INVENTORY OF WETLANDS OF THE SANTA MARIA RIVER WATER BASIN, AT THE MICROREGION OF VÃO DO PARANÃ: “THE PANTANAL” OF GOIÁS

Abstract

Wetlands are ecosystems at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic environments and, in the Cerrado, they comprise a mosaic of hydrophilic vegetation, floodable savannas, and patches of floodable and dry forests. In Goiás, the highest concentrations of natural areas in the biome are present in the north and northeast of the state, especially in the Vão do Paranã region. Nevertheless, the pressure from the expansion of agricultural frontiers, originating from the west of Bahia and the south and southwest of Goiás, has intensified the rise in agricultural activities in the region, compromising biodiversity and local wetlands, especially the lake system called “Pantanal Goiano”. Hence, the aim of this research was to conduct an inventory of the wetlands within the Santa Maria River basin, utilizing the Brazilian Wetland Classification System proposed by Junk et al. (2015). The study area belongs to the group of inland wetlands, with fluctuating water levels, bound to predictable, monomodal, long-lasting, and low-amplitude flood pulses. 4 subclasses and 8 macro habitats were identified, 5 of which were permanently aquatic, 1 permanently terrestrial, and 2 anthropogenic. Furthermore, through land use mapping of the basin, it was possible to observe the processs of vegetation suppression, leading to the expansion of agricultural and pastoral areas in the region. The results obtained could serve as support for future research, seeking the knowledge and preservation of these humid areas, which are disappearing without even more detailed studies having been carried out on these environments in the region.