As paisagens e as dinâmicas territoriais na Serra de Maracaju, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil.

Historically, the Sierra de Maracaju, an important relief unit in the department of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, has had a conflictive relationship with the imposed territorial dynamics regarding the use and occupation of land. The objective of the article is to present the landscapes of the Sierra de Maracaju and to propose landscape units by understanding their physical-cultural structures and land uses, on the basis of the 1986 and 2016 scenarios. The research included fieldwork and spatialization of data in geographic information systems that made it possible to identify six landscape units. Higher indexes of preservation and conservation of native vegetation were observed in areas where landscape structures show greater incline. Correspondingly, in flatter relief areas and landscapes suitable for agricultural and livestock activities, the level of preservation and conservation of native vegetation decreased considerably during the period analyzed. Findings show that the territorial dynamics constructed historically to produce export commodities are closely linked to the transformations of landscapes in the Sierra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]