Concept Map to Visualize Opposite Perspectives of Rapa Nui History as a Whole

Abstract

, et al., After exhaustive reading of these texts, a concept map was constructed from the information contained therein. The concept maps were produced in CMAP-tools software. AbstractThis work presents contrasting views on the socio-environmental history of the Rapa Nui. The dominant point of view argues for the occurrence of a cultural "ecocide" caused by the environmental degradation of the Easter Island environment. The opposite school that suggests that introduction of diseases and practice of slavery by foreign visitors was responsible for societal collapse. This integrative view is a product of a concept map developed in Cmap Tools software, based on literature review and field work during 2015. The concept map identified the crucial elements in causal chains, corresponding to the turning points of the argumentative chains, from one school of thoughts to the other one. The interdependence among the two schools of thoughts were demonstrated by different causal chains (highlighted by the use of different colors in the connection lines) sharing the same concepts or elements in the system (the turning points). These turning points highlighted in the concept map, were: eating palm fruits by rodents, decrease of palm trees, transportation of statues (moai), production of canoes, getting firewood and landscape pattern. This work demonstrated how concept maps can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the Rapa Nui history and it identified the key processes that drive the interpretative choices for one school of thought or another. As a result, it can be noted that the concept map can effectively address what are the key processes that investigations should focus on to advance our understanding of the Rapa Nui prehistory.

Water Security and River Basin Revitalization of the São Francisco River Basin: A Symbiotic Relationship

“…In the third step, the concept maps tool was utilized in order to obtain a synthesis of the interdependences between the concepts of water security and river basin revitalization [30]. Concept maps are useful as a template or support to organize concepts and information in a schematic way, visualizing the chain of processes from an interdisciplinary perspective, being able to show the interfaces, complementarities, and antagonisms between different theoretical references of the same problem [31]. In this step, our intention was to include relationships identified by SFRBC members and analyze the diagram as a systemic integrated whole view, placing the concept of river basin revitalization within the water security framework and highlighting the relationships between them.…”

Macaws, their behavior, and local biodiversity as possible drivers of ecotourism development in Alta Floresta, MT, Brazil

“…Later, socioeconomic development presupposed that any changes would be quantitative and qualitative, with a fair distribution of the results of growth. However, the development of market economies produced a series of negative impacts, including environmental destruction (air, soil, and water pollution, deforestation, stubble burning, erosion, and biodiversity loss) and worsened human health (MARINI; GARCIA, 2005;BENI, 2006;HESSEL;SAITO;OLIVEIRA, 2009).…”

“…In the context of the local conditions of this study, these aspects are even more important, since many local bird species are highly threatened by the ecosystem fragmentation and wildlife trafficking that hurt many habitats and species worldwide (MARINI; GARCIA, 2005;HESSEL;SAITO;OLIVEIRA, 2009). The city of Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso State, is located in the Amazon region.…”