Landscape in Integrated Physical Geography: Initial Impressions on its Research in Brazil Between 2006 and 2016

Abstract

In this 21st century, the trajectories and tendencies of Integrated or Complex Physical Geography have been hotly discussed, which allows evaluating its potential for the study of various themes with emphasis on the fragmentation, quality and transformation of landscape, which has been potentially degraded by the misuse of resources and the contradictory relationship society ↔ nature. In this regard, this paper conducts a bibliometric study for a first reconnaissance of the research in Brazil between 2006 and 2016 with a view to reflecting on the trajectories and tendencies of the concept of landscape. For this purpose, publications on the theme in 23 national journals were collected, retrieved according to the Qualis Capes classification, the Brazilian journal ranking system. The study aimed at understanding the relevance of landscape and its use in an integrated way, as well as its scales and units of analysis. It also demonstrates its relationship with geosystem, understood as an integrating concept of the relationship society ↔ nature. In view of the results, emphasis is given on the use of the predominant landscape related to environmental research, with a strong link to the local scale, the watershed and the cartography of different landscape complexes. Additionally, the paper discusses the importance of the relationship between landscape and geosystem as a support for environmental diagnosis and prognosis. Therefore, a critical analysis of the geographical investigation practice is carried out, assisting in the appreciation of geodiversity and the Brazilian natural heritage, since society ↔ nature is seen as a dialectical pair.