MODELING OF NATURAL VULNERABILITY TO EROSION THROUGH THE GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN MORRO DO CHAPÉU-BA

Abstract

The environment is always in permanent change keeping its proper dynamics with its own rhythms.However, when the people move themselves occupying specific locations, some transformations can take place, constituting threats for the environment and for the manhimself. These changes are related to the enviroment degradation, which has erosion as one of its most significant processes.To understand this dynamic, it is necessary to model the environment in a way that is possible to identify areas with different degrees of natural vulnerability to erosion and thus provide actions that relieve these impacts.The erosive processes are part of the lithosphere modeling system and have its intensity degree more stable or more intense according to the sum of several physical variables (lithology, leveling, landscape, rainfall and hydrography), biological variables (ecosystem- the type of the original and second growth vegetation) and anthropogenic variables (the type of human occupation and mining activities).The impact of the rain on the soil has its effects reduced because of the vegetation and so the pedogenesis is benefited and the erosive processes minimized. On the other hand, if there is no vegetation or if this is insuficient, morphogenesis becomes more intense and theerosive processes enhanced