Spatial framework vulnerability in riparian area in Sergipe: The case of the lower course of the São Francisco River

Abstract Hydrographic basins are dependent on riparian forests, being environments of natural water sources. Thus, environmental monitoring and diagnosis are necessary to promote their stability and ecological functions. This work brings the current situation of the riparian forest region in Sergipe, the Sao Francisco River. The study used images acquired from Sentinel 2A to calculate the maximum monthly values of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index for 2018 on Google Earth Engine. The land use and occupation map were carried out using the Maximum Likelihood and applied metrics of the landscapes. The area has 596 ha. The remaining forest area presents less than 40% (219 ha), reflecting about 60% of a degraded riparian forest. The relevant forest fragments were distant and had rare or no connectivity. This led to infer the risks posed to genetic diversity, both locally and regionally, regarding the most relevant plant species in the region. The methodology supported the knowledge about the management of this environment and how it can be applied to other regions with similar physiographic characteristics.