MagIC researcher Bruna Almeida was distinguished with the 2025 Scientific Merit Award of the University of the Azores, promoted by the Gaspar Frutuoso Foundation and sponsored by the Caixa de Crédito Agrícola Mútuo dos Açores.

The €5,000 award recognized her article “Top 10+1 indicators for assessing forest ecosystem conditions: A five-decade fragmentation analysis” (DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177527), co-authored with Pedro Cabral, also a researcher at MagIC, and collaborators from national and international institutions.

In this study, our researchers propose a geospatial framework for assessing forest ecosystem conditions, integrating remote sensing data, land-use maps, and landscape metrics over a 50-year period. The methodology identifies 11 key indicators - including habitat connectivity, edge density, and fragmentation indices - capable of tracking long-term structural changes in forest landscapes. By combining these indicators with multitemporal satellite data, the research provides a replicable approach to monitor ecosystem degradation and support sustainable land management policies.

The work exemplifies the Geoinformatics Research Line at MagIC, which applies spatial analysis, geospatial modelling, and data-driven environmental monitoring to address sustainability challenges. Through this contribution, the study reinforces the role of data science and geospatial analytics in evidence-based environmental governance.

More information: University of the Azores News