬木是亚马逊河流域的一种宝贵资源，这就更有理由可持续地砍伐硬木，并将相关的环境影响降至最低。要做到这一点，政策必须建立在更好地了解伐木者如何影响森林的基础上。该项目将提供这方面的新的基本资料，这对制订有效的环境政策和维持热带森林的长期完整性是必不可少的。