Wetlands are periodically flooded terrestrial and aquatic environments, which provide benefits to a community known as ecosystem services (ESs). This research identified, classified, and spatialized the level of relevance of ecosystem services provided by wetlands in the Galinhos-Guamaré semi-arid estuarine system, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Northeast Brazil. ESs were analyzed using the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES), v.4.3, and geographic information system (GIS) using a mosaic of Sentinel-2A images. The services provided by wetlands were classified into provision, regulation and maintenance, and cultural sections, with six divisions, 12 groups, and 22 classes being identified. The capacity of a number of wetlands to provide services was identified in 34 mangrove forests, 32 estuaries, 30 tidal flats, 26 solar saltworks, 23 apicum (tidal flats), and seven in shrimp ponds. However, it is noteworthy that these habitats are associated with ecosystems with great ecological, socioeconomic, and cultural importance, where the general approach presented here requires more detailed research in each macrohabitat, which should be considered as a priority for conservation.

O estuário do rio Catú localiza-se a 26 km a sudeste de Fortaleza, no Município de Aquiraz. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar os impactos de barramentos de pequeno e médio porte no aporte de água doce e sua repercussão na evolução morfológica e fragilidade ambiental do referido sistema. Foram escolhidas e analisadas as principais intervenções no escoamento superficial, formas de uso e ocupação das margens no período entre 1990 e 2004. O impacto dessas intervenções na vazão fluvial, com foco nos barramentos, foi simulado com uso de modelos e equações semi-empíricas, em função da ausência de estações de monitoramento fluviométrico. A construção do Açude Público Catú-Cinzento, no alto curso, diminuiu em 30% a contribuição de águas para a lagoa do Catú e consequentemente para o estuário. Isto resultou na diminuição do volume estuarino de 8.507 m³ para 2.045 m³ sob as mesmas condições climáticas e de marés. O tempo de residência das águas é de aproximadamente 18 dias, com baixa capacidade depuradora. Os processos de sedimentação ali existentes configuram o ambiente em causa como estuarino-lagunar em fase evolutiva para ambiente lacustre.

Sandy beaches play a crucial role as natural barriers against climate change and hold significant socioeconomic value. In the municipality of Icapuí, on the eastern coast of Ceará, erosion has affected some of its beaches since the 2000s, impacting structures near the Shoreline (SL), such as schools, inns, and residences. This article analyzed the SL dynamics on the beaches of Barreiras de Baixo, Barreiras de Cima, and Barrinha, located in the mentioned municipality, using two scales of analysis: in the short term, with in situ surveys using geodetic receivers between 2015 and 2023, and in the long term, with orbital images from 2002 to 2024. For statistical analysis, the End Point Rate (EPR) and Linear Regression Rate (LRR) methods were applied in ArcGIS software using the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) version 5.1 extension. The short-term analysis revealed an average EPR of 0.0 m/year, with a maximum progradation of 7.1 m/year and maximum erosion of 6.4 m/year. The LRR showed an average of -0.2 m/year, with a maximum progradation of 7 m/year and maximum erosion of 6.7 m/year. The long-term analysis showed an average EPR of -1.1 m/year, with a maximum progradation of 0.5 m/year and a minimum erosion of 3.9 m/year, while the LRR indicated an average of -0.7 m/year, with maximum erosion of 3.6 m/year and maximum progradation of 1.6 m/year. These results indicate a more pronounced retreat of the SL over time. The analysis also revealed that containment structures, such as Rip-rap, have replaced wooden stakes and sandbags previously used by local communities, stabilizing 63.2% of the SL. The forecasts obtained through this study for the years 2034 and 2044 indicate shoreline retreat in areas still without protection, highlighting the urgent need for effective participatory planning. It is essential to align this planning with the Municipal Climate Change Adaptation Plan and the Integrated Coastal Management Plan (ICMP). Maintaining protection structures and conducting continuous monitoring is crucial to adapting coastal management strategies, protecting vulnerable communities and ecosystems.

Seascape mapping is critical to understanding ecosystem services and managing areas with potential for fishing, power generation, mining, and tourism. Despite advances in marine geophysics, the necessary equipment to make underwater cartography can be expensive and requires a certain degree of specialization. In areas with scarce data, ethnomapping can be used for the elaboration or complementation of marine cartography. In addition, it provides information about the nature, concepts, phenomena, and nomenclatures attributed by the local population. The aim of this study was to integrate the knowledge of artisanal fishermen from NE Brazil into the mapping of seascapes, validating the obtained cartography with scientific sampling. Focus groups were used to promote an open discussion of local users’ knowledge about seascapes and their importance for local fisheries. After analyzing, it was possible to correlate the products of participatory mapping with the scientific data available in the literature, resulting in the seascape ethnomap. Nine seascapes relevant to subsistence fisheries were identified. The mapping of seascapes and fauna captured by indigenous fishermen was similar to that produced from preexisting geology, geomorphology, and fishing data. This validated the methodological protocol and the importance of the participation of local populations in coastal conservation and management activities.