Um território e suas complexidades e multiplicidades espaço-temporais: caracterização das condições ambientais e de qualidade de vida na Terra Indígena Tupiniquim (Aracruz - ES)

Abstract

Understanding contemporary environmental dynamics requires a complex systems perspective, in which the environment is conceived as a network of multiple interconnected components. The Tupiniquim Indigenous Territory, located in Aracruz, Espírito Santo, Brazil, exemplifies this complexity due to its intense historical and spatial transformations. This study aims to examine the dynamics between society and nature within this territory through a spatiotemporal assessment of environmental quality and quality-of-life indicators. The methodological approach was based on the Pressure–State–Response (PSR) framework, focusing exclusively on state indicators. Geographic Matrix analysis and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were employed to conduct a comparative assessment of Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) census data from 2010 and 2022. The results revealed an uneven evolution in the provision of infrastructure and basic services across the territory. Water supply coverage through the public distribution network and solid waste collection services expanded substantially in several census sectors. However, public sewage network coverage remained limited or absent in most areas, reinforcing reliance on inadequate sanitation solutions. In the socioeducational dimension, the data indicated a percentage decline in literacy rates. This apparent decline primarily resulted from the methodological fragmentation of the territory in the 2022 Census, which increased the number of census sectors from seven to sixteen. This change improved the spatial resolution of the survey and exposed areas of long-standing vulnerability. In addition, intensive land-use classes, particularly mixed-use mosaics and pasturelands, expanded at the expense of native vegetation. The findings indicate that strengthening sustainability in the region requires the implementation of integrated territorial management strategies capable of promoting equitable access to basic services while addressing the urgent need for environmental conservation. Such measures are essential to safeguarding the autonomy, social cohesion, and cultural identity of Indigenous peoples.