Hidrogeomorfologia, geoecologia e proteção de áreas úmidas na zona periurbana de Juiz de Fora-MG

Abstract

Wetlands consist of hydrogeomorphological systems that are periodically or permanently flooded, and their genesis is associated with the flooding of watercourses, direct precipitation or the outcrop of the water table. Studies involving the understanding of hydrogeomorphological and geoecological characteristics of wetlands in the context of Atlantic Tropical Brazil are scarce. The constant transformations in the forms of land use and coverage, aggravated by the lack of protection for these hydrosystems, affect the inputs of matter and energy into these hydrosystems, altering their dynamics and functioning. In turn, the responses generated by the hydrosystems are unpredictable, given the complex nature of these systems. Given this context, the present research has the general objective of discussing the dynamicfunctional state of wetlands based on their hydrogeomorphological aspects. The specific objectives consist of performing the hydrogeomorphological characterization of the wetlands found in the study areas; to relate anthropogeomorphological processes with physical-chemical parameters of water and soil and to discuss the weaknesses in the protection of wetlands in light of current environmental legislation. Using remote sensing techniques, the forms of land use and land cover in the Yung stream basin and the Poço D’Anta stream basin, in the municipality of Juiz de Fora-MG, were analyzed. The spatial distribution of the wetlands, their physiographic and hydrogeomorphological characteristics were also analyzed. Subsequently, four wetlands were chosen for verticalized studies, and their geoecological characteristics and their dynamicfunctional state were analyzed based on water and soil analyses. The results showed the uniqueness and complex nature of the wetlands, in a scenario where the wetlands presented homogeneity between the central points and their margins, but heterogeneity when compared to each other. The different forms of land use and coverage, together with the water seasonality between seasons, act in the transport of materials and biogeochemical processes on a local scale, giving unique characteristics to the hydrosystems analyzed.