Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Methodological Approach to Assess Cross-scale Relations and Interactions in Agricultural Ecosystems of Argentina

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
Ecosystems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Agronomists, environmentalists, land managers, policy makers and development agents who make decisions at different levels (plot, farm, ecosystem, landscape, ecoregion, country) increasingly demand scientific information to understand cross-level links and interactions in systems that behave hierarchically. The purpose of this work is to study cross-scale relations and interactions in agricultural ecosystems of the Argentine Pampas. Based on public censuses and surveys from 1960 to 1996, data on crops cultivation, fossil energy (FE) consumption and energy productivity were used for the analysis. The whole region was divided into eight increasing geographic scales, and the impact of one scale on the broader ones was assessed through a simple analysis of energy productivity. Regression analysis was used to identify cross-scale linear slopes and to determine cross-scale interactions. We assume that non-parallel slopes in different years are attributable to cross-scale interactions. Given that the results show highly significant differences among inter-year slopes, we must accept that cross-scale interactions have occurred. Beyond any random behavior, it seems quite possible that decisions made at smaller scales may have a demonstrable effect on broader scales. Specific research is needed to elucidate key cause–effect relationships among scales. In principle, the possible interaction between intensification factors (for example, FE consumption) and spatial scales is a plausible hypothesis to be tested in the study area.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allard RW, Bradshaw AD. 1964. Implications of genotype environment interactions. Crops Sci 4:503–508

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen TFH, Hoekstra TW. 1991. Role of heterogeneity in scaling of ecological systems under analysis. In: Kolasa J, Pickett STA, Eds. Ecological Heterogeneity. Berlin Heidelberg New York: Springer. p 47–68

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen TFH, Starr TB. 1982. Hierarchy Perspectives of Ecological Complexity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Bailey RG. 1998. Ecoregions: The Ecosystem Geography of the Oceans and Continents. Berlin Heidelberg New York: Springer

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergkamp G. 1998. The response of hierarchical soil erosion processes to land use and land cover change. In: Usó JL, Brebbia CA, Power H, Eds. Advances in Ecological Sciences: Ecosystems and Sustainable Development. Southampton: Computational Mechanics Publications

    Google Scholar 

  • Buringh P, Dudal R. 1987. Agricultural land use in space and time. In: Wolman MG, Fournier FGA, Eds. Land Transformation in Agriculture SCOPE. Wiley

  • Carpenter SR, Chisholm CJ, Krebs CJ, Schindler DW, Wright RF. 1995. Ecosystems experiments. Science 269:324–7

    Google Scholar 

  • Clapham WB Jr, 1983. Natural Ecosystems. New York: Macmillan

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole CV, Stewart JWB, Ojima DS, Parton WJ, Schimel DS. 1989. Modelling land use effects of soil organic matter dynamics in the North American Great Plains. In: Clarholm M, Bergstrom L, Eds. Ecology of Arable Lands. New York: Kluwer Academic Publishers. p 89–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Conforti P, Giampietro M. 1997. Fossil energy use in agriculture: an international comparison. Agric Ecosyst Environ 65:231–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Covas G. 1989. Evolución del manejo de suelos en la región pampeana semiárida. Acta de las Primeras Jornadas de Suelos en Zonas Aridas y Semiáridas INTA. Santa Rosa, La Pampa, 1–11

  • de Koning GHJ, Verburg PH, Veldkamp A, Fresco LO. 1999. Multi-scale modelling of land use change dynamics in Ecuador. Agric Syst 61:77–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dent JB (1975). The application of systems theory in agriculture. In: Dalton Ge, Ed. Study of Agricultural Systems. London: Applied Science Publishers Ltd. p 107–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Dumanski J, Pettapiece WW, McGregor RJ. 1998. Relevance of scale dependent approaches for integrating bio-physical and socio-economic information and development of agroecological indicators. Nutr Cycling Agroecosyst 50:13–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eberhart SA, Russell WA. 1966. Stability parameters for comparing varieties. Crops Sci 6:36–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Falconer DS, 1952. The problem of environment and selection. Am Nat 86:293–298

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • FAO. 1989. Guidelines for land use planning. Rome: Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO

    Google Scholar 

  • Finlay K, Wilkinson G. 1963. The analysis of adaptation in a plant-breeding programme. Austr J Agric Res 14:742–754

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freemark K, 1995. Assessing the effect of agriculture on terrestrial wildlife: developing a geographical approach for US EPA. Lands Urban Plan 31:99–115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardner RH. 1998. Pattern, process and the analysis of spatial scales. In: Peterson DL, Parker VT, Eds. Ecological Scale: Theory and Applications. New York: Columbia University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossi-Gallegos H, Lopardo R, Atienza G, García M. 1985. Evaluación del aporte energético de origen solar en la República Argentina. Primer Congreso Argentino sobre Uso Racional de la Energía (AAPURE, ed.), Buenos Aires. P 1217–37

  • Hall AJ, Rebella CM, Ghersa CM, Culot J.Ph, 1992. Field-crop systems of the Pampas. In: Pearson CJ, Ed. Field crop ecosystems series: ecosystems of the world. Amsterdam: Elsevier

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobbs RJ. 1998. Managing ecological systems and processes. In: Peterson DL, Parker VT, Eds. Ecological scale: theory and applications. New York: Columbia University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Holling CS, 1992. Cross-scale morphology, geometry and dynamics of ecosystems. Ecol Monogr 62:447–502

    Google Scholar 

  • King AW (1993). Considerations of scale and hierarchy. In: Woodley S, Kay J, Francis G, Eds. Ecological integrity and the management of ecosystems. Delray Beach Florida: St. Lucie Press. 19–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Lal R. 1994. Sustainable land use systems and soil resilience. In: Greenland DJ, Szabolcs I, Eds. Soil resilience and sustainable land use. Wallingford (UK): C.A.B. International

    Google Scholar 

  • McRae T, Smith CAS, Gregorich LJ. (eds). 2000. Environmental sustainability of canadian agriculture. Report of the Agri-Environmental Indicators Project. Ottawa ON: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 224 p

  • Odum EP, (1969). The strategy of ecosystems development. Science 164: 262–70

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Odum EP, 1977. The emergence of ecology as a new integrative discipline. Science 195:1289–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Okey BW, (1996). Systems approaches and properties, and agroecosystem health. J Environ Manage 48:187–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Neill RV, DeAngelis DL, Waide JB, Allen TFH. 1986. A hierarchical concept of ecosystems. Princeton (NJ): Princeton University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Neill RV, Hunsaker CT, Timmings SP, Jackson BL, Jones KB, Riiters KH, Wickham JD. 1996. Scale problems in reporting landscape pattern at the regional scale. Landscape Ecol 11:169–80

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Neill RV, Turner SJ, Cullinan VI, Coffin DP, Cook T, Conley W, Brunt J, Thomas JM, Conley MR, Gosz J. 1991. Multiple landscape scales: an inter-site comparison. Landscape Ecol 5:137–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pani S, Lasley J. 1972. Genotype x environment interactions in animals: theoretical considerations and review findings. Missouri Agr Exp Sta Res Bull No. 992

  • Patee HH. 1973. Hierarchy theory: the challenge of complex systems. New York: George Braziller

    Google Scholar 

  • Pimentel D. 1999. Environmental and economic benefits of sustainable agriculture. In: Kohn J, Gowdy J, Hinterberger F, Northampton MA, Eds. Sustainability in question: The Search for a Conceptual Framework. New York

  • Reed W, Shu G, Hills FJ. 1986. Energy input and output analysis of four field crops in California. J Agron Crop Sci 157:99–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid W, Ash N, Bennett E, Kumar P, Lee M, Lucas N, Simons H, Thompson V, Zurek M. 2002. Millennium ecosystems assessment methods, Penang Malaysia: MA Secretariat. 81 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Salthe SN. 1985. Evolving hierarchical systems: their structure and representation. New York: Columbia University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Satorre E. 2000. Production systems in the Argentine pampas and their ecological impact. In: Solbrig OT, Di Castri F, Paarlberg R, Eds. The Impact of Global Change and Information on the Rural Environment. Cambridge (MA): Harvard University Press

    Google Scholar 

  • Solbrig OT, Viglizzo EF. 1999. Sustainable farming in the Argentine Pampas: history, society, economy and ecology. DRCLAS Paper No.99/00-1. Cambridge (MA): Harvard University

  • Stout BA. 1991. Handbook of energy for world agriculture. New York: Elsevier

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner II BL, Skole D, Sanderson S, Fisher G, Fresco L, Leemans R. 1995. Land use and Land-cover change (Science/Research Plan). IGBP Report No. 35, HDP Report No. 7. Stockolm

  • Turner MG, Dale VH, Gardner RH. 1989. Predicting across scales: theory development and testing. Landscape Ecol 3:245–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Veldkamp A, Kok K, De Koning GHJ, Schoorl JM, Sonneveld MPW, Verburg PH. 2001. Multi-scale system approaches in agronomic research at the landscape level. Soil Tillage Res 58:129–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verburg PH, Chen YQ. 2000. Multi-scale characterization of land use patterns in China. Ecosystems 3:369–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verburg PH, de Koning GHJ, Kok K, Veldkamp A, Bouma J. 1999. A spatial explicit allocation procedure for modeling the pattern of land use change based upon actual land use. Ecol Model 116:45–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viglizzo EF. 1982. Los potenciales de producción de carne en la región pampeana semiárida. In: Viglizzo EF, Ed. Primeras Jornadas Técnicas sobre Producción Animal en la Región Pampeana Semiárida. Santa Rosa (La Pampa), Argentina: Universidad Nacional de La Pampa

    Google Scholar 

  • Viglizzo EF, 1994. The response of low-input agricultural systems to environmental variability: a theoretical approach. Agric Syst 44:1–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viglizzo EF, Lértora FA, Pordomingo AJ, Bernardos JN, Roberto ZE, Del Valle H. 2001. Ecological lessons and applications from one century of low external-input farming in the pampas of Argentina. Agric Ecosyst Environ 81:65–81

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viglizzo EF, Pordomingo ZE, Castro MG, Lértora FA. 2003. Environmental assessment of agriculture at a regional scale in the Pampas of Argentina. Environ Monit Assess 87:169–95

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Viglizzo EF, Pordomingo ZE, Castro MG, Lértora FA, Solbrig OT. 2002. Environmental sustainability of Argentine agriculture: patterns, gradients and tendencies 1960–2000. The David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, Working Papers on Latin America Paper No. 01/02–2, Cambridge (MA) Harvard University

  • Viglizzo EF, Roberto ZE, Brockington NR. 1991. Agroecosystems performance in the semiarid pampas of Argentina and their interactions with the environment. Agric Ecosyst Environ 36:23–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viglizzo EF, Roberto ZE, Filippín MC, Pordomingo AJ. 1995. Climate variability and agroecological change in the Central Pampas of Argentina. Agric Ecosyst Environ 55:7–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viglizzo EF, Roberto ZE, Lértora FA, López Gay E, Bernardos J. 1997. Climate and land use change in field-crop ecosystems of Argentina. Agric Ecosyst Environ 66:61–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagenet RJ, 1998. Scale issues in agroecological research chains. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 50:23–34

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yates F, Cochran WG (1938). The analysis of groups of experiments. J Agric Sci 28:556–580

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. INTA, Centro Regional La Pampa, Av. Spinetto 785, 6300, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina

    Ernesto F. Viglizzo, Aníbal J. Pordomingo & Daniel Buschiazzo

  2. Dirección de Ecología, Provincia de La Pampa, Santa Rosa, LP, Argentina

    Mónica G. Castro

Authors
  1. Ernesto F. Viglizzo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Aníbal J. Pordomingo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Daniel Buschiazzo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mónica G. Castro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Viglizzo, E.F., Pordomingo, A.J., Buschiazzo, D. et al. A Methodological Approach to Assess Cross-scale Relations and Interactions in Agricultural Ecosystems of Argentina. Ecosystems 8, 546–558 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-005-0091-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-005-0091-9

Key words

Search

Navigation