Monitoring the Dynamics of Interdunal Ponds in the Lencois Maranhenses National Park, Brazil

Researchers have uncovered significant seasonal dynamics in the movement of interdunal ponds within Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil. Using Sentinel-2 satellite data from 2017 to 2018, they found that these ponds migrate an average distance of 21.6 meters at a 72.6° angle, aligning with the predominant west-southwest wind direction. The study employed spectral mixture analysis and rule-based classification to quantify vegetation, mineral, and water proportions in each pixel, followed by extraction of interdunal areas to assess their dynamics. This work highlights the vulnerability of this unique coastal dune field—a critical biodiversity reservoir—to anthropogenic pressures like tourism, emphasizing the need for further long-term monitoring.

Le Saint, T., dos Santos, A. L. S., Souza, U. D. V., Machado, R. P. P., Kawakubo, F. S., Santos, T. J. A., Betbeder, J., & Arvor, D. (2021). Monitoring the Dynamics of Interdunal Ponds in the Lencois Maranhenses National Park, Brazil. 2021 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium IGARSS, 1327–1330. https://doi.org/10.1109/igarss47720.2021.9553954