SCALING SPECTRAL DIVERSITY TO MAP TROPICAL FOREST BIODIVERSITY: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF COMPLETE AND RANDOMIZATION-BASED METHODS IN BRAZIL'S SOUTHEASTERN RESERVES

This study compares traditional and randomization-based methods to calculate spectral diversity across two conservation units in Southeastern Brazil, Vale’s Natural Reserve and Sooretama Biological Reserve. Leveraging Sentinel-2 imagery, we examined spectral community richness and Shannon diversity to assess tropical forest biodiversity. Both methods yielded consistent spatial patterns and high correlations, validating the randomization approach for areas beyond standard computational capacities. This scalable technique offers a robust pathway for monitoring biodiversity across large ecosystems.