Integrated Analysis of Highland Humid Brejos in Northeast Brazil Based on Physiographic Attributes

Abstract

Highland humid enclaves (brejos) are areas of climatic-edaphic-ecological exceptionalism within the semi-arid zone of Northeast Brazil, which create expressive landscape diversity. When compared to surrounding areas the environmental peculiarities of the humid enclaves draw the attention of researchers because they possess considerable environmental and economic value in the context of the Brazilian semi-arid. Interest can take the form of scientific characterization or applied planning measures. The aim of the present work is to compile and discuss the main physiographic characteristics already identified for the highland brejos in the literature. Academic articles, theses, dissertations, books and technical reports were consulted in order to characterize the brejos of the Northeast. In conclusion, based on their physiographic attributes, ten areas were identified as humid enclaves. These characteristics were organized in a synthesis table and a comparative analysis based on the descriptive elements found in literature is undertaken.