IBGE releases today (09) a collection of thematic maps approaching Vegetation, Geology, Geomorphology and Amazon Soils...

IBGE releases today (09) a collection of thematic maps approaching Vegetation, Geology, Geomorphology and Amazon Soils.

The material has an official scale to represent the state (1:1,800,000, each centimeter corresponds to 18 kms) and is updated by satellite images, field work and previous study data. It is the result of IBGE’s commitment to produce information about the natural resources of the whole Brazil up to 2014. The maps can be viewed at ftp://geoftp.ibge.gov.br/mapas/tematicos. The collection contributes to public policies on occupation and/or reorganization of space. It is aimed at the sustainable development by means of the rational use of the natural resources. Its release event is taking place at 10 a.m. (local time, 12 a.m. Brasília time), at the auditorium of the Rectory of the University of the State of Amazon (UEA), located at Djalma Batista, 3.578, bairro Flores, Manaus (AM).

The maps depict the diversity of soils, vegetation, landscape and geology in the territory and present relevant information for several activities, such as teaching and research.

For territorial planning, for example, they can be used to understand and evaluate territory use potentialities and limitations and landscape dynamics. The resulting knowledge can be applied in environmental diagnosis, state and regional planing and zoning, sector plans, such as hydric resources conservation and use, development corridors, road systems among others.

The Map of Soils reveals the predominance of argissolos ("acrisols", identified by the letters PA, PV and PVA, in compliance with international correlation) and their location in the area between Negro and Madeira rivers. Latossolos ("latosols", LA, LV and LVA), in the east and in the north of the state, are the soils with the highest potential for agricultural use, though nutrient-poor. Neossolos litólicos ("leptosols" RL) are found in the mountains and they are inadequate for agricultural activity. Two other classes of soils can be highlighted: gleissolos ("gleysols" GX) and espodossolos ("spodosols" EK and ESK), mainly observed in the low and middle hydrographic basin of Negro river. Both can be found in flooded lands and both are not suitable for agricultural use. The vegetation classified as campinarana ("heath forest") is typical of espodossolos.

Although the state of Amazon is located in a region with significant seasonal river level change, it has only 10% of its territory classified as plain. The predominance of depressions is less surprising than the presence of plateaus and lowland plateaus in the east and high-altitude mountain chains in the northeast – where Neblina peak, the highest summit point of Brazil, is located. This and other information can be found in the Map of Landscape (Geomorphology).

The Map of Vegetation reveals the diversity found in the state, which encompasses more than the ombrófila ("evergreen") forest (dense and open). In Amazon there is a specific flora in the high altitudes (vegetation isolated patches), as well as prairies, meadows, campinaranas ("heath forest") and cerrados ("extensive savanna shrubland"). Information is updated in compliance with standard nomenclature for all the Brazilian territory.

The Map of Geology reveals movements within the earth’s crust in Amazon, with a focus on the earthquakes in Manaus and in the surrounding areas. Another evidence is the continuous migration of the course of the Solimões river, in the region of Mamirauá, and of the Negro river, next to the city of Barcelos, for southeast – both adapted to geological faults with significant vertical movement. Moreover, lakes in interfluvial positions in Negro river’s waterways and changes in the pattern of the river’s canal frequently occur. In several points the canal changes from linear to interlaced, as in the Anavilhanas group of islands. The available data show that, since the beginning of the formation of these rivers, the displacement of the canals for southeast, due to the vertical movement of the active faults, was of 20 km, for Negro, and 40 km, for Solimões.