Air temperatures versus land use and occupation

analyses for the Municipality of Cajazeiras-PB from 1990 to 2020

Abstract

The research investigates the relationships between air temperatures and land use and occupation within the municipal boundaries of Cajazeiras-PB. Monthly values of maximum, mean, and minimum temperatures obtained from TerraClimate were used, considering the study period from January 1990 to December 2020. For comparison with land use and occupation, data from MapBiomas were employed. To validate the TerraClimate data, records from eight INMET stations near the study area were consulted, indicating that this source is reliable when used for temperature analyses on larger scales. The main statistical metrics employed, at a significance level of α = 0.05, were: Coefficient of Determination (R²), Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient (ρ), and the Mann-Kendall test (τ). The results indicated that, according to the τ technique, it is not possible to categorically affirm that changes in the surface of Cajazeiras are already causing a significant increase in air temperatures. However, notable changes in land cover have occurred in the study area, and a high degree of significance was found in the ρ correlation between temperatures and land use and occupation. These correlations were positive for the “Urbanization” and “Agriculture” classes and negative for the “Vegetation” class, highlighting the importance of preserving natural areas in maintaining local thermal conditions.