DOI - Mendel University Press

DOI identifiers

DOI: 10.11118/978-80-7509-963-1-0009

AGROECOLOGY IMPLEMENTED THROUGH BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES FOR RURAL LANDSCAPE PROTECTION

Roberto Puglisi1, Salvatore Margiotta1, Dina Statuto1, Pietro Picuno1
1 School of Agricultural, Forest, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Basilicata, 85100, Potenza, Italy

Agroecology is a scientific subject, an innovative practice and a social movement, which studies ecological processes in relation to agro-food systems, providing new concepts and tools for mainstreaming advanced management strategies of the agroecosystems. The implementation of Agroecology principles may strongly benefit from Biosystems Engineering techniques. Indeed, their synergical integration may contribute to the reduction of the environmental footprint of agriculture, while protecting biodiversity and ecosystems, so leading to better techniques, materials and tools for planning the rural landscape. Several techniques characterized by an eco-friendly impact are currently investigated by Biosystems Engineering, e.g.: building elements for bio-architecture, produced/integrated with natural materials (bricks insulated with straw/wool; concrete reinforced with natural fibers; “adobe” bricks; etc.); Nature- Based Solutions (NBS); fully biodegradable materials (e.g., for soil mulching); remote-sensed data (from drone/satellite) exploited for precision agriculture, to optimize the use of resources (water; soil; agrochemicals; etc.). These solutions may support the formulation of strategies for re-designing agroecosystems at the landscape level, focusing on ecosystem services, biodiversity, water conservation, crop/livestock production, agrochemicals limitation, pollution reduction, and climate change adaptation. This review paper presents the main technical solutions of Biosystems Engineering for Agroecology, able to integrate territorial planning, reducing pollution from agriculture and protecting the rural landscape.

Keywords: Sustainable Agriculture, Biodiversity & Ecosystems, Ecological Engineering, Bio-Architecture, Landscape Planning

pages: 9-13, Published: 2024, online: 2024



References

  1. Castronuovo D., Picuno P., Manera C., Scopa N., Sofo A., Candido V. (2015). Biodegradable pots for Poinsettia cultivation: agronomical and technical traits. Scientia Horticulturae, 197: 150-156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2015.09.025 Go to original source...
  2. Castronuovo D., Russo D., Libonati R., Faraone I., Candido V., Picuno P., Andrade P., Valentao P., Milella L. (2019). Influence of shading treatment on yield, morphological traits and phenolic profile of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). Scientia Horticulturae, 254: 91-98. Go to original source...
  3. Cillis G., Statuto D., Picuno P. (2020). Vernacular farm buildings and rural landscape: a geospatial approach for their integrated management. Sustainability, 12, 4:1-19. https://doi:10.3390/su12010004. Go to original source...
  4. Cillis, G., Statuto, D., Picuno, P., (2021). Historical GIS as a Tool for Monitoring, Preserving and Planning Forest Landscape: A Case Study in a Mediterranean Region. Land 10, 851. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10080851 Go to original source...
  5. Convertino, F., Blanco, I., Schettini, E., Vox, G., (2023). A nature-based system for improving Mediterranean buildings' performance: contribution to energy saving by heat transfer reduction and influence of climatic parameters. J. Agric. Eng. 54. https://doi.org/10.4081/jae.2023.1520 Go to original source...
  6. Manniello, C., Cillis, G., Statuto, D., Di Pasquale, A., Picuno, P., (2022). Concrete Blocks Reinforced with Arundo donax Natural Fibers with Different Aspect Ratios for Application in Bioarchitecture. Appl. Sci. 12, 2167. Go to original source...
  7. Martín-Closas, L., Pelacho, A.M., Picuno, P., Rodríguez, D., (2008). Properties of new biodegradable plastics for mulching, and characterization of their degradation in the laboratory and in the field. Acta Hortic. 801, 275-282. Go to original source...
  8. Picuno, C.A., Godosi, Z., Picuno, P., (2022). Implementing a Landscape Information Modelling (LIM) tool for planning leisure facilities and landscape protection. In Proceedings of the Conference on: "Public Recreation and Landscape Protection: with the environment hand in hand…", Křtiny (Czech Republic), 9-10 May 2022, 186-190. Go to original source...
  9. Picuno, P., (2014). Innovative Material and Improved Technical Design for a Sustainable Exploitation of Agricultural Plastic Film. Polym.-Plast. Technol. Eng. 53:10, 1000-1011. https://doi.org/10.1080/03602559.2014.886056 Go to original source...
  10. Picuno P., (2016). Use of traditional material in farm buildings for a sustainable rural environment. International Journal of Sustainable Built Environment. 5 (2): 451-460. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2016.05.005 Go to original source...
  11. Puglisi, R., Lippolis, M., Starace, G., Arrigoni, P., Picuno, P., (2023). Efficiency of Plastic Nets for Greenhouse Shading. Lect. Notes in Civ. Eng., 337, pp. 1211-1218. ISSN 2366-2565. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30329-6_125 Go to original source...
  12. Wezel, A., Bellon, S., Doré, T., Francis, C., Vallod, D., David, C., (2009). Agroecology as a science, a movement and a practice. A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 29, 503-515. https://doi.org/10.1051/agro/2009004 Go to original source...
  13. Wezel, A., Herren, B.G., Kerr, R.B., Barrios, E., Gonçalves, A.L.R., Sinclair, F., (2020). Agroecological principles and elements and their implications for transitioning to sustainable food systems. A review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 40, 40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-020-00646-z Go to original source...