Susceptibilidade a desertificação para o estado de Pernambuco

Abstract

Desertification can be understood as a process of degradation of arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid lands, resulting from climatic variations and human activities. Most damaging aspects fall mainly on the reduction of fertility and the production capacity of the land, as it is often an irreversible situation. For this, one of the most useful and applied ways for studies to verify the susceptibility to desertification is through the calculation of the Aridity Index (AI). Thus, the present work uses this methodology to verify the spatial distribution of the aridity index for the State of Pernambuco, from 1993 to 2016 with the help of a geographic information system. It was observed that in the period from 2013 to 2016 the State of Pernambuco suffered the greatest reductions in the values of the aridity index, as well as in their respective rainfall. Highlight for the municipality of Itacaruba, which presented an aridity index of 6.1, with the lowest value recorded when compared to 185 municipalities and the highest susceptibility to desertification with a grade of 11.25. The municipality of Jatobá, presented the lowest rainfall in the historical series of 23 years analyzed, with an annual average of 263.76mm. These results shouldsupport further studies and allow the preparation and implementation of adequate environmental planning.