Taxonomia dos rios a partir dos saberes tradicionais na planície fluvial do Rio Macaé (RJ): abordagem da etnogeomorfologia fluvial em áreas de assentamentos rurais.

Abstract

Fluvial Ethnogeomorphology is the central focus of this research, which aims to engage in dialogue and understand the vernacular knowledge of traditional communities about the dynamics of fluvial landscapes, considering the morpho-sculptural processes of the relief, land use, and management of river systems, as well as the cultural and symbolic connections with rivers. The research was conducted in the floodplain of the Macaé River basin, in the São Pedro River Basin floodplain area, in the northern part of the state of Rio de Janeiro, with an emphasis on the knowledge about the fluvial landscape of the residents of the PDS Osvaldo de Oliveira settlement. This community was chosen due to its agroecological relationship with the land and rivers, reflecting an ethnogeomorphological perspective, which does not see rivers as a resource for commercialization. The goal of this research is to propose a taxonomy of rivers in the São Pedro River floodplain, based on the traditional knowledge and practices of the settlers regarding the fluvial environment and land use. The methodology consisted of a bibliographic and cartographic survey, as well as the application of the fluvial style methodology to characterize the river channels. To engage with the settlers' knowledge, semi-structured interviews were conducted based on the “snowball” method, participatory environmental mapping, and the SWOT matrix. The geomorphological characterization identified four fluvial styles, influenced by the geomorphological compartmentalization. A transition from agro-pastoral areas to family farming was observed with the arrival of the settlement. The ethnogeomorphological taxonomies made by the settlers revealed five names for the rivers and six relief typologies. The results of the participatory mapping and the SWOT matrix analysis highlighted the importance of agroecological practices in managing fluvial landscapes. The research concludes that traditional knowledge is essential for reevaluating colonial and Western models of water resource management, proposing new alternative models for participatory and inclusive river management, based on local knowledge and sustainable practices.