Manioc, the queen of Brazil? \ud Rise and fall of Manihot esculenta in São Paulo

O cultivo da mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz) tem uma estreita relação com a formação do Brasil, especialmente \ud com a agricultura familiar de pequena escala. Esta espécie ainda é muito importante na subsistência de milhões de \ud pequenos agricultores no país – especialmente nas regiões setentrionais – e desempenha um papel significativo na dieta \ud da população das áreas rurais. Apesar dessa importância histórica, o cultivo da mandioca por pequenos agricultores \ud sofreu grandes transformações nos últimos dois séculos, inclusive um acentuado declínio, observado em algumas \ud regiões de maior crescimento econômico, como aquela que abrange hoje o estado de São Paulo. Este artigo analisa \ud o declínio e quase completo colapso do cultivo de mandioca na agricultura de pequena escala do estado de São Paulo, \ud entre o século XVI e meados do XX, assim como os fatores socioeconômicos, culturais e ambientais que interagiram \ud desde o século XVIII para formar esse cenárioManioc (Manihot esculenta Crantz) cultivation is closely related to the historical formation of Brazil, particularly with \ud small-scale family farming. This crop is still very important in the subsistence of millions of smallholders in the country \ud – especially, in the northern regions – and plays a significant role in people’s diet in rural areas. Despite its historical \ud importance, small scale manioc cultivation has been gone through many changes in the last two centuries, which include \ud a sharp decline observed in the regions with major economic growth such as the one in which the State of São Paulo is \ud located. This paper analyzes the decline and almost complete collapse of manioc cultivation in the small-scale agriculture \ud of São Paulo State between the sixteenth century until the mid-twentieth century as well as the socioeconomic, cultural \ud and environmental factors that have interplayed since the eighteenth century, resulting in the present day scenario.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (processo n. 2009/52539-5

The slash-and-burn agriculture: a system in transformation

Slash-and-burn agriculture has been practiced for thousands of years in the forests around the world, especially in the tropics, where it provides for the livelihood of countless poor rural populations. Characterized by an array of techniques based on crop diversification and shifting land use, this cultivation system has on the utilization of forest decomposing vegetation´s energetic capital its main asset. Many studies claim that slash-and-burn agriculture is sustainable only when performed under conditions of low human demographic density and maintenance or even increase of local biodiversity. However, it is growing in the academic literature, as well as in development debates, the concern regarding the role that this system has been playing in the deforestation of the planet´s tropical forests. This process appears to be closely linked to changes in land use patterns (agricultural intensification) and urban and rural demographic growth. On the thread of these concerns, this article presents a critical review of the international and national academic literature on slash-and-burn agriculture. Thus, this review intend to draw a broad scenario of the current academic debate on this issue, as well as to identify the main alternatives strategies proposed to maintain or replace this cultivation system

Impactos da agricultura itinerante sobre o solo em florestas tropicais: uma revisão

The sustainability of shifting cultivation is presently a topic of debate in scientific and institutional communities; however, there \ud is no current consensus. To address this debate, we performed a search of the pertinent literature that was published during \ud the last 30 years on the impact of shifting agriculture on tropical soils. This search revealed that the nature of the impact \ud depends on the shifting cultivation system (SCS) phase (conversion, cultivation, or fallow) and on the soil properties (physical, \ud chemical, and biological). We also suggest soil quality indicators for evaluating this agricultural practice in tropical forests, which \ud may be used as a basis for analyses on the tendencies of conservation and degradation of impacted soils. Future research \ud should improve the choices of these indicators, relying mostly on practical criteria, so they can be used by shifting cultivators.A sustentabilidade da agricultura itinerante é, atualmente, um tema bastante debatido no meio científico e institucional, \ud sobre o qual ainda não existe consenso. Como forma de subsidiar este debate, realizamos um levantamento da literatura \ud pertinente, publicada nos últimos 30 anos, a respeito dos impactos da agricultura itinerante sobre os solos tropicais. Este \ud levantamento demonstrou que a natureza dos impactos depende da fase do sistema (conversão, cultivo ou pousio) e \ud das propriedades do solo (físicas, químicas e biológicas). Também foram sugeridos indicadores de qualidade do solo \ud para essa prática agrícola em florestas tropicais, que poderão servir como base para o acompanhamento das tendências \ud de conservação e degradação de solos impactados. Pesquisas futuras devem aprimorar as escolhas destes indicadores, \ud baseando-se em critérios principalmente práticos, para que possam ser utilizados pelos agricultores itinerantes

The impacts of shifting cultivation on tropical forest soil: a review

The sustainability of shifting cultivation is presently a topic of debate in scientific and institutional communities; however, there is no current consensus. To address this debate, we performed a search of the pertinent literature that was published during the last 30 years on the impact of shifting agriculture on tropical soils. This search revealed that the nature of the impact depends on the shifting cultivation system (SCS) phase (conversion, cultivation, or fallow) and on the soil properties (physical, chemical, and biological). We also suggest soil quality indicators for evaluating this agricultural practice in tropical forests, which may be used as a basis for analyses on the tendencies of conservation and degradation of impacted soils. Future research should improve the choices of these indicators, relying mostly on practical criteria, so they can be used by shifting cultivators

Local and scientific knowledge for assessing the use of fallows and mature forest by large mammals in SE Brazil: identifying singularities in folkecology

Background Local ecological knowledge (LEK) has been discussed in terms of its similarities to and its potential to complement normative scientific knowledge. In this study, we compared the knowledge of a Brazilian quilombola population regarding the habitat use and life habits of large mammals with in situ recordings of the species. We also tested the hypothesis that quilombola LEK has a special focus on the anthropogenic portion of the landscape. Methods The habitats investigated were anthropogenic secondary forests and mature forests in the southeastern Atlantic coast of Brazil. We conducted the faunal survey using the camera-trap method. The sampling effort consisted of deploying 1,217 cameras/day in the mature forests and 1,189 cameras/day in the secondary forests. Statistical comparisons regarding the habitat use of the species were based on the randomization procedure. We interviewed 36 men who were more than 40 years old in the three communities studied. Informal, semi-structured and structured interviews were used. Two variables were considered in the LEK analyses: level of internal agreement and level of convergence with the scientific data. Results The camera trap sampling resulted in a total of 981 records. Animals such as opossums, tayras, armadillos and deer showed a non-selective pattern in the use of habitats. In contrast, the coati was more common in mature forests. We found that nearly 40% of the interviewees’ responses converged with the scientific data on the use of habitats. However, the LEK on the species’ life habits was highly convergent with the scientific data. The hypothesis that secondary forests would have a greater relevance for local knowledge was validated for four of the five analyzed species. Conclusions We suggest two principal considerations of ecological and ethnoecological interest: (1) In the Atlantic Forest of the Ribeira Valley, the secondary forests resulting from shifting cultivation were as attractive to the species as the mature forests; (2) The LEK has a special focus on the more anthropogenic portion of the landscape studied. Finally, we argue that this environmental focus in LEK is part of what makes it different from scientific knowledge and unique in its approach toward local environments

Nutritional status and sexual dimorphism in three amazonian caboclo communities

Three Caboclo communities from Marajo Island (State of Pará, Brazil) were studied. Paricatuba is the most traditional one. Marajo-Açu is devoted to the extraction and commercialization of the fruit of açai. Praia Grande has adopted a mechanized agriculture, cattle raising and a cooperative religious organization. Three hundred and ten 0–30 year-old Caboclo males and females were measured. Each sample community was divided into three age stages: preadolescent (0–10 years old), youth (11–20 years old), and adult (21–30 years old). Body weight and height, mid upper-arm circumference, triceps skinfold, and bicondylar humerus width were measured. Body mass index, and upperarm fat, muscle and bone proportions were calculated. In preadolescents, underweight and stunting frequencies were found to be greater in Paricatuba and Marajo-Açu than in Praia Grande. Few significations for wasting were found in all. Sex dimorphism for youths was present in the three communities, whose upper-arm fat proportion was greater in females than in males. Adult Praia Grande males had a greater upper-arm muscle proportion – and females a greater upper-arm fat proportion – than in the other two villages. In synthesis, the three communities underwent some kind of nutritional stress, but Praia Grande was in better conditions than Paricatuba and Marajo-Açu. This suggests an improvement in Praia Grande quality of life, presumably due to westernisation.Fil: Pucciarelli, Hector Mario. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Alves Neves, Walter. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Melcher, Silvia Suzanne. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Sereni Murrieta, Rui Sergio. Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi; Brasi

Complementary Viewpoints: Scientific and Local Knowledge of Ungulates in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

This article compares the local ecological knowledge (LEK) of quilombolas in the Atlantic Forest (Brazil) to scientific knowledge about the diet of four ungulate taxa (Tapirus terrestris L., Mazama spp., Pecari tajacu L., Tayassu pecari Link). LEK was gathered through interviews conducted with the freelisting method and through closed questionnaires. Ecological studies were compiled via a systematic review of the specialized academic literature. The research detected points of convergence and divergence between these knowledge systems. Local knowledge of the food classes in the ungulate diet indicated a wider range of items than that observed in 65 scientific studies of the foraging habits of these species. Certain characteristics of the LEK, such as its principal focus on environments that are not commonly investigated by ecological studies, form the basis of these divergences and reveal the complementary potential of LEK relative to scientific data in this field.Este artigo compara o conhecimento ecológico local (CEL) de agricultores quilombolas com o conhecimento científico sobre a dieta de quatro táxons de ungulados neotropicais (Tapirus terrestris L., Mazama spp., Pecari tajacu L., Tayassu pecari Link). O CEL sobre o tema foi registrado por meio de entrevistas orientadas pela técnica de listagem livre e também por meio de questionários fechados. Os estudos ecológicos foram reunidos a partir de uma revisão sistemática da literatura acadêmica especializada. Pontos concordantes e divergentes foram detectados entre os dois sistemas de conhecimento. Em termos de classes de alimentos presentes na dieta dos ungulados, o conhecimento local se mostrou mais extenso do que aquele reportado nos 65 registros científicos sobre o forrageio das espécies. Características do CEL analisado, como o seu foco principal em ambientes não comumente investigados por estudos estritamente ecológicos, devem estar na origem de suas diferenças e do seu potencial complementar em relação aos dados científicos neste campo de pesquisa.Cet article compare la connaissance écologique locale (CEL) des agriculteurs de quilombolas et la connaissancescientifique du régime alimentaire de quatre taxons de ongulés néotropicaux (Tapirus terrestris L., Mazama spp., Pecari tajacu L., Tayassu pecari Link). La CEL du thème a été enregistré au moyen d’entretiens directifs,\ud par la technique de la liste libre et aussi au moyen de questionnaires fermés. Les études écologiques ont été réunies à partir d’une révision systématique de la littérature académique spécialisée. Des points concordants et divergents ont été détectés entre les deux systèmes de connaissance. En terme de classes d’aliments présents dans\ud le régime alimentaire des ongulés, la connaissance locale s’est montrée plus étendue que celle rapportée par les 65 registres scientifiques sur la recherche de nourriture de ces espèces. Les caractéristiques de la CEL analysée, avec par exemple son objet d’étude principal centré sur des milieux généralement peu étudiés par les recherches\ud strictement écologiques, sont probablement à l’origine de ses différences et de son potentiel complémentaire avec les données scientifiques dans ce champ de recherche.FAPESP 2008/50951-3FAPESP 2009/52539-

Diversifying incomes and losing landscape complexity in quilombola shifting cultivation communities of the Atlantic Rainforest (Brazil)

Shifting cultivation systems have been blamed as the primary cause of tropical deforestation and are being transformed through various forms of conservation and development policies and through the emergence of new markets for cash crops. Here, we analyze the outcomes of different policies on land use/land cover change (LUCC) in a traditional, shifting cultivation landscape in the Atlantic Forest (Brazil), one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots. We also investigate the impacts of those policies on the environment and local livelihoods in Quilombola communities, which are formed by descendants of former Maroon colonies. Our findings show that conservation and social policies have had mixed effects both on the conservation of the Atlantic Forest and on the livelihoods of the Quilombola. We conclude that future interventions in the region need to build on the new, functional links between sustainable livelihoods and biodiversity, where less restrictive state policies leave room for new opportunities in self-organization and innovationFAPESP 2006/58624-6FAPESP 2005/00117-9FAPESP 07-53308-1FAPESP 2008/52446-4FAPESP 2000/04102-2FAPESP 2007/51979-6CNPq 134962/2005-2Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superio