title: Influence of relief on permanent preservation areas.
abstract: Many countries have environmental legislation to protecting natural resources on private property. In Brazil, the Brazilian Forestry Code determines specific areas to maintain with natural vegetation cover, known as areas of permanent preservation (APP). Currently, there are few studies that relate topographic variables on APP. In this context, we sought to evaluate the influence of relief on the conservation of areas of permanent preservation (APP) in the areas surrounding Caparaó National Park, Brazil. By using the chi-squared statistical test, we verified that the presence of forest cover is closely associated with altitude. The classes of APP in better conservation status are slopes in addition to hilltops and mountains, whereas APP streams and springs are among the areas most affected by human activities. The most deforested areas are located at altitudes below 1100.00 m and on slopes less than 45°. All orientations of the sides were significant for APP conservation status, with the southern, southeastern, and southwestern sides showing the lower degrees of impact. The methodology can be adjusted to environmental legislation to other countries.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Espírito Santo/UFES, Department of Rural Engineering, Alto Universitário, s/n, 29500-000, Alegre, ES, Brazil. Electronic address: alexandre.santos@pq.cnpq.br.
authors.forename: Alexandre Rosa
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Espírito Santo, Campus Itapina, BR 259, km 70, CEP 29709-910 Colatina/Itapina, ES, Brazil. Electronic address: tchimalli@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Tessa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chimalli
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute of Espírito Santo, Campus Alegre, BR 482, km 7, CEP 29500-000 Alegre/Rive, ES, Brazil. Electronic address: jbpeluzio@ifes.edu.br.
authors.forename: João Batista Esteves
authors.initials: JBE
authors.lastname: Peluzio
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Espírito Santo/UFES, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Carlos Lidemberg, s/n, 29550-000 Jerônimo Monteiro, ES, Brazil. Electronic address: aderlasilva@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Aderbal Gomes
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Chemistry, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n, 36570-000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: gleissym@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Gleissy Mary Amaral Dino Alves
authors.initials: GMADA
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: alelorenzon@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Alexandre Simões
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Lorenzon
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: thaisarib@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Thaisa Ribeiro
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: nerolemos@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Nero Lemos Martins
authors.initials: NLM
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Viçosa/UFV, Department of Forest Engineering, Av. Peter Henry Rolfs, s/n, 36570-000 Viçosa, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: cribeiro@ufv.br.
authors.forename: Carlos Antonio Alvares
authors.initials: CAA
authors.lastname: Soares Ribeiro
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D001938:Brazil; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D016468:Forestry; D065928:Forests
keywords: Environmental legislation; Geotechnology; Relief