1. Designing Vegetation Parameter Models for Selected LBA Study Sites in the Amazon, Brazil Hui Li, Genong Yu, Paul Mausel Department of Geography, Geology, and Anthropology Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA Eduardo Brondizio, Emilio Moran ACT/Department of Anthropology Indiana University Bloomington, IN 47405, USA Amazon Information System Module 1: Vegetation Parameter Calculation Module 2: Statistic Functions Module 3: Query Functions Output 1: Vegetation Parameters Output 2: Statistics Output 3: Query Result Introduction The Indiana University/Indiana State University / INPE (IU/ISU) LBA – Ecology project “Human dimensions of Amazonia: Forest Regeneration and Landscape Structure” has developed a comprehensive Oracle-based database structure with SQL for data integration and retrieval and visual basic to develop user interfaces, and conduct modeling. Objectives To develop and analyze data acquired from vegetation biomass models for ongoing LBA analyses in selected areas in the Amazon Basin; To efficiently integrate field acquired data with biomass allometric equations implementing a customized user- friendly software structure; To use the developed biomass information to provide insights into land use/land cover change processes which are required for wise management of the Amazon Basin landscape. Design of a Vegetation Parameter System Integration of statistical methods and modeling algorithms was initiated through a Visual Basic user interface. The field and spectral data in the Oracle database were accessible fields in any combination using PL/SQL. The field data appropriate for biomass analysis were integrated into allometric models, input into the system and then statistically analyzed. Platform: Oracle 8, Solaris; Architecture: Client/Server; Languages: PL/SQL, Microsoft Visual Basic; Modeling: 13 built-in allometric biomass equations. Conclusions The interface developed for biomass modeling permits instantaneous estimates of biomass derived from 13 allometric equations deemed to be most suitable for the study areas. Each biomass model directly extracts relevant data specified by an analyst from the database and calculates the data inherent in the model. In the current biomass model, data such as: 13 biomass estimates, tree/sapling biomass ratio, total basal area tree/sampling basal area, tree density, sapling density tree volume, and average stem height can be calculated at different geographic levels of interest for mature forests and various succession (SS1, SS2, SS3) forest classes in the study areas. System Structure Example The system has three modules. The first module is designed for vegetation parameter calculation, which derives biomass from allometric equations using the required field data parameters stored in the databases. Field data such as basal area, vegetation density, timber volume, and average stand height are used in the example below. The second module is statistic functions which generate field and/or spectral statistics stored in the Oracle database for any or all parameters. In the example below it calculates the big tree count for Region 1 field sites. The third module is query. Through SQL, query assembles parameters in the Oracle data base and displays all items of user-designated interest in tabular form. In the example given biomass method, vegetation type, age, and biomass, were shown for selected field site areas.