Os efeitos dos manguezais e das intervenções humanas na dinâmica sedimentar das praias de SalinópoliS, PA

Abstract

Salinópolis, on the coast of Pará, has become an important tourist hub, expanding its infrastructure along the coastal zone. This area is considered sensitive to sea-level rise. Therefore, identifying the area most vulnerable to coastal erosion is extremely important, especially due to the growth of coastal urban areas, which can interfere with sediment balance, intensifying erosion processes. This master's thesis aims to identify the effects of mangroves and coastal urban expansion on sediment balance along the beaches of Salinópolis. This study was carried out through a spatio-temporal analysis based on satellite (2003 – 2023) and drone data (2019-2024). The data revealed that the urban area expanded (627 ha), while the mangrove area fluctuated, increasing from 3630 ha to 3889 ha between 2003 and 2023. Erosion was identified along the beaches, particularly at Praia do Farol Velho (erosion = 432,625 m³, sedimentation = 217,259 m³). Praia do Atalaia (erosion = 115,415 m³, sedimentation = 462,630 m³) and the Maçarico/Corvina beaches (erosion = 640,389 m³, sedimentation = 801,670 m³) showed a trend of sediment accumulation. Erosion has predominantly occurred in the lower intertidal zone, while sedimentation has occurred in the supratidal zone and the upper intertidal zone. Residences, particularly in Farol Velho, may accentuate this process and Praia do Atalaia, which are currently located in the intertidal and supratidal zones in front of the mangroves. The walls built to protect these residences from waves and current action have also functioned as a barrier to retain sediments at the upper intertidal/supratidal transition. In much of Praia do Farol Velho, without these walls, there has been erosion in the intertidal zone, with a retreat of the coastline by about 100 meters between 2009 and 2023. However, the Maçarico/Corvina beaches have mangroves in front of the urban infrastructure, with sediment accumulation predominantly in the supratidal zone and the upper part of the intertidal zone. Human interventions on these beaches have not impacted the sedimentary dynamics until 2023. This beach provides a good example of how coastal infrastructure projects should be planned, using mangroves as protection against the action of waves and currents. However, the construction of beach access walkways in 2024 altered the hydrodynamic flow of a tidal channel, trapping tidal waters and creating muddy intertidal zones with porewater salinities close to 70 ‰. This process has already killed approximately 7 ha of mangrove. These data provide valuable insights to guide more efficient public and private investments, avoiding construction in high-risk areas or those that harm the mangroves, offering crucial information about coastal erosion and its impacts on urban infrastructure in the beaches of Salinópolis, especially in the face of sea-level rise.