Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Grazing management in the semi-arid communal areas of Namaqualand is investigated in this study. Paulshoek, situated in the Leliefontein Communal Reserve area, is delineated as the study area and consists of 20 OOOha.Cattle farming is practised by most households primarily on a subsistence basis. It is also used as a source of income when financial problems arise. The management of grazing-land in terms of formal rules and regulations is non-existent with only mutual relationships between farmers. The aim of this study is to develop a spatial framework for the management of a sustainable grazing regime with the aid of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. This aim is reached through three overlapping goals which are researched individually. The goals are to create a spatial image of the physical resource base as well as resource usage and from this the development of a computerised (Excel spreadsheet) spatial management framework for sustainable grazing management. Through the use of existing data available from the National Botanical Institute (NB!) as well as other sources and with the aid of GIS technology, coupled with Indigenous Knowledge, these goals were reached. The stockpost as individual entity is studied to give a broader understanding of how the herdsmen see their immediate environment. The grazing management system, as presented in this thesis, consists of a simple Excel Spreadsheet, with inputs from GIS technology and Indigenous Knowledge. The area is overgrazed, as is seen in the widespread occurrence of kraalbos cross the Paulshoek landscape. The recommendations are that this management system should be implemented, which could minimize the futher overgrazing of the area. The management system relies heavily on the cooperation of the community and the integration of existing management systems and policies. It will give a more detailed account of who may own how many stock and where they may graze in the communal rangelands which will also help in the establishment of new permanent waterpoints in the area. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Weidingsbestuur in die semi-ariede gemeenskaplike gebiede van Namakwaland is in hierdie studie ondersoek. Paulshoek, geleë in die Leliefontein Gemeenskapsreservaat gebied, word as studiegebied afgebaken en beslaan ongeveer 20 OOOha.Veeboerdery word deur meeste van die huishoudings primêr as bestaansboerdery beoefen. Dit word ook gebruik as 'n bron van inkomste wanneer finansiële probleme ondervind word. Die bestuur van weivelde in terme van formele reëls en regulasies is glad nie ter sprake nie, slegs onderlinge verhoudinge tussen veeboere bestaan. Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n ruimtelike raamwerk te ontwikkel vir die bestuur van 'n volhoubare weidingsregime deur die aanwending van Geografiese Inligting Stelsels (GIS). Hierdie doel word behaal deur drie oorkoepelende doelwitte wat elk afsondelik behandel word. Die doelwitte is om 'n ruimtelike beeld van die fisiese hulpbronbasis asook die benuttingsregime van die hulpbron te skep, en hieruit 'n rekenaar-gesteunde (Excel sigblad) ruimtelike bestuursraamwerk vir volhoubare weidingsbestuur te ontwerp. Deur gebruik te maak van bestaande inligting afkomstig vanaf Nasional Botaniese Instituut (NBI) asook ander bronne en met die koppeling van GIStegnologie en Inheemse Kennis (IK) is die doelwitte bereik. Die veepos word as entiteit behandel om 'n beter verstandhouding op te bou van hoe die veewagter sy onmiddelike omgewing bestuur. Die weidingsbestuurstelsel, soos voorgestel in hierdie tesis, bestaan uit 'n eenvoudige Excel sigblad, gekoppel aan GIS-tegnologie en Inheemse Kennis. Die gebied is oorbeweid, soos gesien kan word aan die verspreiding van kraalbos regoor die landskap van Paulshoek. Die aanbevelings is dat die bestuurstelsel geïmplementeer moet word om te verhoed dat die gebied verder onderhewig sal wees aan intensiewe beweiding. Die bestuurstelsel berus op die samewerking van die gemeenskap en die integrasie van bestaande bestuurstelsels. Dit sal tot gevolg hê 'n meer volledige opname van wie hoeveel vee mag besit en wie waar mag vestig in die weiveld gebied, wat gevolglik ook die skepping van nuwe permanente waterbronne sal vergemaklik.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Agriculture occupies 86 percent of land that is being utilised for the needs of a growing population in the Western Cape. This implies that there has to be certain impacts on the environment regarding the practices associated with different agricultural activities. Negative impacts pertain to soil degradation, water quality problems, loss of biodiversity and vegetation deterioration. It must also be taken into consideration that each land use within agriculture has a different interaction with the environment. The nature of land use and environment will therefore determine the most important issues influencing the extent of impact on the environment. Certain problem areas in the Western Cape have been identified as the result of conflict between agriculture and the environment. However, if agriculture is practiced and managed in a sustainable manner, it can be productive, while at the same time assuring a healthy environment. To achieve such a situation a protocol has to exist whereby sensitive areas, with regard to potential impact on the environment by agriculture, can be identified. Considering this, the most important concept of the study was to develop methodology appropriate for evaluating and identifying farming areas where current practices threaten the sustainable use of natural resources. The result is a model that aims to identify the different land uses and then evaluate each agricultural activity through a holistic approach with regard to impact on the environment. The Piketberg magisterial district was chosen as study region to put the methodology into practice. Datasets regarding soil types, climate, water quality, vegetation and agricultural practices, specific to the study area, were gathered. By using Geographical Information Systems, the datasets could be manipulated to derive the necessary information needed for running the model. This produced maps showing areas of low to high impact on the environment and indicating the specific landuse responsible for each impact. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Landbou beslaan 86 persent van die grond in die Wes-Kaap wat aangewend word om te voorsien in die behoeftes van 'n groeiende bevolking. Praktyke verbonde aan die onderskeie landbouaktiwiteite het egter sekere impakte op die omgewing. Negatiewe impak hou verband met gronddegradasie, waterkwaliteitprobleme, verlies aan biodiversiteit en plantegroei agteruitgang. Elke landbougrondgebruik het ook 'n spesifieke interaksie met die omgewing. Die belangrikste bydraende faktore tot impak op die omgewing sal dus deur die aard van die grondgebruik en omgewingsensitiwiteit bepaal word. Sekere probleemareas is reeds in die Wes-Kaap geïdentifiseer weens negatiewe interaksie tussen landbou en die omgewing. Indien landbou egter volhoubaar beoefen en bestuur word, kan dit produktief wees en terselfdertyd 'n gesonde omgewing verseker. Die behoefte het ontstaan om 'n protokol binne landbou te vestig, waardeur daar gefokus word op die uitwysing van risikoareas met betrekking tot degradasie van omgewingskwaliteit as gevolg van landbouaktiwiteite. Alles inaggenome, was die belangrikste doel van die studie om 'n metodiek te ontwikkel vir die evaluering en identifisering van boerderygebiede waarin die volhoubare benutting van die natuurlike hulpbronne bedreig word deur huidige produksiepraktyke. Die resultaat was 'n model wat landboupraktyke deur 'n holistiese benadering ten opsigte van die impak op die omgewing evalueer. Vir toepassing van die metodologie is die Piketbergse landdrosdistrik as studiearea geïdentifiseer. Verskeie datastelle, onder andere klimaat, grondtipes, waterkwaliteit, plantegroei en landboupraktyke, spesifiek aan hierdie area is verkry. Deur Geografiese Inligtingstelsels is die datastelle gemanipuleer en die toepaslike inligting afgelei vir gebruik in die model. Die eindresultaat was verskeie kaarte waarop die potensiële impak van landbou op die omgewing van hoog na laag geklassifiseer is. Spesifieke landboupraktyke verantwoordelik vir die impak, hetsy hoog of laag word ook aangedui.

The aim of the study was to analyse the current supply chain in relation to the influence of suppliers, infrastructure, market, production process and distribution of products on sustainability of small-scale poultry producers at Ratlou Local Municipality, North West Province. The research also investigated how skills and knowledge of farmers contribute to sustainable operation of small-scale poultry farming, and socio-economic benefit of the farmers in the study area. All the seventy small-scale poultry producers for operating and non-operating farms or projects in the Municipality were interviewed. A structured interview was used to collect data which was captured and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 24. About 41.4 % of small-scale poultry projects were no longer operating, only 52.9 % were functional and 5.7 % were operating during certain seasons. The results of the study further revealed that 91.4 % of small-scale poultry farmers in Municipality did not know the name of the chicken breed they were using on their farms. The results reveal adequate availability of infrastructure such as access to electricity, tarred roads and telecommunication networks. The results of the Logit regression analysis revealed that the Logit coefficient estimates associated with payment level, credit availability, chick and feed suppliers made significant (p < 0.05) contribution towards sustainability of the small-scale poultry farm. The aforementioned variables may serve as bases for informed policy decisions aimed at ensuring sustainability of small-scale poultry production in the municipality. The current study identified the need for establishment for a proper integrated supply chain for small-scale poultry farmers. / Agriculture, Animal Health and Human Ecology / M. Sc. (Agriculture)

Depuis la fin du XXème siècle, des modèles d’agriculture durable (agriculture biologique, agroécologie, permaculture, etc.) sont proposés au Nord comme au Sud pour répondre à la crise systémique contemporaine. La région de Cusco, au coeur des Andes péruviennes, s’affirme comme l’archétype d’un territoire mondialisé où se rencontrent influences endogènes et exogènes, modernes et traditionnelles et constitue en cela un parfait laboratoire pour analyser ce processus de transition vers des systèmes agro-alimentaires plus durables. Les agricultures durables s’y sont d’abord développées pour répondre à la demande des marchés occidentaux et, plus récemment, celle des marchés locaux. Cette thèse identifie les facteurs et les logiques d'adoption et de non-adoption, par les producteurs, de ces innovations agro-écologiques, commerciales, sociales, mais aussi socio-territoriales et politico-culturelles. Elle propose plus largement un décryptage des voies de transition basé sur les catégories de durabilité faible et de durabilité forte. A travers ce cadre d’analyse, l’étude de terrain met en évidence l’hybridation de différentes logiques et de différentes approches de la durabilité au sein de la plupart des stratégies individuelles et collectives. Ces processus d’hybridation et de diversification apparaissent comme des conditions nécessaires à la transition mais doivent faire face à un double enjeu. D’un côté, les initiatives de plus en plus nombreuses et multiformes de conventionnalisation des alternatives (durabilité faible) tendent à reproduire certaines limites du régime socio-technique conventionnel. De l’autre, les propositions de reconception systémique comme l’agroécologie (durabilité forte) font face à des verrouillages socio-techniques produits par ce même régime conventionnel. / Since the end of the 20th century, new models of sustainable agriculture (organic farming, agroecology, permaculture, etc.) emerged in the North and in the South to respond to the contemporary systemic crisis. The Cusco region, in the heart of Peruvian Andes, became established as an archetypal globalised territory, where endogen and exogenous, modern and traditional influences converge. As such, it constitutes a perfect laboratory to analyse this transition process toward more sustainable agri-food systems. Sustainable agricultures were first developed in the area to meet the market demand from Western countries and, more recently, that of the local level. This thesis identifies the factors and rationales behind the adoption or non-adoption by producers of these agro-ecological, commercial, social, socio-territorial and politico-cultural innovations. On a broader level, the study tries to decipher transition paths based on a categorisation of weak and strong sustainability. Through this analytical framework, the field study highlights the hybridization of different logics and approaches of sustainability within most of the individual and collective strategies. These hybridization and diversification processes appear as necessary conditions toward transition but face a twofold challenge. On one hand, more and more multifaceted initiatives for the conventionalization of the alternatives (weak sustainability) tend to reproduce some limits of the conventional socio-technical regime. On the other hand, the propositions put forward for a systemic redesign such as agroecology (strong sustainability) are confronted with socio-technical lock-ins generated by this same conventional regime.

Land degradation is a serious problem that many poor communities face and this worsens their vulnerability and therefore, poses a threat to food security, as it reduces yield, forces farmers to use more inputs, and disproportionately affect the smallholder farmers in remote communities that also suffer diverse infrastructure disadvantages. In response to that, the international development agencies, donors, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), especially faith-based organizations have turned towards sustainable farming approaches. Much attention has been paid to a combination of sustainable farming measures which are packaged under the “Conservation Agriculture” (CA) banner. The previous work in the KZN Province and elsewhere has demonstrated that CA has the potential to improve the soil structure, thereby reversing the effect of soil degradation. Consequently, many of the farmers in the areas in which these demonstrations have been conducted appreciate the ecological and economic value of adopting CA. However, the on-farm financial benefits of adopting a CA specific tillage practice are not as well known or thought to be as pronounced. By means of integrating field survey, reviewed literature, and econometric analysis, this study assessed the farm level cost-benefit analysis of conservation agriculture for smallholder maize farmers in OLM, specifically in one demonstration village of Bergville town. The analysis is based on the case study of the NGO’s work in which they had selected a community and participating households who received assistance in a number of ways such as maize seed, soil preparation, and CA planters. To analyse the farm level cost-benefit analysis, descriptive, linear regression, gross margin (GM) and appraisal indicators such as Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) were used. The descriptive analysis, used to analyse the factors affecting the extent of adoption of CA revealed that socio-economic characteristics have the influence on the level to which a farmer responds to incentives. Linear regression model used in this study showed that years in farming, involvement in joint farmer’s group, and use of cover crops have the significant effect on the extent of adoption of CA. Moreover, the calculated gross margins of the two tillage systems were different, revealing higher Gross Margins for CA plots than for conventional plots. The major cause of the difference was found to be differences in the variable costs. When using appraisal indicators (NPV, BCR, and IRR) the study projected a 10-year period at 8% and 10.5% discount rates. The study also revealed positive NPVs for both CA and conventional agriculture. The positive sign implies that there are positive pay-offs for investing in both trial and control plots. However, trial plots have larger NPVs compared to control plots, meaning that there are less additional returns for investing in control plots compared to trial plots. Results also reveal that with 10.5% discount rate, the NPVs are lower than with 8% discount rate, showing that lower discount rates are consistent with higher performance over the long term. This therefore means that at lower discount rate, it is more viable to produce maize using CA than using conventional tillage system. In the case of BRC presented in the study, it was revealed that at both low and high discount rates, the trial plots were more viable than the control plots. Finally, the IRR presented in the study reveal that the trial plots would be able to pay their way much faster than the control plots. Overall, the study found that there are incentives to adoption of CA compared to conventional farming. The message from the different results arising from the use of different discount rates is that farmers should receive assistance at low cost of capital in order for their operations to be viable and this works out well over the long term as shown by the 10-year period projections.

This study was aimed at analysing communal land use management practices and policies towards sustainability and climate resilience. The objectives of this study were to assess rainfall variability, climate change impact, adaptation practices and impediment factors for adaptation on the one hand and, on the other, analysing the pressure, scrutinising the sustainability of institutional practices, and assessing policy setting and its application status in managing communal lands. To conduct the study, a household survey, key informant interviews and group discussions were used. It employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. For analysis, rainfall variability trend analysis, different empirical formulas, Principal Component Analysis and analysis of variance were used. In addition, Qualitative Content Analysis technique and descriptive statistical tools were also used. The study found that there was spatiotemporal rainfall variability. About 18 extreme wet and 8 extreme dry events were depicted out of 194 frequencies of events. The most outstanding manifestations of climate change/variability impacts identified were: water scarcity, migration, severe erosion and feed scarcity. Applying biophysical measures on communal lands, practicing area enclosure and constraction of feeder road were moderately excersised adaptation and mitigation practices while, low level community awareness was the most outstanding barrier for community adaptation. Besides, feed source and fuel biomass energy did not satisfy community demand. Government recognition to support community user groups, the existence of community labour contribution and congruence between government legislation and community by-laws were found moderately strong. Besides, communal land administration and use of legislative setting and instruments to govern land administration were adequately in place to implement communal land use and management. However, workability of by-laws in applying them at the ground was a major weakness. In conclusion, the study revealed that there exist generally a weak communal land use management practices and policy implementation towards enhancing sustainability and climate resilience. Hence, the following recommendations were forwarded: enhancing community awareness, encouraging communities to establish their own private woodlots and grazing areas to reduce the pressure on communal land, applying proper communal land resource use and management plans and certifying communal lands with demarcation and maps should be given due emphasis to enhance sustainability. Moreover, policy and legislation evaluation and revision to improve its application at the ground is fundamental. On top of this, further research endeavour is still paramount important to scrutinize the integral effects of the biophysical, social, cultural and legislative dimensions for better sustainable and climate resilient communal land use management practices and policy implementation / College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences / Ph. D. (Environmental Management)

xiii, 182 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Representing a distinct contribution to the tradition of comparative international research in the environment, this dissertation studies the effects of national economic restructuring programs, implemented under the administration of multilateral development institutions, on the fertilizer intensity, energy intensity, and value efficiency of national commodity agriculture for the period 1980 to 2002. Known as structural adjustment, these conditional loan agreements have been thoroughly studied with respect to various social outcomes but in terms of environment impact, sociological investigation has been limited to case studies and to preliminary quantitative analyses of deforestation. Examining the consequences of structural adjustment on soil fertility management is a unique contribution to the field. Combining empirical work with theoretical explication, I frame the object of study using agrarian systems theory and the concept of societal metabolism, examining how the problem of soil fertility in the modern era has become subsumed into industrial processes that are fossil-energy intensive. Relating this historical development to the ongoing dialectic between the forces, relations, and conditions of production, I investigate how the international division of labor, manifested in the uneven and combined development of national economies, facilitates an international division of nature and thereby reproduces the hierarchical system of appropriation that drives the ongoing global expansion of the metabolic rift. Laying out competing theoretical perspectives on the potential for rational management of agricultural modernization, in the empirical component of this project I employ cross-sectional time-series panel regression analysis of secondary data on national development indicators in order to evaluate the relative merits of these contrasting theories for the sustainable development possibilities of Third World nations. The cumulative effects of structural adjustment significantly and independently increase the negative externalities of agricultural modernization while at the same time diminishing the potential economic efficiency of intensive nutrient management. / Committee in charge: Richard York, Chairperson, Sociology; John Foster, Member, Sociology; Robert 0 Brien, Member, Sociology; Joseph Fracchia, Outside Member, Honors College

The main aim of this diploma work was to prove the necessity of crop rotations in dependence on economical and ecological angle. The survey was made by two agricultural entities during years 2003 {--} 2008. A comparison of crops yield was made concerning six plants (winter wheat, spring barley, oat, potato, winter rape and silage corn. The first company grows plants only in short-period sequence and the second one rotates plants in settled crop rotation. Higher crops were demonstrably confirmed in a company, which rotates the plants patterns. The analysis was performed by the second company. In this analysis was made a revision of soil fund and structure of cultivated plants. On the basis of gained findings was offered the most suitable crop rotation which could be practically used.

O impacto da certificação foi o tema central desse projeto de pesquisa que consistiu em identificar o seu efeito sobre variáveis de interesse, isolado de outras fontes de variação. Para isso, uma metodologia de avaliação de impacto foi adaptada e testada para analisar a Certificação Socioambiental Rainforest Alliance da Rede de Agricultura Sustentável RAS na cafeicultura em Minas Gerais. A Certificação Socioambiental cresceu significativamente em fazendas produtoras de café no Brasil e no mundo desde sua criação em 1998 até o ano 2007. Os produtos vendidos com essa certificação carregam consigo a mensagem que vêm de sistemas de produção que promovem mais desenvolvimento humano e mais conservação da biodiversidade quando comparados aos sistemas convencionais. Contudo, o processo de Certificação Socioambiental não mede diretamente essas diferenças. Na rotina da certificação, o auditor avalia a conformidade dos sistemas de produção a padrões pré-estabelecidos. A ausência de avaliações de impactos pode acarretar questionamentos referentes às reais transformações decorrentes da certificação. Outro questionamento refere-se à elaboração das normas, as quais foram formuladas em processos de consulta pública com as partes interessadas, as quais estabelecem uma referência do que é desejável segundo a percepção de cada participante. Esses atores, num determinado momento ou contexto, podem ter dado maior ênfase a alguns aspectos que outros e não explicitam quais os problemas dos sistemas de produção conve ncional que pretendiam superar. Além disso, podem ocorrer mudanças de conduta e paradigmas nos sistemas convencionais que podem afetar no tempo as decisões das consultas públicas. Como parte do objetivo desse projeto pretendeu-se obter uma referência de sistemas de produção com e sem certificação como subsídio para elaboração das normas de certificação e para orientação dos trabalhos dos auditores. O método de avaliação de impacto utilizado foi comparar os empreendimentos agrícolas certificadas com os nãocertificados de forma a obter o cenário contrafactual, isto é, qual seria a situação dos empreendimentos certificados se, hipoteticamente, não tivessem passado pelo processo de certificação. A amostra foi de seis empreendimentos agrícolas do Sul de Minas e dez do Cerrado Mineiro, um total de 444 trabalhadores entrevistados. Os resultados foram gerados por meio da análise quantitativa dos dados primários obtidos por meio de entrevistas com os trabalhadores e com a administração da fazenda, análise de imagens de satélite e observações de campo. Os três temas selecionados para testar a metodologia foram bem estar dos trabalhadores, preservação da biodiversidade e conservação dos recursos hídricos e redução da poluição. Os resultados afirmaram a importância da Certificação Socioambiental para promoção da conservação da biodiversidade e do desenvolvimento humano no curto e longo prazo. Porém, não foram identificados impactos em alguns aspectos analisados, bem como uma manifestação distinta dos impactos nas regiões. A metodologia mostrou-se apropriada para identificar os impactos da certificação e para definir uma referência que contribua substancialmente para construção das normas e para orientar o trabalho de auditoria de forma a acentuar a contribuição da Certificação Socioambiental para promover a conservação da biodiversidade e o desenvolvimento humano. / The impact of certification was this research project´s major focus, which consisted of the identification of the effect of certification over interest variables, isolated from other sources of variation. Specifically in this dissertation, an impact assessment methodology was adapted and tested to analyze the impact of Rainforest Alliance socioenvironmental certification scheme, utilized by the Sustainable Agriculture Network - SAN (in Portuguese, RAS), in coffee plantations located in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Socio-environmental certification has increased significantly in coffee-producing farms in Brazil, as well as worldwide, since its creation in 1998 up to 2007. Commercialized products with this type of certification carry a message that they are rooted in production systems which promote greater human development and biodiversity conservation values when compared to conventional systems. However, the socio-environmental certification process does not currently measure these differences in a direct way. During certification procedures, an auditor assesses whether production systems are accomplishing pre-established standards. The absence of impact assessments might raise doubts regarding real transformations provoked by certification. Another doubt relates to the establishment of such standards, which were elaborated in public meetings among interested parties that established a reference about what is desirable according to each participants perception. These stakeholders, in a given moment or context, may have emphasized some particular aspects without clarifying which of the problems of the conventional systems they intended to solve. Moreover, changes might occur in the conduct or paradigms of conventional systems which can affect decisions made in public meetings. As part of this projects objective, it was intended to obtain a reference for production systems with and without certification, to subsidize the establishment of standards and to guide auditing procedures. The impact assessment method utilized was based on comparing certified and non-certified agricultural enterprises in such a way as to obtain a non-factual scenario, in other words, what would occur in the certified enterprises if, hypothetically, they had not been targeted by certification. The sample consisted of sixteen agricultural enterprises in Brazil. Results were generated through quantitative analyses of primary data gathered through interviews with farm workers and managers, satellite image analyses, and field observations. There technical issues selected to test the methodology were worker welfare, biodiversity preservation and water resource conservation, and pollution impact. Results indicate an important role of Socio-environmental Certification in promoting conservation of biodiversity and human development in the short and long run. Some analyzed aspects did not present impacts, however, and some impacts presented a differentiated response in different regions. The methodology used was concluded to be suitable for identifying certification impacts and for defining a reference to substantially contribute to building standards, as well as guide auditors´ work in such a way as to increase the contribution of socio-environmental certification to biodiversity conservation and human development.

A agropecuária brasileira apresenta relevante papel sócio-econômico para o país, e constantemente busca novas tecnologias para alcançar uma agricultura sustentável. Com as mudanças que vêm ocorrendo no uso da terra, principalmente nas regiões tropical e subtropical, o Brasil vem sendo apontado como um grande emissor dos gases do efeito estufa. A conversão de florestas em sistemas agrícolas pode levar a um rápido aumento dos fluxos de CO2, CH4 e N2O no ambiente, além de potencializar o efeito estufa e ameaçar os diferentes ecossistemas. Em busca de sistemas mais conservacionistas, que possam mitigar o efeito estufa, os sistemas convencional, plantio direto, integração lavoura-pecuária e pastagem com histórico bem definido, foram selecionados nesse estudo para melhor compreensão e discernimento das possíveis mudanças oriundas dos sistemas avaliados no bioma do Cerrado. Em um segundo momento avaliamos o potencial da elevada concentração de CO2 aquecimento das parcelas em sistema sob temperature freeair controlled enhancement e carbon dioxide free-air enrichment (T-FACE) para avaliar as alterações funcionais e composição microbiana do solo. Os objetivos desse estudo foram: determinar a quantidade de células total dos genes 16S rRNA bactéria, archaea e dos genes funcionais amoA, nirS, nirK, cnorB, nosZ, presentes em diferentes sistemas de manejo do solo. Bem como, possíveis alterações na comunidade microbiana do solo sob elevada concentração de CO2 e aquecimento das parcelas. Para acessar o número de cópias dos genes foi utilizado o PCR quantitativo, a estrutura da comunidade microbiana foi determinada pela técnica de T-RFLP e a composição microbiana pelo sequenciamento de terceira geração. Os resultados dos sistemas de plantio direto e integração lavoura-pecuária revelaram importante capacidade de controlarem as emissões de N2O. Notoriamente, o número de cópias do gene nosZ teve sua densidade incrementada nos dois sistemas de plantio direto e integração lavoura-pecuária, este gene apresenta alto potencial para monitorar a desnitrificaçnao completa do N2O a N2. Adicionalmente, a elevada concentração de CO2 e elevada temperatura incrementaram o número de cópias dos genes nifH, AOB e nosZ ao longo do experimento. A análise da diversidade dos grupos taxinômicos e funcional revelou que a diversidade funcional foi alterada nas parcelas com maior emissão de N2O, apresentando maior abundância de genes (2-3 vezes) envolvidos na desnitrificação, acarretando possivelmente essas maiores emissões de N2O pela microbiota do solo. / Agriculture activities have large an important socio-economic role for a country, and are constantly searching for new technologies to achieve sustainable agriculture. Changes have occurred in land use, especially in tropical and subtropical regions and Brazil has been considered as a large emitter of greenhouse gases from agricultural systems. The conversion of forests to agricultural systems can lead to a fast increase of CO2 streams, CH4 and N2O for atmosphere, which enhances the greenhouse effect and threaten the ecosystem. In search of more conservation systems that can mitigate the greenhouse gas, the conventional, no-tillage, integrated crop-livestock and pasture systems with well defined historical management were selected in this study to better understand and decifer the possibles changes resulting in the biome Cerrado. In a second study, it was evaluated the potential of high concentration of CO2 and warming plots on system under increased temperature free-air controlled enhancement e carbon dioxide freeair enrichment (T-FACE) to assess the functional changes and microbial composition in the soil. The objectives of this study were to determine the total amount of the 16S rRNA Bacteria, Archaea and the functional genes amoA, nirS, nirK, cnorB, nosZ present under different soil management and evaluate the possible changes in the soil microbial community under high CO2 concentration and warming in the plots. To access the number of copies genes we used quantitative PCR, with the microbial community structure determined by T-RFLP and the microbial composition by Illumina next-generation sequencing. No-tillage and integrated crop-livestock revealed important capability to control N2O emissions. Notably, the high number of nosZ gene copies was found under no-tillage and integrated crop-livestock systems. This gene has a high potential to monitor the oxidation of N2O to N2. In addition, high CO2 concentration and elevated temperature increased 2-3 folds the number of copies of the nifH genes, and AOB nosZ throughout the experiment. The analysis of the diversity of functional taxonomic groups revealed that functional diversity has changed in plots with high N2O emissions, and showed a greater abundance of genes involved in denitrification, which possibly has stimulated the emissions of N2O from soil microbiota.