Abstract Geomorphological studies are crucial for understanding the evolution of relief, and when associated with cartography, they enhance the interpretation and knowledge of environmental dynamics. Hence, historical cartography is essential for the documental rescue of landscapes, which, based on the mapped geoforms, enhances post-discovery studies for the state of Ceará, Brazil. Historically, this state was intermittently mapped in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries but gained greater attention from Portugal in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries after its separation from Pernambuco. Despite this, cartographic studies on coastal geoforms are not typical for the Ceará coast over a given period, highlighting the importance of this investigation. Therefore, this article aimed to study the environmental history of the coastal geoforms mapped on the extreme west coast of Ceará in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. This research had a qualitative and exploratory basis, with cartographic documental surveys online and in loco, covering the municipalities of Jijoca de Jericoacoara, Camocim, and Barroquinha. Fifty maps of different origins were collected, three of which were used: a French sketch and two Portuguese maps. In the French material of 1615, geoforms in the Cape de la Tortue indicated the presence of a rocky island separated from the mainland. From the Portuguese map of 1629, a well-cut coastline was noted, identifying Buraco das Tartarugas, where there were two islands of different sizes. In the 1794 map, an island in the cove called Geri qua Coá was noted, differing in landscape from the previous ones, as it did not have tombolos connected to the continent. The cartographies presented particularities for revealing a possible advance in the local sea level. Thus, it is possible to motivate future research in the area of historical cartography as a tool for the analysis of the paleogeographic evolution of the coastal zones of Ceará. relief dynamics Hence landscapes postdiscovery post discovery Brazil Historically Pernambuco period investigation Therefore basis loco Jericoacoara Camocim Barroquinha collected used 1615 mainland 1629 wellcut well cut noted Tartarugas sizes 179 ones continent level Thus 161 162 17 16 1

ResumoO desmatamento elevado no Bioma Caatinga vem gerando processos de desertificação em diversas áreas, alterando diretamente a biota, o microclima e os solos, sendo fundamental o desenvolvimento de técnicas de pesquisa capazes de incorporar informações que identifiquem o estado dos recursos naturais, apontando os seus relacionamentos e alguns caminhos a serem tomados para uma intervenção eficiente que gere a recuperação e o aproveitamento sustentável das terras nesse ambiente. O MTLFC constitui-se em um conjunto de técnicas utilizado pela primeira vez no Brasil para analisar áreas submetidas à desertificação, apresentando indicadores biogeográficos, climatológicos, geomorfológicos e hidrológicos. Através da aplicação do método em uma área do município de São Domingos do Cariri (PB), foi identificada uma diversidade vegetal muito baixa (13 espécies e 489 indivíduos), dominância de poucas espécies (5) e baixa abundância, com maior número de indivíduos nos estratos arbustivo alto e arbustivo, tendo como causa a retirada excessiva de vegetação, as queimadas e o uso contínuo pelo gado caprino. O Balanço Hídrico apresentou-se negativo, havendo indicação de que a atividade vegetativa depende da precipitação oculta. Os solos apresentaram crosta superficial de origem antrópica, tornando a aridez edáfica ainda mais acentuada, associada aos baixos níveis de fertilidade, particularmente o potássio e a matéria orgânica.

AbstractHigh deforestation in the Caatinga Biome has been generating processes of desertification in several areas, directly altering the biota, the microclimate and the soils, being essential the development of research techniques able to incorporate information which identify the state of natural resources, pointing their relationships and some paths to be taken for an effective intervention which may generate the recovery and sustainable use of land in this environment. The MTLFC consists of a set of techniques used in Brazil for the first time to analyze areas subjected to desertification, presenting biogeographic, climatological, geomorphological and hydrological indicators. By applying the method in an area of the city of São Domingos do Cariri (PB), it has been identified a very low plant diversity (13 species and 489 individuals), dominance of a few species (5) and low abundance, with the largest number of individuals in tall shrub and shrub strata, caused by the excessive removal of vegetation, fires and continuous use by the goats. The Water Balance was negative so that it indicated that the vegetative activity depends on hidden precipitation. The soils have presented surface crust of an anthropic origin, making edaphic aridity even more pronounced, associated with low fertility levels, particularly potassium and organic matter.

ResumenLa deforestación en el Bioma Caatinga ha generado procesos de desertificación en varias áreas, alterando directamente la biota, el microclima y el suelo, siendo fundamental el desarrollo de técnicas de investigación capaces de incorporar informaciones que identifiquen el estado de los recursos naturales, señalando sus relaciones y algunos caminos a seguir para una intervención efectiva que genere la recuperación y el uso sostenible de las tierras en este ambiente. El MTLFC consiste en un conjunto de técnicas utilizado por primera vez en Brasil para analizar areas desertificadas, presentando indicadores biogeográficos, climáticos, geomorfológicos e hidrológicos. Al aplicar el método en un área de São Domingos do Cariri (PB) se identificó una diversidad vegetal muy baja (13 especies y 489 individuos), el dominio de unas pocas especies (5) y baja abundancia, con mayor numero de individuos en los estratos arbustivo alto y arbustivo, teniendo como causa la eliminación excessiva de la vegetación, los incendios y el uso continuo del ganado caprino. El balance hídrico fué negativo, havendo indicios de que la actividad vegetativa depende de la precipitación oculta. Los suelos presentaron costra superficial de origen antropogénico, lo que hace la aridez edáfica aún más pronunciada asociada con los niveles de fecundidad bajos, sobre todo potasio y materia orgánica.