Caracterização geoambiental da falésia de Baía Formosa/RN

Abstract

Coastal cliffs are important geomorphological features that indicate the various processes and changes that have occurred in the landscape over the years. They are the marks of a long process of relief modeling that dates back to the Quaternary.The geomorphological study of this formation contributes to the understanding of the events that affect them and their evolution in the environment. In this sense, this work will analyze the cliffs of the municipality of Baía Formosa, located on the eastern-southern coast of the state of Rio Grande do Norte. The main objective of this research is to analyze the geomorphological characteristics of the cliffs in the urban area of ​​the municipality of Baía Formosa/RN, describing formative aspects, land occupation in the surroundings and associated risks. Bibliographic and documentary research, field investigations and the use of GIS tools, QGIS software and Google Earth PRO, were carried out.Thus, the area was subdivided into two sections, comprising the beaches of the port and Cacimba beach, which were subjected to spatial image analysis, area measurement, vectorization of the city's urban area and graphic schemes. Therefore, active and inactive cliffs are found, which are inserted in a context of land use and occupation that directly influences their dynamics and conservation. Active cliffs show signs of erosion and instability, especially in areas closest to urbanization, where human intervention is more intense. Inactive cliffs, on the other hand, present relative stability, but are still subject to natural processes such as weathering and tidal action. The integrated analysis allowed us to identify the vulnerabilities of these sections in the face of the action of natural agents and human pressure, highlighting the need for environmental planning and management measures aimed at preserving these features and minimizing risks to the local population.