Agroecology

Agroecology is an emerging field that has not yet developed an articulated corpus of theoretical and methodological assumptions capable of offering solutions to the serious problems that compromise the future of agriculture and food in the world. Increased use of agrochemicals and unsustainable exploitation of natural resources to promote food and wood production have led to serious degradation of ecosystems and disruption of ecosystem services the world over. Land degradation due to...
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Agroecology is an emerging field that has not yet developed an articulated corpus of theoretical and methodological assumptions capable of offering solutions to the serious problems that compromise the future of agriculture and food in the world. Increased use of agrochemicals and unsustainable exploitation of natural resources to promote food and wood production have led to serious degradation of ecosystems and disruption of ecosystem services the world over. Land degradation due to soil erosion, deforestation, overgrazing, salinization, and waterlogging that extends over more than two billion hectares of land is caused or exacerbated by improper management of agricultural, forestry, and grazing lands. In spite of this, Agroecology has undergone major development, particularly in its practical strand, developing new management strategies for agroecosystems and alternative ways of organizing the food distribution. However, equal progress has not been made in other relevant aspects. This book 'Agroecology' is concerned with the research and developments within the Agroecology field of study. Contributions made by worldwide authors reflect the challenges faced by Agroecology. The challenge to align agricultural systems with ecological principles is immense, especially in the current context of agricultural development where specialization, short-term productivity and economic efficiency are emphasized. Modern agriculture has consisted in the replacement of natural plant communities with artificially supported crop communities. The self-regulation capacities of natural plant communities are lost when farmers modify them by promoting monocultures. The more intensely such communities are simplified, the more frequent and serious the ecological unbalances of simplified cropping systems. This book will appeal to students, scholars as well as researchers in the field.