APPLICATION OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTISE: THE CASE OF THE NATURAL PROTECTED URBAN AREA BARDAS NORTE, NEUQUÉN (PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA)

Abstract

Environmental judicial expertise requires the analysis of variables that can be related and linked together as a complex system. The objective of this work is to apply a method based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze environmental variables for a case of environmental expertise required by the court of the province of Neuquén (Argentina). Various layers of information were incorporated; such as soil moisture, vegetation cover, topography, hydrology, urban road channels and cadastral records. This data integration allowed to estimate the rainfall risk, subject of the expertise requested by the court, and the influence of anthropic actions on the territory. Additionally, an analysis of the ecosystem services of the study area was carried out, given the history of the site designated as a protected natural urban area. The study was completed with a survey of the vegetation cover and soil movements. These data were vectorized and represented on the coverage maps. Through the integration of variables, the method allows to analyze the environmental impact caused, with particular effect on the risk conditions. Likewise, the degree of modification of the extent of the study area, of the water basins and its vegetation cover due to anthropic action, and the consequent increase in risks were shown. The applied system has demonstrated to be an objective method for analyzing multidisciplinary data, performing as a valuable tool in environmental expert activities in order to assist the judicial system.