IMASL   20939
INSTITUTO DE MATEMATICA APLICADA DE SAN LUIS "PROF. EZIO MARCHI"
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Ecological and environmental footprint of 50 years of agricultural expansion in Argentina
Autor/es:
VIGLIZZO, EF; FC FRANK; CARREÑO, LV; JOBBAGY, EG; PEREYRA, H
Revista:
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
Editorial:
WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC
Referencias:
Año: 2010 vol. 113 p. 1 - 15
ISSN:
1354-1013
Resumen:
Agriculture expanded during the last 50 years from the Pampas to NE Argentina at the expense of natural forests and
rangelands. In parallel, productivity was boosted through the increasing application of external inputs, modern
technology and management practices. This study evaluated the impact of agricultural expansion between 1960 and
2005 by assessing the implications of land use, technology and management changes on (i) carbon (C), nitrogen (N)
and phosphorous (P) stocks in soil and biomass, (ii) energy, C, N, P and water fluxes and (iii) water pollution, soil
erosion, habitat intervention and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (impacts). Based on different data sources, these
issues were assessed over 1.5 million km2 (63% of Argentina), involving 399 political districts during three
representative periods: 19561960, 19861990 and 20012005. The ecological and environmental performance of
1197 farming system types was evaluated through the AgroEcoIndex model, which quantified the stocks, fluxes and
impacts mentioned above. Cultivation of natural ecosystems and farming intensification caused a noticeable increase
of productivity, a strengthening of energy flux, an opening of matter cycles (C, N, P) and a negative impact on habitats
and GHGs emission. However, due to the improved tillage practices and the application of less aggressive pesticides,
erosion and pollution risk are today lower than those of the mid-20th century. The consistency of some assumptions
and results were checked through uncertainty analysis. Comparing our results with international figures, some
impacts (e.g. soil erosion, nutrient balance, energy use) were less significant than those recorded in intensive-farming
countries like China, Japan, New Zealand, USA, or those of Western Europe, showing that farmers in Argentina
developed the capacity to produce under relatively low-input/low-impact schemes during the last decades.2 (63% of Argentina), involving 399 political districts during three
representative periods: 19561960, 19861990 and 20012005. The ecological and environmental performance of
1197 farming system types was evaluated through the AgroEcoIndex model, which quantified the stocks, fluxes and
impacts mentioned above. Cultivation of natural ecosystems and farming intensification caused a noticeable increase
of productivity, a strengthening of energy flux, an opening of matter cycles (C, N, P) and a negative impact on habitats
and GHGs emission. However, due to the improved tillage practices and the application of less aggressive pesticides,
erosion and pollution risk are today lower than those of the mid-20th century. The consistency of some assumptions
and results were checked through uncertainty analysis. Comparing our results with international figures, some
impacts (e.g. soil erosion, nutrient balance, energy use) were less significant than those recorded in intensive-farming
countries like China, Japan, New Zealand, USA, or those of Western Europe, showing that farmers in Argentina
developed the capacity to produce under relatively low-input/low-impact schemes during the last decades.AgroEcoIndex model, which quantified the stocks, fluxes and
impacts mentioned above. Cultivation of natural ecosystems and farming intensification caused a noticeable increase
of productivity, a strengthening of energy flux, an opening of matter cycles (C, N, P) and a negative impact on habitats
and GHGs emission. However, due to the improved tillage practices and the application of less aggressive pesticides,
erosion and pollution risk are today lower than those of the mid-20th century. The consistency of some assumptions
and results were checked through uncertainty analysis. Comparing our results with international figures, some
impacts (e.g. soil erosion, nutrient balance, energy use) were less significant than those recorded in intensive-farming
countries like China, Japan, New Zealand, USA, or those of Western Europe, showing that farmers in Argentina
developed the capacity to produce under relatively low-input/low-impact schemes during the last decades.