Zoning environmental fragility of natural and anthropized ecosystems by multicriteria evaluation

Abstract

Fragmentation of ecosystems is one of the implications of the land use and the occupation process, especially in landscapes altered by agricultural or forestry crops. In this context, the present study aimed to determine the environmental fragility of the Capelinha municipality, Jequitinhonha Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil, by a multiple criteria evaluation technique using ArcGIS ™ software 10.3.1 and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). After generating maps of slope classes, soils, river hierarchy, geological domains, rainfall and current land use, weights of fragility were assigned to each of the factors, established based on classical methodology, those being: (I) (II) Slightly Low, (II) Medium, (IV) High and (V) Extremely High. Through Weighted Linear Combination and map algebra, maps of potential and emergent environmental fragility were generated. The methodology was commensurate to the task, which was supported by the AHP method and observation of the characteristics occurrences of the variables that corroborated with the sites of greater or lesser fragility. The maps generated here may support and enhance land use strategies for environmental restoration, as well as providing insights on spatial planning and management of environmental services.