Physical limitations on degraded rural area: metodological search to define the proper use of land

Abstract

The improper use of land promotes a series of environmental degradation: reduces the natural fertility of the soil, changes the infiltration and drainage of water and creates favorable conditions for the formation and development of erosive processes that move large amounts of soil to the bottom of valleys, changing the river dynamics, the quality and amount of water. In the higher basin of the ribeirão Areia Dourada, Marabá Paulista (SP) on a previous work of a dissertation, it was established that the inadequate agricultural management on the environmental characteristics resulted in the development of 530 linear erosions, which reduced the amount of arable land and changed the drainage network by increasing the number of 1st-order channels and expansion of plains and fluvial terrace areas of higher order channels. Aiming to continue the work developed during the Master's Degree, the present research, in order to propose cartographic methodology for rural and degraded environments through study applied in that basin, aims to evaluate the natural dynamics of the area and suggest the use of an appropriate system management to the characteristics and limitations of the physical environment. Therefore, two different methodologies will be applied and integrated: the landscape geoecology, in order to determine the dynamic and fragile nature of the basin through the physical units; and the use of a system capacity, to raise the appropriate uses for each rural property in the area. Data will be analyzed based on studies of the landscape, general systems theory, dynamic balance and assumptions of anthropogeomorphology and the Brazilian environmental legislation. (AU)