Procedure to assess spatio-temporal variability in a supporting ecosystem process

Abstract

Ecosystem approach involves the understanding of the relationships among structures, processes and ecosystem services. Therefore, the article designs and applies a procedure to assess spatial-temporal variability, which may be present, in a support process to ecosystem services. Specific sites of assimilable phosphorus are used in a soil under sugarcane cultivation, to quantify a cost for excess phosphoric fertilizer. Differences in economic values between categories of this element in the soil are provided. This emphasizes the management and adaptation to the spatial-temporal variability of the nutrient availability process, for the sustainability of the sugar agribusiness.