Coastal dune systems are important for the environment and society, serving as habitats and protecting coastal areas from marine flooding and erosion. Brazil, a global influence in geoheritage research, has significant dune systems, such as Lençóis Maranhenses and Dunas do Albardão. However, considering Brazil's extensive coastline and the weakening of its coastal protection laws, a unified understanding of the threats to and geoconservation strategies for coastal dunes is needed. Therefore, this study explores and analyzes these aspects in Brazilian indexed scientific production on geoheritage and geoconservation of coastal dunes, using bibliometric and bibliographic techniques in Web of Science and Scopus databases, from 1990 to 2024. Brazilian research on this topic of coastal dunes has low international representation, with only seven articles indexed in the analyzed databases. All articles were published through research conducted by public Higher Education Institutions. Key authors are affiliated with institutions in Rio de Janeiro state. Urbanization is the primary threat identified, causing sediment suppression and disrupting dune dynamics. Geoconservation strategies focus on inventory, valuation, and threat diagnosis, but lack practical guidelines. Reflecting the emerging nature of this research topic, this study offers an integrated perspective. Future research should focus on practical strategies, including practical socioeconomic, political and legal aspects, for the effective geoconservation of these environments and increasing Brazil's representation on the international scientific landscape.
This study investigates the geochemistry of ornamental stones, with emphasis on chemical composition and its direct relationship with durability and susceptibility to chemical alterations under different exposure environments. X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) were applied to identify and quantify the main constituent oxides: MgO, Al₂O₃, SiO₂, FeO, K₂O, CaO, TiO₂, MnO, Na₂O, and P₂O₅. The results indicate that the presence of mafic minerals rich in MgO increases the rock’s susceptibility to chemical alterations, especially in acidic or alkaline environments, favoring the development of stains, localized darkening, and matrix weakening. Conversely, the high contents of Al₂O₃ and SiO₂, mainly associated with feldspars and quartz, enhance chemical resistance, although feldspars may undergo partial dissolution under more aggressive conditions, releasing soluble cations that increase porosity. FeO, detected in significant concentrations, is directly linked to oxidation processes, which impair both the aesthetics and the structural integrity of the rock. Elements such as K₂O, CaO, and TiO₂ actively contribute to the formation of surface stains and efflorescences, while MnO, even in low concentrations, can cause darkening due to oxidation. Na₂O and P₂O₅, although present in minor proportions, influence reactivity and durability, contributing to secondary phenomena such as salt efflorescences and increased vulnerability to aggressive solutions. These results reinforce that mineralogical heterogeneity is a key factor in determining the physicochemical performance of ornamental stones when exposed to chemical weathering. In conclusion, this study contributes to the understanding of geochemical alteration processes in ornamental rocks, demonstrating that the interaction between major and accessory minerals defines their behavior when subjected to natural or artificial chemical agents. The main objective is to provide technical support for predicting the durability and aesthetic performance of ornamental stones under different usage conditions, thereby assisting both in the careful selection of materials for architectural projects and in the development of preventive conservation strategies in potentially aggressive environments.
The acceleration of the energy transition and the digitalization of economies have elevated lithium, copper, graphite, rare earth elements and other minerals to the center of contemporary geopolitical disputes, pressing Latin America — and Brazil in particular — to formulate a critical minerals policy commensurate with its geological endowment. This paper presents an integrative and comparative review of the academic literature and main regulatory frameworks on the subject, arguing that criticality is not an intrinsic property of a mineral but a contingent relation among economic and technological importance, supply risk, substitutability, circularity and the vulnerability of the system under analysis. This relational framing carries a direct implication for producing countries: uncritically adopting lists formulated by consuming economies means incorporating a hierarchy of priorities calibrated for those on the other side of the supply chain, not for those who hold the resources. To substantiate this argument, the paper compares the criticality assessment architectures of the United States — 60 minerals on the 2025 list —, the European Union — 34 critical raw materials and 17 strategic raw materials under the 2024 Critical Raw Materials Act —, China and Australia — 31 minerals, as updated in 2024 —, showing that quantitative, qualitative and hybrid models coexist and are, in every case, technically led by the respective national geological surveys. The resulting analytical framework is applied to the Brazilian case, with a critical examination of Bill 1754/2026, which proposes a production-sharing regime and the conversion of the Geological Survey of Brazil into a mining company, and of Bill 2780/2024, approved by the Chamber of Deputies, which establishes the National Policy on Critical and Strategic Minerals (PNMCE). Both bills reproduce the conceptual conflation of critical and strategic minerals, establish no verifiable methodology for criticality assessment, and exhibit distinct institutional weaknesses: the former subordinates state geological intelligence to extractive operations; the latter institutionalises financialisation mechanisms — streaming contracts and unrestricted access to the National Climate Fund — that undermine long-term mineral sovereignty. The paper concludes that the central challenge for Brazil and Latin America is to translate geological endowment into industrial, technological and institutional capacity, avoiding a new round of subordinated re-primarisation and preserving the geological survey as the locus of state intelligence over mineral resources.
The present study deals with the identification of prominent areas and trends in the adoption of green energy and financial inclusion using a systematic study of the literature and bibliometric analysis. A sample of 703 studies has been undertaken from the Scopus database to analyse current research endeavours towards the adoption of green energy and financial inclusion between 1992 and early 2024, using a bibliometric analysis. Bibliometric tools including Bibliometrix®, Biblioshiny, and VOSviewer were used to evaluate the publication pattern, keyword co-occurrence, citation structures, collaboration networks and thematic clusters to meet the objectives of this paper. The results indicate that although research endeavours on green energy adoption and financial inclusion have been conducted globally, a lack of collaborative work occurs within country borders, particularly amongst researchers from emerging and developed nations. This study further revealed that previous literature has mainly focused on aspects of economic and environmental sustainability and carbon emission reduction. Despite their significant policy relevance. issues such as barriers to green energy adoption and the role of financial inclusion in overcoming these challenges have received comparatively less attention being paid. The study of the first kind reviews maps different facets of green energy adoption and financial inclusion through a systematic study of literature review and bibliometric analysis. This study aims not only to contribute to existing knowledge but also to identify gaps that require further investigation.
The fire that destroyed the main building of the National Museum of Rio de Janeiro (MN/UFRJ) on 2 September 2018 exposed one of the largest meteorite collections in the Southern Hemisphere to highly heterogeneous thermal conditions. Iron meteorites stored in different sectors of the building experienced markedly variable thermal stress, ranging from negligible heating to intense reheating beneath collapsed, thermally insulating debris. This study presents a detailed metallographic investigation of iron meteorites from the MN/UFRJ collection, aimed at identifying and characterizing fire-induced thermal alterations, distinguishing them from primary meteoritic features, and establishing a practical framework for damage documentation and classification. Comparative optical microscopy, SEM–EDS analyses, and Ni–P chemical profiling reveal a continuous sequence of diffusion driven microstructural modifications, including attenuation or loss of Neumann bands, recrystallization and fragmentation of kamacite, redistribution of Ni and P at metal interfaces, and partial destabilization of schreibersite. Based on these systematic patterns, a seven-level thermal damage classification (F0–F7) is proposed, correlating observable metallographic features with inferred temperature–time conditions, from pristine Widmanstätten structures to complete melting and resolidification of the metallic mass. The classification scheme is applied to the MN/UFRJ collection and incorporated into specimen records and physical labels, supporting both scientific interpretation and conservation planning. More broadly, the results demonstrate that even short-lived fire exposure can imprint diagnostic and quantifiable overprints on meteoritic microstructures, underscoring the necessity of recognizing and documenting anthropogenic thermal alteration when studying and preserving meteorite collections worldwide.
The Tanguá Massif (TM) is an alkaline intrusion that is part of the Poços de Caldas-Cabo Frio Alignment (PCCFA), which comprises more than 25 intrusive bodies and extends over 1000 km along a WNW-ESE trend in southeastern Brazil. This study presents new insights into the evolution and genesis of the TM based on updated geological mapping, combined with mineralogical, petrographic, lithogeochemical, geochronological, and isotopic analyses. A new lithofacies map is proposed for the Tanguá Massif, subdividing the massif into five main units: i) central nepheline syenite; ii) intermediate nepheline syenite; iii) syenite; iv) breccias; v) undivided nepheline syenite. Additionally, phonolites and trachytes occur as dikes crosscutting the massif. U-Pb geochronological data reveal two distinct age groups: an older Cenomanian phase (94.8 Ma) and a younger Danian-Maastrichtian phase (ca. 60-70 Ma). The presence of an older syenite aged than previously reported – the oldest age for the PCCFA – suggests that the conventional mantle plume model may not adequately explain the origin of this province. Sr-Nd and Lu-Hf isotopic signatures indicate that the syenites and nepheline-syenites plot in the DMM-EMI array, whereas phonolite in the DMM-EMII array, suggesting mixing of different mantle components according to other studies. Geochemical and isotopic parameters (e.g., SSI, Zr/TiO2, REE sum, and εNd) highlight the significant role of crustal assimilation during the evolution of the TM, a process also proposed for other PCCFA bodies. Furthermore, ratios such as Th/Yb and Ba/La, combined with Nd-Hf isotopic decoupling, suggest the involvement of oceanic sediments associated with subducted slabs in the genesis of the magmas. These findings provide new insights into the magmatic evolution of the Tanguá Massif and contribute to a broader understanding of the processes controlling the formation of the PCCFA alkaline province.
Rapid changes in land use and land cover in many parts of the world have placed enormous pressure on the environmental conservation of river basins. In Brazil, continuous monitoring of these changes using national satellite images has become crucial and accessible for the management and monitoring of water resources. Several studies have employed remote sensing and data science tools to investigate changes in land use and land cover, using different machine learning classifiers due to their operational efficiency and high robustness. Therefore, it is critical to evaluate and compare the performance of different machine learning classifiers for accurate mapping of land use and land cover in environmentally unstable areas. The main objective of this study was to perform an accuracy analysis of land use and land cover mapping, integrating the performance of four different classifiers: K-means, Object Oriented Analysis (OBIA), Random Forest and Support Vector Machines (SVM), using images from the Amazônia-1 and CBERS-4 satellites in the diffuse hydrographic basin of the Boa Esperança Dam, in Piauí, Brazil. According to the results, SVM was the best performing classifier, achieving a maximum overall accuracy (IoU) of 89.38%, while K-means presented values below 70%. OBIA stood out for CBERS-4, while Amazônia-1 performed well in all supervised classifiers. The K means algorithm showed the lowest performance, with emphasis on CBERS-4, with an estimate of 43.57% driven by the low values seen for the soybean and pasture classes.
The proposed Akhuryan–Shirak Volcanic Geopark, located in northwestern Armenia within Shirak Province, represents a unique assemblage of geological, geomorphological, hydrological, and cultural heritage features. Covering an area of approximately 1,700 km² and bordering Turkey to the west and Georgia to the north, the region is characterized by Quaternary volcanic formations, including basaltic plateaus, river gorges, and diverse landforms shaped by tectonic and erosional processes. The objective of this study is to evaluate the geoheritage and geomorphological characteristics of the Akhuryan–Shirak volcanic region and assess its potential for designation as a UNESCO Global Geopark. The research methodology includes field surveys, geomorphological and terrain mapping, digital elevation model (DEM) analysis, GIS-based spatial analysis, and the inventory and qualitative assessment of key geosites and associated cultural landmarks. The results identify several sites of outstanding geoheritage value, including Lake Arpi National Park, the Akhuryan River canyon, Trchkan Waterfall, and numerous mineral springs. In addition, important cultural monuments such as Marmashen Monastery, Vahramaberd Fortress, and the Urartian inscription of King Argishti I highlight the strong interaction between geological processes and human history in the region. The analysis indicates that the proposed geopark area possesses significant scientific, educational, and geotourism potential. The establishment of the Akhuryan–Shirak Volcanic Geopark would provide an integrated framework for scientific research, environmental conservation, and community-based geotourism development. Furthermore, the geopark could strengthen Armenia’s representation within the UNESCO Global Geopark Network and contribute to sustainable regional development while promoting the interaction between natural heritage and cultural identity in the Shirak region.
Digital Surface Models (DSM) are responsible for providing altimetric information on a surface to be mapped. This work addressesthe viability of the utilization of deep learning algorithms coupled with Single Image Super Resolution (SISR) techniques in DSMto obtain better spatial quality versions from lower resolution inputs. The development of a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN)-based methodology enables this improvement of the initial spatial resolution of low resolution images. A dataset with different pairs ofDSM was created with the objective of allowing the study to be carried out, promoting the emergence of new research groups in thearea as well as enabling the comparison between the results obtained. It has been found that by increasing the number of iterations the performance of the generated model was improved and the quality of the generated image increased. Furthermore, the visual analysis of the generated image against the high and low resolution ones showed a great similarity between the first two.
The Araçuaí Orogen is characterized by intense magmatic activity corresponding to pre-, syn-, and post-tectonic evolutionary stages between the Neoproterozoic and the Cambro-Ordovician. Bimodal plutons predominantly mark the final stage of this magmatism. The Pedra Azul Intrusive Complex (PAIC) is a post-collisional pluton composed of rocks ranging from syenogranite and monzogranite (featuring ocellar textures) to granodiorite and tonalite. The PAIC was emplaced along a regional lineament during the orogen's collapse phase, intruding metasedimentary sequences, which are observed as xenoliths and roof pendants within the granites of the intrusion. This study presents detailed petrographic analyses, combined with lithogeochemical data and zircon U-Pb geochronology. Macro- and micro-scale evidence indicates that the lithotypes within the PAIC interacted to produce mixing and mingling features. Geochemical data divide the mapped rocks of the PAIC into three distinct groups: monzogranite/syenogranite, granodiorite/tonalite, and ocelar granite. Magma mixing modeling demonstrated that binary mixing between granites and tonalites/granodiorites corresponds to the composition of the ocelar granites. U-Pb zircon dating (via laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry [LA-ICP-MS]) revealed crystallization ages of 501 ± 5 My for monzogranite, 505 ± 3 My for syenogranite, 494 ± 4 My, 486 ± 5 My, and 497 ± 3 My for granodiorite, and 503 ± 3 My for tonalite. The data obtained for the PAIC indicate that the rocks composing the complex were formed from different sources.
In this paper, we describe the second fossil lobster discovered from the Brazilian Cretaceous. The fossil was yielded in marine greyish shale, associated with fishes and ammonite mollusks of the Taquari Member of Riachuelo Formation, Sergipe State. The material was collected in the 1980s from the subsurface (by “shaft”) at the Rosário do Catete locality by a team of the extinct PETROMISA (Petrobrás Mineração S.A.). The sole specimen measures 4.5 cm length and ~2 cm width, corresponding to a wide and slightly flattened, well-calcified pleonal region, with six separate somites, ending in a tail fan. The placement of this new lobster within Achelata is supported by the presence of six dorsoventrally flattened pleonalsomites ending with well-developed uropods, with lateral rami lacking transverse division. Pleurae of somites are short, rounded, and continuous, separated fromtergites by a distinct longitudinal carina. Due to the absence of the cephalothorax and swimmerets, it is not possible to assign the lobster to any major subclade with certainty, and it is not formally named because the specimen is insufficient to serve as a type. It differs from the lobster previously described from the Brejo Quarry (Angico Member) by the absence of alongitudinal median carina on the tail, the presence of smooth somites of subequal width, rounded and continuous pleurae, and punctate ornamentation (finely pits on cuticle). Besides the associated fauna is practically the same, particularly the fish assemblage, the occurrence of lobsters together with ammonites and certain fishes corroborates the interpretation of a neritic marine environment for the Riachuelo Formation.
This study develops linear regression models incorporating covariate interaction terms to estimate landslide frequency as a function of cumulative precipitation in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, under varying temporal distributions of landslides during critical rainfall episodes. Leveraging landslide inventories and high-resolution precipitation data (2000–2005) from the Alerta-Rio monitoring system, the models were calibrated using pluviometric predictors, including hourly intensity, 24-hour cumulative rainfall (R24), and 96-hour cumulative rainfall (R96). A non-linear interaction term, termed rainfall power (defined as the product of hourly rainfall intensity and R24), was introduced to capture intensity-duration dependencies. Results demonstrated significant explanatory power, with coefficients of determination (R2) exceeding 50% across models. The rainfall power-integrated model achieved high performance (R2>90%; p<0.001), underscoring the critical role of non-linear hydro-meteorological interactions in landslide triggering mechanisms. While linear frameworks provided a baseline for risk estimation, residual analysis revealed systematic biases in scenarios with high precipitation variability, necessitating advanced non-linear methodologies (e.g., Poisson regression or generalized linear models with log-link functions). These findings highlight the potential of covariance-driven regression for operational nowcasting systems, enabling real-time landslide risk quantification. However, model generalizability remains constrained by the omission of geo-environmental covariates (e.g., soil saturation thresholds, slope stability indices). Future work should prioritize multi-hazard validation using post-2005 extreme events and integrate geospatial data layers to refine spatial-explicit risk forecasts. This approach bridges empirical rainfall-landslide correlations with scalable early-warning frameworks, advancing disaster preparedness in tropical urban environments.
Pematangsiantar City in Indonesia, a natural, historical, and culinary tourism hub, has tourism attraction potential and requires an enhancement in development strategy. The study aims to assess the tourism potential through a comprehensive SWOT analysis. We identify three key tourist attractions: Bah Bolon Siantar Artventure (combining rafting and art tourism), Birmingham Small ArmsMonument (historical tourism), and Siantar Square (culinary tourism). The study highlights the attractions’ strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and outlines a sustainable development strategy. The findings indicate that an integrated approach combining offensive, competitive, and defensive strategies enhances the tourism sector’s resilience and contributes to long-term sustainability. The research underscores the importance of collaborative governance and community engagement in effective tourism development. The other strategies are the necessity for increased budget allocations and consistent strategic planning. The study’s limitations rely on the need for more stakeholder representation and a larger sample size of visitors and local communities. Future research could involve examining the city’s overall development strategy as a tourism destination and assessing the impact of implemented strategies on longterm sustainability, thereby providing a roadmap for sustainable tourism development.
This work reviews the Poços de Caldas – Cabo Frio Alignment (PCCFA), one of Brazil's alkaline igneous provinces, comprising syenites, phonolites, and trachytes, as well as magmatic breccias. TAS and Harker (for major and trace elements) diagrams suggest two groups based on the silica content. From the TAS diagram, it is noted that the less evolved rocks plot mainly in the tephrite/basanite and foidite fields, while the more evolved rocks predominantly fall in the phonolite and trachyte fields. In the Harker diagrams, correlations with silica can be observed for some oxides/elements, such as TiO2, CaO, Rb, Sr, Zr, Y, and Nb. From the normalized diagrams, it is evident that the less evolved rocks exhibit low variability, indicating similar sources and petrogenetic processes. In contrast, the more evolved ones present several anomalies (Ba, Sr, Ti, Rb, Zr, and Eu), suggesting different mineral fractionations. In addition, a wide range of normalized values is observed for certain elements, such as Ba, Sr, and Pb, which may indicate distinct evolutionary processes. Sr and Nd isotopic data show show similar trends, suggesting a mixture of DMM and EMI or DMM and EMII sources for the PCCFA complexes. Two new 40Ar/39Ar ages (71.55 ± 0.49 Ma and 67.31 ± 0.78 Ma) are presented for the Tinguá and Itatiaia massifs, respectively. In addition, two new U-Pb ages (69.3 ± 2.2 Ma for Tinguá and 70.4 ± 2.6 Ma for Itatiaia) are presented along with a third U-Pb age of 65 ± 2 Ma obtained for Gatos Hill, which is the first published age for this massif. The compilation of geochronological data, along with these new ages, indicates that the decrease in ages from west to east is not regular. For example, the oldest age (Itatiaia – 90.5 Ma) and the youngest age (Tinguá – 39.1 Ma) are found in more central massifs of the magmatic alignment. This feature prevents the genesis of this alignment from being attributed to a conventional plume model. In this regard, the authors suggest the presence of a plume with widespread conduits that have used preexisting structures for the intrusion the alkaline rocks, a hypothesis supported by the orientation of these magmatic bodys (massifs and dikes).
This study evaluates the organic matter richness, hydrocarbon generative potential, and thermal maturity of sediments from Well D, located in the southern offshore Niger Delta Basin, using Total Organic Carbon (TOC) analysis, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, and kerogen classification. The TOC content of the analyzed samples ranges from 1.75 to 6.62 wt.%, with an average of 2.74 wt.%, indicating good to excellent source rock potential. S1 and S2 values, averaging 5.37 mg HC/g rock and 6.91 mg HC/g rock, respectively, further highlight the organic richness and hydrocarbon potential of these sediments. The S1/TOC ratio (average 1.97) suggests significant free oil presence and active hydrocarbon expulsion. Kerogen classification, based on a modified Van Krevelen diagram and Hydrogen Index (HI) versus Tmax plots, reveals predominantly Type II kerogen (oil-prone) with a minor mix of Type II/III (oil and gas-prone). Approximately 91% of the samples exhibit sufficient thermal maturity to generate hydrocarbons, while 9% remain immature. Genetic potential values ranging from 6.16 to 31.06 mg HC/g rock underscore the significant hydrocarbon potential of key intervals, especially those within the optimal oil window. The findings confirm that Well D sediments possess substantial potential for hydrocarbon generation, driven by favorable TOC levels, kerogen quality, and thermal maturity. These results align with previous studies of Niger Delta source rocks, providing valuable insights for future exploration and development in the region.
In recent years, plant counting using data collected by sensors embedded in remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), combined with machine learning algorithms, has become popular in the agroforestry sector, especially in crop planning, crop production estimation, among other applications. This study aimed to perform a systematic review of the literature on plant counting in the agricultural and forestry sector that uses data from sensors embedded in RPAS. We sought to identify the principal bibliometric indicators of scientific production and, through content analysis, the main characteristics and trends of the studies. A total of 33 scientific articles obtained on the Scopus and Web of Science platforms were used. Then, a content qualitative analysis of each article was conducted to identify the main thematic categories: agricultural and forest species, platform and sensors, software, and algorithm. There was an increase in scientific publications as of 2017. The USA presented the higher number of researches performed, with eight publications. There was a significant presence of RGB (Red, Green and Blue) sensors followed by multispectral. The algorithms Convoluctional Neural Network (CNN), Structure from Motion (SfM), and K-means stood out for the recurrence of use, either singularly or associated. Studies with this purpose drive new research development, where this technology utilization is revealed as a potential instrument to understand the usage trends, subsidize and encourage the information acquisition, promoting improvements and progress for research in the agroforestry scope.
Disruptors cause hormonal function disturbances and adverse effects in animals and humans, even at low concentrations in the micro and nanogram range, and have become a serious environmental concern. In this sense, this study aimed to determine the estrogenic activity and toxicity of sediment samples from the Cunha Channel watershed, a major contributor of micropollutants to Guanabara Bay, the most polluted but most productive estuarine system in Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. Estrogenic activities were determined by the in vitro Yeast Assay Estrogen Screen (YES) and acute toxicity was determined using the Vibrio fischeri bacteria assay, in samples processed with protocols for wet and dry sediments. The wet test was the most efficient, with values ranging from 3.4 to 17 ng.g-1,while sample drying led to no detectable estrogenic activity and with toxicity in all samples except one (0.16 ng.g-1). All samples were categorized as very toxic or toxic in the acute toxicity assessment, suggesting high Ethylene Dichloride contamination in the Cunha Channel. This is due to anthropogenic and Vibrio fischeri the lack of local sanitation policies, indicating major environmental concerns in one of the most productive estuarine sites in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. This assessment contributes to studies in estuaries estrogenic compounds, which are still extremely scarce worldwide.
The Parnaíba Basin is a Brazilian intracratonic basin located in the North and Northeastern regions of the country. Its Cretaceous succession holds significant scientific and economic importance, as it is correlated with the Aptian Pre-Salt deposits of Brazil and contains early records of marine incursions associated with the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean. This study aims to identify ostracods and organic matter constituents recovered from samples of a fully cored geological section recently drilled in the Parnaíba Basin (2-CO-1-MA borehole, within the interval corresponding to the Codó and Itapecuru formations). The objectives are to establish an ostracod-based biostratigraphic framework for this section, and to infer paleoenvironmental conditions through the integrated analysis of ostracods and palynofacies. Species of the ostracod genera Damonella and Pattersoncypris were identified, alongside megaspores, termite coprolites, fish fragments, gastropoda and foraminifera, characterizing a low diversity fauna and flora assemblage. In addition, the palynofacies revealed the presence of phytoclasts, amorphous organic matter, and palynomorphs within the studied samples. Four microfossil associations and three palynofacies were identified in the studied section, which is constrained to the upper Aptian. The evolution of the sedimentary succession is marked by a range of paleoenvironments, including lacustrine, brackish lacustrine, evaporitic-sabkha, fluvial, lagoonal, and fluvio-deltaic settings.
Agriculture is one of the oldest and prime activities of the human being. It has remained an important source of food. In spite of growing industrialization and urbanization in the world, nearly fifty per cent working population still engaged in agriculture. To make an in depth and comprehensive study, the main objectives present research is to analyze the changes in agricultural land use in the study region, to demarcate and to analyze the agricultural cropping land suitability and methods of cultivation, and to suggest remedial measures for the better agricultural planning and development of Upper Vellar River basin, Tamil Nadu, India using geospatial technology. Depending on their significance and importance in the agriculture seven different constraints and criteria were selected. The identification of different criteria depended on maximum limitation method that influences the product yield of agriculture which includes topographic wetness index (TWI), land use and land cover (LULC), soil, drainage density, slope, aspect and geology. The derived land suitability zones were classified into five classes i.e., not suitable, poor suitable, moderately suitable, highly suitable, and very high suitable zones. The not suitable zone cover 35 sq.km (1%) found in Belur, and Valapadi, poorly suitable zone covers 688 sq. km (8%) found in near Tammpampatti, Moderately suitable zone covers 976 sq.km (36%) found in northern part of study area, southern parts of the study area, highly suitable zone covers 1092 sq.km (43%) found in northern and central part of the study area and Very high suitable zone covers 152 sq.km (17%) found in Central and southern part of the total study area. Paddy crop is useful for developing in the highly suitable zone. The oilseed is the better decision to develop in the moderately suitable zone of the study area. In the low suitable region of study area, it is preferable to grow wheat. Examining the agricultural management plan of the study area shows that only 17% of the area is currently used for agricultural activities. Highly suitable lands for agriculture are the most suitable lands for agricultural production. These lands have the highest potential for agricultural production.
