Nutrient cycling in two south-east Brazilian forests. I. Litterfall and litter standing crop

Examined litterfall and litter standing crops in Altitudinal forest (AF and Semideciduous forest (SF) at Serra do Japi, Jundiai, Sao Paulo State. Total litterfall was 7 t ha-1 y-1 for AF: 4.9 leaves, 1.8 woody, 0.13 flower, 0.16 fruits; and the total for SF was 8.6 t ha-1 y-1; 5.5 leaves, 2.1 woody, 0.5 flower, 0.4 fruits. Litter standing crop was 5.5 t ha-1 y-1 for the two forest sites studied with a turnover coefficient (K1) of 1.3 for AF and 1.6 for SF. Litterfall occurred throughout the year but was greater during the dry season (August-September); seasonality of litter and leaf fall was greater in SF than in AF. -from Author

Socio-eco-efficiency of integrated and non-integrated systems of crop, forestry and livestock in the Ipameri city, at brazilian Cerrado

Pós-graduação em Ciências Ambientais - Sorocaba

Metaheuristics for a crop rotation problem

This paper presents a mathematical model adapted from literature for the crop rotation problem with demand constraints (CRP-D). The main aim of the present work is to study metaheuristics and their performance in a real context. The proposed algorithms for solution of the CRP-D are a genetic algorithm, a simulated annealing and hybrid approaches: a genetic algorithm with simulated annealing and a genetic algorithm with local search algorithm. A new constructive heuristic was also developed to provide initial solutions for the metaheuristics. Computational experiments were performed using a real planting area and semi-randomly generated instances created by varying the number, positions and dimensions of the lots. The computational results showed that these algorithms determined good feasible solutions in a short computing time as compared with the time spent to get optimal solutions, thus proving their efficacy for dealing with this practical application of the CRP-D.

Pollination of Anemopaegma album (Bignoniaceae) with focus on floral nectar as the mediator of interactions with mutualistic and antagonistic bees

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Eggplant production in a protected environment with plant vibration

The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of eggplant fruit according to plant vibration in two types of protected environments, with and without an aphid-proof screen, preventing or permitting the entry of pollinators. Two eggplant hybrids (Roxelle, clear purple color and round shape fruits, and Kokushi, purple color and elongated fruits), two vibration treatments (with or without plant vibration), and two environments (with or without screen) were assessed. It was concluded that the presence of insects in the open environment increases marketable fruit yield only in hybrid Roxelle (2120 and 1172 g plant-1, with and without insects, respectivelly), the number of seeds per fruit in both hybrids in treatment without plant vibration (average of 584 and 110 seeds, with and without insects, respectivelly), and that plant vibration may partially replace the absence of pollinator insects in a closed environment protected with a screen, with an increase in fruit yield.