Environmental vulnerability applied to the territorial planning of a tropical semiarid basin

Tropical semiarid regions are naturally prone to environmental damage. Human activity can worsen this situation. To understand how human actions affect the ecosystem, plan land use effectively, and establish targeted management practices, assessing environmental vulnerability is crucial. This study focuses on a sub-basin receiving water transfers from the São Francisco River in Brazil’s semiarid region. Here, we map and evaluate how land use and occupation alter natural vulnerability. We also propose zoning strategies to support water resource management and implement sustainable development policies in the region. To achieve this, we conducted an integrated analysis of physical factors (soil types, geology, climate, vegetation, and landforms) and spatial land-use data using geographic information systems (GIS) and map algebra techniques. Map algebra allowed us to combine these various datasets within the GIS environment, enabling the creation of maps that synthesize both natural and environmental vulnerability across the study area. Following analysis of these vulnerability maps, our findings reveal a high level of vulnerability. The areas with high to very high degrees of natural vulnerability coincide with the places that have high slopes, high altitudes, Lithic Neosols, and thick vegetation. Furthermore, the interaction between environmental factors and human activity exacerbates vulnerability. Based on the environmental vulnerability assessment, we defined four environmental management zones. These zones require distinct protection measures and management approaches. As a method to potentially improve the basin’s vulnerability scenario, soil conservation measures are recommended. This approach is highly relevant for managing land in tropical semiarid regions and, with adaptations to specific regional factors, can be applied globally.