Relief Macro-Compartments and Morphostructures in the state of Paraná: a reinterpretation based on the Brazilian Landform Classification System (SBCR)

Abstract

The Brazilian Landform Classification System (Sistema Brasileiro de Classificação de Relevo — SBCR) has organized a new geomorphological structure, placing macro-compartments at the first level and morphostructural domains and subdomains at the second. This study applies the two SBCR taxonomic levels to the territory of the state of Paraná and compares them with previous geomorphological representations. In the first taxonomic level, three macro-compartments were identified: (i) Mountains, (ii) Plateaus, and (iii) Plains. In the second level, nine units were delineated, integrating morphostructural domains and subdomains: 1) Shield Mountains on Granite-Gneissic Terrains; 2) Shield Plateaus on Granite-Gneissic Terrains; 3) Plateaus in Paleozoic and Mesozoic Lithified Sedimentary Basins and Covers (Paraná Basin); 4) Plateaus in Sedimentary Basins and Covers with Neojurassic-Early Cretaceous Volcanic Sequences (Serra Geral Basin); 5) Plateaus in Neocretaceous Lithified Sedimentary Basins and Covers (Bauru Basin); 6) Plateaus in Cenozoic Slightly Lithified Sedimentary Basins and Covers (Curitiba and Tijucas do Sul Basins); 7) Plains in Coastal Sedimentary Covers with marine genesis; 8) Plains in Coastal Sedimentary Covers with Continental genesis; 9) Plains in Continental Sedimentary Covers. The application of the SBCR proved to be feasible and consistent with classical geomorphological interpretations and pre-existing mapping, as it does not depart from the geomorphological tradition territory of the state of Paraná. Rather, it reorganizes its hierarchical structure, preserves a substantial portion of the units historically recognized, and allows for refinements that were not possible at the same taxonomic level in previous classification frameworks.