Estrutura conceitual integrando DPSIR, rede causal e serviços ecossistêmicos para análise ambiental dos dejetos na produção intensiva de animais

Abstract

The growing demand for food leads to a process of intensification in the livestock production, which can result in environmental problems if the residues are not managed correctly. The interaction between the intensive production of animals and its environment is complex and depends mainly on the location and on the management practices. The manure from the intensive production of animals, as a result of the volume and characteristics, can represent a triggering drive of pressures on the environment, degrading the environmental state and, consequently, impacting on the ecosystem, mobilizing the society to take actions to reverse the situation, whose response can be guided to act over the pressures, the state, the impacts, or also over the drives. Furthermore, it can generate impacts over various ecosystem services based on water, soil, air, biodiversity and the general appearance of the landscape. In this context, this thesis aims to develop a conceptual structure for environmental analysis of the manure generation in the intensive production of animals, integrating the causal chain framework DPSIR with causal network and ecosystem services. For this purpose, a methodology with the construction of the conceptual structure was developed, for a correct understanding of the complexity of a set of elements that interact, considering the interrelations of the indicators and with conditions of application in the empirical reality, demonstrated through the application in a case study in a micro watershed with intensive production of pigs; in addition to an approach about the biogas focused on ecosystem services, as a possible response to the system to control the adverse effects of the drives and pressures, mitigating impacts caused by the manure. By developing the conceptual structure, it was possible to establish a logical bond of its components, including, this way, a potential of environmental perceptions, as well as changes in the socioeconomic system. The impacts caused by the manure can be understood as changes in the supply of ecosystem services and in the socioeconomic system, identifiable in the structure of conceptual analysis proposed. The application of the conceptual structure identified the main drive that puts pressures in the system and impacts ecosystem services, affecting provision and regulation services.The development of this conceptual structure of environmental analysis contributes to the selection of indicators and the involved ecosystem services, which can help monitor and manage the sustainability, providing subsidies for more adequate environmental policies, obtained from indicators that reflect the local conditions.