Geoprocessing from the perspective of Environmental Sciences: an integrative review of applications and contributions in different landscapes

Abstract

Geoprocessing can be considered as a relatively new science and the discovery of this tool has revolutionized the field of the most varied areas of knowledge. Because of this, the study aims to demonstrate the contributions and applications of geoprocessing in Brazil, with approaches that involve tools available for the systematization and processing of data in the areas of environmental sciences. The theoretical framework was prepared based on data collection from secondary sources through the integrative review, considering the historical series of 26 years between 1995 and 2021, whose sample research obtained 40 scientific publications on the topic of geoprocessing. The result indicated 126 undergraduate courses, with a predominance of 18% (N=23) for Undergraduate/Bachelor's degrees. In total, 103 authors were included in this review, 39% with PhD degrees, 27% with Postdoctoral degrees, and 19% with Master's degrees. Of these, about 63% linked to federal universities, 18% to state universities, 5% to federal institutes, 3% to foreign institutions and private colleges, and the remaining 2% to government agencies. The preference for publications in the article format concentrated 75% (N=30) of the selected works. The prevalence of studies with geoprocessing, presented by the researchers, is focused on analyses of natural disaster prevention, climate change, water resources management, urban planning, and the initial use and concept of this technology in basic education.