Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: AMANDA SANTOS DE AZEVEDO SILVA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : AMANDA SANTOS DE AZEVEDO SILVA
DATE: 03/03/2026
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: GOOGLE MEET
TITLE:

Geoecological Analysis of the Southern Face of the PNMNI: A Biogeographical Approach to the Gericinó-Mendanha Massif

KEY WORDS:

Forest regeneration, Atlantic Forest, Landscape Geoecology, Dense Ombrophilous Forest, phytosociology.

PAGES: 35
BIG AREA: Ciências Exatas e da Terra
AREA: Geociências
SUBÁREA: Geografia Física
SPECIALTY: Geoecologia
SUMMARY:

Abstract: This research focuses on the geoecological analysis of the southern slope of the Gericinó-Mendanha Massif, located within the Municipal Natural Park of Nova Iguaçu (PNMNI), in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro. The massif is a crucial remnant of the Atlantic Forest, a biodiversity hotspot that provides essential ecosystem services, such as water and climate regulation for the region. Despite its importance, there is a lack of integrated studies relating the physical and biological components of this geosystem. Therefore, the study seeks to answer the following problem: in what way do geoecological variables, mainly soil properties and topography, condition the structuring of vegetation and the distribution of tree species on this specific slope?

To address this question, the work adopts Landscape Geoecology and Geosystem Theory as its theoretical and methodological foundation. This integrated and systemic perspective allows for the analysis of the landscape as a dynamic whole, where abiotic elements (such as geology, soil, and relief) and biotic elements (vegetation) continuously interact. The general objective is to analyze the geoecology of the area from a biogeographic perspective, correlating the structure of the arboreal community with the conditioning factors of the physical environment. The specific objectives include identifying the main tree species, analyzing phytosociological parameters (abundance, dominance), characterizing the soils, and verifying the influence of the physical environment on the vegetation.The study area, the southern slope of PNMNI, was chosen for its particular geosystemic characteristics. It presents differentiated conditions of solar exposure and humidity, in addition to varying degrees of anthropogenic influence (such as visitation), making it a priority unit for understanding the forest resilience of the massif. Methodologically, the research combines fieldwork and data analysis. Four plots of 20x30 meters were demarcated along a slope, where a complete phytosociological survey was conducted. All individual trees with a circumference at breast height (CBH) equal to or greater than 15.5 cm were measured and identified. In parallel, in each plot, a detailed pedological study was carried out, with morphological description and soil sample collection at three points, in addition to in situ measurement of hydraulic conductivity. The data are being processed using the R programming language for statistical analyses, graph generation, and phytosociological calculations.The preliminary results of the floristic survey already indicate significant diversity: 234 individual trees were recorded, distributed across 18 families and 21 different botanical genera.The relevance of this study is twofold. From a scientific point of view, it contributes to the fields of Biogeography and Geoecology, deepening knowledge about the vegetation-soil-relief relationships in coastal massifs of the Atlantic Forest. From an applied and managerial point of view, the results will provide concrete and updated inputs for territorial management, serving as a basis for revising the PNMNI Management Plan and guiding future conservation and forest recovery policies in the densely populated Baixada Fluminense region.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 3001750 - KARINE BUENO VARGAS
Interna - ***.829.777-** - LUANA DE ALMEIDA RANGEL - UERJ
Interna - 1229151 - SARAH LAWALL
Externo à Instituição - LUCAS COSTA DE SOUZA CAVALCANTI