STUDY OF THE GEOENVIRONMENTAL UNITS OF THE MERUOCA MOUNTAIN RANGE (CEARÁ, BRAZIL): APPLICATION OF GEOTECHNOLOGIES IN THE LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS OF THE BRAZILIAN SEMIARID REGION

This study provides an integrated analysis of the geoenvironmental units of the Meruoca Mountain Range (Ceará, Brazil), examining their environmental conditions and dynamics, diagnosing the main impacts and natural limitations, and proposing sustainable management measures. The research began with a bibliographic and cartographic survey and relied on geotechnologies, including the processing of satellite imagery and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) digital elevation models (30 m), as well as Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The landscape, understood as a dynamic and unstable combination of physical, biological, and anthropogenic elements (Bertrand, 1972), constitutes a humid enclave within the morphoclimatic domain of the Caatinga. As a methodological contribution, geoenvironmental vulnerability was modeled through Spatial Multi-Criteria Evaluation (SMCE) in a GIS environment (QGIS 3.40), integrating slope, soil characteristics, and land use and land cover through map algebra. The resulting map indicated that the High (20–45%) and Very High (45–75%) vulnerability classes exhibit considerable susceptibility to degradation, concentrated on steep slopes, particularly those along the northern face of the massif. This spatial classification enables the analysis of the landscape's vulnerability gradient, highlighting areas that require greater attention regarding land use and occupation, natural resource conservation, and environmental planning. The study concluded that the area presents significant environmental vulnerability, requiring priority actions for conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources.