Basic Knowledge in Agriculture #53

The Science of Agriculture Ecology   and the Two Main Aspects
Agriculture ecology, also called agroecology, studies interrelationships among organisms and between organisms and their environment (soil, air, and water) in agricultural systems. This system of study reveals how interactions between soil, water, air, plants, animals, and humans can be managed to develop sustainable, environmentally sensitive agricultural systems. The objective of agricultural ecology is to find an appropriate mix of agricultural performance with environmental welfare. In this case, agricultural ecology is not so much about yields as maintaining the right level of soil health and biodiversity, and achieving a social and ecological balance that robustly supports long-term sustainability.

Agriculture ecology, in general, has two major aspects: biotic and abiotic. These two components are dynamic and alter one another, and subsequently influence the sustainability of agricultural systems.

The biotic factor, which is the living factor includes plants，microorganisms and humans in an agricultura ecosystem. Plants are the producers because they utilize solar energy to produce organic matter by photosynthesis. Animals and people are consumers too: they eat plant products to survive. At present, certain microorganisms-like bacteria and fungi-act as decomposers and aid in decomposing the remains of dead organisms into nutrients that the plants take up once again. The relationships among these organisms create a crucial system that enables an agricultural system to function.

And third, the abiotic factors are the non-living elements such as air, water, soil, sunlight and temperature. These are the life forces of the farming system. Soil serves as the source of nutrients and the medium that holds plants, water is essential within cells to carry out metabolic reactions, and light is the energy source for those organisms that use it to drive much of life on earth through photosynthesis. Temperature and humidity also have a strong effect on the growth of plants and other organisms.

Healthy, productive farmland needs a harmonious mix of biotic and abiotic factors to function properly. Disruption to any of these components may throw the ecosystem out of balance and reduce its productivity. An approach to agricultural ecology promotes humans being intelligent enough to understand and manage these natural interactions such that agriculture can continue to provide goods and services to humanity without undermining the resource systems on or in which it depends.

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