Semester 2 2004 -2005
Outline
Agriculture has changed the landscape by
- removal of climax vegetation
- controlling succession
exposing the soil - erosion
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The agroecosystem contains some or all of:-
- Crops - plants cultivated for the benefit of man
- Weeds - plants that are potential competitors
- Pests - animal predators and parasites
- Pathogens - microorganisms causing diseases
- Domestic animals - animal crops
- Beneficial microorganisms - e.g. rhizobia and other nitrogen fixing bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi
- Beneficial arthropods - pollinators, natural enemies of pests
- Soil
Sustainable agriculture
What crops where? This is the question that successful agriculture has answered.
Links
Agricultural Ecosystems and Agricultural Ecology USDA Definitions
An Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture and A History of Sustainable Agriculture from Macdonald Campus of McGill University
Principles of Sustainable Agriculture at the University of Illinois