Variação espaço-temporal da qualidade do habitat e sua relação com a vulnerabilidade social na Região Metropolitana de Sorocaba-SP: uma análise a partir do modelo InVEST

Abstract

Processes such as urbanization, industrialization, and the development of agricultural activities can affect the provision of ecosystem functions and services. Inserted in a context of intense and disordered changes in land use and land cover, the Sorocaba Metropolitan Region (SMR), in the state of São Paulo, faces challenges in balancing biodiversity conservation with human population needs. This research aimed to evaluate the spatio-temporal variation of the habitat ecosystem function in the SMR from 2016 to 2022, as well as its correlation with the São Paulo Social Vulnerability Index (IPVS). For habitat quality modeling, the InVEST software was used, integrating Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with qualitative research. For the social dimension, the IPVS (2022 Version) was utilized—a synthetic indicator that analyzes inequalities based on socio-economic and demographic dimensions at the census sector scale. Data integration was performed in a GIS environment, associating average habitat quality values with census sectors. Statistical results from Welch's ANOVA and the Games-Howell post-hoc test confirmed statistically significant differences in habitat quality between vulnerability extremes. The t-test results identified that high rural vulnerability sectors maintain higher average habitat quality than urban sectors of the same social class. The scenarios found in the SMR reinforce the need for territorial public policies that integrate biodiversity conservation with social equity.