The use of environmental indicators in the characterization and definition of wetlands in the Eastern Amazon

Abstract

Wetlands play a vital role in water quality, in addition to providing coastal stabilization and erosion control, aquifer recharge, they serve as important biological habitats, as nurseries for wildlife. The present study aimed to elaborate, based on environmental indicators, the characterization and classification of an estuarine fluvial plain in a humid area, considering a gradient of water bodies. The areas defined for the present study are located in the municipalities of Abaetetuba and Barcarena in Pará, which have an important and significant role, for the region and for the Amazon as a whole. The indicators used for characterization and classification, were altimetry, rainfall, hydrography and land use and coverage, and such information was processed in a GIS environment. Additionally, the Topographic Index of Wet Areas (ITU) was used, and the method of map reclassification was proposed in order to evaluate (altimetry, vegetation cover and precipitation) generating product through map algebra, defining areas with Potential Formation of Wet Areas ( PFAU). In general the region of the present study predominates low altimetric values ​​less than or equal to 15 meters, the rainfall for the annual accumulated, varied between 3594 mm to 4844 mm, land use and cover, presented configuration where the vegetation represents 56% . Approximately 46.54% of the area has a strong potential for the formation of wetlands, being directly linked to the topographic processes and the main drainages. It is possible to demonstrate that the adoption of vegetation cover, altimetry and rainfall categories, with their respective parameters, proved to be effective for zoning AU's in the region. It is proposed that, based on this work, methodological procedures can be applied, in an expanded way in the region or in other Amazonian areas in order to confirm or indicate the classification as an AU, for different uses.