USING SATELLITE REMOTE-SENSING ANALYSIS TO EVALUATE A SOCIOECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL MODEL OF DEFORESTATION IN RONDONIA, BRAZIL

The effectiveness of an integrated socio-economic and ecological simul ation model for estimating patterns and rates of deforestation in Rond onia, Brazil is evaluated using Landsat data and landscape pattern met rics. The Percent Cleared, Contagion, and Fractal Dimension of image c lassifications are compared to those determined from model outputs. Re sults indicate that rates and spatial patterns of deforestation are si milar between model outputs and Landsat image analysis. Differences in clearing patterns between the model and Landsat data are due in part to topography, localized farming obstacles and the patchiness of clear ings. The effects of varying spatial resolution on the metrics is also examined.