An Integrated Ecological-Social Simulation Model of Farmer Decisions and Cropping System Performance in the Rolling Pampas (Argentina)

Changes in agricultural systems are a multi-causal process involving climate change, globalization and technological change. These complex interactions regulate the landscape transformation process by imposing land use and cover change (LUCC) dynamics. In order to better understand and forecast the LUCC process we developed a spatially explicit agent-based model in the form of a Cellular Automata: the AgroDEVS model. The model was designed to project viable LUCC dynamics along with their associated economic and environmental changes. AgroDEVS is structured with behavioral rules and functions representing a) crop yields, b) weather conditions, c) economic profits, d) farmer preferences, e) adoption of technology levels and f) natural resource consumption based on embodied energy accounting. Using data from a typical location of the Pampa region (Argentina) for the period 1988-2015, simulation exercises showed that economic goals were achieved, on average, each 6 out of 10 years, but environmental thresholds were only achieved in 1.9 out of 10 years. In a set of 50-years simulations, LUCC patterns converge quickly towards the most profitable crop sequences, with no noticeable trade-off between economic and environmental conditions.Fil: Pessah, Sebastián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; ArgentinaFil: Ferraro, Diego Omar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; ArgentinaFil: Blanco, Daniela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Computación; ArgentinaFil: Castro, Rodrigo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias de la Computación. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias de la Computación; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Computación; Argentin

Políticas públicas de Agroecología en el Cono Sur de América Latina

El incremento en la demanda de alimentos a nivel global en combinación con fenómenos de cambio climático genera una fuerte presión sobre los ecosistemas naturales lo cual intensifica el cambio antrópico en el uso de la tierra y la expansión de la frontera agropecuaria. El modelo agrícola tradicional busca dar soluciones a la alta demanda de alimento a través del aumento de los rendimientos, aunque consecuentemente esto tiene impactos negativos en el ambiente. El Cono Sur de América Latina es una de las regiones más transformadas debido a la alteración y el usoagropecuario. La agroecología se plantea como un modelo alternativo de producción que comprende una serie de prácticas y principios que incluyen dimensiones de los ciclos naturales ecológicos y sociales. En el último tiempo los países de la región han implementado leyes y políticas públicas de fomento a la Agroecología. Sin embargo, estas leyes han estado desconectadas entre sí. El presente trabajo tiene por objetivo describir las políticas públicas relacionadas con la Agroecología en los países de la región y reflexionar sobre las acepciones de esta con el fin de aportar un marco para la producción de leyes y políticas públicas consistentes que busquen promover la Agroecología.Fil: Curto, Rodrigo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Bondaruk, Viviana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; ArgentinaFil: Gutiérrez Molina, Federico Joaquín. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Pessah, Sebastián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Monkes, Julián Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; Argentin

Decision Support Systems for Weed Management

Editors: Guillermo R. Chantre, José L. González-Andújar.Weed management Decision Support Systems (DSS) are increasingly important computer-based tools for modern agriculture. Nowadays, extensive agriculture has become highly dependent on external inputs and both economic costs, as well the negative environmental impact of agricultural activities, demands knowledge-based technology for the optimization and protection of non-renewable resources. In this context, weed management strategies should aim to maximize economic profit by preserving and enhancing agricultural systems. Although previous contributions focusing on weed biology and weed management provide valuable insight on many aspects of weed species ecology and practical guides for weed control, no attempts have been made to highlight the forthcoming importance of DSS in weed management. This book is a first attempt to integrate 'concepts and practice' providing a novel guide to the state-of-art of DSS and the future prospects which hopefully would be of interest to higher-level students, academics and professionals in related areas

Coupled socio-ecological changes in response to soybean expansion along the 2001–2010 decade in Argentina

The socio-economic benefits and environmental spillover effects of the international soybean trade have commanded scientific attention in recent years. This is particularly true for exporting countries, where soybean has promoted the replacement of other agricultural productions and also the an also the transformation of native ecosystems. Better understanding of the problem requires spatially disaggregated analysis of these dimensions, with focus on their interactions. This study assessed socio-ecological trends at county scale during the 2001–2010 growing expansion period of soybean cultivation in Argentina. The study sample comprised 126 counties within (1) the Chaco region, one of the largest natural forest regions until the expansion of the agricultural frontier; and (2) the Pampa region, the largest agricultural production area in the country. The relative variation of socio-economic, ecological and agricultural indicators was calculated for examination of patterns of variation and interrelation through uni- and multivariate analyses. Results indicate different patterns and trade-offs among soybean expansion, socio-economic and ecological indicators of soybean expansion, socio-economic and ecological. Soybean expansion, which mainly occurred in the Pampa region, was based on the replacement of other crops and pastures as well as the loss of livestock and ecosystem services provision. At the same time, the expansion of soybean promoted immigration and unemployment, and reduced improvements in alphabetization and growth in economically active population density. The pattern of soybean expansion triggered notable trends, mostly in the Chaco region where they were related to deforestation and rangeland loss. Findings of the study highlight the utility of a coupled approach in revealing socio-ecological patterns that may not be possible through more fragmentary analyses.Fil: Rositano, Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomia. Departamento de Economía, Desarrollo y Planeamiento Agrícola. Cátedra de Extensión y Sociología Rural; ArgentinaFil: Pessah, Sebastián. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Cerealicultura; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; ArgentinaFil: Durand, Patricia Beatriz. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomia. Departamento de Economía, Desarrollo y Planeamiento Agrícola. Cátedra de Extensión y Sociología Rural; ArgentinaFil: Laterra, Pedro. Fundación Bariloche; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Historical trends of the ecotoxicological pesticide risk from the main grain crops in Rolling Pampa (Argentina).

We showed the results of the first long-term analysis (1987-2019) of pesticide (herbicides, fungicides and insecticides) impact in the Rolling Pampa, one of the main agricultural areas of Argentina. Using a clear and meaningful tool, based not only on acute toxicity but also on scaling up the results to total sown area, we identified time trends for both pesticide impact and the ecoefficiency of modal pesticide profiles. By the end of the time series, soybean showed a pesticide impact four times greater than maize crop in the studied area. However, the time trend in the subperiod (2012-2019) showed a sustainable pattern of pesticide use in soybean crop, with an improvement in its ecoefficiency. Oppositely, maize showed a relatively constant ecoefficiency value during most of the time series, suggesting a possible path towards an unsustainable cropping system. Findings from this study suggest that some efforts have to be made to improve the pest management decisions towards a more efficient pesticide profiles in maize crop and to keep improving the ecotoxicity pesticide profile in soybean crops because of its large sown area in the studied area