Multiple use around forest fragments: agrosilviculture as a way of production and protection

• Grant number: 11/10570-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2011
• End date: December 31, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Crop Science
• Principal Investigator: Ciro Abbud Righi
• Grantee: Marcele Almeida da Silva
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

There are many concerns related to environment preservation and recuperation. The Atlantic Forest, one of 25 biodiversity hot spots of the world, still suffers under the pressure of crops and disordered human occupation. Most of this vegetation is limited to fragments of small size located on private property. The isolation of forest remnants results in greater vulnerability to them by creating more forest edges under different microclimatic conditions. These changes promote the development and growth of plants adapted to these conditions, thus altering the structure and composition of the remainder. In addition, compromises the movement of animals and other dispersers and pollinators, affecting gene flow and the perpetuation of the species. The use of Agroforestry Systems (AFS) has great potential to protect these isolated remnants, since its composition may have been planned and designed to protect the fragment, to attract animal pollinators/seed dispersers and provide financial return to the producer. This paper aims to analyze the edge effect, plan and implement three AFS of different structure and compositions as a way to promote forest fragment protection and financial returns to farmers, allowing a further evaluation of their protective and production outcome. In four radial transects 50 m long, driven to the edge of the fragment, it will be measured microclimatic aspects (solar radiation, temperature, humidity and wind speed); natural regeneration, dossel coverture, basal area and made phyto-sociological analysis (trees DAPmin.e5cm). (AU)