Abiotic Ecosystem Services in the Chapada Do Araripe, Unesco World Heritage Tentative Site

Abstract Geodiversity provides benefits to society through the provision of ecosystem services (ES), which can occur in different landscapes, including exceptional landscapes. Similar sets of physical landscape variables, particularly from a geological, geomorphological and climatological perspective, form the Homogeneous Units of Geodiversity (HGUs). The aim of the research was to identify the HGUs and quantify the abiotic ES of each unit in the Chapada do Araripe, which is a UNESCO World Heritage tentative site. The methods employed were proposed based on a bibliographic and cartographic survey; a field questionnaire was used to assess the abiotic ES using the proposed method. The results indicate that the exceptional HGUs, under a sub-humid climate and under the direct influence of the relief, offer a greater supply of ecosystem services. The relationship between relief and climate determines the supply of services in the study area, particularly those related to regulation and support.