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Title:	Widening the analysis of Energy Return On Investment (EROI) in agroecosystems: A proposal to study socio-ecological transitions to industrialized farm systems (the Vallès County, Catalonia, c.1860 and 1999)
Author:	Galán, E.; Padró, R.; Marco, I.; Tello Aragay, Enric; Cunfer, G.; Guzmán, G. I.; González de Molina, M.; Krausmann, F.; Gingrich, S.; Sacristán Adinolfi, Vera; Moreno-Delgado, D.
Other authors:	Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament de Matemàtiques; Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. DCCG - Grup de recerca en geometria computacional, combinatoria i discreta
Abstract:	Energy balances of farm systems have overlooked the role of energy flows that remain within agro-ecosystems. Yet, such internal flows fulfil important socio-ecological functions, including maintenance of farmers themselves and agro-ecosystem structures. Farming can either give rise to complex landscapes that favour associated biodiversity, or the opposite. This variability can be understood by assessing several types of Energy Returns on Investment (EROI). Applying these measures to a farm system in Catalonia, Spain in 1860 and in 1999, reveals the expected decrease in the ratio of final energy output to total and external inputs. The transition from solar-based to a fossil fuel based agro-ecosystem was further accompanied by an increase in the ratio of final energy output to biomass reused, as well as an absolute increase of Unharvested Phytomass grown in derelict forestland. The study reveals an apparent link between reuse of biomass and the decrease of landscape heterogeneity along with its associated biodiversity.
Abstract:	Peer Reviewed
Subject(s):	-Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Matemàtiques i estadística::Investigació operativa::Programació matemàtica -Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Matemàtiques i estadística::Investigació operativa::Simulació -Programming (Mathematics) -Operations research -Energy Return on Investment (EROI) -Agro-ecosystems -Integrated land use management -Socio-ecological systems -Catalonia -Programació (Matemàtica) -Simulació, Mètodes de -90C Mathematical programming -Classificació AMS::90 Operations research, mathematical programming::90B Operations research and management science
Rights:	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/
Document type:	Article - Submitted version Article
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