Calibration Strategies Designed For Long Term Sediment Transport Modelling

The presented work deals with the calibration of a 2D numerical model for the simulation of long term bed load transport. A settled basin along an alpine stream was used as a case study. The focus is to parameterise the used multi fractional transport model such that a dynamically balanced behavior regarding erosion and deposition is reached. The used 2D hydrodynamic model utilizes a multi-fraction multi-layer approach to simulate morphological changes and bed load transport. The mass balancing is performed between three layers: a top mixing layer, an intermediate subsurface layer and a bottom layer. Using this approach bears computational limitations in calibration. Due to the high computational demands, the type of calibration strategy is not only crucial for the result, but as well for the time required for calibration. Brute force methods such as Monte Carlo type methods may require a too large number of model runs. All here tested calibration strategies used multiple model runs utilising the parameterization and/or results from previous run. One concept was to reset to initial bed elevations after each run, allowing the resorting process to convert to stable conditions. As an alternative or in combination, the roughness was adapted, based on resulting nodal grading curves, from the previous run. Since the adaptations are a spatial process, the whole model domain is subdivided in homogeneous sections regarding hydraulics and morphological behaviour. For a faster optimization, the adaptation of the parameters is made section wise. Additionally, a systematic variation was done, considering results from previous runs and the interaction between sections. The used approach can be considered as similar to evolutionary type calibration approaches, but using analytical links instead of random parameter changes.

A Study On The Flow Characteristics Influenced By Hydraulic Structure At A Channel Junction

Natural riversare consisting of various networks as junction andstreams. And sediment and erosion are occurred by specific stream condition. When flood season,large discharge flew in the river and river bed changed by high flow velocity. Especially junction area’s flow characteristics are very complex. The purpose of this study is to analyze the flow characteristics in channel junction, which are most influenced by large discharge like flooding and input water from tributary. We investigate the flow characteristics by using hydrodynamics and transport module in MIKE 3 FM. MIKE 3 FM model was helpful tool to analysis 3D hydrodynamics, erosion and sediment effect from channel bed. We analyze flow characteristics at channel junction. Also we consider hydraulic structures like a bridge pier which is influencing flow characteristics like a flow velocity, water level, erosion and scour depth in channel bed. In the model, we controlled discharge condition according to Froude Number and reflect various grain diameter size and flow ratio change in main stream and tributary. In the result, flow velocity, water level, erosion and sediment depth are analyzed. Additionally, we suggest a these result relationship with equations. This study will help the understand flow characteristics and influence of hydraulic structure in channel junction. Acknowledgments This research was supported by a grant (12-TI-C01) from Advanced Water Management Research Program funded by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Korean government.

Paisagem, um patrimônio esquecido: subsídios para a construção de uma metodologia de valoração e proteção do cenário natural litorâneo

The so-called "residential tourism" came to intensify the previous occupation of the coastal zones, characterized by traditional beach houses, and brought significant consequences for their spatial configuration, and especially for its scenic value of the landscape. Although there is the intention to regulate the activities of enterprising groups by some legal instruments to control the use and occupation of land, and to contain some negative effects, the actions of government are still inefficient in trying to follow the implications on the landscape from the accelerated growth of the real estate and touristic sectors. Supported in the speech of economic development and income generation, public managers prioritize areas to attract tourists to the detriment of preserving important physical attributes of the natural environment that contribute significantly to the quality of life. The result can be noticed in the use of natural elements as one of the major components in the land valorization, and in the immediate attraction of investors and enterprising. Therefore, the objective of this work is to contribute to the debate on the landscape preservation a little detailed thematic in view of their relevance in the current context - by indicating subsidies to the creation of a methodology for the evaluation and protection of coastal zones that may assist the government in creating new instruments, and better prepare it in control of the occupation of these areas. For such, was followed two ways to analysis: the indirect method and the direct method. The first is grounded in the evaluation of landscape attributes, which is based on the work of Raquel Tardin (2008) and Eduardo Cuesta, Encarnación Algarra and Isabel Pastor (2001). The second, based on the research of Leticia and Carlos Hardt (2010) and on the concepts of phenomenology - expressed by Antonio Christofoletti (1985) and Yi-Fu Tuan (1983) - considers the population perspective on the quality of the natural scenery. Developed through cartographic materials, photographic collections and quantitative tables, this dissertation utilized as a case study the beaches of Barra de Tabatinga and Camurupim, located in the city of Nísia Floresta/RN. Despite already being sighted spaces of advanced stage of landscape degradation in these locations, areas of remarkable scenic value can still be found, what reinforce the urgency in adopting preservationists actions. The absence of laws focused on the management and protection of the landscape singularities associated with the inefficiency of the government to invigilate the land occupation in coastal zones, encourage the excessive action of the real estate-tourism, and consequently make the government the main responsible for the environmental and landscape impacts in these areas - by its omission or by their connivance. Therefore, the legislation permeates this entire process and constitutes itself as the most effective way to guarantee the right to the landscape to present and future generations. Are also pointed some important considerations to build a methodology, especially concerning possibilities of improvements and adaptations of its applicability in each case

Caracterização ambiental de bancos areno-lamosos nos campos petrolíferos de Macau e Serra (RN), como subsídio às medidas mitigadoras ao processo erosivo

On Rio Grande do Norte northern coast the process of sediment transport are intensely controlled by wind and sea (waves and currents) action, causing erosion and shoreline morphological instability. Due to the importance of such coastal zone it was realized the multi-spectral mapping and physical-chemical characterization of mudflats and mangroves aiming to support the mitigating actions related to the containment of the erosive process on the oil fields of Macau and Serra installed at the study area. The multi-spectral bands of 2000 and 2008 LANDSAT 5 TM images were submitted on the several digital processing steps and RGB color compositions integrating spectral bands and Principal Components. Such processing methodology was important to the mapping of different units on surface, together with field works. It was possible to make an analogy of the spectral characteristics of wetlands with vegetations areas (mangrove), showing the possibility to make a restoration of this area, contributing with the environmental monitoring of that ecosystem. The maps of several units were integrated in GIS environment at 1:60,000 scale, including the classification of features according to the presence or absence of vegetation cover. Thus, the strategy of methodology established that there are 10.13 km2 at least of sandy-muddy and of these approximately 0.89 km2 with the possibility to be used in a reforestation of typical flora of mangrove. The physical-chemical characterization showed areas with potential to introduce local species of mangrove and they had a pH above neutral with a mean of 8.4. The characteristic particle size is sand in the fine fractions, the high levels of carbonate, organic matter and major and trace element in general are concentrated where the sediment had the less particles size, showing the high correlation that those elements have with smaller particles of sediment. The application of that methodological strategy is relevant to the better understanding of features behavior and physical-chemical data of sediment samples collected on field allow the analysis of efficiency/capability of sandy-muddy to reforestation with local mangrove species for mitigation of the erosive action and coastal processes on the areas occupied by the oil industry

Alteração da qualidade do solo em zona ripária sob diferentes usos: potencial de poluição para um manancial tropical

The demographic growth press environments that are more susceptible to perturbations, like riparian areas, without knowing about the effects of replacing these natural environments by different land uses on soil quality and, consequently, on watershed. The study of soil quality has evolved as an important tool for soil sustainable management of this component of the biosphere that affects aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems functions. Thus, physical and chemical soil proprieties were measured to assess soil quality under different land uses (agricultural, pasture, urban, industrial and natural vegetation,) in the riparian zone of Extremoz Lake, an important human water source, evaluating whether the soil offers potential risk to water pollution. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results showed negative changes in soil quality such as alkalinization and increase in P, Pb, Mn and Zn contents in most anthropized areas. The sandy texture and low organic matter content in all soils showed the fragility of the soil to erosion and leaching of elements in excess to water bodies, evidencing that this soils has potential to diffuse contaminants. Conservative management of soil is necessary to provide an adequate ecological state in riparian zones of the Extremoz Lake, thus allowing controlling and buffering diffuse sources of pollution to this important water supply source

Sequências de culturas em sistema de semeadura direta: I - produção de matéria seca e acúmulo de nutrientes

Em sistema de semeadura direta, os resíduos das culturas de entressafra são utilizados com as finalidades de proteger a superfície do solo dos agentes erosivos e de promover a ciclagem de nutrientes. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a produção de matéria seca e o acúmulo de nutrientes nos resíduos vegetais provenientes de diferentes sequências de culturas em semeadura direta. O experimento foi conduzido em Jaboticabal-SP (48° 18' W e 21° 15' S), em um Latossolo Vermelho eutrófico. O delineamento experimental foi em faixas, com três repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos pela combinação de três sequências de culturas de verão (rotação soja-milho e monoculturas de milho e de soja) com sete culturas de entressafra (milho, sorgo, girassol, crotalária, guandu, nabo forrageiro e milheto). O experimento iniciou-se em 2002, e o presente estudo refere-se aos anos agrícolas 2007/2008 e 2008/2009. Avaliaram-se as quantidades de matéria seca e o acúmulo de nutrientes pelas culturas. As culturas com colheita de grãos na entressafra (milho, sorgo e girassol) produziram resíduos com menor quantidade de nutrientes acumulados e em menor quantidade de matéria seca, quando comparadas às culturas com trituração no florescimento (crotalária, guandu, nabo forrageiro e milheto). Milheto e crotalária apresentaram as maiores produções de matéria seca e os maiores acúmulos de nutrientes. O milheto mostrou os maiores acúmulos de K e Mg, e a crotalária, maiores acúmulos de N e P. As gramíneas cultivadas na entressafra apresentaram maior desenvolvimento quando em sucessão ao cultivo de soja no verão anterior, com maior produção de matéria seca de milheto e, também, maior produtividade de grãos de milho e sorgo.

Avaliação de espécies forrageiras como plantas de cobertura sobre os componentes de produção do milho cultivado no sistema plantio direto

The Grass, have high relation for C/N and a fascicule root system, is an alternative for use in the system of tillage (SPD) in northeastern Brazil. This work had the objective to assess the effects of three plants and grass cover on the components of production of the corn crop in no-tillage system and accumulation of biomass of their grass. The design was randomized blocks with four replications, with each plot area of 112 m2 (5,6 x 20,0m). The treatments consisted of the corn cultivation, DKB-333-B, about three grass species (Brachiaria decumbens, Brachiaria humidicola and Tifton in the system of tillage and a witness, without vegetation. The B. decumbens provided higher income to the corn crop, producing 5708 kg ha-1, didn't differ of the witness. The use of grass as cover plants are a viable alternative to the SPD of the corn crop, adding value by producing two crops (corn and grass), and protect the soil against erosion and produce forage for ruminants during the between-season.

Eletrofiação e caracterização de membranas biopoliméricas a base de quitosana extraídas dos exoesqueletos de crustáceos

Chitin and chitosan are nontoxic, biodegradable and biocompatible polymers produced by renewable natural sources with applications in diverse areas such as: agriculture, textile, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and biomaterials, such as gels, films and other polymeric membranes. Both have attracted greater interest of scientists and researchers as functional polymeric materials. In this context, the objective of this study was to take advantage of the waste of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei and Aristeus antennatus) and crabs (Ucides cordatus) from fairs, beach huts and restaurant in Natal/RN for the extraction of chitin and chitosan for the production of membranes by electrospinning process. The extraction was made through demineralization, deproteinization, deodorization and deacetylation. Morphological analyzes (SEM and XRD), Thermal analysis (TG and DTG), Spectroscopy in the Region of the Infrared with Transformed of Fourier (FTIR) analysis Calorimetry Differential Scanning (DSC) and mechanical tests for traction were performed. In (XRD) the semicrystalline structure of chitosan can be verified while the chitin had higher crystallinity. In the thermal analysis showed a dehydration process followed by decomposition, with similar behavior of carbonized material. Chitosan showed temperature of maximum degradation lower than chitin. In the analysis by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) the curves were coherent to the thermal events of the chitosan membranes. The results obtained with (DD) for chitosan extracted from Litopenaeus vannamei and Aristeus antennatus shrimp were (80.36 and 71.00%) and Ucides cordatus crabs was 74.65%. It can be observed that, with 70:30 solutions (v/v) (TFA/DCM), 60 and 90% CH3COOH, occurred better facilitate the formation of membranes, while 100:00 (v/v) (TFA/DCM) had formation of agglomerates. In relation to the monofilaments diameters of the chitosan membranes, it was noted that the capillary-collector distance of 10 cm and tensions of 25 and 30 kV contributed to the reduction of the diameters of membranes. It was found that the Young s modulus decreases with increasing concentration of chitosan in the membranes. 90% CH3COOH contributed to the increase in the deformation resulting in more flexible material. The membranes with 5% chitosan 70:30 (v/v) (TFA/DCM) had higher tensile strength

Mercadores de sentidos: a comunicação de vendedores ambulantes com estrangeiros por meio da intercompreensão multilíngue

This paper aims, starting with the studies of languages in contact and communicative competence, to locate and describe the interlanguage, a linguistic phenomenon observed in the interaction between beach sellers and foreign tourists. We seek to discover whether those interacting use some kind of pidgin, or some code as a lingua franca. We also seek to identify the manner in which the features of communicative competence are presented by analyzing the various competences that composes it - linguistic, sociolinguistic, pragmatic and psycholinguistic. The analysis of speech acts, the maxims and conversational implicatures given in the corpus were important to verify whether those interacting were successful in their attempt at multilingual intercomprehension.

Modelagem do clima de ondas e seus efeitos sobre as feições morfológicas costeiras no litoral setentrional do Rio Grande do Norte

This thesis presents the results of application of SWAN Simulating WAves Nearshore numerical model, OF third generation, which simulates the propagation and dissipation of energy from sea waves, on the north continental shelf at Rio Grande do Norte, to determine the wave climate, calibrate and validate the model, and assess their potential and limitations for the region of interest. After validation of the wave climate, the results were integrated with information from the submarine relief, and plant morphology of beaches and barrier islands systems. On the second phase, the objective was to analyze the evolution of the wave and its interaction with the shallow seabed, from three transverse profiles orientation from N to S, distributed according to the parallel longitudinal, X = 774000-W, 783000-W e 800000-W. Subsequently, it was were extracted the values of directional waves and winds through all the months between november 2010 to november 2012, to analyze the impact of these forces on the movement area, and then understand the behavior of the morphological variations according to temporal year variability. Based on the results of modeling and its integration with correlated data, and planimetric variations of Soledade and Minhoto beach systems and Ponta do Tubarão and Barra do Fernandes barrier islands systems, it was obtained the following conclusions: SWAN could reproduce and determine the wave climate on the north continental shelf at RN, the results show a similar trend for the measurements of temporal variations of significant height (HS, m) and the mean wave period (Tmed, s); however, the results of parametric statistics were low for the estimates of the maximum values in most of the analyzed periods compared data of PT 1 and PT 2 (measurement points), with alternation of significant wave heights, at times overrated with occasional overlap of swell episodes. By analyzing the spatial distribution of the wave climate and its interaction with the underwater compartmentalization, it was concluded that there is interaction of wave propagation with the seafloor, showing change in significant heights whenever it interacts with the seafloor features (beachrocks, symmetric and asymmetric longitudinal dunes, paleochannel, among others) in the regions of outer, middle and inner shelf. And finally, it is concluded that the study of the stability areas allows identifications of the most unstable regions, confirming that the greatest range of variation indicates greater instability and consequent sensitivity to hydrodynamic processes operating in the coastal region, with positive or negative variation, especially at Ponta do Tubarão and Barra do Fernandes barrier islands systems, where they are more susceptible to waves impacts, as evidenced in retreat of the shoreline

Mapeamento de stakeholders nas áreas conexas de turismo e meio ambiente: um estudo em João Pessoa/PB

The present study aims to understand the perception in a manager perspective of the relationship between the stakeholders of tourism and environmental management in João Pessoa (PB). It is a qualitative, transversal, descriptive and exploratory research, held with keys stakeholders of tourism and environment in the capital of Paraíba. The data were collected through structured interviews and the analysis of the minutes of the municipal council of tourism, called COMTUR/ JP. The data research allowed us to affirm that the environmental stakeholders have a higher academic background than those of tourism, on the other hand the tourism stakeholders‟ have longer experience time than the environmental stakeholders‟. In general, the use of environmental resources for tourism is noticed as positively by the tourism stakeholders‟ and as intermediate for the environmental stakeholders‟, the tourism development is consider to be a non predatory active in João Pessoa, but it is very concentrate in the coastal area, the remnants of Atlantic Forest or protected areas are not used for tourism. The main environmental impacts cause by tourism according to the stakeholders interviewed (tourism and environment) were the environmental degradation of reef, beach pollution and the construction of tourism facilities in areas that should be protected, however, there was a stakeholder who believes that the tourism development in Paraíba is so nascent that it is unable to impact the environment. The performance of SETDE, PBTUR and SUDEMA was consider inconsistent by some of the interviewed stakeholders‟. The NGO representatives believe that the most important thing is a paradigm shift from the entrepreneurs and the local population. Despite the apparently close relationship between tourism and environment management in João Pessoa (PB), some actions of tourism agencies and the state government has left some unhappy important environmental stakeholders indicating that the relationship between tourism and environment in the city is becoming tenser each year

Análise de terrenos na porção setentrional da Província Borborema, NE do Brasil: integração de dados geológicos e gravimétricos

It is presently assumed that the Borborema Province resulted from a complex collisional process associated with the convergent movement of plates, possibly involving amalgamation and accretion of microplates. This process was consolidated at the end of the Brasiliano event. It is investigated the possible limits for the tectonostratigraphic terranes in the northern portion of the province based on an integrated study of geological and gravity data. The study area comprises the portion of the Borborema Province located north of the Patos Lineament, limited by longitudes 33º00 W and 43º29 44"W and latitudes 1º36 S and 8º00 S. A revision of the regional geology allowed to identify areas presenting contrasting geological attributes, possibly representing different terranes whose limits are always shear zones of Brasiliano-age. The Sobral-Pedro II shear zone is the only one undoubtedly presenting geological attributes of sutures zones. The other shear zones are very likely associated with a geodinymic context of accretion, involving oblique collisions (docking), transcurrent and/or transforming sutures, and deep intracrustal shear zones. The gravity data contributed as a tool to identify strong lateral contrasts of density inside the upper crust possibly associated with crustal blocks tectonically juxtaposed. The dominant long wavelength anomaly in the Bouguer anomaly map is an expressive gradient, grossly parallel to the continental margin, caused by density variation across the crust-mantle interface in the transition from the continental crust to the oceanic crust originated by the separation between South America and Africa. Medium to small wavelength anomalies are due to intracrustal heterogeneities such as different Precambrian crustal blocks, Brasiliano-age granites and Mesozoic sedimentary basins. A regional-residual separation of the Bouguer anomaly map was performed in order to enhance in the residual map the effect due to intracrustal heterogeneities. The methodology used for this separation was a robust polinomial fitting. The inversion of residual gravity field resulted in a density contrast map (Δρ), in an equivalent layer that provided more accurated anomalies contours and consolidated the model which the sources of residual anomalies are located in the upper part of the present crust. Based on the coincidence of gravity lineaments in the residual map and Brasiliano shear zones, and using additional geological information, the following shear zones are proposed as limits between terranes: Patos shear zone, Sobral-Pedro II shear zone, Picuí-João Câmara shear zone, Remígio-Pocinhos shear zone, Senador Pompeu shear zone, Tauá shear zone, and Portalegre shear zone. Based on the geological/geophysical information it is attributed a higher level of confidence to the first three proposed limits(Patos, Sobral Pedro II, and Picuí-João Câmara shear zones). From west to east, these shear zones individualize the following terranes: Northwest of Ceará terrane, Central Ceará terrane, Tauá terrane, Orós-Jaguaribe terrane, Seridó terrane, and São José de Campestre terrane. In our study, the Rio Piranhas and Patos terranes are questioned because their previously proposed limits do not present good geological and gravimetric evidences. On the other hand, the previously proposed Cearense terrane is now subdivided into Central Ceará and Tauá terranes. Two residual gravity profiles located in the Seridó belt were interpreted using 2 ½ D direct gravity modeling. The main result of the modeling process is that all anomalies, with the exception of one, can be explained by outcroppring bodies, therefore restricted to the upper part of the present crust

Desenvolvimento de um sistema computacional para geração automática de mapas de vulnerabilidade como ferramenta de auxílio às ações de prevenção ao derramamento de óleo em áreas costeiras

The northern portion of the Rio Grande do Norte State is characterized by intense coastal dynamics affecting areas with ecosystems of moderate to high environmental sensitivity. In this region are installed the main socioeconomic activities of RN State: salt industry, shrimp farm, fruit industry and oil industry. The oil industry suffers the effects of coastal dynamic action promoting problems such as erosion and exposure of wells and pipelines along the shore. Thus came the improvement of such modifications, in search of understanding of the changes which causes environmental impacts with the purpose of detecting and assessing areas with greater vulnerability to variations. Coastal areas under influence oil industry are highly vulnerable and sensitive in case of accidents involving oil spill in the vicinity. Therefore, it was established the geoenvironmental monitoring of the region with the aim of evaluating the entire coastal area evolution and check the sensitivity of the site on the presence of oil. The goal of this work was the implementation of a computer system that combines the needs of insertion and visualization of thematic maps for the generation of Environmental Vulnerability maps, using techniques of Business Intelligence (BI), from vector information previously stored in the database. The fundamental design interest was to implement a more scalable system that meets the diverse fields of study and make the appropriate system for generating online vulnerability maps, automating the methodology so as to facilitate data manipulation and fast results in cases of real time operational decision-making. In database development a geographic area was established the conceptual model of the selected data and Web system was done using the template database PostgreSQL, PostGis spatial extension, Glassfish Web server and the viewer maps Web environment, the GeoServer. To develop a geographic database it was necessary to generate the conceptual model of the selected data and the Web system development was done using the PostgreSQL database system, its spatial extension PostGIS, the web server Glassfish and GeoServer to display maps in Web

Inferência geográfica para delimitação de corredores ecológicos: um estudo de caso para a Mata Atlântica do município de Tibau do Sul/RN

The Atlantic Forest biome occupies much of the Atlantic coast of Brazil, in addition to portions of Paraguay and Argentina. Due mainly to its biodiversity which falls in the group of global hotspots, i.e., areas that have high priority for conservation. Although currently there are some available devices that assist in their protection in the course of the history of occupation and exploitation of the Brazilian territory, this biome has gone, and is still going through, an intense process of devastation, caused mainly by the pressure from economic activities, culminating in a significant reduction of its area and consequent fragmentation of the landscape, which brings with hosts a series of problems at various scales and aspects. As in most municipalities included in the reach area of the biome, the situation of forest fragmentation in Tibau do Sul / RN is quite critical, reflecting on a truly diverse landscape with broad typology of land uses. Among the alternatives aimed at the conservation of this biome include the creation of protected areas and the creation of ecological corridors, the latter being more efficient by connecting the remaining forests, increasing landscape connectivity, providing significant gains in relation to biodiversity. However, a major problem on implementation of Ecological Corridors projects is related to the selection of areas for this purpose, in this sense Geography can provide important contributions through the integrated study of landscape in the light of the geosystemic approach and the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) in order to permit assessment of reality having as a base the integration of ecological, biological and man-made aspects. Thus, this research aims to indicate potential areas and propose scenarios delimitation of Ecological Corridors in the municipality of Tibau do Sul / RN through Geographic Inference techniques in GIS platform. Therefore, the methodology adopted is based on the Geosystemic approach. From these elements were created 4 models to indicate potential areas for implementation of Ecological Corridors from the environmental perspective (potential erosion), socioeconomic (cover and land prices), legislative (areas protected by environmental legislation) and integrated (combination of environmental factors, socioeconomic and legislative), which in turn served as a basis for proposing scenarios aimed at this purpose. The results showed that all models can be quite useful in indicating potential areas for the establishment of ecological corridors, especially when based on an integrated approach between environmental and anthropogenic. The Corridors delimitation proposes shown may perform duties beyond the establishment of connectivity between fragments, since they also may have usefulness in controlling erosion and protecting fragile environments. Among the models developed, the integrated constituted itself as the best option because it enabled the interconnection of a larger number of fragments from a better use of the potentialities present in the landscape

Fragilidade ambiental da bacia hidrográfica do Rio Punaú (RN) e área litorânea adjacente

Hydrographic basins always exercised a big fascination over humankind that attracted for its scenery beauty or for its richness in natural resources, had been acting in order to modify these important ecosystems without, therefore, considering the possible consequences of these changes. The attributed importance to the coast ecosystems, in eminence to the hydrographic basin of Punaú river and adjacent areas, is had when it s verified the diversity of the ecosystems that contemplate it. Hydrographic basin in evidence in Rio Grande do Norte state, occupies an area of nearly 652.71 km², being it sited in the homogeneous micro-region Litoral Nordeste, with a regional population estimated in nearly 75,188 inhabitants, according to the Anuário Estatístico do Rio Grande do Norte 2004. The region of the researched basin is formed by seven municipal districts related as it follows: Maxaranguape, Pedra Grande, Pureza, Rio do Fogo, São Miguel de Touros, Taipu and Touros, but Maxaranguape, Rio do Fogo, Touros and Pureza have a direct participation in the basin. Basin in study have it lands evaluated according to the agriculturist aptitude by the conventionally methodology practiced in the country, having as objective, then, a compara-tive analysis between the ambient unities, Aeolian littoral and coast tray, identified in the researched area. From the characterization of the physic way of the area in study and owning the kept data, it was proceeded the integrated analysis of the structural elements of the landscape which were evidenced that the fragile areas are associated with the areas of agriculture cultivation, such as the ones of irregular occupation. About the degradation, the ambient diagnostic of the basin indicated that the equivalent to the Aeolian Littoral Ambient Unit correspond to the bigger pledging of the ambient quality, in other words, high ambient fragility, being this result due to the use and occupation of the soil, propitiating this way, vulnerability in the vegetal cover of the area, despite it disposes of a low agriculture cultivation percentage. Already in the Coast Ambient Tray, is emphasized the medium ambient fragility, despite of the high index of cultivated area. In a general way, the total area of the hydrographic basin of Punaú river and adjacent areas presented ambient impacts over the tolerance limit, indicating the necessity of a review of the practices of use and handling of the soil, reforesting of the water courses edges, control of erosion and contamination of the aqueous in the perspective to reduce the effects of the impacts due to the use and occupation of the basin in regard. The present search evaluated the ambient impacts diagnosised in the hydrographic basin of Punaú river and adjacent areas, pointing the causes and the probable consequences of the damages caused by these impacts to the basin ambient. From the analysis of these data, if was possible to become explicit how they are fundamental as key elements in the process of decision taking in the ambient questions