Natural parasitism by Trichogramma spp. in agroecosystems of the Mid-­North, Brazil.

The micro-­hymenopterans of genus Trichogramma are eggs parasitoids used in the biological control of lepidopteran pests. The objectives of this study was to record the interaction of species of Trichogramma and their hosts on crops in the Mid-­North, in the states of Maranhão and Piauí, Brazil.

The balance between sustainability dimensions: ecological base familiar smallholders' case from Coagrosol/Brazil .

This report shows some initial results about the research project entitled GlobalOrg, on a Brazilian case study, investigating the sustainability of tropical fruit organic farming in a global food chains perspective. It was performed an analysis about the production strategies of certified units of a familiar smalholders cooperative from Itápolis-SP-Brazil. In this analysis it was verified the application of sustainability principles recommended by the ecological based agriculture, focused on the agrobiodiversity, material recycling and the social-economic aspects from the agroecology conversion process. The research occurs through the complementarities provided by a combination of sociological and agronomic research methods, it means, qualitative interviews and questionnaire application with semi-structured questions. What was concluded is that the establishment of an economic relationship between the cooperative and a fair-trade international entity stimulates an interesting growing in the production diversity and also stimulates the application of different principles of ecological based agriculture. It indicates an important balance between the sustainability dimensions and demonstrates a visible attitude change in the natural resource exploration in this region.

Carbon Stocks in Compartments of Soil Organic Matter 31 Years after Substitution of Native Cerrado Vegetation by Agroecosystems.

ABSTRACT: Changes in carbon stocks in different compartments of soil organic matter of a clayey Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico (Typic Haplustox), caused by the substitution of native savanna vegetation (cerrado sensu stricto) by agroecosystems, were assessed after 31 years of cultivation. Under native vegetation, a stock of 164.5 Mg ha-1 C was estimated in the 0.00-1.00 m layer. After 31 years of cultivation, these changes in soil C stocks were detected to a depth of 0.60 m. In the case of substitution of cerrado sensu stricto by no-tillage soybean-corn rotation, a reduction of at least 11 % of the soil C pools was observed. However, the adoption of no-tillage as an alternative to tillage with a moldboard plow (conventional system) reduced CO2 emissions by up to 12 %.

Soil N²O emissions from long-term agroecosystems: interactive effects of rainfall seasonality and crop rotation in the Brazilian cerrado.

2016

Land quality monitoring systems that integrate local and technical knowledge contribute to sustainability valuation in agricultural landscapes.

2008

An approach to assess the potential of agroecosystems in providing environmental services.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi apresentar uma abordagem para avaliar as funções do solo em agroecossistemas e seus impactos sobre os serviços ambientais (SA). Uma abordagem com estudo de casos foi proposta para analisar a relação entre o estabelecimento e o manejo de agroecossistemas, em três biomas brasileiros (Floresta Atlântica, Cerrado e Caatinga), e a sua correlação com a prestação de serviços ambientais, tendo-se levado em consideração as especificidades de cada área. Também foi proposto um conjunto de parâmetros do solo que possam ser utilizados como indicadores para monitorar as alterações no agroecossistema. Observou-se que os tipos de serviços ambientais mais afetados pela implantação e pela gestão dos agroecossistemas são os de suporte e provisão, o que mostra o potencial que o manejo agrícola tem de fornecer múltiplos serviços, além de alimentos, fibras e energia. "Sem uso de fogo" e "consórcios agrícolas" foram os critérios usados na implantação e a gestão de agroecossistemas com maior potencial em aumentar a prestação de serviços ambientais, enquanto o estoque de biomassa no solo e na serapilheira foi o parâmetro do solo mais adequado para uso como indicador no monitoramento do impacto do agroecossistema na prestação de serviços ambientais.