Agroecosystem Diversity: Reconciling Contemporary Agriculture and Environmental Quality

Agro-Ecosystem Diversity: Impact on Food Security and Environmental Quality presents cutting-edge exploration of developing novel farming systems and introduces landscape ecology to agronomy. It encompasses the broad range of links between agricultural development and ecological impact and how to limit the potential negative results. Presented in seven sections, each focusing on a specific challenge to sustaining diversity, the book provides insights toward the argument that by re-introducing diversity, it should be possible to maintain a high level of productivity of agro-ecosystems while also maintaining and/or restoring a satisfactory level of environment quality and biodiversity.

Demonstrates that diversified agro-ecosystems can be intensified with environmental quality preserved, restored and enhancedIncludes analysis of economic constraints leading to specialization of farms and regions and the social locking forces resisting to diversification of agro-ecosystemsPresents a global vision of world agriculture and the tradeoff between a necessary increase in food production and restoring environment quality

1. C-N-P cycles in agro-ecosystems and impacts on environment 2. Increasing diversity within agro-ecosystem for reducing environmental emissions 3. Heterogeneity within and among agro-ecosystems and dynamics of biodiversity 4. Diversified agro-ecosystem at farm level for more sustainable agriculture production? 5. Socio-economic opportunities for and locking effects against diversification of agro-ecosystems 6. Diversification beyond the farm at landscape and regional level 7. Global aspects