Spatiotemporal Effect of Land Use on Water Quality in a Peri-Urban Watershed in a Brazilian Metropolitan Region: An Approach Considering GEP-Based Artificial Intelligence

The suppression of natural spaces due to urban sprawl and increases in built agricultural environments has affected water resource quality, especially areas with high population densities. Considering the advances Brazilian environmental legal framework, present study aimed verify whether land use still quality through a case peri-urban watershed metropolitan region. Analyses physical–chemical indicators, collected at several sample points various land-use parameters different seasons year, were carried out based on an approach combining variance analysis genetic programming. As result, some statistically significant spatiotemporal effects associated use, such as thermotolerant coliform (R = −0.82, p < 0.01), mixed vegetation dissolved oxygen 0.80, 0.001), agriculture/pasture biochemical demand 0.40, sugarcane turbidity 0.65, verified. In turn, gene expression programming allowed for computing importance typologies their capability explain variances parameter. conclusion, spite law, significantly quality. Public policies decisions are required ensure effective compliance guidelines.