Geodiversity of the coast of the state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil

Abstract

The study of geodiversity provides insight into the potential and limitations of an area's physical environment, making it highly valuable for public and private managers in supporting the development of appropriate land use and occupation proposals for a region. In this perspective, the Geodiversity Map of the coast of the state of Pernambuco was created by combining the Geodiversity Map of the Recife Metropolitan Region (RMR) and the Geodiversity Map of the Southern Coast of Pernambuco. Both were developed by the Geological Survey of Brazil through bibliographic studies and field surveys of geology, geomorphology, soils, and superficial formations, resulting in fifteen geological-environmental units composed of materials that significantly influence the suitability and usage constraints of the region. An example is the DCT unit, which covers a substantial area along the coastal zone of the northernmost municipalities of the RMR. Composed of sediments with varied composition (irregular alternation between layers of sandstone, siltstone, claystone, and gravel), it is widely used for urban occupation and mineral exploitation (borrow material in civil construction). However, on the slopes of the plateaus, particularly near the cliffs along the coastline, this area is unsuitable for housing due to the risk of landslides caused by slope gradients and the high susceptibility of these materials to erosion. Other information of significant importance and interest for public managers can be obtained as a result of this geodiversity study, such as mineral resources, groundwater potential and quality, geotechnical characterization, and areas prone to geological-geotechnical events that could impact land use, among others. All this knowledge is valuable for developing public policies and guiding actions by managers to generate employment and income, protect the environment, and promote health in the region.

Keywords

• Geodiversity
• Geotourism
• Geoconservation
• Land use
• Land occupation