Thesis (PhD (Conservation Ecology and Entomology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Invasive alien trees (IATs) and agriculture are rapidly altering the capacity of ecosystems to provide a variety of essential services, with decreasing habitat quality having an adverse effect on arthropod biodiversity. Although both agricultural intensification and IATs have an impact on ecosystems, it is unclear which of these two is currently the most severe. Here I compare the influences of vineyards and IATs on arthropod diversity in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) from two perspectives. Firstly, insect diversity from four different vegetation types (native fynbos, IATs, cleared invasive alien trees (CIATs) and vineyards), and their ecotones were assessed. Secondly, soil compaction in the different vegetation types was assessed and compared to determine how soil compaction relates to arthropod species richness and abundance. Surface-active arthropods were used for these evaluations, as they were considered to be the most abundant, yet sensitive groups for these comparative assessments. Pitfall trapping, which has been widely used for such comparative studies, was the method of choice. Additionally, as a result of incidental wildfires at some of the study sites (IATs and fynbos vegetation), it was decided opportunistically to assess recovery of arthropod diversity following the impact of fire. The results categorically indicate that IATs had by far the most significant impact, in comparison with vineyards, in reducing arthropod diversity and changing assemblage composition. Both IATs and vineyards, not surprisingly, supported lower arthropod diversity compared to fynbos, while CIATs supported arthropod species richness comparable to that of fynbos. However, different invertebrate species responded differently to IAT invasion, with some species even adapted to conditions in IAT patches. Environmental factors such as leaf litter and soil compaction were strongly correlated with arthropod species richness. However, other factors, such as soil moisture content, were not correlated with species richness, despite varying significantly between different vegetation types. IATs were found to reduce soil compaction, while vineyards increased soil compaction. The ecotone between adjacent land-use types was important for sustaining high arthropod species richness, particularly for the CIATs/fynbos ecotone, followed by the interface between CIATs/vineyard and vineyard/fynbos. Some species even preferred ecotones. Surface-active invertebrate species richness declined substantially immediately after fire in both IATs and fynbos. Nevertheless, recovery was rapid, with some species recolonizing or re-establishing within three months. Indeed, both species richness and abundance were high following fire. Fire had no significant impact on arthropod assemblage within IATs, despite having a serious impact in the fynbos where a different arthropod assemblage was observed after fire. The recovery of the historic assemblages may be dependent on both the pre-fire composition of the habitat and its adjacent vegetation. Effective co-operation among conservation biologists, farmers, and landowners to actively plan the future of CFR landscape biodiversity is required. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Indringer uitheemse bome (IUB) en landbou bedrywighede is vinnig besig om die kapasiteit van ekosisteme vir die voorsiening van „n verskeidenheid van noodsaaklike dienste, met „n afname in habitatkwaliteit en „n nadelige uitwerking op artropood biodiversiteit, te verander. Alhoewel beide, landbou intensifikasie en IUB‟s, ‟n impak op ekosisteme uitoefen, is dit onduidelik watter van hierdie twee huidig die mees ernstige een is. In hierdie studie vergelyk ek die invloed van wingerde en IUB‟s op artropood diversiteit in die Kaapse Floristiese Streek (KFS) vanuit twee perspektiewe. Eerstens, insekdiversiteit van vier verskillende vegetasietipes (natuurlike fynbos, IUB‟s, verwyderde indringer uitheemse bome (VIUB‟s) en wingerde) en hulle ekotone is bepaal. Tweedens, is grondverdigting in en van die verskillende vegetasietipes ondersoek en vergelyk om te bepaal hoe grondverdigting verband hou met artropood spesies rykheid en volopheid. Oppervlak-aktiewe artropode is vir hierdie bepalings gebruik aangesien hulle beskou word as die mees volopste, maar ook mees sensitiewe groepe vir hierdie vergelykende bepalings. Pitvalvangste, wat alom gebruik word vir sulke vergelykende studies, was die verkose werkswyse. Bykomend, as gevolg van onbeplande veldbrande in sommige studie gebiede (IUB‟s en fynbos plantegroei), is oppertunisties van die geleentheid gebruik gemaak om die herstel van artropood diversiteit na die impak van brand te bepaal. Die resultate toon duidelik aan dat IUB‟s, in vergelyking met wingerde, by verre die mees beduidende impak gehad het deur ‟n verlaging van artropood diversiteit en veranderende groeperingssamestellings. Beide, IUB‟s en wingerde, het, nie onverwags nie, in vergelyking met fynbos, laer artropood diversiteit ondersteun, terwyl VIUB‟s artropood spesies verskeidenheid, vergelykbaar met dié van fynbos, ondersteun het. Verskillende invertebrate spesies het egter verskillend gereageer op IUB indringing, en sommige spesies het selfs by toestande in IUB kolle aangepas. Omgewingsfaktore soos blaarafval en grondverdigting was sterk gekorrelleer met artropood spesies rykheid. Ander faktore, soos grondvoginhoud, was egter nie in ooreenstemming met spesies rykheid nie, ten spyte van ‟n beduidende wisseling tussen verskillende vegetasietipes. IUB‟s het grondverdigting verminder, terwyl by wingerde grondverdigting toegeneem het. Die ekotone tussen aanliggende grondgebruike was belangrik om hoë artropood spesies rykheid, veral by die VIUB‟s/fynbos ekotoon, gevolg deur die kontaksones tussen VIUB‟s/wingerd en wingerd/fynbos, te onderhou. Sommige spesies het selfs ekotone verkies. Oppervlak-aktiewe invertebraat spesies rykheid het onmiddelik na brand in beide, IUB‟s en fynbos, wesenlik afgeneem. Tog was herstel vinnig, met sekere spesies wat binne drie maande teruggekeer of hulle hervestig het. Inderdaad was beide, spesies rykheid en volopheid, hoog na ‟n brand. Brand het geen noemenswaardige invloed op artropood groeperings binne IUB‟s gehad nie, ten spyte van ‟n ernstige impak in fynbos waar ‟n verskillende artropood groepering na ‟n brand waargeneem is. Die herstel van die historiese groeperings van beide, die voor-brand samestelling van die habitat en sy aangrensende plantegroei, mag afhanklik wees. Effektiewe en aktiewe samewerking tussen bewaringsbioloë, boere, en grondeienaars om die toekoms van KFS landskap biodiversiteit te beplan, word benodig.

Orientador: Luiz Roberto Cottas / Banca: Marilia Locatelli / Banca: Evaristo Castro Junior / Banca: Juércio Tavares de Mattos / Banca: Jairo Roberto Jiménez Rueda / Resumo: O histórico das modificações do uso da terra em Rondônia, e mais especificamente no município de Porto Velho, mostra transformações de grandes áreas de florestas em pastagens com rápida degradação de seus solos. A criação extensiva de gado de corte é a principal causa da ocupação e uso das terras no Estado. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a degradação ambiental associada à compactação dos solos por pisoteio animal. Foram considerados solos em pastagens degradadas, com vinte anos de pastejo, e florestas naturais em manchas contínuas de um Latossolo Amarelo Distrófico (LAd) e um Argissolo Vermelho Amarelo Distrófico plíntico (PVAd). A avaliação da densidade máxima e umidade ideal, obtida pelo Ensaio de Proctor, bem como observações referentes às diferenças da densidade aparente e a umidade dos solos, em seus limites inferior e superior de água disponível, registraram valores de compactação acima de 2,5 MPa indicando um nível prejudicial ao desenvolvimento radicular de algumas espécies. A resistência mecânica à penetração nas duas classes de solos ocorreu entre 0 - 10 cm com aumento entre 11 - 20 cm de profundidade, sendo que o Latossolo mostrou-se mais compactado em ambiente de pastagem que o Argissolo. As taxas de infiltração básica nas áreas de pastagens e de florestas evidenciaram diferenças entre os ambientes e seus solos, com reduções da infiltração básica nas áreas de pastagens do Latossolo. Influências antrópicas próximas das áreas de pastagens apresentaram-se como fatores associados na distribuição dos altos índices de compactação detectados. Os resultados obtidos evidenciaram de forma satisfatória os índices mais e menos significativos de caráter físico e químico da fertilidade para as áreas de pastagens e comparativamente as de floresta, permitindo detectar as áreas mais compactadas e suas relações aos... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The history of land use changes in Rondônia, and more specifically the city of Porto Velho, shows transformations of large forest areas into pastures with rapid soils degradation. The extensive beef cattle creation is the main cause of the occupation and land use in the state. The objective of this study was to evaluate the environmental degradation associated with soil compaction by cattle trampling. It was considered soils in degraded pastures, with twenty years of grazing, and natural forest patches in a continuous Oxisol Distrophic (LAd) and a Ultisol (Red Yellow Distrophic Plinthic - PVAd). The maximum density and optimum moisture content evaluation obtained by the Proctor test and observations relating to differences in bulk density and soil moisture on its lower and upper limits of available water, recorded values of compaction above 2.5 MPa indicating a detrimental level to root development for some species. The mechanical resistance to penetration in the two soil classes occurred between 0 to 10 cm with an increase between 11 to 20 cm deep, and the Oxisol was more compressed in a pasture environment than in the Ultisol. The basic infiltration rates in pasture areas and forests showed differences between environments and soils, with reductions of basic infiltration in Oxisol pasture areas. Anthropogenic influences near pasture areas were factors associated in the distribution of high compaction indexes detected. The obtained results showed as satisfactory manner the most and least significant indexes for physical and chemical nature of fertility in pasture areas compared to forest, allowing to detect the most compressed areas and their relationship to physical and chemical parameters considered in this study. / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-12T14:46:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Juliano Rodrigo Lamb.pdf: 4074636 bytes, checksum: e152dd65f2e1908fcbcc8453bea47e89 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-12-13 / The soil compaction is a harmful phenomenon to the agricultural sector, intensified with the current model of culture adoption though the use of machines weighed in the culture systems, where these can exert superior pressures to the soil load support capacity. With the soil compaction and compression there is a reduction of the void ratios face to the air and water expulsion, that composes the system, harming the water absorption and minerals for the plants roots, as well as increasing the resistance of the ground to the penetration. By the way, it is formed becomes important the accomplishment of trials of compression for determination of the compaction levels, either in field through assays in situ or laboratory trials. The difficulty presented in trials of this nature, this related with the analysis of the gotten data and with the determination of the compression curves and stress point. Face this conjuncture one utilized the systems of information with the development of application of data base for the adjustment of the data of tension-deformation in trials in situ and laboratory. The system was developed using the environment of development Borland© Delphi© with data base Firebird and methodologies Oriented Objects and to 3Tier. With data proceeding from carried through trials, the software have demonstrated to efficiency in the reading and filtering of in situ trials data, security in the storage of all the referring data to the trials, as well as agility and precision in the determination of the curves of compression of the ground and in the esteem of the stress point. The results still allow concluding that, the traffic of machines in the activities in field intensify the phenomenon of the compaction, and that sinkage plate and oedometer are important in the accomplishment of trials of soil compression. / A compactação do solo é um fenômeno danoso ao setor agrícola, intensificado com a adoção do modelo de produção atual que utiliza nos sistemas de cultivo. máquinas pesadas que podem exercer pressões superiores à capacidade de suporte do solo. Com a compactação e compressão do solo ocorre uma redução do índice de vazios, face à expulsão do ar e da água que compõem o sistema, prejudicando a absorção de água e minerais pelas raízes das plantas e aumentando a resistência do solo à penetração. Dessa forma, torna-se importante a realização de ensaios de compressão para determinação dos índices de compactação, seja em campo por meio de ensaios in situ ou em ensaios laboratoriais. A dificuldade apresentada em ensaios desta natureza, está relacionada à análise dos dados obtidos e com a determinação das curvas de compressão e índice de pré-consolidação. Face a essa conjuntura procurou-se a utilização de sistemas de informação com o desenvolvimento de um aplicativo de banco de dados para o ajuste dos dados de tensão-deformação em ensaios in situ e em laboratório. O sistema foi desenvolvido usando o ambiente de desenvolvimento Borland© Delphi© com banco de dados Firebird e metodologias Orientada a Objetos e 3Tier. Alimentado com dados provenientes de ensaios realizados, o software demonstrou eficiência na leitura e filtragem dos dados de ensaios in situ, segurança no armazenamento de todos os dados referentes aos ensaios, bem como agilidade e precisão na determinação das curvas de compressão do solo e na estimação do ponto de pré-consolidação. Os resultados ainda permitem concluir que o tráfego de máquinas, nas atividades em campo, intensifica o fenômeno da compactação e que o penetrômetro e o oedômetro são importantes na realização de ensaios de compressão do solo.

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The integration between agriculture and cattle-raising has growing up in the last few years in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. With the aim to evaluate the changes in some physical soil properties caused by different summer crop systems and pasture winter grazing frequencies, an experiment was carried out in Jari, central part of the state, in a Nitosol. The summer crop systems used, under no till, were: continuous soybean (MS), soybean-corn in crop rotation system (RS), continuous corn (MM), and corn-soybean crop rotation system (RM). The grazing frequencies used were: no graze (SP), graze at 28-day intervals (P28) and graze at 14-day intervals (P14). Winter pasture used was a mixture of black oat and ryegrass, under two nitrogen fertilization levels: 0 kg N ha-1 (0N) and 200 kg N ha-1 (200N). After two years of winter pasture utilization, soil water infiltration rate decreased significantly when the pasture were more frequently grazed (P14), compared with no grazed areas (SP), with values changing from 63 to 35 mm h-1. Soil bulk density, total porosity and microporosity showed low sensibility in detect soil compacted layers, caused by cattle trampling. Soil macroporosity, at 0-5 cm depth, had significant reduction, changing from 0,17 to 0,08 dm3 dm-3, in no grazed and graze at 14-day intervals areas, respectively. Soil penetration resistance observed after the grazing period, showed the compressive effect of cattle trampling, hitting values of 2,64 MPa in P14 and 2,67 MPa in P28, in the second year of the experiment. Aggregate geometric mean diameter was not affected by any used treatment. Except corn yield in P14, that had the smaller yield, yields at all were lower in P14 and P28, in comparison with SP. However no significant differences were observed. A tendency in highest yields was observed when crop rotations were used, even to corn or soybean. The results obtained showed that the integration between agriculture and cattle-raising is feasible, since the winter pasture management used be adequate, and the crop rotation be present. Key words: Integrated agriculture cattle-raising system, no tillage, cattle trampling, soil compaction, winter pasture. / A integração lavoura-pecuária tem ganhado impulso nos últimos anos no RS. Com o objetivo de avaliar o impacto de diferentes sistemas de culturas de verão e de freqüências de pastoreio na pastagem de inverno, em alguns atributos físicos do solo, executou-se um experimento de campo no município de Jari RS, em um Argissolo Vermelho-amarelo. Os sistemas de culturas de verão utilizados, sob sistema plantio direto, foram: Monocultura de Soja (MS), Monocultura de Milho (MM), Rotação de cultura com Soja e milho (RS), e Rotação de cultura com Milho e soja (RM). As freqüências de pastoreio utilizadas foram: Sem Pastoreio (SP), Pastoreio em intervalos de 28 dias (P28) e Pastoreio a cada 14 dias (P14). A pastagem utilizada foi um consórcio forrageiro de inverno (aveia preta e azevém), submetido a duas doses de adubação nitrogenada: 0 kg N ha-1 (0N) e 200 kg N ha-1 (200N). Após dois anos de avaliações do experimento, a infiltração de água no solo sofreu significativa redução quando da utilização de uma maior freqüência de pastoreio (P14), em comparação com áreas não pastejadas (SP), passando de 63 mm h-1 para 35 mm h-1. A densidade, porosidade total e microporosidade do solo mostraram-se menos sensíveis na detecção de compactação do solo pelo pisoteio bovino. Já a macroporosidade do solo, na camada de 0-5 cm, sofreu redução significativa, passando de 0,17 para 0,08 dm3 dm-3, da área não pastejada (SP) para a área pastejada a cada 14 dias (P14), respectivamente. A resistência do solo à penetração observada após o período de pastejo, demonstrou o efeito compactador do pisoteio bovino, chegando a valores de 2,64 MPa no P14 e 2,67 MPa no P28, no segundo ano do experimento. O diâmetro médio geométrico de agregados não foi significativamente alterado pelos tratamentos aplicados. Com exceção da produtividade do milho no tratamento P14 com 0N, a produção de grãos sofreu influência direta do pisoteio bovino, sendo menor no P14 e P28, porém não havendo diferenças estatísticas significativas em relação à produção nas áreas não pastejadas (SP). Observou-se uma tendência à maior produção nas áreas de rotação de culturas, em comparação com a produção obtida com a utilização de monoculturas, tanto para milho quanto para soja. Os resultados obtidos indicam que o sistema de integração lavoura-pecuária é viável, desde que o manejo das pastagens de inverno seja adequado, e que se utilize rotação de culturas no verão.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T19:23:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Juliano Rodrigo Lamb.pdf: 4074636 bytes, checksum: e152dd65f2e1908fcbcc8453bea47e89 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-12-13 / The soil compaction is a harmful phenomenon to the agricultural sector, intensified with the current model of culture adoption though the use of machines weighed in the culture systems, where these can exert superior pressures to the soil load support capacity. With the soil compaction and compression there is a reduction of the void ratios face to the air and water expulsion, that composes the system, harming the water absorption and minerals for the plants roots, as well as increasing the resistance of the ground to the penetration. By the way, it is formed becomes important the accomplishment of trials of compression for determination of the compaction levels, either in field through assays in situ or laboratory trials. The difficulty presented in trials of this nature, this related with the analysis of the gotten data and with the determination of the compression curves and stress point. Face this conjuncture one utilized the systems of information with the development of application of data base for the adjustment of the data of tension-deformation in trials in situ and laboratory. The system was developed using the environment of development Borland© Delphi© with data base Firebird and methodologies Oriented Objects and to 3Tier. With data proceeding from carried through trials, the software have demonstrated to efficiency in the reading and filtering of in situ trials data, security in the storage of all the referring data to the trials, as well as agility and precision in the determination of the curves of compression of the ground and in the esteem of the stress point. The results still allow concluding that, the traffic of machines in the activities in field intensify the phenomenon of the compaction, and that sinkage plate and oedometer are important in the accomplishment of trials of soil compression. / A compactação do solo é um fenômeno danoso ao setor agrícola, intensificado com a adoção do modelo de produção atual que utiliza nos sistemas de cultivo. máquinas pesadas que podem exercer pressões superiores à capacidade de suporte do solo. Com a compactação e compressão do solo ocorre uma redução do índice de vazios, face à expulsão do ar e da água que compõem o sistema, prejudicando a absorção de água e minerais pelas raízes das plantas e aumentando a resistência do solo à penetração. Dessa forma, torna-se importante a realização de ensaios de compressão para determinação dos índices de compactação, seja em campo por meio de ensaios in situ ou em ensaios laboratoriais. A dificuldade apresentada em ensaios desta natureza, está relacionada à análise dos dados obtidos e com a determinação das curvas de compressão e índice de pré-consolidação. Face a essa conjuntura procurou-se a utilização de sistemas de informação com o desenvolvimento de um aplicativo de banco de dados para o ajuste dos dados de tensão-deformação em ensaios in situ e em laboratório. O sistema foi desenvolvido usando o ambiente de desenvolvimento Borland© Delphi© com banco de dados Firebird e metodologias Orientada a Objetos e 3Tier. Alimentado com dados provenientes de ensaios realizados, o software demonstrou eficiência na leitura e filtragem dos dados de ensaios in situ, segurança no armazenamento de todos os dados referentes aos ensaios, bem como agilidade e precisão na determinação das curvas de compressão do solo e na estimação do ponto de pré-consolidação. Os resultados ainda permitem concluir que o tráfego de máquinas, nas atividades em campo, intensifica o fenômeno da compactação e que o penetrômetro e o oedômetro são importantes na realização de ensaios de compressão do solo.

Le maintien ou l'amélioration de la biodiversité est un des objectifs importants de la gestion forestière durable. La flore du sous-bois, qui représente la partie la plus diversifiée de la flore dans les forêts tempérées, joue des rôles écologiques importants. Pourtant, elle pourrait être impactée par l'augmentation de la mécanisation de la gestion forestière. A l'échelle de la parcelle, nous avons étudié en forêt de Montargis les effets simples et combinés de caractéristiques du peuplement et de la surface en cloisonnement sur la diversité floristique du sous-bois (richesse et abondance). Les caractéristiques du peuplement (type de peuplement ou surface terrière des essences à étaient les meilleurs indicateurs de la diversité du sous-bois. La surface des cloisonnements avait un effet négligeable. A plus petite échelle – à l’intérieur du cloisonnement – nous avons étudié la réponse statistique de la diversité du sous-bois à la position dans ou hors du cloisonnement, à des facteurs micro-environnementaux (humidité du sol, compaction du sol, lumière) et aux caractéristiques du peuplement. A cette échelle, les meilleurs modèles incluaient pour les groupes écologiques la position par rapport au cloisonnement, l’humidité du sol et/ou la compaction du sol, selon le groupe écologique considéré. Au niveau espèce, la position par rapport au cloisonnement était le facteur dominant. Globalement, les cloisonnements avaient soit pas d’effet soit un impact positif sur la diversité floristique de sous-bois. Ces résultats ont dépendants du contexte écologique et historique de la forêt de Montargis. L’utilisation d’engins plus lourds ou des passages répétés sur une plus longue période pourraient changer ces conclusions. / Maintaining or improving biodiversity is an important goal of sustainable forest management.Ground flora, which is responsible for most floristic diversity in temperate forests, plays multiple important roles in biodiversity but may be impacted by the increasing mechanisation of forest practices. At stand scale, we investigated in Montargis forest the individual and combined effects of tree stand attributes and skid trail area on ground flora diversity. Tree stand attributes (stand type or basal area) were the best indicators of ground flora diversity, depending on the successional traits or light preference of the species group. The effects of skid trail area were negligible. At finer scale, we studied plant response to skid trail disturbance (represented by subplot on and off skid trails), micro-environmental factors (soil moisture, soil compaction, light) and stand attribute (stand type, basal area). The best models for ecological groups included subplot location, soil moisture or soil compaction, depending on which ecological groups (classified by life form, seed bank persistence, light and moisture requirements) the species belonged to. Stand type as a covariate played a significantly important role in fine-scale diversity pattern. Subplot location was the dominant factor at species level. In conclusion, skid trails had either no impact or a positive impact on ground flora diversity. These results are dependent on the context of Montargis forest (ecological and historical), especially that mechanized harvesting is relatively recent. The employment of heavier machines and increased number of passages is likely to happen. This might induce greater soil compaction and negative effects on plant.

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