Environmental impacts in Araçá Lagoon, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this research was to identify, quantify and qualify the anthropic environmental impacts resulting from the urbanization processes around the Aracá Lagoon, Recife, Pernambuco. The impacts were investigated, being divided into three sectors (SI, SII and SIII) through a checklist, which contains a list of environmental and anthropic indicators, these indicators with impact weights and effects, resulting in a negative value of the class of impact. Besides the analysis of urbanization processes that caused environmental impacts, with the evaluation of the conditions of the mangrove ecosystem. The Araçá Lagoon has been subjected to several anthropogenic actions, which have caused degrading alterations, but with small effect (Sectors I: -49 and III: -78) and moderate (Sector II: -106) in its physiography. Consequently, the cause of several shocking interventions, with little planning, led to shocking modifications ranging from small to moderate. However, the action of man-induced anthropic impacts, coupled with the natural stressors acting on the mangrove ecosystem, limit the development of the mangrove forest. In view of this, the anthropic actions, arising from urbanization, advance on the natural environment, requiring preventive and emergency measures for the conservation of Araçá Lagoon.