The population in the high mountains of the northwest provinces of Vietnam belongs to the poorest population in the country. Among the reasons behind this are the high frequency of minority groups in the region and the infertile soils of the steep slopes. As a result of the diversified elevation in northwest Vietnam, farmers are forced to cultivate fields with a gradient of more than 25 %. Additionally, the heavy rainfall events in the region increase the runoff, which is the main mechanism in erosion. Erosion leads to loss of bulk soil, and large losses of plant nutrients. In addition to erosion, nutrient leakage also occurs especially where a surplus of nutrients is applied. This is often the case when fertilizers are not applied with care. Nutrients are a limiting factor within agriculture, and with better nutrient management, the yield, and thus the farmers' economy, increases.The overall aim of this study was to locate and quantify sources and sinks of nutrients within the ten chosen farms. To achieve this aim, two specific objectives were researched. The first objective was to quantify the farm gate balance to get an overall idea of nutrient surplus and deficit and environmental risks. The second objective was to quantify and map out the internal flows i.e the field balances and the nutrients lost during manure storage. This will help locate sources and sinks of nutrients within each farm. Additionally, it will show if the grass strips help absorb nutrients lost through erosion.The study was carried out in Mai Son District in Son La Province in northwest Vietnam. The data was mainly collected through interviews with farmers on ten farms in the study area, as well as observations made during the field visit. Five farms with cows were chosen, while five farms had no cows. The farms mainly grew maize, longan, mango, and forage grass. Additionally, analyses were made on the nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium concentration in the compost, and the nitrogen concentration of the Guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq) which made up the grass-strips in the sloping land. The analysis of Guinea leaves was made to calibrate the SPAD-meter used in the field to gather nitrogen-values of the grass strips in the fields.The calculated balances indicated that the elements N, P and K on each farm varied between 32 to 580 kg/ha/year for N, -680 (16) to 53 kg/ha/year for P and -130 to 220 kg/ha/year for K. It also showed that Guinea grass, when grown along the contour lines, did as anticipated; absorb excess nutrients from the soil. However, the result shows that the forage grass mines the soil from potassium. Finally, the result showed that the farmers seem to over fertilize the plants. When estimating the nutrient lost from manure storage, the calculation showed significant losses of both nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium during storage.The result of the study shows that the handling of manure, choice of compost or mineral fertilizer and fodder and use of grass strips on the farms affects the nutrient loss within the farm. It also shows that a system with forage grass on the contour is, above all, effective when used on farms with grass eating animals as the farmers otherwise don’t harvest the grass.

Shade trees’ implementation into cocoa agroforestry systems in tropical West Africa has proven to have a high potential in increasing farm resilience and mitigating climate change. However, no studies have yet examined the potential future climate suitability for shade trees in the region, which is important when deciding which shade trees to implement. The aim of this study was to predict the current and future climate suitability of shade trees currently used in cocoa agroforestry systems and give recommendations based on the results. It also aimed to examine how different levels of shadetree diversity can impact a farm’s microclimate and how this can be linked to climate suitability for cocoa. To assess climate suitability, a species distribution model was performed for a baseline scenario with the current climate defined as 1970-2000 and for two future scenarios, SSP126 and SSP585, for the time period 2041-2060. To measure microclimate, a microclimatic study was performed in the Ashanti region of Ghana on 16 farms during mid March to mid May 2023 measuring the maximum temperature above cocoa canopy and 15 cm above the ground for three different treatments. The results showed that three species, Khaya senegalensis, Ceiba pentandra and Albiziazygia, were predicted to have the largest habitat areas of climate suitability in West Africa for several of the scenarios. However, it was also identified that the model could be improved when it comes tothe inclusion of more bioclimatic variables, global circulation models (GCMs) and for which futures cenarios to model for. The microclimatic study showed that both farms with a low and high level of shade tree diversity have a significant possibility to buffer the maximum temperature above cocoa canopy, with low diversity farms having a larger buffering capacity. The study also showed that areaswhere several shade tree species are predicted to have a climatically suitable habitat decreased for future scenarios, which could be a risk for the possibility to mitigate climate change for cocoa with shade tree implementation in the future. / Att implementera skuggträd i kakaoskogslantbruk i tropiska Västafrika har visat sig ha en högpotential att öka resiliens på gårdar såväl som att motverka effekterna av klimatförändringar iregionen. Däremot har inga tidigare studier hittills undersökt vilka skuggträdsarter som väntas varalämpliga i framtida klimat. Syftet med den här studien var att uppskatta nutida och framtidalämplighet för skuggträd som nu används i kakaoskogslantbruk och ge rekommendationer utifrånresultaten. Studien hade också som syfte att undersöka hur olika nivåer av diversitet av skuggträd på gårdarna påverkade deras mikroklimat samt hur detta kan kopplas till klimatlämplighet för kakao. Klimatlämplighet uppskattades med en distributionsmodell (eng: “species distribution model”), med ett basscenario för nutida klimat satt som 1970-2000 samt med två framtida klimatscenarier, SSP126 och SSP585, för tidsperioden 2041-2060. Mikroklimat mättes genom en fältstudie som genomfördes på 16 gårdar i Ashantiregionen i Ghana under perioden mitten av mars till mitten av maj. Mikroklimatet mättes för den maximalt uppnådda temperaturen ovanför kakaoträdens lövverk och 15 cm ovanför marken. Resultaten visade att tre arter, Khaya senegalensis, Ceiba pentandra och Albiziazygia, hade störst område där de var lämpliga för flest klimatscenarier i Västafrika. Dessutom identifierades flera sätt att förbättra modellen, bland annat genom att inkludera fler bioklimatiska variabler, fler globala cirkulationsmodeller (GCMs) och genom att förutspå utvecklingen för fler framtida klimatscenarier. För mikroklimat visade resultaten att både en hög och låg diversitet av skuggträd resulterade i att den maximala temperaturen minskade ovanför skuggträdens lövverk, och den minskade mer där diversiteten var låg. Resultaten visade även att för framtida klimatscenarier minskar områdena där flera skuggträd är lämpliga, vilket kan vara problematiskt för möjligheten att bemöta klimatförändringar i framtiden genom skuggträdsimplementering.

No description available.

Agroforestry is a new term for an old practice of resource management which includes the planting of trees and agricultural crops on the same piece of land, either simultaneously or sequentially. In Senegal, this new approach has been praised, mainly because it came along at a time when private participation in reforestation was badly needed. Since the early 1980s, the Snegalese government has been devoting money and personnel to the implementation of agroforestry projects, particularly in the Groundnut Basin. In spite of these efforts, small private farmers response to the suggested agroforestry systems has been slow in most parts of the region. Assuming that financial return is the most viable mean for triggering large-scale adoption of agroforestry by private farmers, this study analyzes the financial attractiveness of the three agroforestry systems promoted in the Groundnut Basin, and compares them to the base case of growing groundnuts alone. The three agroforestry systems are: kad and millet, cashew and groundnuts, and a Eucalyptus block plantation. For each system, costs and benefits accruing to the farmer are identified and estimated. The financial attractiveness of each system is measured using two criteria: present net worth (PNW) and internal rate of return (IRR). Using the criterion that a system with a PNW greater than zero is acceptable, the results indicate that all three agroforestry systems are acceptable at 10 and 15 percent discount rates. The kad and millet system is acceptable at rates nearing 50 percent. This is due mainly to the valuation of the crop loss avoided in the presence of kad trees. When this component was not internalized, the IRR was found at only 15.8 percent. The cashew and groundnut system has the next highest IRR at 25.6 percent, followed by The Eucalyptus block plantation at 18.8 percent. The base case yields negative PNW at all three discount rates, and an IRR equal to 4. 7 percent. This low return from the groundnut enterprise may be due to the valuation of family labor which does not generally constitute an out-of-pocket cost. Some environmental benefits attributable to agroforestry systems and some socio-economic constraints that may be part of the farmers' reluctance to adopt the new systems are discussed. Finally, some recommendations are made to help improve the current approach to private involvement in reforestation. It is suggested that, in order to anticipate the loss in interest that follows most incentive programs once the incentives stop, the "cost sharing" program and other financial incentive programs should be limited to systems, which have strong favorable impacts on the environment but do not afford sufficient financial rewards by themselves for wide scale adoption. / M.S.

Die großflächige Umwandlung von tropischen Wäldern hat zu dramatischen Verlusten von Biodiversität und assoziierten Ökosystemdienstleistungen und –funktionen geführt. Indonesien ist ein besonders schwerwiegendes Beispiel für den Verlust von Waldflächen und Biodiversität. Landumnutzungen, in starkem Maße durch den Anbau von Ölpalmen vorangetrieben, stellen eine erhebliche Bedrohung für die außergewöhnlich hohe Biodiversität des Landes dar. Landwirtschaftssysteme, wie Agroforstsysteme, können hingegen genutzt werden, um die Biodiversität und Ökosystemfunktionen in von Ölpalmen dominierten Landschaften zu erhöhen. In Regionen, in denen Ölpalmplantagen bereits die Landschaft dominieren, kann diese Erhöhung nur durch systematische Renaturierung erfolgen. Die zugrunde liegenden ökologischen und soziökonomischen Prozesse und damit verbundene Beschränkungen und Kompromisse von Renaturierungsmaßnahmen in von Ölpalmen dominierten Landschaften sind jedoch weitgehend unbekannt. Um diese Wissenslücke zu schließen, habe ich mit Kollegen aus Deutschland und Indonesien ein Langzeitexperiment zur Erhöhung der Biodiversität aufgebaut. Wir haben experimentell Bäume in Form von „Inseln“ in eine konventionelle Ölpalmplantage gepflanzt und hierbei systematisch die Flächengröße, das Diversitätslevel und die Artzusammensetzung variiert. Wir haben hierfür sechs multifunktionale heimische Baumarten ausgewählt. Auf der Fläche der Bauminseln haben wir einen Teil der Ölpalmen gefällt, um die Lichtverfügbarkeit für die gepflanzten Bäume durch eine reduzierte Ölpalmdichte zu erhöhen. In dieser Doktorarbeit stelle ich den Aufbau des Experiments vor und gebe einen breiten Einblick in anfängliche Auswirkungen des Experiments, indem ich ökologische Aspekte in Betracht ziehe, sowie Veränderungen hinsichtlich des Ernteertrags. Da die Zeit kurz nach der Pflanzung ein Nadelöhr für die Langzeitetablierung der Bäume darstellt, ist sie sehr kritisch, um die erwünschten Renaturierungserfolge in der Zukunft zu erzielen. Des Weiteren kann die Anfangszeit auch aus der Sicht der Landwirte eine entscheidende Hürde darstellen, da der Nutzen der Bauminseln erst lange Zeit nach ihrer Pflanzung entsteht. Zuerst beschreibe ich Umweltvariablen und biotische Charakteristika der den experimentellen Flächen assoziierten Vegetation, Invertebraten und Vögel vor der Errichtung des Experiments, sowie anfängliche Auswirkungen des Experiments auf die Fauna. Ein Jahr nach der Errichtung des Experiments hatten die Baumpflanzungen einen insgesamt positiven Effekt auf die Artengemeinschaften von Vögeln und Invertebraten in der Plantage. Die Größe der Bauminseln wirkte sich lediglich auf die Diversität und Abundanz von Invertebraten positiv aus, die somit auf kleinskalige Veränderungen reagierten. Ausgehend von diesen Ergebnissen erwarte ich einen weiteren Anstieg der Biodiversität und Ökosystemfunktionen in der Zukunft. Danach berichte ich über den Anwuchserfolg der Bäume und ermittle die wichtigsten Determinanten für den Wuchs und das Überleben der Bäume. Insgesamt sind die Bäume gut angewachsen, jedoch gab es große Unterschiede zwischen den Baumarten hinsichtlich relativer Höhenwachstums-, Dickenwachstums- sowie Überlebensraten. Arten mit hohen Wachstumsraten wiesen vorwiegend auch hohe Überlebensraten auf. Auf Versuchsflächenebene hatten Standortbedingungen, Flächengröße und Diversitätslevel der gepflanzten Bäume lediglich einen geringen Einfluss auf das mittlere Baumwachstum und die Überlebensrate. Auf Individuenebene habe ich signifikante Nachbarschaftseffekte festgestellt. Hohe benachbarte Bäume und die Distanz zu verbleibenden Ölpalmen begünstigten die Entwicklung der Bäume. Noch ist es zu früh zu entscheiden, welche der Baumarten sich generell am besten eignen, um Renaturierungsziele zu erreichen. Unterschiede in der anfänglichen Entwicklung liefern jedoch wichtige Informationen für eine zukünftige Bewertung der Arten. Zuletzt präsentiere ich Auswirkungen des Experiments auf den Ölpalmertrag. Nach zwei Jahren waren die Erträge pro Ölpalmindividuum erhöht, sowohl auf als auch direkt neben den Versuchsflächen. Die geschätzten Ertragsänderungen für die verschiedenen Flächengrößen unter Einbezug von Ernteverlusten durch gefällte Ölpalmen sowie Effekte auf benachbarte Ölpalmen deuten darauf hin, dass die erhöhten Ernteerträge insbesondere in großen Bauminseln mindestens das Fällen von Ölpalmen kompensiert haben. Diese Ergebnisse, die in der frühen Phase der Bauminseletablierung erzielt wurden, sind vielversprechend für die Erarbeitung nachhaltiger Managementoptionen für Ölpalmplantagen, die ökologische und ökonomische Funktionen in Einklang bringen. Die anfänglichen Auswirkungen waren stärker und insbesondere aus ökonomischer Perspektive profitabler als ich erwartet habe. Die Nachbarschaftseffekte und die Auswirkungen der experimentell veränderten Variablen waren bislang jedoch überwiegend schwach. Ich erwarte, dass diese Auswirkungen mit der Zeit stärker ausgeprägt sein werden. Durch Erkenntnisse, die aus zukünftigen Langzeitbeobachtungen des Experiments, das ich in dieser Doktorarbeit vorstelle, gewonnen werden, können Wissenslücken geschlossen werden. Somit kann die Ausarbeitung von Managementrichlinien für von Ölpalmen dominierten Landschaften ermöglicht werden, die sowohl ökologisch verbessert als auch ökonomisch lohnenswert sind. Diese Doktorarbeit stellt einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur generellen Beurteilung des Experiments dar, wodurch darüber hinaus auch neue Erkenntnisse für die Renaturierungswissenschaft gewonnen werden können.

Comparés aux monocultures, les systèmes agroforestiers (SAF) sont censés permettre une meilleure efficience d'utilisation de la ressource et améliorer les services écosystémiques. Cependant, la complexité des interactions se produisant dans les SAF rend délicate la quantification et la décomposition des effets des arbres d'ombrage sur la productivité primaire nette (NPP) de la culture principale. Peu de modèles sont capables d'analyser les effets des interactions entre culture principale et arbres d'ombrage sur les échanges de CO2 et d'eau. En effet, les interactions pour la lumière, l'eau et la chaleur se produisant entre culture et arbres d'ombrage peuvent produire des effets contre-intuitifs sur la photosynthèse, l'efficience d'utilisation de la lumière (LUE), l'efficience de transpiration et le microclimat. Nous montrons que MAESPA, un modèle 3D mécaniste, peut-être utilisé pour étudier la variabilité de ces processus à des échelles allant de la plante à la parcelle, et de la demi-heure à l'année entière. MAESPA a simulé de manière satisfaisante l'interception de la lumière dans un SAF à base de caféier composé de 2 couches hétérogènes. Des variables modélisées par MAESPA ont été utilisées pour produire de puissantes variables explicatives dans un dispositif expérimental étudiant les déterminants de la NPP aérienne (ANPP) du caféier. Il a été démontré que LUE était deux fois plus élevée pour les caféiers poussant à l'ombre ce qui compensait totalement la diminution de leurs budgets lumineux, résultant en une absence de différence de ANPP entre caféiers de plein soleil et caféiers d'ombrage. MAESPA a aussi simulé de manière satisfaisante les échanges de CO2 à l'échelle du caféier et à l'échelle de la parcelle, lorsque comparés à des mesures d'échanges gazeux dans des chambres plantes entières ou à des enregistrements de flux turbulents au-dessus de la canopée, respectivement. Nous avons utilisé MAESPA pour simuler la variabilité spatiale de la photosynthèse et de LUE. MAESPA a démontré être un modèle robuste pour quantifier les interactions spatiales dans un SAF. Le prochain développement pertinent de cette approche serait de coupler MAESPA avec un modèle d'allocation du carbone dans les organes des plants de caféiers / Compared to monocultures, agroforestry systems (AFS) are expected to provide enhanced resource-use efficiency and larger ecosystem services. However, due to the complexity of the interactions occurring in AFS, it is challenging to quantify and decompose the effects of shade trees on the main crop net primary productivity (NPP). Few process-based models are able to analyze the interactions between crop and shade trees for carbon and water. Interactions for light, water and energy occurring between tree and crops might have counterintuitive effects on photosynthesis, light use efficiency (LUE), transpiration efficiency and microclimate. We showed that a 3D process-based model, MAESPA, was able to quantitatively describe the spatial variability of those processes from the plant to the plot, and from hourly to yearly timescales. MAESPA simulated satisfactorily light interception in a 2-layer heterogeneous coffee AFS. It was used to produce powerful explanatory variables in AFS experiments and to analyze the determinants of coffee plant NPP. LUE displayed a 2-fold increase for shaded coffee plants totally compensating the expected decrease of local irradiance interception, and coffee plant ANPP was the same below shade trees or in the open. MAESPA also simulated satisfactorily carbon exchange at whole plant and plot scales, when compared to gas exchange records in a whole-plant chamber, or with eddy-covariance records above the canopy. We used MAESPA to simulate the spatial variability of photosynthesis and LUE. Overall, MAESPA proved to be a relevant model to quantify spatial interactions. The next very relevant development would be to couple it to a model of carbon allocation among organs in the coffee plants

A legislação atual exige adequações no sistema de produção da canade- açúcar, proibindo gradativamente a queima como método de despalha antes do corte, com o que a colheita deve ser com corte manual ou mecanizado. 37% das terras da região de Piracicaba apresentam declividade acima de 12%, o que dificulta a mecanização da colheita. Os sistemas agroflorestais (SAFs) apresentam potencial para manter a atividade agrícola na região de Piracicaba, dando maior sustentabilidade ao setor sucroalcooleiro. Através de visitas às unidades fornecedoras da região de Piracicaba, foram realizadas entrevistas com fornecedores de cana-de-açúcar, 25 em total, 7 em Rio das Pedras, 10 em Charqueada, 6 em Iracemápolis e 2 em Ipeúna, que trabalham em área própria e têm a atividade canavieira como principal, cadastrados na Associação de Fornecedores de Cana de Piracicaba (AFOCAPI), nos meses de abril e maio de 2002. Os questionários foram elaborados em base naqueles de Caron (1986) e Darolt (2000), considerando indicadores relacionados com a adoção de Sistemas Agroflorestais. Verifica-se o desconhecimento sobre SAFs. Entretanto, quando alertados das vantagens desses sistemas, os fornecedores se interessam pelas possibilidades de aproveitar melhor as áreas declivosas com SAFs. Também, não demonstra resistência natural à mudança tecnológica. Os entraves para a adoção, não são intrínsecos aos fornecedores, mas são principalmente devido às características da própria tecnologia como a adaptabilidade da tecnologia às condições locais, a segurança do mercado para os produtos e a falta de um programa oficial de assistência técnica. Os fornecedores podem investir, desde que a alternativa tecnológica seja rentável. Porém, tem uma aversão ao risco financeiro para investimentos a longo prazo. Dessa forma, o principal impedimento para a adoção de SAFs é a ausência de comprovação concreta das vantagens agronômicas e econômicas desses sistemas. / Present legislation in Brazil, by gradually preventing the sugarcane burnt, provoke adjustments on the production system, mainly by changing the harvest process from that done by labor to mechanized cutting and collection of the stalks. In the region of Piracicaba 37% of the land has an slope of 12% or above, what makes mechanization very difficult. Agroforestry systems (AFSs) have the potential to preserve the agriculture activity in the region of Piracicaba, improving the sustainability of sugarcane production chain. Sugarcane small growers, who cultivate their own land, and have the sugarcane as their main crop and were associated to the regional growers association (AFOCAPI) were visited and interviewed , 25 in total, being 7 in Rio das Pedras., 10 in Charqueada, 6 in Iracemápolis and 2 in Ipeúna sub-regions. A questionnaire, considering indicators related to the adoption of SAFs. It was observed a nonacquaintance about AFSs. However, when warned about the advantages of these systems, growers are interested about the possibilities of better utilize the undulating and steep areas with AFSs. Besides, they do not demonstrate natural opposition to technological changes. Restraint for adoption are not intrinsic to growers but mainly due to the characteristics of the technology itself, as the adaptability of technology to local conditions, the market safety for their products, and the inexistence of a official program of technical assistance. Growers may invest, since the alternative technology is profitable. Nevertheless, the have aversion to financial risk for long term investments. Thus, the major restraint for adoption of AFSs is the inexistence of concrete confirmation of the agronomical and economical advantages of these production systems.

Este estudo avaliou a evolução dos atributos físico-hídricos do solo sob diferentes sistemas de manejo (orgânico, agroflorestal e convencional), caracterizou o funcionamento físico-hídrico e avaliou o modelo Hydrus 1D em três coberturas vegetais distintas (agricultura orgânica, sistema agroflorestal - SAF e capoeira) em áreas de agricultura familiar no município de Apiaí - SP. A avaliação da evolução ao longo do tempo dos atributos físico-hídricos do solo foi realizada através do monitoramento da densidade do solo, porosidade calculada, porosidade por análise de imagens, condutividade hidráulica e do conteúdo de matéria orgânica para cada propriedade com diferentes sistemas de manejo. A caracterização do funcionamento físico-hídrico dos solos, e a obtenção dos dados de entrada para o modelo Hydrus 1D foram realizadas por meio da coleta de amostras para análises químicas, granulométricas, densidade de partículas, densidade do solo, curva de retenção, condutividade hidráulica saturada e análise de imagens. O monitoramento da umidade do solo \"in situ\" foi obtido por sensores instalados nos principais horizontes das trincheiras e associados aos dados de precipitação coletados em estação meteorológica automática instalada na área. Os resultados da evolução ao longo do tempo dos três sistemas de manejo mostraram altos valores de matéria orgânica, principalmente na profundidade de 0,0 - 0,2 m, porém não demonstraram tendência de acúmulo. Altos valores de matéria orgânica proporcionam ao solo baixa densidade e altos valores de porosidade, resultando em maior condutividade de água no solo. Todos os sistemas apresentaram atributos físicos e hídricos com boas condições para o cultivo, não sendo o solo um impedimento para a manutenção destes sistemas nesta região; além disso, o uso de sistemas de manejo agroecológicos é uma alternativa interessante para a região como forma de prática agrícola conservacionista. Em relação à caracterização físico-hídrica, os três solos sob diferentes coberturas vegetais, apresentaram, principalmente nos horizontes superficiais, altos valores de matéria orgânica e porosidade, porosidade esta representada por poros complexos grandes, que são responsáveis pela alta condutividade hidráulica e são determinantes na presença de duas regiões com propriedades hidráulicas contrastantes que confere o comportamento bimodal das curvas de retenção. Na modelagem dos dados e suas comparações, o modelo Hydrus não foi eficiente para a predição dos valores de umidade nos solos estudados, pois, no geral, apresentou valores simulados de umidade mais baixos para todos os horizontes das trincheiras nas três áreas quando comparados com os dados observados. Entretanto, apresentou bons resultados na predição dos volumes de runoff, que neste trabalho não foram medidos, mas observados no campo. Estes resultados confirmam a necessidade de mais estudos com relação à predição de movimentos da água em condições heterogêneas de culturas, visto que os dados de entrada com relação à vegetação são de difícil escolha, principalmente no SAF por apresentar alta diversidade de espécies. / This study evaluated the evolution of hydro-physical attributes of the soil under different management systems (Organic, Conventional and Agroforestry), characterized the hydro-physical functioning and assessed the Hydrus 1D model in three different cover crops (Organic agriculture, Agroforestry Systems and \"Capoeira\") in family agriculture areas , municipality of Apiaí - SP. The evaluation of the evolution over time of the hydro-physical attributes of the soil was performed by monitoring the soil bulk density, calculated porosity, porosity by image analysis, hydraulic conductivity and organic matter content for each family agriculture property with different management systems. The characterization of the hydro-physical functioning of the soil, as well as the attainment of the input data for the Hydrus 1D model, were done by collecting samples for chemical analysis, particle size distribution, particle density, bulk density, soil water retention curve, hydraulic saturated conductivity and image analysis. The monitoring of soil moisture \"in situ\" was obtained by sensors installed in the main horizons of the pits and associated with rainfall data collected from an automatic weather station installed in the area. The results of the evolution over time of the three management systems showed high levels of organic matter, especially in depth from 0.0 to 0.2 m, but showed no tendency to accumulate. These high values of organic matter provide a low soil bulk density and high porosity, resulting in a increased water conductivity of the soil. Each system had hydro-physical attributes with good conditions for cultivation and the soil was not an impediment to the maintenance of these systems in this region, moreover, the use of agroecological management systems is an interesting alternative for the region as a form of conservationist agricultural practices. Regarding the hydro-physical characterization, the three soils under different crop cover, presented, mainly in the surface horizons, high values of organic matter and porosity, being this porosity represented by large complex pores, that are responsible for the high hydraulic conductivity and are crucial in the presence of two regions with contrasting hydraulic properties conferring bimodal behavior of the soil water retention curve. In the comparisons of the modeling data, the Hydrus model was not effective for predicting the moisture values in the studied soils. This data presented simulated moisture values lower for all horizons of the pits in the three areas, when compared with the observed data. However, good results were obtained in predicting runoff volumes, which were not measured in this work, but observed in the field. These results confirm the need for further studies with respect to the prediction of water movements under conditions of heterogenous cultures, since the input data with respect to vegetation, are difficult to chose, especially in AFS, due to its high diversity of species.

A produção de café é uma atividade importante para a economia do Brasil, maior produtor e também principal exportador. O cafeeiro apresenta ciclo bienal de produção, cuja oscilação é acentuada no Brasil dada às condições climáticas e ao sistema de cultivo predominante a pleno sol. Pesquisas envolvendo avaliação do estado nutricional do cafeeiro em sistemas agroflorestais são raras, o que dificulta as recomendações de adubação para esta condição. Objetivou-se neste estudo, o melhor entendimento da fertilidade do solo e do estado nutricional do cafeeiro em relação aos teores de N e K no microclima gerado pelo sistema agroflorestal e em monocultivo. A pesquisa foi conduzida no período de março de 2006 a maio de 2008, no campo experimental pertencente ao Departamento de Produção Vegetal da Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz da Universidade de São Paulo (ESALQ/USP) em Piracicaba SP, localizada nas coordenadas geográficas 220 42 20 S, 470 37 22 W e altitude 565 m. O experimento foi composto de seringueiras do clone PB 235, plantada em dezembro de 1991, no espaçamento de 8,0 x 2,5 m e cafeeiros cv. Obatã IAC 1669-20, plantado em janeiro de 2002, no espaçamento de 3,4 x 0,9 m, sob diferentes condições de sombreamento: no sub-bosque e interfaceando as árvores da seringueira e em monocultivo. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o inteiramente casualizado com quatro repetições. O experimento de avaliação da fertilidade do solo constou de seis tratamentos, constituídos pelas radiações sobre o solo: 1) 6,4%; 2) 7%; 3) 35,4%; 4) 47,5%; 5) 60,9%; 6) 64,9%. O experimento de avaliação dos teores foliares de N e K do cafeeiro constou de quatro tratamentos, constituídos pelas radiações sobre os cafeeiros: 1) 35%; 2) 45%; 3) 90%; 4) 100%. O estudo constou, adicionalmente, dos experimentos de deposição e avaliação da velocidade de decomposição da serapilheira, frações da matéria orgânica, crescimento, peso foliar específico, anatomia foliar, maturação dos frutos e produção do cafeeiro e qualidade da bebida do café. As variáveis analisadas no experimento de fertilidade do solo foram; pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, soma de bases, H+Al, CTC, V % e matéria orgânica; a avaliação do estado nutricional constou das análises das variáveis N e K foliar. Os atributos de fertilidade do solo (pH e V %), foram mais elevados nos tratamentos 6,4%, 7% e 35,4%, especialmente nas camadas superficiais (0-2 e 2-7 cm) e o teor de matéria orgânica na camada de 0-2 cm, proporcionados pelas seringueiras. Menores teores de K do solo ocorreram nos tratamentos 7% e 35,4%, devido a absorção pelas seringueiras. A característica de CTC elevada do solo não foi modificada pelos tratamentos. Os teores foliares de N e K do cafeeiro a pleno sol alcançaram valores mais elevados e mais baixos, respectivamente, do que aqueles dos cafeeiros à sombra. Os cafeeiros sob 45% de irradiância mantiveram estado nutricional adequado em relação aos teores foliares de N e K. / Coffee production is an important activity in the economy of Brazil, first world producer and exporter. Coffee trees present biennial production cycles, with oscillation accentuated due to the climatic conditions and the production system in monocrop under full natural radiation. Studies involving the evaluation of nutritional status of coffee in agroforestry systems are scarce, what difficult the fertilization recommendations for this conditions. The objective of the this study was of getting a better understanding of the soil fertility and nutritional status, specially for the N and K content, of coffee trees under agroforestry system and monocrop. The research was conducted from March 2006 to May 2008, at the experimental field of the Plant Production Department of the Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz of the Universidade de São Paulo (ESALQ/USP), in Piracicaba SP (220 42 20 S, 470 37 22 W) at the altitude of 565 m. The experiment was composed of rubber trees, clone PB 235, planted in December 1991, in the spacing of 8.0 x 2.5 m and coffee trees cv. Obatã IAC 1669-20, planted in January 2002, in the spacing of 3.4 x 0.9 m, under different shading conditions: undertorey or interfacing the rubber trees and in monocrop. The experimental design was completely randomized with four replications. The soil fertility experiment had six treatments, done by the different radiation regimes reaching the soil surface: 1) 6.4%; 2) 7%; 3) 35.4%; 4) 47.5%; 5) 60.9%; 6) 64.9%. The coffee nutritional status, in terms of the N and K leaf content had four treatments, done by the different radiation regime reaching the coffee canopy: 1) 35%; 2) 45%; 3) 90%; 4) 100%. Additionally, the study involved the evaluation of the litter deposition and decomposition rates, the soil organic matter fractions, coffee trees growth, its specific leaf area and anatomy, beans maturation, coffee yield and beverage quality. The variable under analysis in the soil fertility experiment were; pH, P, K, Ca, Mg, bases sum, H+Al, CTC, V % and organic matter; in the nutritional status were the N and K leaf content. The soil fertility attributes of pH and V % were improved in the treatments 6.4%, 7% e 35.4%, specially in the upper soils layers (0-2 e 2-7 cm) and organic matter content in the top soil layer (0-2 cm), due to the effect of the rubber trees. Lower K contents in the soil occurred in the treatments 7% e 35.4%, due to the rubber root uptake. The natural high CTC of the soil was not modified by treatments. N and K leaf content of coffee trees under full natural radiation (monocrop) reached the highest and lowest levels, respectively, in comparison with coffee trees under shade. Coffee at 45% of natural radiation maintained appropriate nutritional status in terms of N and K leaf content.

Silvopastoral systems are a kind of agroforestry system in which trees or shrubs are combined with animals and pastures. Silvopastoral systems are important to intensify pasture production and mitigate climate change effects. However, very few studies have been performed to adapt crop models to simulate these systems. The aim of this study was to parameterize and test the mechanistic crop models APSIM and CROPGRO for estimating Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS Piatã productivity under full sun and in a silvopastoral system, to evaluate the models\' performance to simulate tree-crop interactions, and to develop tools to improve these simulations. For this purpose, four field experiments were conducted under full sun to investigate cutting management under irrigated and rainfed conditions and grazing management under rainfed conditions with high and low N supply. Another experiment was carried out in a silvopastoral system with the trees arranged in simple rows, in East-West orientation, with 15 m between rows and 2 m between plants in the rows. This experiment was conducted under grazing management and rainfed conditions with the pasture variables, microclimate and soil water content being assessed at four distances from the North row (0.00 m, 3.75 m, 7.50 m and 11.25 m). The forage mass simulations for the pasture at full sun, performed using the APSIM-Tropical Pasture model, showed good agreement between observed and estimated data (R2 between 0.82 and 0.97, d between 0.92 and 0.98, and NSE ranging from 0.72 to 0.92), while the simulations with the CROPGRO-Perennial Forage model achieved good precision (R2 between 0.65 and 0.93) and good accuracy (d from 0.86 to 0.97, and NSE from 0.60 to 0.90), for the various managements and environmental conditions. Even considering the promising performance of both models for pastures under full sun, they already needs to be tested in other locations, climate conditions, soils, and grazing or cutting intensities, to prove its accuracy and reach enough confidence. The pasture growth simulations at the silvopastoral system indicated that the APSIM-Tropical Pasture was efficient when only competition by solar radiation was considered (R2 from 0.69 to 0.88, d from 0.90 to 0.96, and NSE between 0.51 and 0.85), but inefficient when considering only competition by soil water (R2 between 0.58 and 0.85, d between 0.58 and 0.82, and NSE from -4.07 to -0.14). The CROPGRO-Perennial Forage achieved good performance on pasture growth simulation at the distances 0.00 m, 3.75 m, and 7.50 m from the trees (R2 from 0.75 to 0.90, d from 0.93 to 0.96, NSE between 0.74 and 0.85). Despite the good results, improvements should be performed in both models for simulating all factors that affect forage growth in silvopastoral systems. / Os sistemas silvipastoris são um tipo de sistema agroflorestal em que árvores ou arbustos são combinados com animais e pastagens. Os sistemas silvipastoris são importantes para a intensificação de pastagens e para a mitigação dos efeitos das mudanças climáticas. Entretanto, poucos estudos vêm sendo realizados visando à adaptação de modelos para a simulação desses sistemas. O objetivo desse estudo foi parametrizar e testar os modelos mecanísticos APSIM e CROPGRO para estimar a produtividade de Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS Piatã a pleno sol e em um sistema silvipastoril, avaliar o desempenho dos modelos para simular as interações árvore-pastagem e desenvolver ferramentas para aprimorar tais simulações. Para isso, foram conduzidos quatro experimentos de campo, a pleno sol, para avaliar diferentes manejos da pastagem: corte, em irrigado e sequeiro; e pastejo, em sequeiro e com alto ou baixo suprimento de nitrogênio. Outro experimento foi conduzido em um sistema silvipastoril com as árvores arranjadas em renques simples, com orientação Leste-Oeste, com espaçamento de 15 m entre renques e 2 m entre plantas nos renques. Esse experimento foi conduzido sob pastejo e em sequeiro, com avaliações das variáveis da pastagem, microclima e água no solo em quatro distâncias em relação ao renque Norte (0,00 m; 3,75 m; 7,50 m and 11,25 m). As estimativas de massa de forragem a pleno sol, realizadas com o modelo APSIM-Tropical Pasture, apresentaram boa concordância entre os dados observados e os estimados (R2 entre 0,82 e 0,97, d entre 0,92 e 0,98 e NSE de 0,72 a 0,92), enquanto que, as estimativas geradas pelo modelo CROPGRO-Perennial Forage alcançaram boa precisão (R2 entre 0,65 e 0,93) e boa exatidão (d entre 0,86 e 0,97 e NSE de 0,60 a 0,90), para os diferentes manejos e condições ambientais. Mesmo considerando o desempenho promissor de ambos os modelos para simular pastagens a pleno sol, para confirmar a acurácia e a eficiência destes, são necessários testes em outros locais, condições climáticas, tipos de solo e intensidades de corte ou pastejo. As simulações do crescimento da pastagem no sistema silvipastoril indicaram que o modelo APSIM-Tropical Pasture, foi eficiente quando somente a competição por radiação solar foi considerada (R2 de 0,69 a 0,88, d entre 0,90 e 0,96 e NSE de 0,51 a 0,85), mas ineficiente quando somente a competição por água no solo foi considerada (R2 entre 0,58 e 0,85, d entre 0,58 e 0,82 e NSE de -4,07 a -0,14). O modelo CROPGRO-Perennial Forage atingiu bom desempenho na simulação do crescimento da pastagem para as distâncias 0,00 m, 3,75 m e 7,50 m em relação às árvores (R2 de 0,75 a 0,90, d entre 0,93 e 0,96, NSE de 0,74 a 0,85). Apesar dos bons resultados, ambos os modelos devem ser melhorados para simular todos os fatores que afetam o crescimento de pastagens em sistemas silvipastoris.