Integração da geoecologia das paisagens no planejamento ambiental: estratégias para a bacia hidrográfica do rio catumbela/angola

Abstract

The Catumbela River Basin (CRB), Angola, has experienced increasing socio-environmental complexity driven by land-use intensification, unplanned urban expansion, natural resource exploitation, and climate variability, which have compromised landscape functionality and territorial environmental security. In this context, this thesis proposes a geodynamic model of Functional and Propositional Zoning, grounded in Landscape Geoecology, to support sustainable management of the CRB and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 6, 11, 13, and 15). The methodological approach is systemic and integrative, combining analyses of physical components (relief, geology, soils, climate, vegetation, and hydrography), land-use and land-cover patterns, environmental, social, and socio-environmental vulnerability indicators, as well as geoprocessing techniques and spatial statistics. Landscape compartmentalization into geoecological units enabled interpretation of geosystem structure and functioning across the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the basin. Results reveal pronounced spatial heterogeneity within the CRB, with environmentally stable areas associated with high naturalness and moderately stable to unstable sectors concentrating the most significant socio-environmental conflicts. The integration of environmental fragility and social vulnerability highlights critical zones particularly in transition areas and the lower basin where anthropogenic pressures intensify environmental and social risks. Based on this diagnosis, a functional zoning scheme was proposed, comprising conservation zones, sustainable use zones, geoenvironmental requalification zones, and priority territorial ordering zones. The study concludes that Landscape Geoecology provides an effective framework for environmental planning in tropical river basins, offering robust support for public policy, vulnerability reduction, and integrated natural resource management. Recommendations include strengthening environmental monitoring, incorporating higher-resolution spatial and temporal data, and implementing participatory zoning with local authorities and communities