Morphopedology: a methodological approach for environmental studies

Abstract

Morphopedology is a methodological approach that integrates aspects of pedology, lithology, and topophaphy, related to temporal and anthropic dimensions. The objectives of this article are: i) to provide a synthesis of the development of concepts and methods in morphopedology through a literature review; ii) to identify and analyze publications on morphopedology in Brazil using bibliometrics; iii) to test the most recent methodology in a rural-urban watershed. In the example presented, the methodological framework allowed for the identification of five morphopedological compartments, ranging from highly susceptible erosion to non-susceptible, and how the results have been supporting environmental planning. Bibliometrics were conducted in theree search platforms, considering the publication type, year, authors, institutions, Brazilian States, and approach taken towards morphopedology. In the bibliometric survey, 95 publications were found from 2003 to 2022, with the majority in the states of Mato Grosso, Goiás, and Paraná, in the form of articles; 47.4% addressed morphopedology as a diagnostic tool for environmental planning. It was observed that there are gaps in morphopedological studies in the country, particularly in agricultural and urban areas, using watersheds as the unit, which can serve as important diagnostic tools and support for the land use planning and restoration of degraded areas.