Horticultura no baixo curso do Rio Doce, zona norte do Natal/RN: avaliação da qualidade da água por meio de ensaios ecotoxicológicos

The research is developed in areas of horticulture in the city of Natal, in the neighborhoods of Lagoa Azul, Pajuçara and Redinha, along the Doce River, border area with Extremoz city, Rio Grande do Norte State. The region of the fluvial plain of Doce River is located in an Environmental Protection Zone (ZPA-9). This is one of the ZPA which is not under the regulatory marks and there are several environmental problems caused by use and land occupation, featuring an evident disregard of environmental laws and whose protection is hindered by the lack of specific legal mechanisms. This study aims to provide an overview of the use of pesticides in the lower course of the Doce River, in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, and to assess environmental degradation in the area through chronic toxicity tests using the microcrustaceous Ceriodaphnia dubia Richard 1894 (Cladocera, Crustacea) as test organism. Visits were made to the area in 2009 and 2010. To obtain information a diagnosis of the local situation was accomplished based on personal observation and non-participatory photographic record, with the aim of assessing the environmental characteristics, population diversity and work processes of horticulturists. During the visits four different points of the Doce River were chosen to collect water for ecotoxicological tests and survey of physico-chemical parameters (dissolved oxygen, pH, chloride, turbidity, conductivity and temperature), which were measured in the field using Multiparameter Probe (TROLL 9500). The adverse effects of pesticide use in the lower course of the Doce River is a major problem for both the environmental and human health, since many of the substances and active principles that enter in the composition of the products are synthesized molecules whose effects can only be evaluated through different studies on their actions and behavior at short, medium or long term

Análise ambiental de um aterro sanitário e sua influência relativa sobre a qualidade das águas superficiais do entorno

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação da qualidade ambiental em uma bacia hidrográfica com vocação agropecuária

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Civil e Ambiental - FEB

Auxílio do geoprocessamento para a geração do mapa de suscetibilidade à erosão: o caso do córrego Mandu, Rio Claro/SP

The mining of sand, currently, is essential for urban growth, by providing input for the building industry. The consequences of this mining activity to environmental triggers may be severe and irreversible. Among the major impacts caused by sand mining the riparian vegetation removal is detached. The riparian vegetation is essential for balance and maintaining the local ecosystem. For all that had been shown, is possible to verify the importance of environmental studies in areas wich there are mining. This study aimed specially to assess environmental impacts triggered by a mining, located near the headwaters of the stream Mandu, situated in Ajapi, District of Rio Claro-SP. For this purpose, we used remote sensing techniques and GIS to produce thematic maps of slope, pedology, geology, land use and occupation of the soil, and riparian vegetation, using the capabilities of GIS / ArcGIS. The slope map was based on data from the Cartographic IGC 1979, scale 1:10,000. For the production of pedological and geological maps were used Semi-Detailed soil survey of the state of São Paulo, 1981 (1:100,000) and the Geological Map of Zaine (1994), scale 1:50,000, respectively. Since the maps of Use and Land Occupation and Riparian Forest were obtained by visual interpretation of the image of CBERS 2010 following the merger between the HRC and CCD images. From these mappings, and through multi-criteria analysis, map of susceptibility to erosion was made, which supported the environmental assessment of the studied area, indicating susceptible and unsuitable areas for the deployment of economic activities and urban sprawl. This study serves as a model can be replicated in other watersheds, assisting in the proper use planning and land use, aiming at the rational use of natural resources

Uso e ocupação do solo e a transformação da paisagem na faixa litorânea da Via Costeira, município de Natal/RN

The coastal area of the city of Natal due to its location and natural potentialities has been an area where we have experienced big changes in its environment, at the expense of several forms of use and human occupation. On the coast of Via Costeira beach the process of use and land occupation was structured at the end of 1970s and early 1980s, as a result of the government policy which has developmental essence, based on the settlement of plenty big enterprises by the Parque das Dunas/Via Costeira Project. This project was created to install in Natal, capital of the state, infrastructure equipment on this stretch of coastline consisted of dune fields and many parts of ecosystems which have high natural relevance and fragility that used to present a semi-isolation in the urban city, for the development of tourist activities, which is considered as a viable economic solution capable of setting right serious socioeconomic problems that had persisted there. According to what was said so far, this study aimed to analyze the forms of use and land occupation besides the change of the landscape along the Via Costeira coast in the city of Natal/RN. These changes often take place without considering the complexity and fragility of natural ecosystems involved. The geoenvironmental study was based on the geosystemic theory, thus It was possible to analyze the human interventions in the superficial aspects of landscapes holistically. The practical procedures were contemplated with literature searches, followed by field work where were fulfilled the recognition and general characterization of the area in order to investigate and analyze the main types of land occupation and its use that have taken place there since big buildings began to come out, being supported by the legislation whose laws are about protection and conservation of coastal natural resources. The research also includes the identification and evaluation of the main types of negative impacts caused due to different forms of use that induce environmental and social conflicts nearby this shore. Thus, It was carried out a spatial and multitemporal analysis from orthophotos, aerial photographs and others taken during the field work besides satellite images too. The information which is taken out from these instruments was used to draw maps related to land occupation, spatial impacts and other thematic maps. We worked on a hypothesis that the implementation of mega enterprises on Via Costeira and many different forms of intensified use by human actions, has not considered the natural aspects and restrictions of use in this area, these ones would be the main factors that brought on the suppression and degradation in this environment and consequently the transformation of the natural landscape.

Pre-Columbian ring ditch construction and land use on a “chocolate forest island” in the Bolivian Amazon

We present a palaeoecological investigation of pre-Columbian land use in the savannah “forest island” landscape of north-east Bolivian Amazonia. A 5700 year sediment core from La Luna Lake, located adjacent to the La Luna forest island site, was analysed for fossil pollen and charcoal. We aimed to determine the palaeoenvironmental context of pre-Columbian occupation on the site and assess the environmental impact of land use in the forest island region. Evidence for anthropogenic burning and Zea mays L. cultivation began ~2000 cal a BP, at a time when the island was covered by savannah, under drier-than-present climatic conditions. After ~1240 cal a BP burning declined and afforestation occurred. We show that construction of the ring ditch, which encircles the island, did not involve substantial deforestation. Previous estimates of pre-Columbian population size in this region, based upon labour required for forest clearance, should therefore be reconsidered. Despite the high density of economically useful plants, such as Theobroma cacao, in the modern forest, no direct pollen evidence for agroforestry was found. However, human occupation is shown to pre-date and span forest expansion on this site, suggesting that here, and in the wider forest island region, there is no truly pre-anthropogenic ‘pristine’ forest.

Analysis of land use and occupancy in permanent preservation areas according to the hydrography of Ribeirão Água Fria - Bofete, SP - Brazil

Os conflitos de uso são determinados pelas ocupações inadequadas do solo, como é o caso de ocupação do solo dentro de áreas de preservação permanente. O presente trabalho teve como objetivos determinar as classes de uso do solo e se há conflitos dentro de áreas de preservação permanente ao longo da rede de drenagem da microbacia do Ribeirão Água Fria, município de Bofete (SP). Situa-se geograficamente entre as coordenadas: 48°09'30 a 48°18'30 de longitude WGr., 22°58'30 a 23°04'30 de latitude sul com uma área de 15.242,84 ha. O mapa de uso do solo foi elaborado por meio da interpretação diretamente na tela do computador de imagem digital de satélite. Nos dados orbitais, a área de estudo está inserida no quadrante A, da imagem TM/Landsat-5, órbita 220, ponto 76, passagem de 8/09/2007. O Sistema de Informação Geográfica empregado foi o Cartalinx. As áreas de conflito da microbacia foram obtidas a partir do cruzamento entre os mapas de uso do solo e de APPs. Os resultados permitiram concluir que mais da metade da área (51,09%) está ocupada por pastagens, reflexo de solos arenosos e de baixa fertilidade. Constatou-se, ainda, que apesar de quase metade da microbacia estar coberta com algum tipo de vegetação (48,78% de mata natural/reflorestamento), possui aproximadamente um terço das áreas de preservação permanente utilizadas inadequadamente por pastagens (88,15%), reflorestamento (10,42%) e solo exposto (1,43%), totalizando 343,07 ha de áreas conflitantes em um total de 993,26 ha de APPs.

Environmental diagnosis in areas with different use and occupation using the perception of diverse biological activity

In Brazil, the degradation of soil and landscape by urban and agricultural frontiers expansion leads to the need for comprehensive studies and consider the diverse biological activities generated from different interventions in the landscape, becoming an instrument for assessing the impacts and the decision for its environmental management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different forms of occupation of the landscape, considering ecological elements and their interactions. The work was carried out on the Instituto Agronômico in the county of Jundiai, in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The area under study has been subjected to different use and occupancy for a period of about 40 years. During this period the landscape has been transformed, with the current scenario can be classified as a degraded area mining; grassy area; Araucaria forest and pasture. These areas were evaluated by means of a transect, from which ten sampling sites were selected for the description of diverse biological activities, which included: evaluation and description of ground cover, identifying the presence of fungus and insect species. Furthermore, we evaluated in these points the pH, fertility and porosity of the topsoil (0-0.10 m). The results showed a variation of the elements analyzed and a relationship between the use and occupation of land in the different scenarios of the current landscape. The biological activity was more diverse in the Araucaria forest, reflected by the abundance of litter, higher content of organic matter and soil nutrients, demonstrating the effectiveness of the technique for assessing the level of degradation of the landscape used, which is expeditious and inexpensive.

Geotechnology applied to land use and sealing in urban areas

Through the geotechnology's use, the aim of this study was to characterize the urban occupation interference and occurrence of floods in the upstream area of watershed from the stream Wenzel (Rio Claro-SP/Brazil). Urbanized watersheds are composed of a variety of features and the development of cartographic material allowed the analysis of the evolution of land used for 1958 and 2006 scenarios. The thematic maps were generated using software Spring 4.3.3, wherein it got the separation of matters from vegetation cover and other intra urban features. Procedures of digital processes and classification of surface cover allowed quantifying the occupied area by each coverage type: woody vegetation, grass, grass with bare soil, bare soil, building, asphaltic sheets and exposed soil. Quantification of the different covers' occupied areas allowed relating the parameter Curve Number (Soil Conservation Service) as efficient methodology for runoff values estimative. The results indicate vegetation cover's reduction, intensive surface's sealing and suppression of water bodies. These factors imply changes of hydrological dynamics of the source, increasing flow and transfer of larger volumes of water and flood peaks to downstream sectors. The use of geotechnology allowed analyzing the evolution of urbanization and it permits also to infer about trends for future or inadequate occupancy to hydrological and environmental point of view. © 2013 IEEE.

"Water users must be efficient producers". Women's access to and use of land in Chókwè irrigation scheme, Mozambique

The irrigation scheme Eduardo Mondlane, situated in Chókwè District - in the Southern part of the Gaza province and within the Limpopo River Basin - is the largest in the country, covering approximately 30,000 hectares of land. Built by the Portuguese colonial administration in the 1950s to exploit the agricultural potential of the area through cash-cropping, after Independence it became one of Frelimo’s flagship projects aiming at the “socialization of the countryside” and at agricultural economic development through the creation of a state farm and of several cooperatives. The failure of Frelimo’s economic reforms, several infrastructural constraints and local farmers resistance to collective forms of production led to scheme to a state of severe degradation aggravated by the floods of the year 2000. A project of technical rehabilitation initiated after the floods is currently accompanied by a strong “efficiency” discourse from the managing institution that strongly opposes the use of irrigated land for subsistence agriculture, historically a major livelihood strategy for smallfarmers, particularly for women. In fact, the area has been characterized, since the end of the XIX century, by a stable pattern of male migration towards South African mines, that has resulted in an a steady increase of women-headed households (both de jure and de facto). The relationship between land reform, agricultural development, poverty alleviation and gender equality in Southern Africa is long debated in academic literature. Within this debate, the role of agricultural activities in irrigation schemes is particularly interesting considering that, in a drought-prone area, having access to water for irrigation means increased possibilities of improving food and livelihood security, and income levels. In the case of Chókwè, local governments institutions are endorsing the development of commercial agriculture through initiatives such as partnerships with international cooperation agencies or joint-ventures with private investors. While these business models can sometimes lead to positive outcomes in terms of poverty alleviation, it is important to recognize that decentralization and neoliberal reforms occur in the context of financial and political crisis of the State that lacks the resources to efficiently manage infrastructures such as irrigation systems. This kind of institutional and economic reforms risk accelerating processes of social and economic marginalisation, including landlessness, in particular for poor rural women that mainly use irrigated land for subsistence production. The study combines an analysis of the historical and geographical context with the study of relevant literature and original fieldwork. Fieldwork was conducted between February and June 2007 (where I mainly collected secondary data, maps and statistics and conducted preliminary visit to Chókwè) and from October 2007 to March 2008. Fieldwork methodology was qualitative and used semi-structured interviews with central and local Government officials, technical experts of the irrigation scheme, civil society organisations, international NGOs, rural extensionists, and water users from the irrigation scheme, in particular those women smallfarmers members of local farmers’ associations. Thanks to the collaboration with the Union of Farmers’ Associations of Chókwè, she has been able to participate to members’ meeting, to education and training activities addressed to women farmers members of the Union and to organize a group discussion. In Chókwè irrigation scheme, women account for the 32% of water users of the familiar sector (comprising plot-holders with less than 5 hectares of land) and for just 5% of the private sector. If one considers farmers’ associations of the familiar sector (a legacy of Frelimo’s cooperatives), women are 84% of total members. However, the security given to them by the land title that they have acquired through occupation is severely endangered by the use that they make of land, that is considered as “non efficient” by the irrigation scheme authority. Due to a reduced access to marketing possibilities and to inputs, training, information and credit women, in actual fact, risk to see their right to access land and water revoked because they are not able to sustain the increasing cost of the water fee. The myth of the “efficient producer” does not take into consideration the characteristics of inequality and gender discrimination of the neo-liberal market. Expecting small-farmers, and in particular women, to be able to compete in the globalized agricultural market seems unrealistic, and can perpetuate unequal gendered access to resources such as land and water.

The Australian agriculturist and guide for land occupation ... with directions for field and garden work, from January to December /

"New Issue."

The role of land use and psycho-social factors in high density residents' work travel mode choices : implications for sustainable transport policy

Imperatives to improve the sustainability of cities often hinge upon plans to increase urban residential density to facilitate greater reliance on sustainable forms of transport and minimise car use. However there is ongoing debate about whether high residential density land use in isolation results in sustainable transport outcomes. Findings from surveys with residents of inner-urban high density dwellings in Brisbane, Australia, suggest that solo car travel accounts for the greatest modal share of typical work journeys and attitudes toward dwelling and neighbourhood transport-related features, residential sorting factors and socio-demographics, alongside land use such as public transport availability, are significantly associated with work travel mode choice. We discuss the implications of our findings for transport policy and management including encouraging relatively sustainable intermodal forms of transport for work journeys.

A decision support system for sustainable urban development : the integrated land use and transportation indexing model

The broad definition of sustainable development at the early stage of its introduction has caused confusion and hesitation among local authorities and planning professionals. The main difficulties are experience in employing loosely-defined principles of sustainable development in setting policies and goals. The question of how this theory/rhetoric-practice gap could be filled will be the theme of this study. One of the widely employed sustainability accounting approaches by governmental organisations, triple bottom line, and applicability of this approach to sustainable urban development policies will be examined. When incorporating triple bottom line considerations with the environmental impact assessment techniques, the framework of GIS-based decision support system that helps decision-makers in selecting policy option according to the economic, environmental and social impacts will be introduced. In order to embrace sustainable urban development policy considerations, the relationship between urban form, travel pattern and socio-economic attributes should be clarified. This clarification associated with other input decision support systems will picture the holistic state of the urban settings in terms of sustainability. In this study, grid-based indexing methodology will be employed to visualise the degree of compatibility of selected scenarios with the designated sustainable urban future. In addition, this tool will provide valuable knowledge about the spatial dimension of the sustainable development. It will also give fine details about the possible impacts of urban development proposals by employing disaggregated spatial data analysis (e.g. land-use, transportation, urban services, population density, pollution, etc.). The visualisation capacity of this tool will help decision makers and other stakeholders compare and select alternative of future urban developments.

The land use and public transport accessibility index : phase two final report

The Urban Research Program (URP) was established in 2003 as strategic research and community engagement initiative of Griffith University. The strategic foci of the Urban Research Program are research and advocacy in an urban regional context. The Urban Research Program seeks to improve understanding of, and develop innovative responses to Australia's urban challenges and opportunities by providing training assistance. The authors aim to make the results of their research and advocacy work available as freely and widely as possible.

A decision support system for sustainable urban development : the integrated land use and transportation indexing model

Broad, early definitions of sustainable development have caused confusion and hesitation among local authorities and planning professionals. This confusion has arisen because loosely defined principles of sustainable development have been employed when setting policies and planning projects, and when gauging the efficiencies of these policies in the light of designated sustainability goals. The question of how this theory-rhetoric-practice gap can be filled is the main focus of this chapter. It examines the triple bottom line approach–one of the sustainability accounting approaches widely employed by governmental organisations–and the applicability of this approach to sustainable urban development. The chapter introduces the ‘Integrated Land Use and Transportation Indexing Model’ that incorporates triple bottom line considerations with environmental impact assessment techniques via a geographic, information systems-based decision support system. This model helps decision-makers in selecting policy options according to their economic, environmental and social impacts. Its main purpose is to provide valuable knowledge about the spatial dimensions of sustainable development, and to provide fine detail outputs on the possible impacts of urban development proposals on sustainability levels. In order to embrace sustainable urban development policy considerations, the model is sensitive to the relationship between urban form, travel patterns and socio-economic attributes. Finally, the model is useful in picturing the holistic state of urban settings in terms of their sustainability levels, and in assessing the degree of compatibility of selected scenarios with the desired sustainable urban future.