A pesquisa coloca em discussão as relações do design com a sociobiodiversidade, e toma a borracha, produto típico do extrativismo amazônico, como tema de estudo. Hoje se acredita que a ideia de tornar produtivas algumas florestas públicas de uso sustentável da Amazônia é uma boa estratégia para atender simultaneamente a três objetivos distintos: ocupar áreas públicas que são constantemente invadidas para a exploração ilegal de madeira, melhorar a qualidade de vida das comunidades que habitam a região e conservar as reservas de biodiversidade. Essa estratégia, no entanto, não só é polêmica devido aos impactos gerados pelos processos de desenvolvimento econômico, como também requer uma reflexão quanto aos processos e critérios que envolvem a valorização dos produtos florestais. O texto discute como o design pode tornar-se um aliado nesse contexto, ao articular visões estratégicas para o território com a organização de processos de inovação e comunicação. Além disso, analisa questões relativas ao modelo de desenvolvimento pretendido, em relação aos mercados, à sustentabilidade dos projetos e à autonomia das comunidades que vivem nessa área. A discussão em pauta nesta tese surgiu por meio das experiências em campo com oficinas de design para o desenvolvimento de linguagens visuais e de marca para artefatos feitos com a borracha natural. As oficinas com as comunidades de Maguari e Jamaraquá, na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós, foram realizadas entre os anos de 2007 e 2012. Essas experiências mostraram a complexidade da realidade local e os desafios que envolvem a atuação do designer nesse contexto. / This research project brings into question the relationship between design and social biodiversity and takes rubber, a typical product of the Amazonian extractivism, as its object of study. Currently it is believed that the idea of making some public forests productive for sustainable use of the Amazon is a good strategy to simultaneously meet three distinct goals: occupying public areas that are constantly raided for illegal logging, improve the quality of life of communities inhabiting the region and conserve biodiversity reserves. This strategy, however, is controversial not only because of the impact of the processes of economic development, but also requires thought as to the criteria and processes that involve the use of forest products. This paper discusses how design can become an ally in this context, to articulate strategic visions for the territory with the organization of innovation processes and communication. It also examines issues related to the proposed development model in relation to markets, project sustainability and autonomy of communities living in that area. The discussion in question in this thesis arose through field experiments with design workshops for the development of visual languages and branding for artifacts made from natural rubber. The workshops with the communities of Maguari and Jamaraquá in the Tapajos National Forest were performed between 2007 and 2012. These experiments showed the complexity of local realities and the challenges involving the role of designer in this contexto.

A pesquisa coloca em discussão as relações do design com a sociobiodiversidade, e toma a borracha, produto típico do extrativismo amazônico, como tema de estudo. Hoje se acredita que a ideia de tornar produtivas algumas florestas públicas de uso sustentável da Amazônia é uma boa estratégia para atender simultaneamente a três objetivos distintos: ocupar áreas públicas que são constantemente invadidas para a exploração ilegal de madeira, melhorar a qualidade de vida das comunidades que habitam a região e conservar as reservas de biodiversidade. Essa estratégia, no entanto, não só é polêmica devido aos impactos gerados pelos processos de desenvolvimento econômico, como também requer uma reflexão quanto aos processos e critérios que envolvem a valorização dos produtos florestais. O texto discute como o design pode tornar-se um aliado nesse contexto, ao articular visões estratégicas para o território com a organização de processos de inovação e comunicação. Além disso, analisa questões relativas ao modelo de desenvolvimento pretendido, em relação aos mercados, à sustentabilidade dos projetos e à autonomia das comunidades que vivem nessa área. A discussão em pauta nesta tese surgiu por meio das experiências em campo com oficinas de design para o desenvolvimento de linguagens visuais e de marca para artefatos feitos com a borracha natural. As oficinas com as comunidades de Maguari e Jamaraquá, na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós, foram realizadas entre os anos de 2007 e 2012. Essas experiências mostraram a complexidade da realidade local e os desafios que envolvem a atuação do designer nesse contexto. / This research project brings into question the relationship between design and social biodiversity and takes rubber, a typical product of the Amazonian extractivism, as its object of study. Currently it is believed that the idea of making some public forests productive for sustainable use of the Amazon is a good strategy to simultaneously meet three distinct goals: occupying public areas that are constantly raided for illegal logging, improve the quality of life of communities inhabiting the region and conserve biodiversity reserves. This strategy, however, is controversial not only because of the impact of the processes of economic development, but also requires thought as to the criteria and processes that involve the use of forest products. This paper discusses how design can become an ally in this context, to articulate strategic visions for the territory with the organization of innovation processes and communication. It also examines issues related to the proposed development model in relation to markets, project sustainability and autonomy of communities living in that area. The discussion in question in this thesis arose through field experiments with design workshops for the development of visual languages and branding for artifacts made from natural rubber. The workshops with the communities of Maguari and Jamaraquá in the Tapajos National Forest were performed between 2007 and 2012. These experiments showed the complexity of local realities and the challenges involving the role of designer in this contexto.

This dissertation aims to identify the main changes in monsoon activity observed over the American monsoon and Amazonian regions during the last decades and the possible links between such changes. To address this, several observational and reanalysis datasets were used. The results suggest the occurrence of two regime types of the North American monsoon during 1948-2009: two dry regimes during 1948-1959 and 1990-2009 and one wet regime during 1960-1989. The occurrence of such regimes is modulated by the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. However, the two dry regimes have different causes. In particular, the more recent dry regime is mainly due to both an anomalous westward expansion of the North Atlantic Subtropical High and a northward displacement of the subtropical jet stream over the United States. The former enhances the low-level flow from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Plains and weakens moisture transport to Mexico and the southwestern US. In addition to such a weakening of the North American monsoon during the last two decades, this research shows that the American monsoon systems have shortened after 1978 due to a trend toward earlier retreats of the North American monsoon and delayed onsets of the southern Amazon wet season. These changes produce a longer transition season between both monsoon systems. Whether these changes are caused by a common factor or they are the consequence of independent and unrelated causes was not clear previously. The results discussed here indicate that the observed changes in the American monsoons are partially a consequence of the westward expansion of the North Atlantic surface high observed since 1978. Such a westward expansion enhances the activity of easterly waves over the southern Caribbean Sea and northern South America, producing a dominant easterly flow over the region, which in turn prevents the reversal of the cross-equatorial flow necessary to transport moisture to the southern Amazon and the South American monsoon domain and contributes to its delayed onset. This investigation provides evidence that the shortening and weakening of the American monsoons and the lengthening of the transition season between them are associated with the same large-scale forcing, which may be caused by anthropogenic influence. / text