ZOOGEOMORFOLOGIA: INFLUÊNCIAS DA FAUNA NA EVOLUÇÃO E DINÂMICA DOS SISTEMAS GEOMORFOLÓGICOS

Abstract

The zoogeomorphological approach is established by the role of animals as geomorphic agents and although it makes an important interface between Geomorphology and Biogeography studies based on the referred approach in the scope of the Brazilian geomorphological culture are rare. The lack of studies in zoogeomorphology and the premise that animals, vertebrates and invertebrates, have influence in the dynamics and evolution of geomorphological systems explicitly inscribing itselves in the flows of matter and energy were the motivating elements of this work which aims on discussing systematically the animals as geomorphic agents proposing a classification of such actions from its scalar manifestation, spatial expression and effects on the superficial structure of the landscape through a system approach. The discussion presented here focus emphatically on the vertebrates, attempting in a more detailed way to the mastofauna which is considered to be the one with the greatest influence on the surface processes for which was found significant importance and that varies in modality (trampling, digging, wallowing etc) and intensity according to different taxons and distinct bioclimatic contexts.