The detection and monitoring of environmental degradation requires both low-cost and easy-to-perform techniques. This study intended to conduct sampling and use geostatistics to predict the spatial variability of environmental degradation indicators. The field of study was the micro-drainage basin of the Itacuruba creek in Itacuruba (PE). The georeferenced samples were subjected to sulfuric acid to determine organic carbon, iron oxide, aluminum oxide and molecular relation of ki and altitude. The data were statistically analyzed where only the altitude presented normal distribution and the organic carbon did not present spatial dependence, which indicated it was a degraded area. The iron oxide content in the soil surface is a good indicator of an environmental degradation index, and future sampling may be spaced in 600 m in the Itacuruba region (PE). Geostatistics is presented as an efficient, low cost predictor for studying environmental degradation and monitoring.

In this study, scenarios of changes in land-use patterns, agricultural production and climate, and their effects on water demand and availability in the São Francisco river basin (Brazil) are analysed. The global driver population growth, economic development, and trade liberalization are included. Using the regionalized version of a global agro-economic land- and water use model, impacts are analysed for two scenarios: a regionalized world with slow economic development, high population growth, and little awareness of environmental problems (A2), and a globalized world with low population growth, high gross domestic product (GDP) growth, and environmental sustainability (B1). A regional ecohydrological model is used to analyse the effect of these scenarios on water demand and availability. The climate scenarios in general show a wetter future (years 2021 – 2050), with wetter rainy seasons and drier dry seasons. The water availability for irrigated agriculture is high, while hydropower generation is declining by 3.2% (A2) and 1.7% (B1) compared to the reference.

The semi-arid Northeast Brazil is one of the most vulnerable regions to climate changes, being necessary tools for monitoring the dry and rainy seasons in the region, as aid in the management of water resources, as supply of cities and irrigation projects. This work aimed to analyze the space-temporal variability of climate rainfall and characterize the dry and wet periods in the lower-middle stretch of the São Francisco River basin. Total annual precipitation of 36 stations spatially distributed rainfall in the study area was used during the period from 1964 to 2014, provided by Pernambuco Agency for Waters and Climate and the National Water Agency. We used the technique of rain anomaly index (IAC) to determine the dry and wet periods. It’s possible to observe the variation of dry and wet years in the region over the study period, as well as its intensity. The results showed a downward trend in rainfall totals, which became more frequent from the 1980s, featuring a turning point between the first and second half of the series, predominantly dry years.

Finfish aquaculture in net cages is widely used in Brazilian reservoirs, mainly for tilapia production. There is a large and increasing potential for production in the São Francisco river basin, and particularly the Itaparica reservoir. Tilapia production amounts to 24,000 t y-1, with a licensed amount of 43,267 t y-1. This intensive fish production in net cages is responsible for a significant biological oxygen demand, and phosphorus and nitrogen load on the reservoir, which promotes eutrophication. Particulate organic matter released from the net cages accumulates beneath the net cages, and a minimum water depth beneath the net cages of 10 m is required to limit the sediment increase to a few millimetres per year. Modeling of Icó-Mandantes bay has identified a reduced water exchange within the bay. Modeling of the effect of net cage aquaculture within the Icó-Mandantes bay points out clearly the significant increase in dissolved phosphorus and the accumulation inside the bay area. The carrying capacity of the reservoir was determined using the P load model, with a critical P concentration based on the phosphorus use efficiency. The critical P concentration amounts 25 µg L-1, and the critical P load of the reservoir amounts 2.84 g m-2 y-1; the actual load is already 3.30 g m-2 y-1, such the reservoir is already overcharged by nutrients. A sustainable “blue” aquaculture must be implemented based on use of advanced systems, species selection, fish feed, and linked production systems.

Finfish aquaculture in net cages is widely used in Brazilian reservoirs, mainly for tilapia production. There is a large and increasing potential for production in the São Francisco river basin, and particularly the Itaparica reservoir. Tilapia production amounts to 24,000 t y-1, with a licensed amount of 43,267 t y-1. This intensive fish production in net cages is responsible for a significant biological oxygen demand, and phosphorus and nitrogen load on the reservoir, which promotes eutrophication. Particulate organic matter released from the net cages accumulates beneath the net cages, and a minimum water depth beneath the net cages of 10 m is required to limit the sediment increase to a few millimetres per year. Modeling of Icó-Mandantes bay has identified a reduced water exchange within the bay. Modeling of the effect of net cage aquaculture within the Icó-Mandantes bay points out clearly the significant increase in dissolved phosphorus and the accumulation inside the bay area. The carrying capacity of the reservoir was determined using the P load model, with a critical P concentration based on the phosphorus use efficiency. The critical P concentration amounts 25 µg L-1, and the critical P load of the reservoir amounts 2.84 g m-2 y-1; the actual load is already 3.30 g m-2 y-1, such the reservoir is already overcharged by nutrients. A sustainable “blue” aquaculture must be implemented based on use of advanced systems, species selection, fish feed, and linked production systems.

n the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil, water resources are scarce and rainfall often has high temporal and spatial variability. Despite regional climate trends, no significant rainfall change could be detected by linear regressions in the Pajeú River watershed between 1912 and 2013. This study focused on the identification of regional impacts on agriculture in the form of crop yields, livestock, and animal products, through the annual rainfall variability. Yields of temporary crops were correlated to the annual rainfall departure, whereas permanent crops were less susceptible to droughts, but had a negative effect on the memory after the dry years. In the livestock sector, farmers reacted to the consequences of droughts and increased stocks of smaller animals with faster recovery rates, and also implemented apiculture. The results show a high vulnerability of agricultural production and regional income due to the low adaptation to local climate conditions. Hence, agricultural practices and water management should be further improved to fight against crucial economic depressions during droughts.

Over 20 years after the implementation of irrigation schemes in the surrounding area of the Itaparica Reservoir, in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil, insufficient infrastructure and low market power still impact smallholders’ incomes and development of market strategies to support rental increase from the smallholders. Lack of access to credit, high input costs, and low producer prices for major crops have helped to maintain the poverty status of smallholders that equally affects small agricultural producers like cattle breeders. Agricultural cooperatives have contributed to increase their members’ market power in agricultural commerce and facilitate their access to credit and agricultural expansion. To analyze the historical context of this situation, as well as the potentials and constraints of agricultural cooperatives and associations, 24 qualitative expert interviews were conducted among members of cooperatives or associations and consultants involved with technical assistance to smallholders. During the study period, no active agricultural cooperatives could be identified. Financial problems related with lack of financial resources, inadequate government support, absence of leadership and poor organization, and missing solidarity and mistrust were considered the main reasons for the cooperatives’ poor situation. However, the potential of these cooperatives are illustrated by the efficiency of the fishery and apiculture associations.

The frogs are considered bio-indicators of environmental quality and biocontrol of insect populations, including agricultural pests. Hence the importance of assessing the knowledge of agricultural zones communities about these animals and the importance of them to the environment in which they live, as they are culturally considered repugnant. This approach is one of the aspects of cognitive anthropology. In this perspective, the objective of this study was to evaluate the site knowledge of semi-arid farming communities along the middle São Francisco River, Pernambuco state, on the species of anurans and their importance the pest insect controllers. Four 15-day-excursions were held, two for community, between November and April 2012/2013 when direct observations were effected over the zones, as well as semi-structured interviews and geo-referencing of sites of reproduction of amphibians throughout the agricultural systems. The sampling was nor random neither intentional, resulting in 347 participants. Eight ethnospecies were cited by farmers, corresponding to 13 species of frogs, as well as the identification of local breeding and development of these species. Biological importance of anurans was for sustainable agricultural practices.

The aim of this study is to evaluate land uses, using physical and chemical attributes in the irrigated perimeter Ico-Mandantes, between Petrolândia and Floresta, in the semiarid region of Pernambuco, Brazil. The identified uses of the land are as follows: short cycle crops (C), fruit (F), pasture (P), abandoned areas (D), and native vegetation (V). This study evaluated the uses C, F, D, P and V. In both places, samples were collected from deformed soil at 0–10, 10–30, and 30–60 cm, as well as non-deformed soil from the first two layers to the physical determinations and chemical properties. The data of physical and chemical analyses were subjected to descriptive linear analysis and multivariate analysis, the technique of principal component analysis, and clustering by the Tocher method. The use of the native vegetation differed from all other uses among the analyzed layers, thereby indicating that the productive uses which were evaluated, promote in fact changes in the physical and chemical layers studied. The analysis of the physical and chemical attributes do not differentiate any of the productive uses systematically analyzed in all layers.

The lower basin region of São Francisco basin has a variety of uses, with some conflicts already established. Water demand curves are important to identify the economic value given to the water resource by different users and available amounts. The knowledge of them should assist in establishing policies that create appropriate incentives for efficient water resource use and prevent their over-exploitation. This paper presents the water demand curves estimated by users of irrigated agriculture and human supply using the positive mathematical programming method and point expansion method. Results for irrigated agriculture of the two methods showed that the crop mix is the most important factor for the willingness to pay for water resources and that, for human supply, the economic values, considering the same level of water availability, are higher when compared with irrigation.

Brazil has potential for the expansion of aquiculture due to its hydro-climatic characteristics, its energy matrix and its labour supply. Although the favourable framework, the state of Pernambuco has an aquaculture production that remains below its potentialities. Producers point out the difficulties to obtain environmental license as a reason for that. From this perspective, the objective of this study was to analyse the environmental regularization of aquaculture in Pernambuco, in order to identify the main obstacles faced by fish farmers for environmental licensing. Seventy-four environmental licences were raised for aquaculture projects issued in the period 2009-2014 in the state of Pernambuco: 12 are related to installation license, 13 to operating license, 23 to prior license, six to the installation license renewal and 20 with renewal of operating licence. In Pernambuco four grants were identified end twenty-five general records of fishing activity were issued in the period from 2008 to 2015.

The INNOVATE project, a comprehensive Brazilian-German research collaboration, addresses sustainable land management in the São Francisco watershed and its Itaparica reservoir. The project studies management options, which promote sustainable ecosystem services and economic viability in climate change conditions. At basin scale, questions of water quantity and quality prevail, including resource allocation and governance. Local and regional studies investigate natural land processes and water resources in addition to their management post dam construction. Consortium researchers are confronted with a multitude of expectations, ranging from knowledge production to interacting with stakeholders and scientists of different disciplines and cultures. As an overview, we predicted potential changes of studied ecosystem services under different conditions within possible scenarios. Further integration of results is ongoing, as is the conversion of scientific results into guidance for stakeholders.

To provide the water demand, river water transfer per canal is a common practice in the Brazilian northeast. The Sertão Alagoano Canal takes water from the São Francisco river, into the Apolônio Sales reservoir, to supply towns of the state of Alagoas. This research was designed to analyze the evolution of physico-chemical parameters (temperature, pH, turbidity, conductivity, hardness, sulfates, chlorides, total nitrogen and total phosphorus) over the initial 29 km of the canal. Samples were taken during the dry season at 10 points. Through the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test, it became clear that the two samples are significantly different for all parameters, even though both were held in the dry season. As for the longitudinal aspect, in both collections, temperature, pH and conductivity parameters were significantly different between the beginning and the end of the initial 29 km, with an increasing trend in the concentrations. Considering the quality, under Resolution 357/2005 of National Council of Environment (Conama), the water from the canal presented values within the quality class 1, with the exception of total phosphorus.

The National Water Resources Policy prescribes a model of decentralization and participation. Committees stand out as a major contributor to the governance of basins. Its position in regional water decisions has been sometimes contradictory by other institutions. This study combines inter-, transdisciplinary and multi-level perspectives on sustainable water management of the whole São Francisco watershed and Itaparica reservoir region to identify entry points for promoting good governance at different scales. By applying constellation analysis, we detected drivers and barriers in water management. The São Francisco Watershed Committee is not sufficiently represented in the local population and also is not connected with local institutions for water management. Strategies are identified in the participation of sub-committees and in strengthening the local level by “bottom up” approaches. Therefore, strategic planning and development instruments carry an important contribution at municipal government scale.

Spondias tuberosa Arruda, a fructiferous endemic tree of semiarid Northeast of Brazil, provides several services to its ecosystem as well as to humans. It provides feed for wild animals and domestic ruminants in addition to providing fruits that are rich in vitamins for the human diet. It is an important source of additional income for family farmers and a source for traditional therapeutic medicine. Despite the importance of this tree in northeastern Brazil, limited scientific effort have been accomplished so far towards a better understanding of the tree’s physiology and interaction within the ecosystem. Earlier studies about S. tuberosa focused on phenology, physiology, population genetics, management practices, and socioeconomic aspects. Due to the lack of breeding and cloning programs, physiological studies and management trials were based on heterogenic plant material, which led to ambiguous results. In order to move forward with S. tuberosa research, especially for its genetic conservations and agro-industrial exploitation, basic breeding and intensified genetic research are urgently required. Despite the few publications on S. tuberosa, the tree can be considered scientifically neglected, particularly if compared with other members of the Anacardiaceae family.