Agroecological economics sustainability and biodiversity - Wojtkowski, Paul A., (Paul Anthony) (Academic, 2008)
Agroecology is the science of applying ecological concepts and principles to the design, development, and management of sustainable agricultural systems. Agroecological economics, a subsection of agricultural economics, evaluates the ecological consequences of agricultural methods on the economic scale. Agroecological economics considers green engineering as a means of measurement. As the environmental movement unfolds, the importance of biodiversity and long-term sustainability are indisputable. Progress depends on determining the economic viability of terrestrial agroecosystems. What is lacking is the analysis needed to bring biodiverse and sustainable systems to fruition. Agroecological Economics analyzes the current topics that must be addressed in order to provide sustainable agricultural systems. It explains the economics of land-use ecology with emphasis on changing over from a conventional model of agriculture to environmentally- and ecologically-friendly models and the financial incentives that are important to these practices. * Analyzes agricultural solutions with economic testing * Includes a complete analysis of recent biodiversity-based research with valuable new economic methodologies * Provides various applications to mitigate the problems which have economic and ecological effects on agroecosystems * Offers applications of ecologically-sound land-use practices in production and manufacturing
Preface -- Chapter 1 -- Introduction -- Ecology and agroecology -- Traditional subdivisions -- Agroecological directions -- The philosophical dilemma -- Economic directions -- The economic options -- Measurement -- Intangibles -- Intuitiveness -- Chapter 2? Lead-up Agrobiomonics -- Essential resources -- The limiting resource -- Nutrient profiles -- Agroecological niches -- Governance -- Plant-plant -- Ecosystem -- Analytical ratios -- Output -- Costs -- Risk -- Chapter 3 -- Vector Theory -- Vectors -- The base -- Agroecological vectors -- Genetic improvement -- Varietal -- Microbial -- Agrobiodiversity -- Biodiversity (facilitative associations)Rotational -- Cross or inter-plot -- Location -- Physical land modifications -- Ex-farm inputs -- Environmental setting -- Allying vectors -- Design -- Design variables -- Agrotechnologies -- Principal mode -- Auxiliary -- Add-ons -- Objectives -- Optimization -- Chapter 4 -- Agrobiodiversity -- Applications -- Underlying biodynamics --
- Yield gains -- Interception -- Conversion -- Cost reductions -- Risk abatement -- Climate -- Insect and plant diseases -- Relevant guidelines -- Economic measures -- Revenue-enhanced LER -- Production possibilities curve -- Ratio lines -- The PPC -- Design variables -- Species -- Planting density -- Spatial pattern -- Temporal adjustments -- Density, diversity, disarray, duration -- The non-harvest option -- Associated agrotechnologies -- Monocultural -- Pure -- Varietal/ genus -- Productive intercropping -- Simple mixes -- Strip cropping(seasonal) -- Barrier or boundary -- Complex agroecosystems (without trees) -- Productive agroforestry -- Isolated tree -- Alley cropping (treerow) -- Strip cropping(mixed tree) -- Agroforestry intercropping -- Shade systems (light) -- Agroforests -- Chapter 5 -- Biodiversity -- Applications -- Underlying biodynamics -- Yields -- Cost reductions -- Substitutable inputs -- DPCs -- Cut-and-carry -- Risk abatement -- Rain impact -- Climate --
- Insects and diseases -- Relevant guidelines -- Economic measures -- CER -- LER and RVT-adjusted CER -- Illustrated -- Adjusted CER curves -- Economic orientation ratio -- Design variables -- Specific interaction zones -- Spatial Patterns -- Timing -- Pruning -- Associated agrotechnologies -- Perceived monocultures -- Facilitative intercropping -- Simple mixes -- Strip cropping -- Boundary -- Covercrops -- Facilitative agroforestry -- Parkland -- Protective barrier -- Alley cropping (hedgerow) -- Strip cropping (woody) -- Crop over tree -- Physical support systems -- Shade systems (heavy) -- Chapter 6? Rotations -- Applications -- Underlying biodynamics -- Yield gains -- Temporal DPCs -- Fallows -- Cost reductions -- Risk abatement -- Climate -- Insects and diseases -- Relevant guidelines -- Economic measures -- Sustainability -- Ordering -- Design variables -- Delayed sowing -- Planting -- Associated agrotechnolgies -- Single rotations -- Series rotations -- Overlapping cycles --
- Taungyas -- Simple -- Extended -- Multi-stage -- End stage -- Continual -- Chapter 7? Genetic, Varietal and Locational -- Applications -- Underlying Biodynamics -- Varietal selection -- Locational selection -- Relevant guidelines -- Economic measures -- Design Variables -- Micro-location -- Macro-location -- Associated agrotechnologies -- Elevation -- Scattering -- Chapter 8? Land Modifications -- Applications -- Underlying Biodynamics -- Water dynamics -- Runoff -- Drought -- Flooding -- Temperatures -- Relevant guidelines -- Economic measures -- Design variables -- Associated agrotechnologies -- Absorption zones/ micro-catchments -- Infiltration contours -- Terraces -- Stone -- Earthen -- Progressive -- Paddies -- Ponds -- Gabons -- Waterbreaks -- Cajetes -- Water channels -- Mounds and beds -- Stone clusters -- Chapter 9 -- Cross-Plot Influences -- Applications -- Underlying biodynamics -- Yield gains -- Agroecosystem properties -- Interface and spillover theory -- Cost control --