Understanding the role of temperature in forest edges: a remote sensing approach in the Brazilian Amazon

Land surface temperature (LST) is a dominant influence on the health and productivity of ecosystems. Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has led to extensive land-use transitions from forests to pastures and industrialized agriculture. This has resulted in elevated land surface temperatures, with impacts on the energy, water, and carbon cycles. Forest fragmentation increases the area of forest edges, where exposure to sunlight, wind, and bordering land-uses alters the forest microclimate. While the changes in forest edge temperature due to bordering land-use transitions is acknowledged, the magnitude of these changes between specific agricultural land management practices has yet to be determined. This case study uses a remote sensing approach to investigate forest edge temperatures in Mato Grosso, Brazil, with a primary goal of discerning how distinct agricultural practices, such as cover cropping or double cropping, can potentially mitigate adverse temperature impacts on forest edges. These findings will strengthen the understanding of forest edge temperatures, with a focus on the potential of sustainable land management, contributing to broader conservation efforts in the Amazon Rainforest.