Serviços geossistêmicos, ecossistêmicos e culturais da Estação Ecológica Estadual de Arêdes, Minas Gerais: um bem necessário para Itabirito

Abstract

This course completion paper presents research focused on assessing the geodiversity of the Aredês State Ecological Station, a Conservation Unit located in the municipality of Itabirito, in the IronAquifer Quadrangle, Minas Gerais. The study sought to integrate geospatial, documentary, and field information to understand the area's geological and geomorphological richness, contributing to geoconservation within the context of the protected area mosaic of the Serra do Espinhaço and Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserves, recognized by UNESCO. The research used qualitative and quantitative analysis methods to map and characterize the geological elements, in addition to documenting land use practices and socio-environmental interactions with the Conservation Unit, inventorying the attributes of geodiversity and analyzing its relationships with the ecosystem services of the municipality of Itabirito. After the analysis, 160 geodiverse elements distributed across twenty-two sectors were characterized, highlighting the richness of forms, materials, and processes present within the Conservation Unit. The results reinforce the importance of the Ecological Station as a strategic space for the maintenance of ecosystem services and as a knowledge center in the context of the Iron Aquifer Quadrangle.