Reflete sobre a questão da imagem na ciência, pensando em como práticas visuais participam da construção de saberes e territórios. A crescente centralidade do visual em práticas científicas contemporâneas evidencia a necessidade de reflexão para além da imagem. O objeto da discussão se constituirá de imagens científicas usadas no monitoramento e na visualização do território. O artigo trata das relações entre a visualidade e os pesquisadores que a constroem; as infraestruturas dessa construção; e as instituições e políticas de monitoramento do território. Argumenta-se que tais imagens-relações, mais que visualizar, ajudam a constituir o território de formas específicas. Explorar esse processo possibilita uma compreensão mais complexa das formas pelas quais a ciência e a tecnologia ajudam a construir realidades.

Land use and land cover change (LUCC) affects regional climate through modifications in the water balance and energy budget. These impacts are frequently expressed by: changes in the amount and frequency of precipitation and alteration of surface temperatures. In South America, most of the studies of the effects of LUCC on the local and regional climate have focused on the Amazon region (54 studies), whereas LUCC within non-Amazonian regions have been largely undermined regardless their potential importance in regulating the regional climate (19 studies). We estimated that 3.6 million km2 of the original natural vegetation cover in non-Amazonian South America were converted into other types of land use, which is about 4 times greater than the historical Amazon deforestation. Moreover, there is evidence showing that LUCC within such fairly neglected ecosystems cause significant reductions in precipitation and increases in surface temperatures, with occasional impacts affecting neighboring or remote areas. We explore the implications of these findings in the context of water security, climatic extremes and future research priorities.

The use of Urban Solid Waste (USW) as sources of energy has acquired rising importance in current discussions of alternative energy supplies, in particular in Brazil. This paper brings to these discussions an examination of the concept of solid wastes, including their historic origins and formation, taking their social, economic and cultural characteristics into account, including point view of waste production liturgy. Consequently, a spendthrift society slanted towards the decreasing marginal utility of assets must make efficient use of its USW in order to reduce excessive output. Besides that, this document presents the Brazilian potential of urban solid waste to produce electric power.

A REGIÃO Metropolitana de São Paulo tem passado por uma séria crise hídrica. A ameaça de racionamento despertou o interesse da sociedade em compreender como se chegou a essa situação e, principalmente, quais são as possíveis soluções para superar esse problema. Entre os diversos fatores que levaram à crise hídrica, este artigo analisa a perda da cobertura vegetal do entorno da região da Cantareira e sugere uma estratégia de médio prazo para a revegetação destas áreas e para a reativação das nascentes ali localizadas.

The aim of this study is to characterize rainfall patterns in a vast transition zone between the Amazon and the Cerrado Biomes. The analysis is focused on annual and seasonal tendencies, mainly about the onset and offset of the rainy season, its length and shifts. More than 200 Rain Gauges (RGs) were analyzed in the study area using Pettitt’s and Mann-Kendall’s non-parametric tests allied to a Linear Regression Analysis over the period 1971–2010. The onset and offset dates of the rainy season and its duration are also identified for 89 RGs. Pettitt’s test indicates ruptures in 16 % of the rainfall time series while Mann-Kendall’s monthly test indicates that 45 % of the RGs had negative trends, mainly in the transition seasons (spring and austral autumn). Linear Regression Analysis indicates negative trends in 63 % of the time series concomitant to the rainy season onset and offset analysis, which confirmes a delay for the onset of the rainy season in 76 % of the RGs and a premature demise for 84 % of the RGs. Identification of the tendencies for rainy season duration indicates that the rainy season has become shorter at 88 % of the RGs. There were recurring patterns in the results displaying drier conditions in RGs localized in deforested areas opposed to forested locations.

The aim of this study is to characterize rainfall patterns in a vast transition zone
between the Amazon and the Cerrado Biomes. The analysis is focused on annual and seasonal
tendencies, mainly about the onset and offset of the rainy season, its length and shifts. More
than 200 Rain Gauges (RGs) were analyzed in the study area using Pettitt’s and MannKendall’s
non-parametric tests allied to a Linear Regression Analysis over the period 1971–
2010. The onset and offset dates of the rainy season and its duration are also identified for 89
RGs. Pettitt’s test indicates ruptures in 16 % of the rainfall time series while Mann-Kendall’s
monthly test indicates that 45 % of the RGs had negative trends, mainly in the transition seasons
(spring and austral autumn). Linear Regression Analysis indicates negative trends in 63 % of
the time series concomitant to the rainy season onset and offset analysis, which confirmes a
delay for the onset of the rainy season in 76 % of the RGs and a premature demise for 84 % of
the RGs. Identification of the tendencies for rainy season duration indicates that the rainy season
has become shorter at 88 % of the RGs. There were recurring patterns in the results displaying
drier conditions in RGs localized in deforested areas opposed to forested locations.

Oilseed-derived biochar, a by-product of pyrolysis for biodiesel production, is richer in aliphatic compounds than the commonly studied wood-derived biochar, affecting both its mineralization in soil and its interaction with native soil organic carbon (nSOC). Here, we investigated the soil C sequestration potential of three different oilseed biochars derived from C₃ plant material: soyabean, castor bean and jatropha cake. The chemical composition of these biochars was determined by elemental analysis (CHN) and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The cumulative CO₂ efflux from 30-day laboratory incubations of biochar mixed with a sandy soil containing nSOC from C₄ plants was measured as a proxy for mineralization rate. The relative contribution of each source to CO₂production was calculated based on the ¹³C-signatures of total CO₂ efflux and the source materials (soil and biochars). Our results showed that: (i) castor bean biochar contained relatively large amounts of aliphatic compounds, resulting in a greater mineralization rate than soyabean and jatropha biochars; (ii) CO₂ efflux from the soil-biochar mixtures originated mostly from the biochars, suggesting that these biochars contain rapidly decomposable compounds; and (iii) all three oilseed biochars decelerated nSOC mineralization. This negative priming effect appeared to be caused by different factors. We conclude that oilseed biochars have the potential to increase soil C stocks directly and increase soil C sequestration indirectly in the short term through negative priming of nSOC mineralization.

The Sub-middle São Francisco Valley (SMSF), Northeast Brazil, is known for its great potential for viticulture, as it is one of the few regions in the world with two to three harvests per year. Results presented here establish the influence of remote Sea Surface Temperature (SST) on the rainfall variability and wine chemical compounds in the SMSF. Cross-correlation analyses show that the rainfall in the SMSF is negatively correlated with the SST at the North Tropical Atlantic, and positively correlated with the SST at Southwestern Atlantic. Cross-wavelet analyses identify that, in addition to the annual signal, intermittent signals in rainfall at the SMSF respond to remote influences of the SST with 3-4 months of periodicity at interannual timescales (~36-month band). Coherence analyses identify that the SST in Southwestern Atlantic affects the rainfall in the SMSF at the 3-4-month periodicity band. Principal Component Analysis indicated different influences between wet and dry meteorological seasons on the chemical wine samples produced at SMSF. Extreme rainfalls observed during 2009, are linked to northward displacement of the South Atlantic Convergence Zone, when strong rainfall and high relative humidity at SMSF contributed to reduce Free Sulfur Dioxide (FSO2) in grapes. During dry seasons the northward displacement of Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is correlated to lower rainfall and relative humidity (RH) in SMSF region, resulting in higher Sulfur Dioxide (TSO2, FSO2), alcohol and higher acidity (VOL. AC) wines.

O objetivo deste artigo é mapear e discutir algumas tendências e enfoques analíticos que vêm sendo conduzidos em teses e dissertações do campo da Educação que se valem dos Estudos Culturais para a abordagem da temática indígena. Foram analisados 14 trabalhos que articulam três descritores: temática indígena, Estudos Culturais e Educação. Verificou-se que, em tais produções, problematiza-se a ideia abstrata de diversidade cultural, tão mobilizada pelas perspectivas multiculturalistas. Além disso, constatou-se que o campo dos Estudos Culturais favorece o desenvolvimento de análises críticas que focalizam as desigualdades, as relações de poder, as práticas representacionais e as políticas em torno das identidades/diferenças. São acionados, nestes estudos, diversos conceitos e abordagens teóricas que problematizam visões eurocêntricas, repertórios depreciativos e essencialismos, mostrando que há uma tendência hegemônica de atribuir ao “outro”/indígena características que fazem dele um ser estranho, objeto de curiosidade e de escrutínio.

Os documentários de natureza fazem parte da história do cinema e, partir da perspectiva teórica dos Estudos Culturais, são considerados poderosos artefatos culturais que, por meio do entretenimento e do “deleite dos sentidos”, formam parte das percepções dos públicos relativamente aos animais, às plantas, ao clima da Terra, aos ecossistemas etc., e constroem/fabricam determinadas ideias de natureza. O objetivo deste texto é, através de análises de pôsteres e fotogramas de documentários de natureza produzidos entre os anos 1920 e 2013, fazer algumas reflexões sobre os deslocamentos, as ressignificações e as adaptações que os conceitos de natureza, humanidade e animalidade sofreram ao longo das décadas.

Todos os dias, milhões de pessoas ao redor do mundo repetem, ao acordar, o mesmo gesto: desligam o despertador do celular, ligam o wi-fi de casa, acessam as redes sociais e conferem as notícias recentes, escolhidas – literalmente – a dedo por aqueles que resolvemos “seguir”, amigos, amigos da rede, personalidades, jornalistas, formadores de opinião, colunistas, piadistas. Se o ritual não é exatamente esse, não foge muito de um roteiro comum. O café da manhã com as notícias do jornal, selecionadas no dia anterior pelo editor-chefe da renomada publicação e que congregava o que era “preciso saber” sobre o que aconteceu no mundo, vai sendo substituído. A seleção, por um lado, é mais distribuída (democrática?) e bebe das fontes mais diversas, confiáveis ou não. Por outro, não obedece a uma ordenação visível, equilibrada ou, aparentemente, lógica. É feita de acordo com o leitor, de acordo com sua ficha no sistema ou com algo derivado disso, relacionado ao perfil, gostos ou interesses das pessoas ou instituições a que está conectado como amigo, seguidor ou qualquer que seja a palavra que a rede social escolhe para designar a ligação entre perfis.

Seasonal semideciduous forests in southeastern Brazil have experienced intensive fragmentation, and the interference of weeds may affect the dynamics of restored communities. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were specific densities of the weeds Urochloa decumbens and Ipomoea grandifolia at which the growth of seedlings of four Neotropical tree species – Senegalia polyphylla and Enterolobium contortisiliquum (Fabaceae) and Ceiba speciosa and Luehea divaricata (Malvaceae) – would be negatively affected. A randomized experimental design was conducted in a greenhouse, with five treatments to each tree species (different weed densities per pot per tree species) and four replicates per treatment. After the weeds flowered, the height and stem diameter of seedlings were quantified, including the aboveground dry biomass and the percentages of macro and micronutrients contents in the leaves. The growth of the tree seedlings was affected by the lowest weed density (two weeds per pot) when interacting with U. decumbens or I. grandifolia. In general, significant decreases in the percentage of macro and micronutrients in the leaves were observed, especially at eight weeds/pot. Such results could warrant experimental practices in chemical control in conjunction with alternative methods to control of these two weeds in restored areas.