Movimentos de massa no Maciço de Baturité(Ce) e contribuições para estratégias de planejamento ambiental

Abstract

The gravitational mass movements are characterized by a significant dissipation of energy responsible for the material displacement on the slopes of relief. These events are due to many factors, both natural and anthropogenic, and are very important to understand the geomorphological evolution and identification of morphodynamic risk areas. The Baturité massif (CE), located near the metropolitan region of Fortaleza stands out as the most significant humid mountain in the state, with a rainfall indicator that can reach up to 1.500 mm annually and a complex landscape mosaic, where stands the presence of humid forest that contrasts with the area of caatinga. In view of its socio-environmental aspects, was established a protected area called “APA da Serra de Baturité” in the 1990s, in order to ensure the sustainability of humid ecosystems. The elevation of this massif is around 800m, and there may be peaks above 1,000m. From the geomorphological point of view, there is a variety of features such as relief dissected in the slopes, hills interspersed with little plains in plateau, and surfaces of erosion and deposition in the lower surrounding areas (“sertões and tabuleiros”). In wetter areas is significant evidence of weathering mantles associated with the presence of acrisols. The distribution and characteristics of mass movement on slopes vary by natural factors from each area. In Baturité massif, mass movements have been identified only in areas with more significant slopes, which are basically in the hillside and on the plateau, especially near roads and areas of agriculture. In dissected wet hillside occur rotational and translational slides associated with mudflows and stone and debris fall. In dissected dry hillside occur shallow translational slides and stone and debris fall. In plateau occur translational and rotational slides and rock and debris fall, but with power capacity below the above-mentioned slopes. In inselbergs and rocky domes may occur stone falls. In the other surrounding areas, according to the most plans reliefs were not observed mass movements. Regarding susceptibility to the occurrence of mass movements, there were identified areas with high susceptibility in the west, south and part of the eastern hillsides, areas with average susceptibility in the other sectors of the massif, and low susceptibility in the surrounding areas. This information about the mass movements can contribute to regional environmental planning strategies. The Baturité massif presents a series of environmental administrative problems with inadequate licensing, management of conservation units and delineation of areas of permanent preservation. Associated with the abovementioned there is no environmental strategies that incorporate studies of mass movements. Therefore strategies must be taken, legal and administrative, aiming the solution of some problems related to environmental management.