Assessing landscape connectivity using butterfly distribution and disseminating agroforestry technologies in agrarian settlements in Brazil .

摘要

The intensification of agriculture continues to threaten the survival of wildlife in agricultural landscapes. The adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural practices such as agroforestry --trees planted with crops and/or animals - could contribute to biodiversity conservation. Motivated by this premise, this dissertation evaluated ecological and social aspects of agroforestry adoption in Brazil. The objectives were to describe the distribution of butterflies in two agricultural landscapes, to examine the effectiveness of agroforestry as ecological stepping stones -- small patches of vegetation that can be used by wildlife for dispersal-, and to evaluate whether social learning theory can explain agriculture information dissemination.;The distribution and dispersal patterns of fruit feeding butterflies and of abiotic variables were used to compare the effectiveness of different land-use practices in attracting forest butterflies, and to test if agroforestry can provide increased functional connectivity- the landscape's ability to facilitate or impede the movement of organisms. Van Someren-Rydon butterfly traps were distributed in a grid in agroforestry areas bordered by forest, and capture data were analyzed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).;The study also addressed the dissemination and acquisition of information on sustainable agricultural practices that promote wildlife conservation by agrarian reform settlements in Brazil. A total of 94 heads-of-household were interviewed about farming practices and sources for agriculture information. In addition, some of the questions were developed to determine if whether Social Learning Theory was useful in understanding dissemination of agricultural information among famers.;Forest butterflies were more frequently associated with agroforestry plots than with monocultural agricultural systems. Spatial analyses showed that these butterflies preferred to disperse through agroforestry plots when crossing the agricultural landscape. Results from the social study indicate that farmers with greater social networks and agricultural experience were more likely to adopt agroforestry practices. However, the results for the application of Social Learning Theory were inconclusive. While two of the theory's constructs (imitation and differential reinforcement) were significantly correlated with agroforestry adoption, the other two (differential association and definitions) were not.By understanding how to motivate farmers to adopt agroforestry practices, the ecological connectivity of the landscape could be improved, making agricultural areas more conducive for wildlife conservation. (Full text of this dissertation may be available via the University of Florida Libraries web site. Please check http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/etd.html)