IMPACTOS AMBIENTAIS EM ECOSSISTEMAS COSTEIROS ADJACENTES AO ESTUÁRIO DO RIO CLARO: RELATO DE EXPERIÊNCIA INTERDISCIPLINAR COM SUBSÍDIOS PARA A CRIAÇÃO DE UMA UNIDADE DE CONSERVAÇÃO.

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.7182427124

• Palavras-chave: unidade de conservação, urbanização, restauração ecológica

• Keywords: conservation unit, urbanization, ecological restoration

• Abstract: The Claro River estuary, located in the northern region of São Luís, represents a critical coastal ecosystem composed of mangroves, dunes, sandbanks, and marshes. Through an interdisciplinary approach involving researchers from diverse fields (oceanography, biology, geography, environmental engineering and Archaeologist), this study investigated the impacts of disorderly urban growth on water resources and local biodiversity, aligning with SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 15 - Life on Land. Using an integrated analysis of geospatial data (MapBiomas and FIRMS) and field observations, significant environmental degradation was identified, including eutrophication, hydrological regime alteration, and habitat fragmentation. Results revealed a 98.68% reduction in natural vegetation cover between 1985 and 2023, with consequent impairment of key species in the food chain. It was observed that the mangrove ecosystem, although impacted, presents important species such as crabs, marine birds, and mammals fundamental to the food chain and seed dispersal. As a conservation strategy, the creation of a Conservation Unit is proposed, aiming to mitigate anthropogenic impacts, restore degraded areas, and ensure the ecological sustainability of the estuary. The experience report involving graduate students and professors proposed to demonstrate the importance of interdisciplinary action in proposing solutions to societal problems, contributing to research, providing data for case studies, guiding best practices, and supporting decision-making in public policies.