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The Biology of Agroecosystems


 The Biology of Agroecosystems provides an introduction to the biological and ecological attributes of ecosystems and the biological impacts of agriculture on the wider environment. Global human populations are rising and diets are becoming ever more complicated, leading to requirements for increased levels of food production. Natural biotopes are becoming increasingly fragmented as agricultural activities expand around them. Agroecosystems occur from the tropics to subarctic environments and comprise systems as varied as annual crops, perennial grasslands, orchards, and agroforestry systems. They presently cover almost 40 per cent of the terrestrial land surface and significantly shape landscapes at a global scale. The book outlines the origin and development of agriculture and summarizes the characteristics of different types of agroecosystems. The conflicts between management of land for productivity and conservation of natural resources are discussed, and some of the key biological issues (loss of biodiversity, instability, susceptibility to pests, for example) are explored. Individual chapters introduce the role of functional groups such as pollinators, nutrient cycling organisms, and pest regulators; the importance of soils and soil organisms for agriculture; and the biological impacts of water use in agroecosystems. Globalization of agriculture is explored, and includes drivers of change, such as shifting diets, and biological challenges, such as the spread of pest species. The final chapters outline different management methods for sustainable management of agroecosystems, and consider the future challenges and opportunities for agriculture and the biology of agroecosystems.