Agricultural Intensification and Ecosystem Properties

Question

1. What are the contributions in "Agricultural intensification and ecosystem properties" ?

2. What is the intensively studied and documented ecosystem consequence of agriculture?

3. What are the reasons for the lower insect pest densities in more diversified crop systems?

4. What is the key to reducing the reliance on pesticides?

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In this paper, Hooper et al. presented an integrated model of global climate change and showed that the model can be used to predict global temperature change.

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The loss of soil organic matter with conversion of natural ecosystems to permanent agriculture is one of the most intensively studied and best documented ecosystem consequences of agriculture (26).

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Lower insect pest densities in more diversified crop systems result partly from changes in host-finding and insect movement, but may also result from the higher predation rates, higher parasitism rates, and higher ratios of natural enemies to herbivores that are characteristic of polycultures (10, 12).

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The integration of crop diversification, host resistance, nutrient management, and biological control has the potential to substantially reduce their reliance on pesticides, while still maintaining yields.

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Microclimatic conditions play an important role in the development and severity of plant disease, and crop diversification can either encourage or inhibit pathogen growth, depending on the particular requirements of the organism.

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From studies of keystone organisms such as termites, earthworms, N-fixing bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and nematodes, it is evident that reduction in diversity of soil biota under agricultural practice may profoundly alter the biological regulation of decomposition and nutrient availability in the soil.

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pest management is primarily accomplished through the use of pesticides, and 5 million tons of pesticide are applied annually to crops worldwide.

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The substantial decrease in the quantity and the change in chemical composition of organic inputs to the soil in agricultural systems are also significant factors in changing the competitive balance between different organisms (24).

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In addition to being an important user of a limited water supply, irrigated agricultural lands in arid and semiarid regions are being continuously degraded by salinization and waterlogging.

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Irrigation withdrawals also can leave downstream systems so depleted in water that riparian systems and fish and wildlife populations are damaged (52).

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The majority of viruses that are transmitted by insects tend to be found at lower incidence in polycultures, due to the effects of plant species diversity on their insect vectors (15).

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The renewed interest in agroforestry, intercropping, and mixed arable-livestock systems is an indication of the interest in ecologically designed systems.

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In unmanaged ecosystems, most of the nutrient supply results from the turnover of soil organic matter mediated by soil organisms.

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It is evident that many of the management strategies that fall under the “sustainable agriculture” rubric, including lowor no-till cultivation, use of cover crops, green manure, animal manure, and use of more high-yielding varieties, will increase soil organic matter levels over those typical of intensive management of the recent past, with a concomitant increase in soil fertility and water-holding capacity.

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As noted earlier, irrigated agricultural lands in arid and semiarid regions are being degraded by salinization and waterlogging; irrigation also influences the quality of water systems outside of the agricultural system.

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Nitrate concentrations in the major rivers of the northeastern United States have increased three- to tenfold since the early 1900s, an increase that is related to the use of fertilization as well as other human activities (45).

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Although genetically diverse grain crops are now in widespread use in many parts of the world, there is great potential for using multilines and mixtures in other crops.

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Because of the complexity of marine ecosystems and the difficulty in sampling them, fishery scientists have only rarely taken an ecosystem approach to management.

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Fisheries provide direct employment to about 200 million people (1) and account for 19% of the total human consumption of animal protein.

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The trend for higher insect pest densities in monocultures is especially strong for specialist herbivores with a narrow host range.

Accepted Answer

A second example of opportunity for improved biological management of agricultural systems lies in integrated methods for pest management.

Agricultural Intensification and Ecosystem Properties

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Most frequently asked questions

1. What are the contributions in "Agricultural intensification and ecosystem properties" ?

2. What is the intensively studied and documented ecosystem consequence of agriculture?

3. What are the reasons for the lower insect pest densities in more diversified crop systems?

4. What is the key to reducing the reliance on pesticides?

5. What is the role of microclimate in the development of plant disease?

6. What is the significance of the reduction in diversity of soil biota under agricultural practice?

7. What is the common method of pest management?

8. What is the significance of the change in the composition of the soil biota in agricultural systems?

9. What is the main reason why irrigated lands are being degraded?

10. What can be the important impact of irrigation withdrawals on downstream systems?

11. Why do viruses in polycultures tend to be found at lower incidence?

12. What is the significance of the renewed interest in agroforestry?

13. What is the important factor in the production of N in unmanaged ecosystems?

14. What is the effect of the management strategies that fall under the rubric of sustainable agriculture?

15. What are the main effects of irrigation on arid and semiarid regions?

16. What is the effect of fertilization on nitrate concentrations in the northeastern?

17. What is the potential for using multilines and mixtures in other crops?

18. Why have few scientists taken an ecosystem approach to management?

19. How much of the total human consumption of animal protein is generated by fisheries?

20. What is the trend for higher insect densities in monocultures?

21. What is the way to improve the biological management of agricultural systems?

Figures

Citations

Forest biodiversity, carbon and other ecosystem services: relationships and impacts of deforestation and forest degradation

Resilience of Soil Properties to Land-Use Change in a Tropical Dry Forest Ecosystem

Ecological restoration in degraded drylands:the need to improve the seedling quality and site conditions in the field

An analytical approach to ecosystem biogeochemistry modeling

Evolving the Anthropocene: linking multi-level selection with long-term social–ecological change

References

Herbivory in relation to plant nitrogen content

Human Appropriation of Renewable Fresh Water

Vegetational Diversity and Arthropod Population Response

Nitrogen fixation: Anthropogenic enhancement‐environmental response

The turnover of organic carbon and nitrogen in soil.

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