ASSESSMENT OF THE HUMAN IMPACT OF URBANIZATITION ON HYDROGEOMORPHOLOGICAL SYSTEMS. METHODOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION IN SAO PAULO METROPOLITAN AREA

Abstract

Researches concerning hydrogeomorphological systems with different anthropogenic intervention levels in São Paulo Metropolitan area have developed and applied methodological procedures suggested by RODRIGUES (1990;1997;1999;2004 e 2005). These researches that consider selected principles obtained from theoretical and methodological reviews related to Geomorphology and Physical Geography, have been using different and complementary spatial and temporal scales. Progressively they have demonstrated the applicability of anthropogeomorphology and retrospective geomorphological mapping, mainly to identify indicators and parameters to evaluate changes and effects of human interventions in urban hydrogeomorphologic systems. These researches have also demonstrated partial reasons for the difficulties to produce researches in complex and anthropogenic systems. These difficulties are related to the needs to consider simultaneously methodologic bases to integrate approaches and quantitative parameters with long term data series that can be supported by archival researches. Some results reveal that cumulative human interventions in hydrogeomorphologic systems of São Paulo Metropolitan area have produced events of similar magnitude or frequency to extremes and anomalous natural events. Even these researches concern physical parameters of changes, they can also relate these physical parameters to social actors and management tools in the historical urban process and improve territorial and environmental management.