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Using illustrations from some of Latin America's largest cities, the chapter examines the causes and consequences of urban expansion and the more recent phenomenon of urban sprawl. It reflects on the role of transport and mobility, both as consequences of urban growth and as causes of it. It reflects on the equity and sustainability dimensions of this phenomenon.

Two Chilean isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (QU-M363 and QU-M221b) were exposed to increasing doses of ultraviolet light (UV) under laboratory conditions. Conidia suspended in aqueous solution were spread on Petri dishes containing agar-agar and were placed under a UV lamp ( λ = 254 nm). Without sunscreen, exposure of conidia to UV-C light reduced germination after 40 s from 80-95% to 5-2%, for QU-M221b and QU-M363, respectively. Using the solar screen Blankophor P167® â at 1% w/v, conidia germination decreased after 40 s from 68-82% to 50-33% for QU-M221b and QU-M363, respectively. Results indicate that the sunscreen Blankophor P167 is a potential adjuvant to be used in biopesticides based on M. anisopliae .

Conservationist tillage systems have advantages over conventional systems because they allow the protection of natural resources. However, it is important to validate these advantages to encourage the adoption of this type of technology by farmers. The objective of this study was to determine if the type of tillage affects moisture content in the soil profile. To this end, the effect of three tillage systems on water availability in an Ultisol soil was compared. The treatments were: no tillage and burning residues (CL+Q); no tillage without burning residues (CL-Q); and traditional tillage (TRAD). The results showed that between end of tilling - beginning of internode elongation and heading, the mean value of the moisture index for CL-Q was 1.023, significantly higher than 1.001 and 0.998 corresponding to CL+Q and TRAD, while between heading and harvest the index for CL-Q was 0.963, statistically higher than 0.941 and 0.938 corresponding to CL+Q and TRAD. This effect was due to water content differences in the soil profile above 40 cm. Considering the three periods of plant development together, the mean value of the moisture index for CL-Q was 1.015, statistically higher than 0.996 and 0.990 from CL+Q and TRAD. This study confirmed that in terms of soil moisture retention in the profile of an Ultisol soil, it is recommendable to use zero tillage without burning the residues.

The “Best Practice Guideline for Agriculture and Value Chains” is a document developed by the organic movement and a contribution to the global discussion on sustainable agriculture. This document encompasses the entire value chain until the final consumer. Each party in the value chain can use the guidelines regardless of their own stage of development. The guidelines and practices the document describes are the result of a participatory process by members of the organic movement and reflect the collected thought gathered in that process. The document is intended to be formative, not normative. It divides sustainability into five complementary and interactive dimensions: social, ecological, economic, cultural and accountability. Each dimension is presented with its own objectives and is divided into a set of complementary facets with its related best practices that are discussed in terms of the values and approach of the organic movement. This document recognizes that best practice is context specific and sustainability is dynamic: what constitutes a holistic approach to best practice evolves over time for any given party. Best practice implicitly embodies an attitude of continual improvement.

A study was conducted in Colima, México, with the objective to carry out a forage, energy and protein balance of a traditional dual purpose livestock production system based on corn stubble ( Zea mays ) and star grass ( Cynodon plectostachyus ) during the dry season. This balance was carried out taking into consideration dry matter, energy, and protein requirements, production, availability and utilization, as well as their imports to the production system. The production system was energetically sustainable, providing 99% of the cattle requirements. Dry matter and protein production were insufficient, providing only 80 and 68% of the requirements, respectively. The producer was able to solve this deficit by importing local available feedstuff, such as ground corncob with molasses and sugarcane tops ( Saccharum officinarum ). It was apparent the need to introduce new technology and methods to improve this production system. ; Con el objetivo de realizar un balance forrajero, energético y proteico durante la época seca de un sistema de producción tradicional de doble propósito sustentado en la utilización de rastrojo de maíz ( Zea mays ) y pasto estrella ( Cynodon plectostachyus ) se realizó un balance forrajero, energético y proteico en Colima, México. Se evaluó mediante un estudio dinámico la producción, disponibilidad y utilización de la materia seca, la energía y la proteína dentro del sistema, así como su introducción al sistema pare determinar su sostenibilidad considerando las necesidades nutricionales del ganado. Los resultados mostraron que el sistema es energéticamente sostenible produciendo 99% de la energía requerida. La producción de materia seca y proteína fueron deficitarias produciéndose únicamente 80 y 68% de los requerimientos, respectivamente. El productor fue capaz de complementar la falta de estos elementos mediante la introducción de alimentos producidos en la región como la punta de caña ( Saccharum officinarum ) y el olote de maíz enmelazado, detectándose además la oportunidad de mejorar estos sistemas productivos mediante la implementación de nuevas prácticas de manejo, así como la introducción de nuevas tecnologías.

El documental "Encounters at the End of the World" (2007) de Werner Herzog reflexiona sobre los ideales humanos de exploración en el medioambiente extremo de la Antártida. A lo largo de la película, Herzog y sus personajes dan un rol a la Antártida como lugar de deseo y como lugar incomprensible en las narrativas que los personajes cuentan ellos mismos sobre sus propias vidas. Su habilidad para hacer esto es consecuencia del mito popular que muestra la Antártida como un páramo estático y vacío, así como de los modos de gobierno nacionalista que promueven la ciencia pero apartan otras formas de saber hacia la periferia. Los personajes de la película de Herzog están condenados a un ciclo de repetición interminable: forzados por un mito a revivir constantemente el momento del descubrimiento, y restringidos por los modos de gobierno que niegan la expresión formal de la sensibilidad exacerbada que experimentan al encontrarse en el espacio de la Antártida. Por último, este ciclo genera desesperanza y la película lleva a los espectadores hacia una inmersión en los tropos de las fronteras: En lugar del héroe hombre blanco yendo a rescatar a la naturaleza en peligro, encontramos al heroico hombre blanco angustiado con la mirada fija contemplando el vacío imposible. De esta manera, la película de Herzog se convierte en una parábola sobre la historia limitando y refrenando nuevas formas de saber. En una era de cada vez más incertidumbre medioambiental, y con la Antártida actuando como un test de tornasol para el impacto de los humanos en el planeta, así como una evaluación del futuro de la raza humana. "Encounters" nos pide que rechacemos la historia que no nos enseña nada nuevo, y nos pide que encontremos maneras de renovar el gran experimento de vivir en el mundo. Werner Herzog’s 2007 documentary Encounters at the End of the World concerns human ideals of exploration in the extreme environment of the Antarctic. Throughout the film, Herzog and his characters enrol the Antarctic variously as a site of desire and as a site of incomprehensibility in self-told narratives about their own lives. Their ability to do so is a consequence of both popular myth that casts the Antarctic as a static and empty wasteland, and nationalistic modes of governance that promote science but squeeze other modes of knowing to the fringe. The characters in Herzog’s film are thus doomed to a cycle of endless repetition: forced by myth to constantly revisit the moment of discovery, and constrained by modes of governance that deny formal expression of the heightened sensibility they experience when engaging with Antarctic space. Ultimately, this cycle generates despair and so the film bears witness to an inversion of frontier tropes: Instead of heroic white male coming to the aid of nature in distress we instead find the heroic white male in distress staring into an utterly hopeless void. In this way, Herzog’s film becomes a parable about history constraining new forms of knowing. In an age of increasing environmental uncertainty, and with the Antarctic enrolled as both a litmus test for human impacts on the planet, and for gauging the future of the human race, Encounters asks us to reject history where history teaches us nothing new, and it asks us to find ways to renew the great experiment of living in the world.

A Basic Unit of Cooperative Production (BUCP) of Granma Province, Republic of Cuba was selected to carry out research from 2004 to 2007 and its projection for 2008. From 13 farms of the BUCP, two units were selected and unified, comprising 335 ha, in which a methodology of quantitative and qualitative steps for a husbandry, agriculture and forest diversification processes to encourage the process of local economic development. The changes produced between the diagnosis and the results obtained at present, as well as the perspectives were compared. It was obtained a favorable transformation in the pasture land, as well as in the agroforestry and forage crops, besides a considerable increase of biodiversity and cattle-agriculture integration. With the introduction of the applied technologies, positive results in productive and reproductive indicators were achieved that offer guarantees for the repeatability of the model. ; Fue seleccionada una Unidad Básica de Producción Cooperativa (UBPC) de la provincia de Granma de la República de Cuba, la cual fue investigada desde 2004 al 2007 y su proyección para el 2008. De las 13 unidades de la UBPC se seleccionaron y unieron dos unidades con una superficie total de 335 ha, en las cuales se aplicó una metodología de cambios escalonados cuantitativos y cualitativos para un proceso de diversificación pecuaria, agrícola y forestal y potenciar un proceso de desarrollo económico local. Se compararon los cambios producidos entre el diagnóstico y los resultados obtenidos actuales y perspectivos. Se logró una transformación favorable en la superficie destinada a pastoreo, cultivos forrajeros y agroforestales, así como un aumento de la biodiversidad y la integración de la ganadería–agricultura. Con la introducción de las tecnologías aplicadas se lograron resultados positivos en los indicadores productivos y reproductivos que ofrecen garantías para la repetibilidad del modelo.

The table of contents for this item can be shared with the requester. The requester may then choose one chapter, up to 10% of the item, as per the Fair Dealing provision of the Canadian Copyright Act ; The research paper “The new seed regulation and its implications for family agriculture in Peru” addresses the need to diminish polarization among family agriculture and agroindustry through public policies that foster more inclusion of local systems in the national seed system. The need to develop specific public policies and regulations for family agriculture and local seed systems that are appropriate is highlighted. The registration of seeds of native varieties is an important tool to support its production while supporting the upcoming credit and insurance institutions in this field. The value chain, facing the challenges of climate change, is asking for a different governance model where the producers could have a more active role at the decision making level on seed production, multiplication and control, where a territorial approach is needed. The last modifications of regulation on seeds in Peru are going in this direction. For the first time, the possibility to regulate peasant seeds systems is included, which can boost local seeds production, improve quality seed access and develop small-­‐scale seed companies. A better utilization and conservation of local varieties will only be possible if there is more interaction among research, production and access to quality seed of native varieties.