Agroecology and Agroecosystems By Stephen R. Gliessman
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Transcript of Agroecology and Agroecosystems By Stephen R. Gliessman
Agroecology and Agroecosystems
By Stephen R. Gliessman
Jeremy Nelson
IntroAgriculture
◦more than an economic activity to maximize production and profit
◦Environmental and social components too
Sustainability as a means to balance the interactions◦Agroecology as a way to achieve
sustainability
AgroecologyAgriculture as a stream, individual
farms are points along it◦Upstream impacts on farms
Labor availability and cost Market access for goods produced Legislative policies – water & pesticide use,
animal care◦Downstream effects of farms
Soil erosion and groundwater depletion Pollution of water, air, soil, food
Agroecology cont.Ecosystems:
◦Functional system of relations between organisms and environment
◦Maintain relative equillibrium; thus sustainable
Agroecosystems work to balance biological, physical, chemical, ecological, cultural interactions◦To achieve and sustain yields◦Created through human manipulation of
an environment for ag production
Agroecosystems cont.Created through human
manipulation of an environment for ag production◦Changes key aspects of the natural
ecosystem; called emergent qualities4 key qualities
◦Energy flow ◦Nutrient cycling◦Population regulation◦Dynamic equilibrium
ApplicationIndigenous farm systems are
sustainable agroecosystems◦Example of how cultures and local
environments coevolved to balance all the needs of people Ecological, technological, soio-economic
Illustrates importance of…◦Intimate knowledge of local ecology◦Perceiving the farm as part of a much
larger system
ConclusionAgricultural systems cannot be
regarded solely as production driven by economic forces◦Nor can we disregard interrelations of
agriculture and ecosystems“By properly selecting and
understanding the ‘upstream’ inputs into agriculture, we can be assured that what we send ‘downstream’ will promote a sustainable future”
(Gliessman 2004: 113)