Protective shade, tree diversity and soil properties in coffee agroforestry systems in the Atlantic Rainforest biome.

Sustainable production and biodiversity conservation can be mutually supportive in providing multiple ecosystem services to farmers and society. This study aimed to determine the contribution of agroforestry systems, as tested by family farmers in the Brazilian Rainforest region since 1993, to tree biodiversity and evaluated farmers’ criteria for tree species selection. In addition, long-term effects on microclimatic temperature conditions for coffee production and chemical and biological soil characteristics at the field scale were compared to full-sun coffee systems. A floristic inventory of 8 agroforests and 4 reference forest sites identified 231 tree species in total. Seventy-eight percent of the tree species found in agroforests were native. The variation in species composition among agroforests contributed to a greater ¿-diversity than a-diversity. Monthly average maximum temperatures were approximately 6 °C higher in full-sun coffee than in agroforests and forests. Total soil organic C, N mineralization and soil microbial activity were higher in forests than in coffee systems, whereas the chemical and biological soil quality in agroforests did not differ significantly from full-sun coffee after 13 years. Given its contribution to the conservation of biodiversity and its capacity to adapt coffee production to future climate change, coffee agroforestry offers a promising strategy for the area

Protective shade, tree diversity and soil properties in coffee agroforestry systems in the Atlantic Rainforest biome.

Sustainable production and biodiversity conservation can be mutually supportive in providing multiple ecosystem services to farmers and society. This study aimed to determine the contribution of agroforestry systems, as tested by family farmers in the Brazilian Rainforest region since 1993, to tree biodiversity and evaluated farmers’ criteria for tree species selection. In addition, long-term effects on microclimatic temperature conditions for coffee production and chemical and biological soil characteristics at the field scale were compared to full-sun coffee systems. A floristic inventory of 8 agroforests and 4 reference forest sites identified 231 tree species in total. Seventy-eight percent of the tree species found in agroforests were native. The variation in species composition among agroforests contributed to a greater ¿-diversity than a-diversity. Monthly average maximum temperatures were approximately 6 °C higher in full-sun coffee than in agroforests and forests. Total soil organic C, N mineralization and soil microbial activity were higher in forests than in coffee systems, whereas the chemical and biological soil quality in agroforests did not differ significantly from full-sun coffee after 13 years. Given its contribution to the conservation of biodiversity and its capacity to adapt coffee production to future climate change, coffee agroforestry offers a promising strategy for the area

Utilização das vitaminas C e E em rações para frangos de corte mantidos em ambiente de alta temperatura Use of vitamins C and E on ration for broilers kept in high temperature environment

O experimento foi realizado para avaliar os efeitos da suplementação das vitaminas C ou E na ração sobre o desempenho, as características de carcaça e os parâmetros hematológicos de frangos de corte mantidos em ambiente de alta temperatura. Foram utilizados 450 frangos de corte distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos, cada um com nove repetições de 10 aves (período 1 a 21 dias) ou de 7 aves (período de 22 a 42 dias) por unidade experimental. Os tratamentos foram: ração basal (RB) sem suplementação de vitaminas C e E; RB + 300 ppm de vitamina E; RB + 230 ppm de vitamina C; RB + 300 ppm de vitamina E + 230 ppm de vitamina C; e RB + 150 ppm de vitamina E + 115 ppm de vitamina C. Não houve efeito da suplementação das vitaminas C e E no desempenho zootécnico das aves na fase de 1 a 21 dias de idade. Na fase de 1 a 42 dias, a suplementação das vitaminas C e E influenciou somente a conversão alimentar. Os melhores resultados para os pesos absoluto e relativo de peito foram observados nas aves que receberam a ração basal suplementada com as combinações das vitaminas C e E. A concentração plasmática de triiodotironina, a porcentagem de células sanguíneas, a relação heterófilo/linfócito e os pesos absoluto e relativo do baço aos 21 e 42 dias de idade não foram influenciados pela suplementação vitamínica. A suplementação das vitaminas C e ou E não influi no desempenho zootécnico, no peso do baço e nos parâmetros sanguíneos de frangos de corte mantidos até 42 dias de idade em ambiente de alta temperatura. As combinações das vitaminas C e E promovem melhora nos pesos absoluto e relativo de peito de frangos de corte sob alta temperatura.<br>This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of supplementation of vitamins C or E in the diet on performance, carcass characteristics and hematological parameters of broilers kept under high environmental temperature. Four hundred and fifty broilers were distributed in a completely randomized design with five treatments and nine replications, with 10 and 7 birds per experimental unit, respectively, according to the periods from 1 to 21 and 22 to 42 days old. Treatments consisted of a basal diet (RB) without supplementation of vitamins C and E; RB + 300 ppm of vitamin E; RB + 230 ppm of vitamin C; RB + 300 ppm of vitamin E + 230 of vitamin C, and RB + 150 ppm of vitamin E + 115 of vitamin C. Treatments did not influence performance of birds in the phase of 1 to 21 days of age. At 1 to 42 days of age, supplementation of vitamins C and E only influenced feed conversion. The best results for the absolute and relative weights of breast were observed in birds fed the basal diet supplemented with different combinations of vitamins C and E. Plasma concentration of triiodothyronine, percentage of blood cells, the heterophil/lymphocyte ratio and absolute and relative weights of the spleen at 21 and 42 days of age were not influenced by vitamin supplementation. Supplementation of vitamins C and/or E did not influence performance, weight of the spleen or blood parameters of chickens maintained until 42 days of age in a high temperature environment. The combination of vitamins C and E promotes improvement in absolute and relative weights of breast of broilers reared under high temperatur