Marco Túlio Mendonça Diniz

Coastal geoheritage is exposed to interacting natural and human pressures that require management approaches capable of linking degradation diagnosis with conservation responses. This study applies an integrated decision-support framework combining an established quantitative degradation-risk assessment with SWOT analysis to twelve coastal geosites located within three Portuguese protected areas. Degradation risk was assessed using eleven sub-criteria grouped into natural vulnerability, anthropogenic vulnerability and public use, while SWOT analysis characterized the broader protected-area management context. The two approaches were integrated without generating a composite index: risk class defined the relative urgency of management attention, the dominant standardized degradation component guided the primary response orientation, and relevant SWOT factors identified management conditions that may facilitate or constrain implementation. Nine geosites were classified as Medium risk and three as High risk, with total scores ranging from 8 to 20. Public use was the dominant component at seven geosites and natural vulnerability at five, whereas anthropogenic vulnerability was not dominant at any site. Sensitivity analysis indicated generally stable classifications, although two Medium-risk sites shifted to High under plausible one-point score variations. The framework translates complementary assessment results into site-specific management priorities and monitoring needs while maintaining the analytical distinction between geosite condition and protected-area management context.

A relação entre sociedade e natureza transforma o espaço e as paisagens, influenciando a construção cultural e o desenvolvimento territorial. Esta pesquisa objetiva realizar a avaliação quali-quantitativa do patrimônio geomorfológico do Forte dos Reis Magos, em Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, destacando os fatores abióticos que contribuíram para a construção do monumento.O estudo foi desenvolvido em etapas complementares: levantamento bibliográfico, pesquisa de campo, aplicação do inventário e quantificação do patrimônio geomorfológicoe análise dos dados. Os resultados obtidos foram: valor científico (22 pontos), valor estético(13 pontos) e valor turístico (19 pontos), classificando o Forte dos Reis Magos como geossítio. Omonumento apresenta relevante valor geomorfológico, histórico e cultural, evidenciando a importância da geodiversidade na formação e valorização da paisagem local.

Aesthetics, traditionally understood as a subjective value in the evaluation of nature, was historically treated as a secondary criterion in classical studies on the valuation of geoheritage. However, recent advances indicate a paradigmatic shift, in which aesthetics is now recognized as a central value, aligning with the criteria adopted by UNESCO for the recognition of sites of outstanding universal value, such as Criteria vii, which emphasizes natural beauty and the aesthetic importance of landscapes. This article aims to demonstrate the centrality of the aesthetic dimension through a systematic review with a bibliometric approach. The methodology was based on data collection from the Scopus database, from which the most relevant works published between 2021 and 2025 were selected. Focusing on citation metrics, the 10 most cited studies were identified, of which 6 directly address aesthetics as a structuring dimension in geoheritage assessment, highlighting its growing relevance in the field. The findings demonstrate an important theoretical transition, in which aesthetics shifts from a complementary attribute to a central position in evaluation models, particularly in studies related to geotourism and territorial valorisation. Previously marginalized, aesthetics now assumes a strategic role in geoheritage assessment, reinforcing its importance in the conservation and valorisation of geodiversity on a global scale.

O estudo aborda a importância da preservação ambiental, na perspectiva da valorização dos serviços ecossistêmicos, que são aqueles que decorrem, direta ou indiretamente das funções ecossistêmicas e que satisfazem as necessidades humanas, tais como regulação climática, controle de cheias, provisão de água, fornecimento de matéria-prima, entre outros. Essa abordagem se dedica a analisar a natureza sob sua ótica abiótica, compreendendo que a valorização dos recursos abióticos é essencial para práticas de uso sustentável em regiões áridas e semiáridas, promovendo o equilíbrio entre desenvolvimento local e conservação ambiental. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa e quantitativa, que utilizou a técnica de coleta e análise de dados, por meio da observação em campo, no município de Algodão de Jandaíra, localizado em região semiárida na Paraíba. Foi possível reconhecer a potencialidade da área no que diz respeitos aos serviços ecossistêmicos abióticos, distribuídos em suas paisagens excepcionais, confirmando a hipótese inicial de que a geodiversidade local desempenha papel fundamental na provisão de benefícios diretos e indiretos para a população. Tal confirmação é um passo relevante para incentivar políticas públicas ambientalmente responsáveis, apoiar a educação ambiental e fomentar iniciativas que integrem a preservação dos recursos naturais, a qualidade de vida das pessoas e o desenvolvimento regional.

Tradicionalmente, a extensão universitária tem sido realizada nas universidades brasileiras com ações vinculadas à Graduação. Todavia, recentemente, a Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) tem incentivado os Programas de Pós-Graduação a desenvolverem ações que proporcionem uma maior contribuição para a sociedade, através do incentivo à extensão universitária, além da pesquisa aplicada, da formação de profissionais comprometidos com a transformação social e da articulação com políticas públicas, dentre outras dimensões. Nesse sentido, o Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geografia (GEOCERES), da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), vem atuando de forma intensa na extensão universitária, desenvolvendo projetos, cursos e eventos que visam aproximar a sociedade com a Pós-Graduação. As ações desenvolvidas pelo GEOCERES buscam contribuir com as demandas da sociedade, seja com a formação de profissionais comprometidos com a questão social, seja com ações ligadas à gestão territorial e ao desenvolvimento regional sustentável.

The expansion of algaroba (Neltuma juliflora), an invasive exotic species widely adapted to arid and semi-arid environments, has caused significant ecological and geomorphological changes on the northern coast of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil. This study aimed to analyze the greening process associated with the expansion of algaroba in the Rosado Dunes Environmental Protection Area (APADR) between 2004 and 2024. Images from the SPOT 5PSM, CBERS 4, and CBERS 4A satellites were used, processed by supervised classification in QGIS software version 3.38. The multitemporal analysis revealed a significant change in the landscape, with a reduction in areas of native vegetation (caatinga and restinga) and an increase in dunes and beaches, urban areas, and invasive species. The area occupied by algaroba expanded from 70 ha (0.5%) in 2004 to 435 ha (3.1%) in 2024, representing an increase of more than six times in two decades. This expansion has had direct impacts on biodiversity, sediment dynamics, and groundwater availability, in addition to compromising connectivity between the dunes and the beach environment. The results point to the need for public policies aimed at controlling invasive species and sustainably managing native vegetation, with a view to conserving biodiversity and the integrity of the coastal and semi-arid geosystems of APADR.

This study presents an assessment of hydrological diversity (hydrodiversity) in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, aiming to identify potential correlations between hydrodiversity and hydrological features of geoheritage. The methodology applied a quantitative approach based on mean annual precipitation, river discharge, reservoir distribution, and stream order. These variables were analyzed within a 5.5 km grid using GIS tools. The four resulting sub-indices were normalized through the Maximum Possible Value method to ensure equal weighting in the final Hydrodiversity Index, which classifies areas into four levels: low, medium, high, and very high. Results show the highest hydrodiversity values in the eastern region and along the Apodi–Mossoró River, where rainfall and drainage density are greatest. The Hydrodiversity Index map was examined alongside land use data and the distribution of 22 previously identified hydrological sites (hydrosites). A greater concentration of anthropogenic land use was noted in areas with medium to high hydrodiversity, especially in the east and along the northern coast, emphasizing the role of water resources in territorial dynamics. The findings indicate that no hydrosites are located within areas of Very High Hydrodiversity; however, more than 50% of the hydrosites correspond to areas classified as High Hydrodiversity. While further research is required to better elucidate the relationship between geodiversity and geoheritage, these results underscore both the complexity of the link between hydrodiversity and water-related geoheritage, as well as the importance of employing an index to inform conservation and management strategies.

Understanding coastal hydraulic processes is essential for sustainable coastal planning and management, especially in semi-arid regions where data scarcity represents a significant challenge. This study sought to apply the Brazilian Coastal Modelling System (SMC-Brasil) to analyse the coastal hydraulic processes present on the Brazilian semi-arid coast in Rio Grande do Norte, seeking to understand its boundary conditions given the scarcity of data and limited monitoring network. The methodological procedures followed five main stages: data collection and processing, running the models, statistical analysis, and interpretation of the results. The simulations identified wave propagation and dissipation patterns influenced by local bathymetric features such as sandy banks and submarine canyons. The modelling indicated waves with an average Hs₅₀% of 1.14 m, with dominant directions from ENE to ESE. Longitudinal flows ranged from 1 to 8 m³/h, with a predominance of east to west at medium and high tides. The modelling indicated spatial gradients of energy and sediment transport compatible with historical records and field observations. The results show that submerged relief irregularities play a central role in regional coastal dynamics, conditioning current flows and deposition. The application of SMC-Brasil has shown potential to fill monitoring gaps in regions with low infrastructure, offering affordable and effective technical support for adaptive coastal planning in the face of climate change impacts.