Although sustainability goals have been gradually incorporated into the agricultural education institutions, the analysis of different agricultural systems viability is still being carried out based on cost-benefits analysis. As this analysis does not incorporate ecological, social and cultural variables, it has important limitations to compare the sustainability of these agricultural systems.To show these weak points, one organic and two conventional farms from La Plata, Argentina, were compared by means of the neo-classical analysis. From an agroecological point of view, ecological, productive and social aspects were also analyzed by means of a set of sustainability indicators. Cost-benefits analysis showed that the organic farm had a higher profitability only when the prices of organic products reached 340% relative to conventional ones. Agroecological analysis showed that the organic system fulfilled sustainability objectives more efficiently than conventional ones, Please note that this electronic prepublication galley may contain typographical errors and may be missing artwork, such as charts, photographs, etc. Pagination in this version will differ from the published version. Claudia C. Flores is scholarship holder, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Facultad de Cs. Agrarias
In the fuegian ecotone coexist native (guanaco) and introduced (cow, horse, sheep) herbivores, which is why they are conducting different studies on the behavior of the guanaco in this area, in order to establish a balance between development of livestock and forestry activity and the conservation of native species and their environment. Our aim was to evaluate and compare the diet of the guanaco and the cow during the winter (unfavorable season) to contribute to the ingestive behavior of the herbivores and to provide information on the use of the vegetal communities of the fuegian ecotone. The diet was analyzed by identifying botanical remains present in the pretreated feces. The relative frequencies of ingested taxa were obtained and analyzed according to their functional groups, being the grasses, herbaceous dicotyledons and graminoid the most consumed. There were few species consumed during the winter compared to other times and only significant differences were found in the intake of the Gunnera magellanica, with greater consumption by the guanaco. These results complement the studies on trophic overlap made in the area, broadening the knowledge of the ingestive behavior of the different herbivores and thus be able to elaborate a sustainable management on the area.
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