Vulnerabilidade e Cartografia Social em bacias hidrográficas: análise no baixo curso do Rio Poti (Piauí-Brasil)

The objective was to understand the relationship between the physical and anthropic environment, to analyze the level of social vulnerability and the changes on the physical aspects in the low course of the Poti River (Piaui-Brazil). The Municipal Social Vulnerability Index (IMVS) was elaborated, based on the factor analysis by main components by census sector, using the software SPSS and ArcMap 10.2. It was found that the rural area has high to very high IMVS due to the low demographic density, reduced infrastructure, low income, the low level of education and the greater aging of the population, considering that most of them are economically active. in urban areas. As for the natural aspects, it was found that the vegetation has a strong influence on the conservation of the environment, that its removal, in an inadequate way, causes negative impacts on the environment and, consequently, on the population. Thus, knowledge about social vulnerability in a river basin allows government officials to integrate preventive policies and measures in the planning and strategies of sustainable development in urban and rural areas.