Natural vulnerability to erosion of the coastal zone of Esplanada, Bahia

Abstract

The coastal zone is a complex environment that undergoes variations on various temporal scales. This zone is classified as one of the most vulnerable environments, both from a physical and economic point of view, due to the complexity of coastal processes, the fragility of its ecosystems, the high population concentration, and tourism. Given this, the objective of this research was to carry out the analysis of the natural vulnerability to erosion of the coastal zone of the municipality of Esplanada, Bahia. The methodology used involved the integration of cartographic data using QGIS Software, based on information from the physical environment and land use of the following attributes: geological, geomorphological, pedological, slope, and vegetation, land use and occupation; classifying the different classes of each map according to their degrees of vulnerability. According to the results generated, it was possible to generate the map of natural vulnerability to erosion. The distribution of environmental vulnerability classes in the coastal zone of Esplanada revealed that urban areas have the highest indices.