Revista do Departamento de Geografia da Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas da Universidade de São Paulo - Brasil ISSN 2236-2878 DOI: 10.11606
Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas
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Geographies of expulsion and confinement
Presentation of the special issue.
Integration of open geotechnologies in the spatiotemporal analysis of informal settlements: a case study in Foz do Iguaçu city (PR) – South Brazil
The growth of informal housing settlements represents a major challenge for urban planning and territorial management in Brazilian cities. This study analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution of the Universitário Settlement in Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná State, Brazil, through the integration of census data, administrative records, and open-access geotechnologies. Data from the 2022 Demographic Census, including the National Address Register for Statistical Purposes (CNEFE), information from the Paraná Housing Needs Information System (SISPEHIS), CBERS-4A satellite imagery (WPM sensor), and drone-based aerial photogrammetric products processed using Structure from Motion (SfM) techniques were employed. The results indicate that the settlement was established between 2021 and 2022, a period characterized by vegetation removal, the opening of internal roads, and the rapid expansion of housing units. The integration of these datasets enabled the estimation of population growth from approximately 150 inhabitants in 2022 to about 485 inhabitants in 2025. The study demonstrates the potential of combining remote sensing, drone photogrammetry, geographic information systems, and public databases for monitoring informal settlements, contributing to the development of low-cost methodologies for tracking urban expansion and supporting territorial planning and housing policy actions.
The challenges of managing protected areas in Brazil: the case of the Descobrimento National Park – State of Bahia
Protected areas (PA) are among the main strategies for biodiversity conservation at the global level. However, despite their legal existence, many PAs fail to fully meet the requirements outlined in Brazil's National System of Protected Areas (SNUC) and their respective Management Plans, which creates many regional problems, especially in territories where there are intense processes of environmental degradation in the midst of territorial disputes between monoculture enterprises and indigenous peoples, as is the case in the southern region of Bahia. By means of a case study, this paper aims to evaluate the management effectiveness of the Descobrimento National Park (DNP), one of the Atlantic Forest PAs in the southernmost region of Bahia. To do this, the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool 4 (METT-4) methodology was used, adapted to the regional context. The results indicate that the DNP management effectiveness level was 61.90%, showing a medium management effectiveness level. The DNP current scenario is that of a PA still in the implementation process, which faces challenges mainly related to the lack of a stable budget. Among the main historical conflicts in the area is the relationship between the protected area and the indigenous communities that live in overlapping areas. The results of this research point to ways to improve the DNP management instruments and strengthen the Brazil's National System of Protected Areas.
Copyright (c) 2025 Sirleide Santana Rocha, Paulo Afonso de Angeli Neto, Frederico Monteiro Neves https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Spatial analysis of anthropogenic indicators in the Xidarini Stream Basin, Tefé (Amazonas State - Brazil)
With the accelerated process of environmental degradation, particularly in forested areas such as parts of the Amazon region, there is an increasingly urgent need for research aimed at understanding how human activities interfere in a given spatial area. Therefore, this study aims to investigate, through spatial analysis, the anthropogenic indicators of the Igarapé Xidarini Watershed (BHIX), a wetland located in the municipality of Tefé, Amazonas, Brazil. Methodologically, the study involved fieldwork, geoprocessing and remote sensing procedures, as well as the analysis of six anthropogenic indicators. Landscape changes were observed when comparing dry and flood periods, making anthropogenic interferences more evident, including deforestation (55.3 km²), mainly in the drainage headwaters; damming and landfilling, with five features identified along the main channel and at its mouth; raw sewage discharge, with a total of 13 points in the urban area; artificial lakes and ponds, with 35 features associated with recreation and fish farming; mining/mineral extraction, with 10 active and inactive areas; and urbanization/residential occupation, covering 4.76 km² and triggering a series of environmental interferences. Thus, pressure from urban and agricultural systems produces anthropogenic evidence that reinforces the evolution and diversification of human impacts, such as deforestation and mining, driven by the current use of natural resources in the BHIX.
Challenging the new geographies of mass incarceration
The interview with Lydia Pelot-Hobbs was conducted in October 2024, during her visit to Brazil on the occasion of the 1st Conference on Abolition Geographies, organized in collaboration with the Graduate Program in Human Geography at the University of São Paulo. The conversation addresses the relationship between the university and social movements in the construction of abolitionist perspectives; the spatial dimension of processes of prison expansion; the intersections between Geography and racial capitalism; the links between the so-called 1973 oil crisis and mass incarceration in Louisiana; carceral humanism as an element of legitimation in the expansion of jails and detention centers in different parts of the United States; and the fundamental articulation between the police and the prison in the reproduction of the carceral state.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ariel Machado Godinho, Gabriella Duarte Dantas De Biaggi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Assessment of environmental impacts on mesoinvertebrates in the mangrove ecosystem of Maceió (Northeast Brazil)
Mangroves are coastal ecosystems that are essential for biodiversity and are threatened by anthropogenic activities. Among the most sensitive organisms are mesoinvertebrates, which are widely used as environmental bioindicators. This study aimed to assess environmental impacts on mesoinvertebrates in the mangrove ecosystem in Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil. The research was conducted during September/December 2024 and March/June 2025 in the Costa dos Corais Environmental Protection Area, in three mangrove areas (deforested, fragmented, and with waste deposition) located in the Ipioca district. Ten soil + litter samples were collected in each area for mesoinvertebrate quantification, and the Shannon (H) and Pielou (e) ecological indices were applied. Soil water content was determined, and soil temperature was measured. Data were analyzed using Spearman correlation. The group Collembola showed higher abundance in the fragmented mangrove due to the greater influence of tides, which increases soil moisture and benefits collembolan activity. In the deforested mangrove, vegetation removal exposes the soil to direct solar radiation, limiting the number of individuals. Greater availability of food and shelter in the mangrove with waste deposition contributes to higher mesoinvertebrate abundance and greater taxonomic richness. However, the presence of Blattodea (cockroaches) is associated with sewage discharge, which also restricts pollution-sensitive groups such as Diplura and Coleoptera. The dominance of Acarina indicates that anthropogenic impacts hinder the establishment of a more diverse soil fauna, reinforcing the need for environmental education actions within local communities and more responsible mangrove use practices.
Copyright (c) 2026 Wellington dos Santos Graciliano, Renato Wilian Santos de Lima, Maria Hortência da Silva Targino, Radjalma Almerino dos Santos, Élida Monique da Costa Santos, Kallianna Dantas Araujo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Integrated landscape analysis and its applicability to territorial planning in the Brazilian semi-arid region
Integrated landscape analysis provides a solid foundation for understanding how society and nature coexist and co-evolve interdependently. This research seeks to understand the structure, dynamics, and functioning of the landscape of geosystems in a spatial area of the municipality of Farias Brito, Ceará State, associating them with land use patterns, resulting environmental impacts, potentialities, and environmental vulnerabilities. To this end, a compilation of cartography and landscape analysis techniques was used, with the aid of geoprocessing, to produce a geosystem map and a geoecological profile, as well as fieldwork. As a result, we obtained a geosystem map delimited into five units and 26 subunits, which reveal the dynamics established between soil classes, vegetation cover, and land use and land cover activities, influenced by morphostructure, lithotypes, and prevailing climatic conditions, which in turn regulate the drainage regime. These interacting elements produce distinct groups of landscapes with their own dynamics and functions, requiring land use guidelines tailored to their environmental potential and vulnerabilities, conditioned by the natural arrangement. It is considered that the classification and interpretation of geosystems in terms of structure, dynamics, and function contributes to understanding how society appropriates nature and organizes itself spatially in relation to the ecological potential of landscapes, coexisting and co-evolving within this inseparable set of elements that materialize in the landscape.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sinara Gomes de Sousa, Danielle Gomes da Silva Listo, Simone Cardoso Ribeiro https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Integrated water quality assessment using Principal Component Analysis and the Heavy Metal Pollution Index in the Murucutu Basin, Belém, Pará, Brazilian Amazon
The Murucutu Basin is an important source of water supply for the Metropolitan Region of Belém, encompassing the Utinga State Park and the Bolonha and Água Preta reservoirs. This study presents, for the first time, the analysis of 40 surface water samples regarding metal concentrations (Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Ba, and Pb) and basic physicochemical parameters. The results indicated that Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Ba, Pb, and turbidity were within the limits established by CONAMA Resolution No. 357/2005 and the World Health Organization, whereas pH, Fe, Mn, and Al occasionally exceeded the recommended thresholds. The Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI) classified all samples as having excellent water quality, providing an integrated assessment of metal contamination. Despite this favorable classification, the integrated application of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and HPI allowed a more comprehensive interpretation of water quality, highlighting the influence of hydrological seasonality and natural geochemical processes on metal variability. PCA revealed a relevant contribution of elements such as Al and Fe, predominantly associated with geogenic sources, whose importance may be attenuated when assessed solely through synthetic indices. These findings establish a baseline for the basin, demonstrate seasonal variability, and indicate that integrating multivariate techniques with water quality indices is essential to avoid oversimplified interpretations of water quality in tropical basins.
Interactions and edaphic characteristics in different land uses in Mirante do Paranapanema – Southeastern Brazil
The Agroforestry System (AFS) enables product diversification and functions as an alternative cultivation system in sandy soils, in addition to the main crop, which in this study was Coffea arabica. The objective was to characterize and identify the edaphic benefits of the AFS compared to other systems, such as pasture and preserved forest. Ten samples were collected per area at depths of 0–10 and 10–20 cm for physical, chemical, and microbiological analyses, as well as for determining total organic carbon (TOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC). Pearson correlation analysis was performed with statistical significance at p < 0.05, along with multivariate principal component analysis (PCA). The AFS showed higher values of Sum of Bases in the upper layer (0–10 cm). Lower POC values were observed in the pasture area at both depths. The pasture system presents an organic material source for decomposition with a low C/N (Carbon/Nitrogen) ratio, derived from grass tissues, resulting in higher K⁺ contents at both depths. A positive correlation of 0.66 was found between soil organic matter and POC. Attributes related to organic matter content and microbiological activity showed greater representativeness as components for the AFS and preserved forest areas, considering the input of deposited organic material, along with the high metabolic quotient (qCO₂), soil respiration (C-CO₂), and microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) observed in the AFS area. The qCO₂ served as an indicator for understanding microbiological activity in the studied areas.
This article examines the spatial transformation of the Submédio São Francisco Valley caused by developmental policies implemented since the 1960s, establishing historical connections between socio-environmental phenomena often discussed separately: the advance of agrarian-energy frontiers, the formation of peripheral communities, and the expansion of police and prisons. It argues that this process cannot be analyzed without considering the violent management of the region's populations. The aim of the text is to show that expulsion and containment are modes adopted by this violent management of populations to produce so-called territorial development, which is nothing more than the production of captivity. Regarding the methodology, data from various bibliographical collections and documentary databases are used to highlight three processes of spatialization and economic development in the region: the construction of the Sobradinho dam and public irrigation perimeters; the subdivision of inappropriate areas and in an irregular manner to meet the demands generated by the intensification of immigration; and the formation of a substantial public security apparatus based on overt policing and prisons. The article's main conclusion is that expropriation, peripheralization, and imprisonment correspond to the coextensive formation of three forms of captivity required for territorial development
Copyright (c) 2026 Adalton Marques https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Environmental condition of the sediments from the Furo do Muriá, Amazon region, Pará – Northern Brazil
This study investigated the concentrations of trace elements (Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb, and Cu) in surface sediments from Furo do Muriá, Curuçá River estuary, Pará, Brazil, during the rainy and less rainy seasons of 2015, data that can be used as a reference for the region. Fifty-six samples were collected from 14 points, and the concentrations of the elements were analyzed in relation to seasonality, and contamination indices were used (geoaccumulation index - Igeo, enrichment factor - FE, contamination factor - FC, potential ecological risk index - IREP). The results indicated that the average concentrations followed the order Fe > Mn > Zn > Pb > Cu, with significant differences between the averages of the elements, but without significant influence of seasonality. Igeo classified the environment as slightly contaminated, while FE suggested a natural origin for the elements. The FC indicated higher levels of Zn and Fe, but the IREP indicated low risk for Cu, Zn, and Pb. The characteristics of the estuarine environment with the predominance of fine sediments and the presence of mangroves favor the adsorption of trace elements. Correlation and cluster analyses suggested common sources and geochemical associations, mainly between Fe and Mn, reinforcing the influence of local geology. In general, the study indicates low to moderate contamination by trace elements in the sediments of Furo do Muriá, with a significant contribution from natural sources.
Copyright (c) 2025 Me. Adriano Joaquim Neves de Souza, Ma. Rosa Maria da Luz Mendes, Dr. Mauricio Willians de Lima, Dr. José Almir Rodrigues Pereira, Dra Lourdes Santos, Dr. Maamar El Robrini https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The military administration of the undesirables
This article analyses the spatial dynamics of incarceration in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, using data from the Public Security Institute (ISP) for 2015 and 2022, articulating it with the process of militarization of urban space. The aim is to demonstrate how this movement implements a logic of ostensive control, aligned with city projects that favor hegemonic economic interests. The theoretical-methodological framework is based on the contributions of authors such as Mike Davis and Stephen Graham, complemented by documental analysis of reports on violence and public security. The research reveals that the five neighborhoods with the highest incidence of arrests in the period - Centro, Copacabana, Barra da Tijuca, Bangu and Campo Grande - represent central areas or strategic economic sub-centers of the city, contrary to the dominant narrative that associates incarceration primarily with peripheral and slum areas. This spatial distribution reinforces the thesis of a deepening of urban segregation in Rio de Janeiro mediated by the penal apparatus. Incarceration here takes on the characteristics of a selective confinement mechanism, partially or entirely removing socially undesirable groups from valued areas, where their presence is interpreted as an obstacle to the circulation of wealth and the image of the global city. This dynamic consolidates an urbanism of exception that naturalizes exclusion as a requirement for attracting investment.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mariana Nesimi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Crisis went up; we cracked down; crisis don’t come down
This article investigates contemporary transformations in forms of punishment, focusing on torture, lethality in prisons, punishment outside of prison, and forms of urban confinement, relating them to the crisis of labor and capitalist social reproduction. We present a summary of the formulations developed in our master's research, which focused on the implementation of the so-called citizen public security policy Pacto Pela Vida (PPV) between 2007 and 2022 by the state of Pernambuco. To develop this research, we conducted fieldwork at the Patronato Penitenciário de Pernambuco on a weekly basis over five months, in addition to monitoring visits to different prison units in the state. Our main conclusions reveal that, despite its focus on social crime prevention, the PPV produced precarious social policies, high incarceration rates, torturous conditions of imprisonment and an increase in lethal state violence. Based on these findings, we developed an analysis that combines increased disposability (denoted by prison lethality, police violence, and the degradation of life, reduced to survival) and the impossibility of resocialization through work (denoted by the low rate of formal and informal employment contracts among prison survivors) to find, on the scale of totality, the relative and absolute expulsion of living labor from the productive process, driven by the increase in the organic composition of capital as the basis of the crisis of capitalist society.
Copyright (c) 2026 Victor Santos Oliveira https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Pedogeomorphological interactions along the climatic gradient from Sertão Potiguar to Brejo Paraibano, in Northeastern Brazil
In the northern portion of Northeastern Brazil, the Borborema Plateau represents a major geomorphological compartment that shapes the regional geoenvironmental dynamics, influencing climate, soils, relief, vegetation, and hydrography. Altitudinally controlled climatic variations generate contrasting landscapes, underlain by a complex geological, geomorphological, and pedological framework. This study aimed to understand the relationships between the climatic gradient extending from the Potiguar Sertão to the Paraiban Brejo and the pedogeomorphological variations associated with the transition between the Sertaneja Surface and the Borborema Plateau. The research combined the production of thematic maps (geology, soils, relief, and land use/land cover) in a GIS environment (QGIS) with field expeditions for soil and rock sampling, in situ morphological descriptions, and relief characterization. Four major morphopedological compartments were identified: (i) Luvisol-covered Sertaneja Surface; (ii) Regosol and/or Leptosol covers of the Western Borborema Plateau; (iii) Regosol and/or Leptosol covers of the Borborema Plateau’s western sector (Cariri/Curimataú); and (iv) Lateritized covers of the Brejo Paraibano. Along this gradient, distinct pedogeomorphological features were observed: stony pavements and severe erosion leading to truncated soils in the Sertão Potiguar; dominance of morphogenesis over Regosol/Leptosol surfaces in the Cariri/Curimataú; and, in the Brejo Paraibano, intense relief dissection associated with strong laterization and melanization processes.
Copyright (c) 2025 Paulo Jerônimo Lucena de Oliveira, Vanderli Alves dos Santos, Andreza Viana Fonseca, Anailson Carlos de Medeiros, Ana Lívia Araújo de Azevedo, Milena Bezerra de Oliveira, Ícaro Guedes da Silva, Daví do Vale Lopes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Mapping of erosive features in a cerrado environment in the Bonito River watershed, State of Goiás – Central-West Brazil
To understand a watershed, it is essential to study its physical elements, such as relief, soil, vegetation, and hydrography. Thus, the present article aimed to present an environmental study of an initial nature, investigating the mutual influence between erosive processes and landscape variables, focusing on the identification and mapping of critical areas for the occurrence of erosive features, such as furrows, ravines and gullies. The research was conducted in the Bonito River basin, in a Cerrado area in the Southwest of Goiás, covering 2.015 km². The methodology applied involved the elaboration of thematic maps and the performance of field evaluations, focusing on the collection and analysis of data to identify erosive foci. Then, part of these mapped features was validated in the field through direct observation, allowing to confirm and refine the information obtained in the preliminary mappings. The research mapped 463 erosive features in the Bonito River basin, affecting 3.51 km². The results of the survey pointed out that the Concentration of Furrows and Ravines (CR) was the most expressive, with 44.28% of the impacted area. Marginal Erosion (EM and EMA) reached 19.42%, while Gullies (R), Gullies (V) and Gullies with Gullies (VR) represented 20.51%. The results show the severity and spatial distribution of the erosive processes, providing subsidies for the monitoring and the proposition of actions aimed at the environmental recovery of degraded areas.
Processos erosivos; Mapeamentos; Diagnósticos ambientais; Análises das paisagens.
Copyright (c) 2025 Isabel Rodrigues da Rocha, Márcia Cristina da Cunha, Wallas Freitas Ribeiro https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Rainfall dynamics in the river basin of the Jataí stream – Central-West Brazil
The transformations made by man in the environment, assigning different types of uses and occupations, can cause environmental damage and alterations when carried out in a disorderly manner. Among the possible changes, those linked to the climate have become the subject of worldwide debate regarding its quality and changes, making the study a conditioner for economic and social activities as well as quality of life and river basin planning. The aim of this research is to analyze the dynamics of rainfall in the river basin of the Jataí stream during its rainy season, from October 2021 to April 2022. In order to achieve this objective, we considered the rain intensity and distribution through the installation of six collection points with rain gauges and the INMET weather station as the seventh point. The results showed that rainfall was not homogeneous in the basin area, ranging from 749.7 mm in P3 to 1,116.8 mm in P4, with November 2021 being the wettest month. Of the 212 collection days, there was precipitation on 187 of them, totaling 1,236 hours of weak and moderate rainfall, with some episodes of very heavy rainfall, such as the one recorded in P1 of 77.67 mm precipitated in just 1 hour of rain on 01/09/2022. These results can contribute to proper environmental and climate planning in the basin, especially in its urban area.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ezequiel Pereira da Silva, Regina Maria Lopes, João Batista Pereira Cabral https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Assessment of ecosystem services for regulating erosion and carbon production in the ESEC-Seridó conservation unit and its surroundings (Caatinga Biome – Northeastern Brazil)
Ecosystem Services - SE aims to understand the benefits that are provided from the ecological characteristics, processes or functions that contribute, directly or indirectly, to human well-being. In this sense, the provision of soil erosion control ES and carbon sequestration capacity provide necessary frameworks for different methodological approaches to territorial management. Thus, this work aimed measure the ES of erosion regulation and carbon capture in the ESEC-Seridó conservation unit and its surroundings. To understand the soil erosion regulation and control service in the study area, the universal soil loss equation - USLE was applied. The measurement of carbon sequestration potential was analyzed based on the reflectance of the vegetation cover. The results obtained from USLE indicated higher erosivity values in the northern portion of ESEC-Seridó, classifying it as having low relevant capacity in providing erosion control services, corresponding to 64% of the study area. Like USLE, the carbon sequestration potential was also considered low, ranging from 0.36 to 0.49 sPRI. The areas of greatest relevance in terms of the capacity to provide this ES are in areas with riparian forests and more rugged terrain, with areas of exposed soil and herbaceous vegetation presenting low capacity to provide the service. Furthermore, the use of different methodologies provided support for spatially understanding the provision of ES of significant importance in the conservation of natural environments and ecological balance.
Copyright (c) 2025 Paulo Oliveira, Andreza Viana Fonseca, Iaponan Cardins de Sousa Almeida, Maria Lúcia Brito da Cruz, Diógenes Félix da Silva Costa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Impacts of the impoundment of Paraibuna and Paraitinga rivers to the city of Paraibuna-SP, Brazil
Hydropower projects are the most commonly used method for generating electricity in Brazil, but they also carry significant destructive potential for the territories where they are implemented, especially when the involved planning fails to consider the rational utilization of resources and the needs of the affected populations. The territory of Paraibuna (SP) was partially inundated due to the damming of the Paraibuna and Paraitinga rivers, which are the sources of the Paraíba do Sul River. This research aims to highlight the main transformations in the urban and rural land use that occurred in this São Paulo municipality, and were caused by the dam constructed within its territory between 1964 and 1977. For this purpose, three types of impacts were analyzed: demographic, geo-economic, and socio-spatial, in light of the concept of the technical-scientific-informational environment, contextualizing these changes on regional, national, and global scales. The analysis of data and bibliographic references allowed identifying the occurrence of the forced displacement of thousands of people, destruction of homes and farms, disruption of the existing economic foundation, restructuring of the job market, as well as the rapid and unplanned growth of the city.
Technical-scientific-informational environment
Copyright (c) 2025 Matheus de Souza Pinto Oliveira, Cláudia Maria de Almeida, Diego Bogado Tomasiello https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Comparison between laser diffraction and pipette methods for grain size analysis of fluvial sediments from the Amazon Basin
Grain size analysis in river systems is important for analyzing the processes of erosion and deposition of flood plains and river islands, as well as contributing to paleohydrological and paleoclimatic studies. At present, sedimentation and laser diffraction methods are used to determine the grain size of soils and sediments. Both methods have limitations, especially when dealing with fine sediments, where differences in the sphericity and shape of the particles can influence the results. The aim of this study was to compare the results of particle size analysis using different methods on sediment samples collected in river environments located in the Amazon basin. Eleven sediment samples were evaluated in seven sampling sessions during the low water period in an anabranching stretch of the middle Negro River (Mariuá Archipelago). The samples were taken from different fluvial units (islands, floodplains, and sandbars). The results indicate a good correlation between the methods, with a high Pearson's linear correlation coefficient, low variance and few differences between the mean grain size values, as well as low values for mean error and root mean square error. The coefficient of determination was moderate, particularly on the islands of the Mariuá archipelago. The greatest errors occurred in fine sediments, where laser diffraction proved to overestimate the silt fraction and underestimate the clay fraction, probably due to the low sphericity of the particles. The textural analysis showed discrepancies in the grain size conventions, indicating that the choice of method can influence interpretations in specific river environments.
Copyright (c) 2025 Matheus Silveira de Queiroz, Rogério Ribeiro Marinho, Antonio Fábio Sabbá Guimarães Vieira , Francisco Weliton Rocha Silva https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Pedological constraints on the establishment of cerrado enclaves within the Atlantic Forest: the case of the Juquery State Park – Franco da Rocha - Southeastern Brazil
Studies on the dynamics of landscape elements can be important allies in the conservation and preservation of biomes. This is particularly evident in exceptional landscapes, such as the Cerrado Phytogeographic Enclave located in the Juquery State Park (PEJ), in the municipality of Franco da Rocha, in the northern part of the São Paulo Metropolitan Region. The PEJ comprises grasslands, shrub vegetation, and cerrado phytophysiognomies distributed across several hills, contrasting with the typical landscape of the region, where Ombrophylous Forests predominate. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of soil on vegetation distribution. To this end, soil and vegetation were analyzed along a toposequence in which three distinct phytophysiognomies were observed: cerrado stricto sensu on the top of the slope, dirty field on the middle slope, and gallery forest vegetation with Ombrophylous Forest phytophysiognomy in the lower third of the slope. The results of the physical and chemical analyses showed few variations in the soils, which are generally acidic, leached, and poorly developed. The main variation associated with vegetation size was the thickness of the pedological cover, which is generally deeper at the top of the slope. In contrast, on the middle slope, water flow and grassland vegetation favor erosion, leading to thinner soils. In the lower third of the slope, material accumulation and river dynamics make the relationship between soil depth and vegetation size less direct. Thus, other factors, such as water stress, may also influence vegetation variation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Augusto Mendonça de Castro, Sidneide Manfredini, Claudio Eduardo Andreoti, Marcos Roberto Pinheiro https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The role of socio-territorial movements in environmental conflicts in Brazil
Brazil has experienced, particularly since the 2000s, a systematic advance of neo-extractivism over peasant territories and those of traditional peoples and communities. This process is based on capital's strategies to restructure itself, seeking appropriate and subordinate spaces that can be dominated and plundered. From this perspective, generally supported by the formation of political power, offensive actions are taken to deepen neo-extractivism and the territorialization of agrarian capitalism, with profound repercussions on agrarian and ecological issues. As a consequence of this structural problem, there has been an increase in environmental conflicts, resulting in different strategies of resistance on the part of socio-territorial movements. This raises the question of how these socio-territorial movements have resisted environmental conflicts in the country. To understand these dynamics, we used the DATALUTA Network database, which records the collective actions of agrarian socio-territorial movements, carried out between 2020 and 2023, based on the collection of reports and news published in the country's newspapers. The analysis of the data collected showed that various actions were undertaken by the movements against the worsening of environmental conflicts. In this context, there was a continuation of land disputes, which intensified political struggles and highlighted the different ways in which territory and nature were appropriated.
Analysis of the vulnerability to groundwater contamination at a sanitary landfill in the Semiarid Region
Due to the increasing demand for water across various sectors of our society, groundwater has become an essential alternative to meet the needs of different human activities. However, a range of practices can lead to the pollution of this crucial water source. Consequently, numerous studies and methods have been developed on the topic of aquifer contamination vulnerability. This research applied the GOD and DRASTIC methods to assess groundwater susceptibility to contamination in the area of a landfill located in the semi-arid region of the state of Paraíba, Brazil. The studied region showed a vulnerability index ranging from low to high, a result mainly attributed to the type of local hydrogeological formation and the depth at which the groundwater is located.
Copyright (c) 2024 Julianna Ferreira dos Santos Silva, Laercio Leal dos Santos, Pablo Rafael Ferreira Ramos , Veruschka Escarião Dessoles Monteiro, Márcio Camargo de Melo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Bibliometric mapping and systematic review of nighttime light remote sensing data applications
Nighttime lights imagery collected by remote sensing reflects socioeconomic activities and environmental changes within geographic areas. These lights are also used as proxies to estimate and analyze some aspects of these activities, such as Gross Domestc Product, population density, urban patterns and processes, and greenhouse gas emissions. The availability of imagery from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Operational Linescan System (DMSP/OLS) since the 1990s, combined with advancements in higher-resolution sensors, has greatly improved the use of nighttime lights as a valuable data source for scientific researchs. In this regard, this paper present a systematic review on nighttime light imagery applications. To achieve this end, bibliometric mapping was used as methodological procedure and offered an overview of this field of research, helped to assess emerging trends, as well as to identify key authors. As a result, we found that the most cited author was Dobson et al. (2000), while Christopher Elvidge's accentuated contributions put him on the top references on this field of research. For its part, the journal "Remote Sensing" has published the highest number of articles on nighttime lights imagery. Moreover, China ranks first in the number of publications and citations, as well as in the concentration of highly productive and frequently cited authors. In addition, the applications of the studies analyzed can be broadly classified into four main categories: urban, socioeconomic, environmental, and demographic applications. In summary, this paper contributes by systematically organizing the key approaches and trends in the use of nighttime lights, identifying influential studies and uncovering research gaps that can inform future investigations.
Copyright (c) 2025 Filipe Dias, Fernando Kawakubo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Coffee-producing communities and touristic development of Caparaó Capixaba
Brazilian coffee farming, with its social, economic, historical and cultural relevance, has an intense impact on the country's food culture. The reframing of production systems influences the recognition of high-quality production regions, promoting patrimonialization and touristification, which shapes coffee territories. The study focuses on the Caparaó Capixaba region, marked by family farming and the recent registration of the Coffee Geographical Indication. As a porpuse, the research analyzes small coffee farmers protagonism in the Caparaó Capixaba region in the tourism development. This study uses a qualitative, exploratory, and ethnographic approach, which is divided into three main stages: bibliographic, field and interviews. The results highlight the sociability relationships associated with coffee, which highlight the sense of place through hospitality and commensality, contributing to tourist attractiveness. Furthermore, associative and institutional movements around local development have been structuring tourist routes that increase visibility and protagonism to the coffee and its producers with support of natural and cultural local attractions. This research also elucidated the involvement of the region's communities with the tourist activity from experiences that relate territory, rural experience, regional gastronomy, environmental preservation, and coffee culture.
Copyright (c) 2024 Beatriz Carvalho Tavares, Marcello de Barros Tomé Machado, Vander Valduga https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Environmental influence on arboviruses emerging and reemerging infectious
This research addresses the relationship between environmental variables and the incidence of dengue, zika, chikungunya, diseases transmitted by arboviruses which are considered emerging and reemerging diseases. We analyzed changes in land use and land cover, the occurrence of fire outbreaks, and socioeconomic conditions and related them to the incidence of diseases between 2009 and 2019 in 70 cities in the south of the State of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. Mixed linear generalized models, multiple partial regression, and redundancy analysis tested the hypothesis of environmental influence on the incidence of diseases to assess environmental and health relationships. We identified a positive relationship between land use and land cover, fire outbreaks, socioeconomic conditions, and climate with the incidence of dengue, zika, and chikungunya. The most influential variable to explain the incidence is climate. Temperatures between 20.9 ºC and 28 ºC are conducive to the development of the vector. The incidence is aggravated in cities with larger urban areas and low quality of life.
Copyright (c) 2024 Elfany Reis do Nascimento Lopes, Felipe Micali Nuvoloni, Gioncarlos Moreno https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Natural disaster risk management in Santa Catarina
Natural disasters cause deaths, damage, and significant losses to Brazilian cities. Santa Catarina, located in southern Brazil, a region geographically prone to climate variability, frequently suffers from meteorological, climatological, geological, and hydrological disasters. Between 1993 and 2023, extreme events displaced or left homeless over 1 million residents of Santa Catarina, with flash floods, heavy rains, and flooding being responsible for most cases. The aim of this study was to analyze the main risks of these three occurrences, which have been intensified by global warming, to which the state of Santa Catarina is exposed, and to identify their respective levels of probability and impact. The methodology was divided into risk identification, risk classification, quantitative risk analysis, risk response planning, and risk monitoring and mitigation. The study analyzes the three main phenomena (heavy rains, flash floods, and flooding) to propose a risk management method that can contribute to the implementation of public policies to mitigate impacts and increase the resilience of affected communities. The research shows that flash floods are the highest-impact risks and therefore must be prioritized in public management, as the trend is for these phenomena to occur more frequently and with greater intensity over time due to the effects of climate change.
Copyright (c) 2024 Bianca Bertoli, Cássio Aurélio Suski https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Physical-geographic diversity in the semi-arid northeastern region
The Brazilian semiarid region is a region with highly diverse landscapes that, due to tectonic controls associated with the action of past climates, gave rise to a complex mosaic of geomorphological forms, making this region one of the most heterogeneous, from a physical-natural point of view, within the Brazilian territory. Understanding and classifying landscape diversity, especially in drylands, is necessary for more effective territorial management and planning. From this perspective, this work aims to identify and understand the landscape units in the Bastiões River Basin (BHRB), in the south of the state of Ceará. This area is inserted in the context of the Chapada do Araripe and the Depressão Sertaneja, therefore located in an area of ​​geological and geomorphological transition, a fact that is reflected in the identified units. In this work, Landscape Units are understood as areas with characteristic relief patterns, differentiated based on their homogeneous physiographic and morphological configuration. Twelve landscape units were identified, some associated with the crystalline basement and others with sedimentary deposits. Among the units inserted in the crystalline geology, the dissected surface in ridges stands out, located in the central area of ​​the basin, and composed of an igneous lithology associated with the Campos Sales-Assaré Pluton. In the sedimentary substrate, the structural summit and the convex top stand out, supported by the fluvial sandstones of the Exu Formation. These units reflect the heterogeneity of the basin and the action of lithostructural, geomorphological and climatic controls on the morphology and dynamics of the landscape, notably distinct in the areas of crystalline and sedimentary basement.
Copyright (c) 2024 Vanessa Martins Lopes, Osvaldo Girão, Jonas Otaviano Praça de Souza https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Geoheritage in the environmental permits in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
In the same year that Rio Grande do Sul became the Brazilian state with the largest number of geoparks recognized by UNESCO, regulation was published to include the issue in environmental permits at state level. Environmental impact assessment is a support mechanism for decision-making on major construction projects aimed at avoiding significant impacts on the health and safety of communities or compromising the balance of environmental systems. Following the current legislation and aiming to promote geoconservation within environmental management in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, the State Environmental Protection Foundation Henrique Luis Roessler (FEPAM) published the Technical Guideline no. 12/2023 establishes procedures for identifying and assessing geosites and geodiversity sites. This article aims to introduce the instrument that FEPAM has adopted in the environmental permits for activities that have the potential to impact or pollute the environment. The technical guideline seeks to mitigate conflicts between economic activities and the geoheritage. Key challenges and advancements of the guideline include: i) proposing a methodology for inventorying and evaluating sites of relevance; ii) inclusion of the issue in the routine environmental impact assessment within the state environmental permits system; and iii) fostering inter-institutional dialogue to share the highlighting areas of geoconservation interest during environmental permits system. Therefore, this initiative is pioneering in explicitly incorporating this issue in the analysis of public organization, establishing mechanisms to safeguard of regional geoheritage.
Copyright (c) 2024 Tanice Cristina Kormann, Claudia Bos Wolff , Jaqueline Dickel Bilhar , Rafael Fernandes e Silva , Glaucus Vinicius Biasetto Ribeiro , Cleber Arruda Spolavori, Luciana Regina Petry Anele, Rafael Midugno https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Microreliefs: forms and pedogeomorphological processes with emphasis on gilgais in semi-arid environment
Microreliefs are present in several terrestrial ecosystems, including on other planets, such as Mars. These can be indicators of environments with a greater presence of humidity (such as in semi-arid regions), they can be indicators of the presence of expansive clays (2:1), bioturbation or the occurrence of permafrost (in periglacial environments). In the national literature there is a large gap regarding the gilgal microreliefs of the Brazilian semi-arid region. The objective of this study was to analyze the genesis, morphology and features associated with microreliefs, in different terrestrial environments, with an emphasis on gilgais in semi-arid environments based on a bibliographic review study. In areas with microreliefs, soil disturbance occurs in a widespread manner, being associated with freezing, bioturbation, or clay disturbance. In this way, the opening of preferential paths for water percolation (through cracks or channels) is remarkable. In semi-arid tropical environments, the primordial process for the genesis of gilgais is associated with the presence of expansive clays with high activity and accumulation models with a greater occurrence of wetting and drying cycles. Landscapes with microreliefs have in common a complexity of pedological and geomorphological processes, which in order to better discover interscalar relationships, from macro to micro and vice-versa.
Copyright (c) 2024 Damião Isaac de Lira, Davi do Vale Lopes, Antônio Rodrigues Ximenes Neto, Abner Monteiro Nunes Cordeiro https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Bodoquena-Pantanal Geopark Project, Mato Grosso do Sul:the implementation proposal and its rejection
The creation of the “Bodoquena-Pantanal Geopark” - GBP, located in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, was discussed between 2006 and 2010, with subsequent submission of the proposal to the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) currently UNESCO Global Geoparks, with the aim of making it a member of this network. The work carried out indicated a geologically important territory, but it was not enough to form the UNESCO Global Geoparks, receiving rejection in 2011. So, it is intended, by means of a critical analysis of the historical process that resulted in denial of UNESCO Global Geoparks, through the interpretation of documentation of the proposal, considering especially the charter of points recommendations reply to UNESCO Global Geoparks and experience of Arouca Geopark, Portugal. While acknowledging the capability land for a future Geopark, a recommendation among UNESCO Global Geoparks other shares how collect an area of the proposal of the Geopark, stock administrative structure and GBP disclosure and that communities can participate in the Geopark movement. It is hoped that this information will allow an understanding of the historical process of the GBP project and why it was not recognized as a member of the UNESCO Global Geoparks and so contribute to what the process and hum facilities Global Geopark, within the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization criteria, be better understood.
Copyright (c) 2024 Maria Margareth Escobar Ribas Lima, Ademir Kleber Morbeck de Oliveira, Prof. Dr. Gilberto Luiz Alves https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0