A floresta nacional de Restinga\PB e sua influência nas condições microclimáticas de áreas adjacentes

Abstract

The metropolitan region of João Pessoa, in Paraíba, underwent a process of disordered urban growth, profoundly transforming the use and occupation of the soil, reducing mainly the Atlantic Forest. In this region there is a fragment occupied by the Conservation Unit (UC) called the National Forest (Flona) of Restinga de Cabedelo. The main objective of the present study is to investigate the role of vegetation in mitigating the urban heat islands of the study area. At first, an analysis of the city's general climatology was carried out using a 30-year historical series of data on temperature, relative air humidity, wind velocity and precipitation using data from an INMET station located in João Pessoa. Posteriorly, air temperature and relative humidity were measured during the months of January to March (dry period) using a Hobo® thermohygrometer U10-003 at 5 experimental points in the study area. These points were distributed in the urban area-FLONA, with three points located in the urban network and two located in the forest with three monitoring points in the urban area and two within the forest itself. For the calculation of the urban heat island, a reference point P05, located in Flona, was used, from which the values were calculated, and afterwards its magnitude was classified. And Thom's thermal index of discomfort was also calculated. The results allowed to characterize the microclimate of the study area and to identify that the environmental changes provoked by the urbanization process directly affect the temperature and relative humidity of the air, as well as in the formation and intensity of heat island. The points located in the urban area P01, P02 presented the highest temperatures, heat islands and IDT, and P03 (closest to the forest) had lower values. On the other hand, P04 and P05 presented the best conditions of temperature, relative humidity and thermal comfort. In this way, a thermal gradient was obtained, where as the monitored points approached the forest, the temperature, islands of heat and thermal discomfort decrease and the relative humidity of the air increases.