Geografia Ensino & Pesquisa

The Uruguay river basin under pressure in Brazil: domestic sewage, animal waste, and pesticides

Sonia Corina Hess — 2025-03-10

The Uruguay River Basin covers an area of approximately 174,500 km² in Brazil, located in the States of Santa Catarina (27%) and Rio Grande do Sul (73%). The objective of the work is to present data related to sewage treatment, the generation of waste in livestock farming, and the use of pesticides in the area covered by the Uruguay River Basin in Brazil, based on consultation of databases made available by the Brazilian government and the scientific literature. It is described that, in 2021, in that region: there were more than 4.7 million inhabitants; 82.5% of domestic sewage generated was released into the environment without adequate treatment; there was a herd of 9.6 million cattle, 10.4 million pigs and 14.2 million chickens, with amounts of excreta generated in their life cycle estimated at, respectively, 469.3 million tons, 20.8 million of tons and 563.7 tons; on 716,186 hectares there were corn plantations and on 4,730,097 hectares, soybeans, where it is estimated that 5,300 and 83,723 tons of pesticides were applied, respectively; in 15 municipalities in Santa Catarina, the presence of pesticides in the water supply was measured; and in 6 micro-regions of the State of Rio Grande do Sul and 5 of Santa Catarina, mortality rates from cancer and suicide, for both sexes, as well as the incidence of congenital anomalies surpassed national rates between 2010 and 2020. The data presented reveal that there are sources of pollution that pose risks to environmental quality and human health in the area covered by the Uruguay River Basin in Brazilian territory.

Interferences in the quality of the rio Itanhém: a systematic review

Bruna Rafaela Machado Oliveira — 2025-09-22

The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review to demonstrate the interferences that occurred in the water quality of the rio Itanhém (Intanhém river). This systematic review was conducted following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). The State of the Art through Systematic Review (StArt) software was used to construct and organize the systematic review. The articles were searched in the following databases: Google Academic, PubMed, Springer, Periódico CAPES, Scielo and Science Direct, in which articles published between January 2000 and 2024 were selected. In this way, 91 studies were identified, from which 15, after screening, had data extracted from them. Thus, the main methodologies adopted were: analysis of coliforms, hydrogen potential (pH), dissolved oxygen, turbidity and temperature. In addition, 13% classified the water as unsuitable, and 19% classified it as satisfactory for use. The factors that affect the water quality of the rio Itanhém are effluents/sewage, deforestation and livestock farming. Furthermore, most of the water is used for public supply, fishing and bathing, with the surrounding area of the river being livestock/pasture, urban, estuarine, forestry and villages. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly monitor the rio Itanhém due to the process of urban expansion and livestock farming, which does not accompany basic sanitation in the surrounding municipalities, which degrades the quality of water resources.

The Restinga de Cabedelo National Forest and the socio-environmental perception of local residents: challenges and perspectives

Henrique Elias Pessoa Gutierres — 2025-03-10

Conservation Units in urban areas promote a better quality of life and well-being for the local population through a series of ecosystem services. This article presents the results of qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory action research. The procedures adopted consisted of a bibliographic and documentary survey, photographic records, aerial image capture using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and the application of questionnaires to residents of areas surrounding the Restinga de Cabedelo National Forest. The responses were systematized using an electronic spreadsheet and presented in graphs and tables. It is clear that there is a need to strengthen environmental education actions with residents in order to provide greater integration of these people with the FLONA. Thus, greater interaction with the management agency can favor a lower incidence of socio-environmental conflicts and better use of the ecosystem services provided by this protected area.

Geographical analysis of river dynamics in Vila Urlândia, municipality of Santa Maria/RS

Luís Eduardo de Souza Robaina — 2025-10-21

The study area is located in Vila Urlândia and the western part of Vila Santos, in the southern administrative region of the city of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. The studies aim to map and zone the risk of river processes that could cause harm to the population. Community participation through reports of hydrological events and riverbank erosion, photographic and video recordings, information on recurrences, and other associated problems was crucial in defining the risk of river processes. The area was mapped using an orthomosaic of the village, using aerial photographs taken with a Mavic Air 2 drone, from an aerial survey at an altitude of 150 meters. The risk level is determined by the relationship matrix between the degree of hazard and vulnerability. The data presented show that, in the urban community studied, hydrological processes of flooding and flash floods are predominant, but the possibility of home destruction is more associated with the geological processes of erosion and riverbank undermining. A total of 211 homes were identified as being at high and very high risk. Identifying and analyzing risk areas is essential for adopting measures to minimize or prevent damage and/or loss of life.

Rural Water Access Index (RWAI) for Brazilian Amazon Communities

Diêgo Lima Crispim — 2025-03-10

The aim of this article was to propose a water access decision support tool for rural communities in the Brazilian Amazon, called the rural water access index (RWAI), enabling policymakers to identify and prioritize areas that require state intervention to guarantee access to water. The proposed tool was applied and tested in sixteen rural communities in a municipality in the Amazon region of Brazil. The RWAT is based on a participatory approach, combining multi-criteria decision analysis (MCA) and the Geographic Information System (GIS), which integrates different indicators in the evaluation and generates maps showing the spatial levels of access to water in the communities. The Delphi methodology was used to calculate the IRAA. The results showed heterogeneous spatial behavior among the rural communities in the municipality of Santa Luzia do Pará, with similarities and differences based on the general condition of access to water. Half of the communities had 'critical' or 'alert' access to water. It was also found that the communities furthest from surface water sources had difficulty accessing water. Thus, the IRAA method can estimate water access situations and generate maps anywhere in the world, aiding water management.

Attributes of sandy soils under different land uses and land cover in the Sul-mato-grossense Cerrado

Viviane Capoane — 2025-08-19

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of changes in land cover and land use on the physical, chemical, and organic matter content of the soil in the Pardo River watershed, in the Soul-Mato-Grossense Cerrado. Soil samples were collected at seven points, including native forest, pasture, and eucalyptus areas. At each point, samples were collected at depths of 0-10, 10-20, 20-40, and 40-60 cm. Texture was determined using the Bouyoucos method, pH (1:2.5); organic matter (K2Cr2O7); P, K, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu (Mehlich I); Ca, Mg, and Al (KCl 1 mol L-1); and H+Al (Ca acetate at pH 7). All sampling points showed a sandy loam texture. Areas under native vegetation had higher H+Al and Al3+ content and lower Ca, Mg, and P content. Ca and Mg levels were higher in areas of pasture planted with Brachiaria in the 0-10 cm layer. In these locations, water pH values were also higher than in other points, consequently, Al3+ values were lower, indicating the application of acidity correctives. For organic matter, the highest levels were found in native forest. In anthropized areas, the highest levels were observed in cultivated pasture areas, and the lowest levels were found in soil under eucalyptus cultivation. The results show that sandy soils naturally have low fertility, and that the variation in chemical attributes in agricultural areas is related to land use types (cropland, pasture, and forestry) and fertilizer managemen.

“Chilling by the crown”: socioeconomic profile and environmental perception of users/occupants of the fluvial deposits of a brazilian river

Lorran André Moraes — 2025-07-16

Fluvial deposits are sediment formations of different materials found along the course of rivers. In this context, the aim was to analyze the socio-economic profile and environmental perceptions of users/occupants in relation to the fluvial deposits (DFs) of the Parnaíba River - PI, as well as their environmental benefits. To this end, the descriptive exploratory research method was used, and the data was obtained through semi-structured interviews using a standardized form involving 62 informants, informal conversations and direct observations between May and July 2022. It was found that the FDs had been used and/or occupied for more than 60 years by the local population for various purposes, such as family farming, fishing, sport, leisure, visitor tourism and as a source of income. The data on socio-economic conditions shows that these activities are mostly carried out by men (61.3%) and adults (67.8%), with incomplete basic education (22.6%), who work in different formal and/or informal professions in the cities of Timon-MA and Teresina-PI. Finally, these environments provide a number of socio-environmental benefits and ecosystem services that reflect on man and/or ecosystems and/or nature, as well as having a high potential for use for school activities and scientific research. In conclusion, it is important to emphasize the need for environmental management bodies to monitor and draw up an environmental management plan for this Permanent Preservation Area (PPA), considering its sustainable use.

Geomorphological compartmentation of Serra of Tombador, Jacobina/BA

Bismarque Lopes Pinto — 2025-03-10

The analysis of the morphodynamics of the relief is crucial for understanding its Geodiversity. The behavior of the relief of the Mountain range of Tombador is heterogeneous in the configuration of the landscape of the Municipality of Jacobina, semi-arid in Bahia. The objective of this research was to map the geomorphological features of the eastern portion of the Mountain range of Tombador, located in the Municipality of Jacobina/BA, to better understand the morphodynamics of the cuesta system. For the methodology, taxonomic organization was sought as a method for classifying relief at multiple scales and compartments. To classify the features, the IBGE bases were used, considering the respective manual. In the results, one can see formations of flattening, dissection, and accumulation models, in addition to the anthropogenic model, the result of mining evident in the area. The morphology of the area follows an evolution based on ancient and recent processes, which are organized in a cuestiform context with the emergence of residual features such as the cuesta, displaying an evolved cornice front, associated with the deposits that connect to the edge wall. eastern sedimentary basin that forms the Mountain range of Tombador.

Vegetation index and environmental dynamics of the caatingas: environmental susceptibility to desertification in Canudos-BA

Israel de Oliveira Junior — 2025-05-15

In studies on the desertification process, the vegetation index is an important piece of data for understanding the environmental dynamics of the caatingas morphoclimatic domain, expressed in the vegetation cover, resulting from climatic seasonality and environmental pressure. The aim of this study is therefore to analyze the spatio-temporal evolution of NDVI in the rainy and dry periods from 2001 to 2016, in order to establish the environmental susceptibility to desertification through environmental modeling. Due to the semi-arid nature of the climate and advanced stages of environmental deterioration, the municipality of Canudos, located in the north of the state of Bahia, was selected as the study area. MOD13 products from the MODIS sensor were used to apply the NDVI and then integrate the data in a GIS environment using fuzzy logic. A marked spatial dimension of the classes with the lowest vegetation indices was identified for the dry and rainy periods, which indicates advanced stages of deterioration, as the biomass does not recover in the midst of rainfall. In the Peripheral Depression and Interplanaltic areas, the rainfall pattern did not cause significant changes in biomass, due to the intense environmental pressure that resulted in deterioration. As a result, Severe susceptibility is expressly extensive, as it occurs on 51.9% of the land.

Geoenvironmental Characterization of the Riacho do Ipiranga Sub-basin, Bahia

Daiana de Andrade Matos — 2025-09-19

This work aims to carry out a geoenvironmental characterization of the Riacho do Ipiranga sub-basin, located in the rural area of the municipality of Presidente Tancredo Neves, Bahia, an integral part of the Rio Una basin in the Recôncavo Sul hydrographic region. The study seeks to answer the following research question: what are the main physical characteristics and environmental dynamics of the sub-basin, and how do their interactions shape the hydrographic processes and configuration of the local landscape? Specific objectives include: (1) identify and describe the physical elements of the sub-basin, such as geology, geomorphology, climate, soils, vegetation and fauna; (2) carry out a detailed morphometric analysis of the study area to understand its hydrographic dynamics; and (3) interpret the relationships between these elements in the context of integrated landscape analysis, understanding it as a dynamic unit in constant transformation. A landscape analysis that allows the understanding of the Riacho do Ipiranga sub-basin as a space in which natural and anthropogenic factors interact in a complex and interdependent way. This study, given the scarcity of similar research in the area, contributes to the production and updating of geoenvironmental data, necessary as a subsidy for future studies and sustainable territorial planning.

Assessment of the microbiological quality of well water and risk perceptions

Alessandra Talaska Soares — 2025-07-11

This study aimed to elucidate dairy producers’ perception of the water quality from 39 shallow wells and 7 artesian wells on 51 properties in the Pelotas Microregion, RS, as well as to evaluate the water quality in terms of the presence of total coliforms, Escherichia coli, and mesophilic bacteria, in addition to assessing the presence of protective factors for the wells. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on the sanitation present on the property, in addition to the collection of well water and subsequent microbiological analysis. For 68% (34) of the participants in this study, the drinking water from the wells was considered good, while 18% (9) considered it excellent, 10% (5) regular, and 4% (2) deemed it poor. Total coliforms, Escherichia coli, and mesophiles were identified in all well water samples; however, in the statistical correspondence analysis, it was observed that wells with protective factors had lower contamination counts. The perception of risk is subjective, which justifies the notion that the water used on the property is suitable for consumption and presents no risk of causing diseases, a fact that is inconsistent with the results of the microbiological analyses performed.

Urban network and polarization over degree courses in the metropolitan Region of The Maranhense Southwest

Allison Bezerra Oliveira — 2025-09-03

This research aims to understand the polarization of the city of Imperatriz, through the Universidade Estadual da Região Tocantina do Maranhão (UEMASUL, State University of the Tocantina Region of Maranhão) on municipalities of the Metropolitan Region of the Maranhense Southwest (RMSM). For that, it is used as a scope, students of four undergraduate courses: Geography, History, Pedagogy and Portuguese Language and Literature. Methodologically, this is an empirical spatial analysis, anchored in the systematization of secondary and non-nominal data, followed by qualitative examination. In addition to the review of the relevant literature, which supported the research theoretically-methodologically, it included the systematization of data from the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE, Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics), Regiões de Influência das Cidades (REGIC, Regions of Influence of the Cities), Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Anísio Teixeira (INEP, Anísio Teixeira National Institute of Studies and Research), and the database of UEMASUL itself. The data produced were systematized in the form of maps, charts and tables and after analysis, suggest that the polarization of Imperatriz through UEMASUL, although goes far beyond the municipalities that make up the RMSM, crossing states such as Pará and Tocantins, does not reach all centers of the metropolitan region.

Brazilian twin cities: contradictory spaces of integration

Darlan Fabiane — 2025-05-15

This article discusses the land border strip of Brazil and its twin cities, contextualizing the topic and presenting socioeconomic data and information on Brazilian twin cities. As specific objectives, it seeks to focus the analysis on the southern portion of Brazil, a region that concentrates almost half of the twin cities in the Brazilian territory. The work methodology involved descriptive and analytical bibliographic references, collection of information and qualitative and quantitative data from official secondary sources and Brazilian Ministerial Ordinances, as well as systematization and graphic representation. The results point to the need for greater integration of efforts between public authorities at the municipal, state, and federal levels in Brazil and also at the international level between Brazil and neighboring countries in order to mitigate the problems that are characteristic of the border and favor the economic development and integration of the twin cities.

Characterization of fishing activity the municipality of Santo Amaro, Lençóis Maranhences National Park

Carla Carolina Ferreira Caldas — 2025-03-10

The municipality of Santo Amaro, located in the intermediate region of São Luís, immediate region of Barreirinhas. It is limited to the north by the Atlantic Ocean, to the east by the municipality of Barreirinhas, to the west by the municipality of Primeira Cruz, and to the south by the municipality of Barreirinhas. It stands out for its national tourist importance due to the local natural attributes represented by the set of lush beaches, lakes, and lagoons, which also provide other services to the community, such as fishing. Given the growing tourism market, valuing local activities is essential as a way of maintaining the sustainability of activities carried out by local communities. The present work aimed to characterize fishing activity and the profile of the fishing community in the region, focusing efforts on the municipality's headquarters and the village of Travosa. Data collection was carried out using semi-structured questionnaires. The information obtained indicates the close relationship between the subsistence activities of these populations and the sustainability of fishing resources, which constitutes a strong indicator of the need for actions to maintain and/or improve local socioeconomic characteristics. The records highlighted in the interviews show a progressive reduction in the number of fishermen who see the art of fishing as based on the family basis and passed from father to son, due to the difficulties associated with the development of the activity that tend to alienate new generations.

Cyclotourism in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: Potential and Challenges for the Tourism Activity

Gabriela Bitencourt Alves — 2025-04-30

Cycletourism is a form of travel by bicycle associated with rural and adventure tourism. It is often used as a strategy for rural development and income generation on family properties in small municipalities. This study has three main objectives: 1) Identify and map cycle tourism routes in the state of Rio Grande do Sul; 2) Verify the availability of these routes in rural areas; and 3) Understand the potential and challenges for the development of the activity in the state. Adopting an exploratory approach with qualitative and quantitative characteristics, the research used secondary data from specialized websites, government institutions, and local and regional newspapers, as well as a literature review on rural tourism and cycle tourism. Eight consolidated rural cycle tourism routes were identified in Rio Grande do Sul, distributed in the northwest, northeast, southwest, and southeast regions, covering nine immediate geographic regions, except for the northern region of the state. The analysis of the distribution of these routes considered the characteristics of the regions where they are located. The main potentials of the routes include civil participation and cultural, historical, geographical, and ethnic richness, as well as social aspects. Among the challenges are the lack of public engagement and the shortage of adequate infrastructure for the development of cycle tourism in the studied regions.

Space-temporal analysis of the dynamics of animal protein production in the State of Maranhão

Maria Patrícia Pereira Castro — 2025-12-05

Knowledge of the quantity of animal protein production in a municipality, exposed in a spatially explicit form, allows the definition of spatial allocation regarding edaphoclimatic boundaries, agricultural zoning, and public policy actions. The research aims to spatially correlate data on animal protein production in the State of Maranhão in the period 2000 and 2020, highlighting the producing regions allied to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the municipalities of Maranhão. Based on information regarding the herds of cattle, goats, chickens, and pigs from the database of the Maranhão Institute of Socioeconomic and Cartographic Studies (IMESC), the analyses were carried out in a Georeferenced Information System (GIS) environment, demonstrating the spatial autocorrelation of the variables of the quantity of protein production through the Moran Index. The Moran spatial correlation index recorded that GDP had the greatest correlation with the number of cattle (0.56), followed by goats (0.34), pigs (0.29), and chickens (0.16). The spatialization indicated the spatial correlation with the region of the municipality of Açailândia, with emphasis on cattle production. For the number of goats, concentration occurred in the eastern region of the state. Regarding the concentration of chickens, the highlight was in the southern region of Maranhão. Finally, the number of pigs, with the lowest spatial productive representation, was concentrated in the eastern region of Maranhão, with reduced expansion.

Spatial interactions in the subregion of the Islands of Foz do Amazonas

João Paulo de Almeida Amorim — 2025-09-15

The article examines the spatial interactions in the Sub-region of the Islands at the Mouth of the Amazon River (SIFA), highlighting the hybridization between urban and riverside ways of life. SIFA encompasses the municipalities of Macapá and Santana, as well as several municipalities at the mouth of the Amazon River on its Pará side, characterized by a unique dynamic where urban elements permeate the riverside environment. This sub-region is marked by a river transportation system which connects cities and communities, essential for the flow of goods and people. The research employs a methodology that integrates theoretical review and empirical analysis of spatial interactions, with field visits to key areas of transportation and commerce. The concept of “urbanodiversity” is emphasized, describing the diversity of occupations and urban configurations in the Amazon. This term underscores the coexistence of urban and traditional practices, adapting to economic pressures such as mining, agribusiness, and new technologies. The hybridization between urban and riverside spaces is reflected in both infrastructure (such as internet and solar energy) and the habits of the population. The study concludes that the urbanization process in SIFA does not occur at the expense of riverside areas but rather as a complex and dynamic integration between both lifestyles, shaping a unique network of social and economic relationships within the Amazon region.

The "invention of the beach": european influence on the socio-economic development of the coast of Ceará

Jessica Mesquita Barbosa — 2025-05-27

Nowadays in Brazil, beaches are important bathing, touristic and economic areas, especially in the northeast. This scenario rises from maritime practices imported and incorporated first by the wealthier classes in the southeast of the country, mainly from the influence of the Portuguese Royal Family, becoming popular among popular social groups over the course of the 20th century. In this context, Ceará has become an important agent with its 573 kilometers of coastline, with important national and international recognition due to its physical attributes, which are important elements for building a landscape with tourist and cultural attributes. The regressive-progressive methodology is used to analyze the important scenarios and eventualities that led to the development of a new view of coastal spaces in Brazil and, consequently, in Ceará.

Public water policies in the sabugi irrigated perimeter (caicó/rn): between fighting drought and coexistence with the semi-arid

Brenda Stéfanie Bezerra — 2025-12-05

The study aims to explore the role of public water resource policies in ensuring water access in the Sabugi Irrigated Perimeter in Caicó, Brazil. It focuses on the continuity and discontinuity of drought relief efforts and cohabitation with the semi-arid region, highlighting varied paradigms in public water policy. The research tracks water policy evolution from the 1970s to the present day. Methodologically, a qualitative approach was employed, combining a literature review on water policies in the semiarid region with fieldwork. This included semi-structured interviews and discussions with settlers, along with the mapping of local water infrastructure. Findings show that the Sabugi Irrigated Perimeter, initially crafted for drought mitigation, necessitated adaptive measures for coexistence with the semi-arid environment to ensure water access for residential, agricultural, and human use. The analysis reveals a convergence of public water policies in the area, yet with limitations in ensuring water access.

Use of the Random Forest classifier to Classify Land Use and Cover using Sentinel 1 and 2 Data in a rural region in the Atlantic Forest biome

Andressa Kossmann Ferla — 2025-03-10

The use of land use and land cover maps is essential for environmental monitoring, and for this purpose, it is necessary to use remote sensing techniques. With this in mind, this study aimed to use the Backscatter Coefficient, Polarimetric Decomposition and Interferometric Coherence attributes of the Sentinel 1 sensor and the R, G, B, NIR bands and NDVI and SAVI vegetation indices of the Sentinel 2 sensor to identify the best combination of input variables for the Random Forest (RF) classification algorithm using accuracy, in an area in the “Campos de Cima da Serra,” belonging to the Atlantic Forest biome. The study identified that the use of the three Sentinel 1 attributes together with the optical bands of Sentinel 2 had better accuracy (93%), although the use of only the optical bands obtained 89% accuracy. However, when using only SAR attributes, the lowest accuracy was obtained (67%). The development of this methodology will serve as a basis for the continuation of this research, using more robust techniques such as time series analysis via SITS (Satellite Image Time Series Analysis), with the generation of results for monitoring the Atlantic Forest in the southern region of the country and subsidy for monitoring tests of the pampa biome, due to its high capacity for analyzing time series from different platforms in an open-source package.

Automated calculation of the susceptibility to mass movements through the phyton/arcgis interface

Antônio Henrique Caldeira Jorge Neves — 2025-11-03

This work aimed to develop and implement an algorithm in the Python language, which integrates the various steps to calculate the spatial distribution of the susceptibility to mass movements, automating the flow of tasks that characterizes the process. The structuring of the flow of operations was based on the logic of multicriteria assessment through weighted linear combination. The algorithm includes geoprocessing operations for the generation of information plans, standardization of variables, weighting of conditioning criteria and subsequent integration through the weighted average of factors. This algorithm was implemented in the Python programming language, including the use of modules and functions provided by the ArcPy package, and included as a tool (script tool) in the ArcGIS software through functionalities allowed by the possibility of creating and editing tools using scripts in Python. The tool was submitted to tests in two different case studies, as a way to simulate the use of the tool in real situations and to validate its operation through the analysis of products obtained in the process execution. The results demonstrated significant advantages in the use of the tool, mainly through efficiency and flexibility gains and support to the user. The tool proved to be effective in assisting policies for urban planning, territorial occupation and monitoring of geological risks, and can assist in assessments of the susceptibility to this type of phenomenon, which are essential for the consolidation of urban agglomerations and prevention of natural disasters.

Spatio-temporal dynamics of land use and occupation in the southern region of balsas, Maranhão, Brazil

Enyo Francisco Diniz Simões — 2025-06-27

In the Cerrado biome lies the main agricultural frontier of Brazil today, known as the MATOPIBA region, which includes parts of the states of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia. In Maranhão, the municipality of Balsas is the state’s largest agricultural producer. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the spatio-temporal dynamics of land use and occupation changes in the southern region of the municipality of Balsas - MA, using orbital remote sensing and spatial analysis in the years 2013 and 2023. Remote sensing tools were used, including the Semi-Automatic Classification Plugin for preprocessing and supervised classification and AcATaMA for classification accuracy assessment. Landsat-8 satellite images and polygon editing tools in QGIS 3.26.2 software were used for the classification. The analysis showed satisfactory global accuracy levels for the years 2013 and 2023. The areas of the “Dense Forest” and “Sparse Forest” classes increased by 0.24%, while the “Non-Forest Area” class decreased by 37%. Notably, areas designated for agriculture and livestock showed significant growth of 47.1%. According to the image analyses for the years 2013 and 2023, there was an expansion of the “Agricultural Area” class and a reduction in the “Non-Forest Area” class, indicating an increase in agricultural activities in the municipality of Balsas.

Evaluation of classifiers for land use analysis using LANDSAT 8 and CBERS 4A images in the Tamanduá river basin, Paraná

Marcia Aparecida Procopio da Silva Scheer — 2025-12-05

This research aimed to evaluate the performance of the Dzetsaka and Semi-Automatic (SCP) classifiers in the QGIS software, using satellite images from Landsat 8 - OLI and CBERS 4A - MUX in 2020, in the Tamanduá watershed (TW) in Foz do Iguaçu and Santa Terezinha de Itaipu, Paraná. The results showed that the classifications obtained from the LANDSAT 8 - OLI images were more accurate compared to those from CBERS 4A - MUX, highlighting the superiority of the Dzetsaka classifier for this type of analysis in the BHRT. The study emphasizes the importance of carefully selecting classification tools and orbital image data sources for accurate geographical analyses. It concludes that the tested classifiers were effective and indicated an increase in agricultural and urban expansion areas in the studied basin. These changes underscore the relevance of continuous monitoring of land use and coverage to support environmental management and land-use planning.

The importance of teaching Geography from a decolonial perspective and anti-racist education: Experiences at a school in Londrina-PR

Alex Fernandes Monteiro — 2025-07-07

For some time now, it has been noticeable that issues related to indigenous and black people have been gaining more space in educational discussions, especially in higher education institutions. There has been much discussion about the inclusion of decolonial materials and knowledge aimed at the emancipation of the oppressed population. However, when we look at the reality in basic education, teachers mostly reproduce the materials provided by textbooks and the government. This knowledge only reproduces and reinforces Euro-Western thinking and hinders the constitution of a nation with sovereign knowledge of its Geography, History and struggles. In this way, this article aims to identify the panorama of thinking about these groups in the reality of school, strictly in the first and second year of high school, grades in which students have already built up most of their knowledge, which they will probably be able to take with them for life. This perspective will be analyzed based on the observations and practice of the teaching internship in a public school located in Londrina, in which, based on a questionnaire applied to students, who answer seven questions, six of which are objective and one is an essay, so that with the data obtained, we can understand whether Law No. 11.645 of March 10, 2008 has been followed effectively in the construction of school knowledge in Geography studies.

Components of geography teaching for basic education

Daniel Rodrigues Silva Luz Neto — 2025-09-02

The training and implementation of geography teachers in the contemporary world has demanded a solid training that works with the teaching-pedagogical components in order to develop the geographical thinking of students. Thus, this work aims to discuss the constituent components for a Geography Teaching that stimulates the development of geographical thinking in basic education. For this purpose, a bibliographic search was carried out, focusing mainly on the theoretical categories of Geography Teaching and its constituent components. The theoretical results indicate that Geography Teaching contributes to the planning, implementation and evaluation of classes by Geography teachers, since they are able to understand and act in an interconnected way, both with the components of the subject-knowledge relationship and the teaching paths in geography classes. As for the relation of the subjects with knowledge, the student precisely becomes an active-emancipated subject; the teacher, the mediator of the process; and knowledge, cultural tools to achieve pedagogical objectives. Finally, the operating components for the effectiveness of the classes consist of objective elements, counts, methods, forms of organization, resources and evaluation, which must be operated independently and also consider the social context, the school and the characteristics of the subjects involved into the teaching and learning process.

The iNaturalist app as a teaching resource in biogeography education: a field-based experience

Fernanda Bauzys — 2025-12-05

This study investigates the iNaturalist app potential as a didactic tool for teaching Biogeography from the Landscape Geoecology perspective. The research is based on a field experience conducted with undergraduate students in Geography from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC) at the Lagoa do Peri Natural Monument in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. Methodologically, an itinerary was designed with eight strategic observation points covering various ecosystems and relevant socio-environmental issues. The students used the app to record, identify, and share observations of local biodiversity, conducting analyses of the interrelationships between biotic, abiotic, and human components of the landscapes. The results indicate that iNaturalist provided greater student engagement, facilitated species identification through its artificial intelligence and expert verification features, and allowed for taxonomic and geographic distribution analyses. The experience demonstrated that integrating digital technologies into environmental science education can enhance learning and awareness of biodiversity conservation. It is concluded that field activities supported by technological tools like iNaturalist promote a systemic understanding of geographic space, contributing to the training of professionals capable of addressing the complex contemporary socio-environmental challenges.

Proposal of a digital school Atlas as a strategy for the teaching of Geography: A study in the municipality of Campo Formoso- BA

Vanessa Pereira da Silva — 2025-05-27

Geography teaching faces challenges which require strategies that promote more meaningful and contextualized teaching. School cartography is an effective agent and means, contributing to the representation and understanding of space and geographic education. The work presented here aimed to develop a proposal for a digital School Atlas as a strategy for teaching Geography in the municipality of Campo Formoso- BA. The construction of this material was divided into four stages: The first, being cabinet I activities, in which preliminary studies were carried out and the thematic maps were created. Next, the field visit stage, which involved on-site data collection. Subsequently, in the stage of cabinet activities II, analysis and adjustment of the thematic maps were carried out, which culminated in the final stage of organization and preparation of the School Atlas. It is concluded that the material generated offers an element for the study of campo-formosense Geography, allowing students and teachers to explore the municipality, facilitating the understanding of regional specificities and making it possible to understand the particularities of the studied area, in addition to strengthening the sense of belonging and local identity.

Social cartography in the construction of language and critical sense with elementary school students

Luciana Gonçalves de Oliveira Maraia — 2025-09-09

This article aims to present the development of Social Cartography as a strategy that provides a collaborative and playful learning environment, understanding student protagonism as a path to overcoming the uncritical stance reinforced in reproductive school practices. The methodological approach involves a pedagogical approach that adopts Social Cartography and uses enabling technologies in a third-grade elementary school class in the Campos dos Goytacazes Municipal Education Network, Rio de Janeiro State. This work aimed to foster participation and observe the collective and consensual construction of representations of the living environment. The development of the activities demonstrated that the approach used was potentially significant in the process of language in its social and representative use, as well as in improving skills related to the ability to think geographically and critically, proposing solutions when identifying problems in the environment in which they live and interact in society.

Training of Geography teachers in Brazil and expansion of the PROFGEO Network

Valdir Adilson Steinke — 2025-05-15

The National Professional Master's Degree in Geography Education (PROFGEO) is part of the public policy for the continuing education of in-service teachers: the Professional Master's Program for the Qualification of Teachers of the Public Basic Education System (PROEB). This article discusses teacher education in Geography in Brazil, the challenges and possibilities, as well as the perspectives of Geography education within Basic Education. The objective is to provide support for planning more effective public policies and guide academic initiatives aimed at the training of Geography teachers. The methodology was based on the spatialization of Geography undergraduate courses, enrolled students, master's programs with research lines in Geography education, and the PROFGEO network itself, using a Geographic Information System (GIS). Mapping allowed the analysis and classification of the offer of Geography education training and the identification of territorial gaps, setting priorities for expanding the offer of courses focused on continuing education in Geography. The goal is to contribute to the improvement of public education in a more equitable and efficient manner, providing better continuing education conditions for in-service teachers and ensuring that Geographic Education is accessible throughout the national territory.

Education of the countryside, place, and curriculum: legal instruments and perceptions of geography teachers of the Agrestina-PE education network

Handerson Phillipe Pereira da Silva — 2025-04-30

This qualitative research comprises a case study involving document analysis, the development of workshops, and the application of a questionnaire with a Focus Group made up of primary school geography teachers from the Agrestina Municipal Network in Pernambuco. We sought to analyze the current curriculum documents and textbooks of the school network, intended for the Geography curriculum component in the final year classes of primary school in the countryside and in the city, in order to identify the approaches to place and the references to the place where students live, emphasized by cultural geography, based on the teachers’ perceptions. Despite the struggles and achievements to consolidate a Rural Education Policy, rural schools still suffer not only from the nucleation and closure of units across the country but also from the lack of attention, appreciation, and recognition of their identity. In the school network investigated, in addition to the precarious employment relationship of geography teachers and the low percentage of training in the subject area taught, it can be seen that schools located in rural areas adopt curricula and textbooks that do not contemplate place as a living space endowed with meanings and feelings between subjects and living spaces. This scenario can widen inequalities and sow the seeds of devaluation and topophobia towards places of experience.

Geography apprehended in school education: a study carried out in a school in the municipality df Maravilha, in Santa Catarina-Brasil

Daniele Crislei Czuy Manosso — 2025-06-30

Geography is the science that seeks to understand the complexities of geographical space. This dynamism is linked to the transformations that human beings cause and which ends up reverberating in the school space. It is believed that schools should provide students with the opportunity to develop critical sense. To this end, curricular subjects such as Geography can contribute by developing geographical thinking. With this in mind, the question arises: How do students in the ninth year of elementary school understand the Geography curriculum based on what they have been taught in the classroom? With this in mind, we set ourselves the general objective of identifying the main conceptual understanding that ninth grade students at a municipal school in the city of Maravilha (SC) have in relation to the subject of Geography. To this end, we propose the following specific objectives: 1) To discuss the importance of teaching Geography in the formation of the subject; and, 2) To present the geographical concepts learned, based on the application of a semi-structured questionnaire. The methodology adopted is based on qualitative research, intertwined with action research, supported by neomodernity, forming a powerful coalition for this type of approach, characterized by the analysis of interpretations, comparisons and exposure of data from other studies and research. It also involves bibliographical research, characterized by the use of scientifically prepared materials. It is, therefore, an article that seeks to understand the conceptual notion formed by ninth grade students about Geography and that demonstrates its relationship with the students’ daily lives. It was observed that school geography is able to build lasting concepts and notions in students, in a significant way, which is demonstrated when they are able to relate everyday interactions with geographical concepts learned in the classroom.

Geography teaching and music: listening, connecting and reverbering possibilities of approachment

Eduardo Schiavone Cardoso — 2025-07-23

The discussion about the use of music in the process of teaching and learning Geography is the objective of this text. From the Project “Geography and Music: auditions, connections and possibilities in the teaching of Geography”, developed during the year of 2023, under the auspices of PROLICEN, from the Federal University of Santa Maria – UFSM, workshops were organized with Geography and History teachers at public schools, middle grade students in the public schools of Rio Grande do Sul and students of undergraduate and postgraduate Geography programs at UFSM. The opting for musical language is based upon a set of practices developed by the authors in their careers, which provided theoretical and empirical elements of analysis, in addition to being a language strongly present in everyday life, with its dissemination favored by diversified communication channels. The proposals and results of the activities carried out supported the analysis at the end of the project, which concludes that the connections between geography and music expand the understanding of geographic science and the establishment of its relationships with multiple cultural manifestations. In turn, they also expand the listening possibilities and repertoire formation of teachers and students and constitute a possibility for teaching and learning geography at its different levels.

Geographical Education as a tool for resilience: facing drought and fire in the northern brazilian Pantanal

Fernando Lino Pardinho de Souza — 2025-06-30

The study evaluated the role of Geographic Education combined with Environmental Education in addressing the impacts of the water crisis and wildfires in the Pantanal, focusing on the experience of the Santa Claudina State School in Mimoso, Mato Grosso. A three-phase methodology was used: bibliographic and documentary research, and semi-structured interviews with members of the school and the community. The results of the analysis of the Political-Pedagogical Project (PPP) and the interviews revealed that, although Geographic Education is present in the school, the topic of the water crisis is not addressed with the same depth as wildfires, creating a significant gap in the understanding of environmental challenges. Regarding the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC), it was observed that these issues are addressed through various competencies throughout elementary and high school, but in a fragmented way—being covered in some school years and not in others—which hinders a holistic view of environmental problems. Therefore, it is vital that schools work with theory and practice aligned with their local reality in order to form more conscious and resilient citizens.

Inventive places: the co-creation of games for the teaching and learning of Geography in High School

Nelson Luis Eufrasio Junior — 2025-08-19

This article is part of the project “GEOGAMES – an inventive pedagogical practice in the teaching and learning of geography,” developed within the context of Geography classes at the Infante Dom Henrique State High School, in Porto Alegre–RS. The aim is to present and discuss the process of co-creating geographical games for teaching and learning geography, seeking to answer the question: “How can inventiveness contribute to the educational context and process of geography?”. The research is qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive, using the cartographic method of intervention research for data production and analysis. The results indicate that inventive practice consolidates the existence of an integrative and welcoming space, capable of modifying realities and re-signifying a territory into a place. Additionally, the experience of co-creating the games, conducted by 2nd-year high school students, demonstrated that inventive learning can inspire other teachers to develop pedagogical practices that engage contemporary students, promoting a more engaging and meaningful geographical education.