PARENT SESSION
Symposium #35: Ecology and Agriculture .
Sponsored by ESA Agroecology Section
Organized by: DA Andow, MZ Liebman, L Drinkwater, L Garcia Barrios, S Gliessman , B Maxwell, and I Perfecto
Friday, August 9. 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Leo Rich Theatre.

Agroecosystems and conservation.

Vandermeer, John^*,1, ¹ University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

ABSTRACT- A large fraction of the earth's surface is in agroecosystems. Contrary to the prejudice of conservation biologists, these agroecosystems sometimes harbor a great deal of biodiversity. Two questions arise from this observation: First, exactly how much biodiversity is contained in agroecosystems and to what extent is the transformation of such ecosystems contributing to the global loss of species? Second, be it positive or negative, what is the function of this biodiversity? Insights from both theoretical and empirical ecological studies shed light on both of these questions.

KEY WORDS: biodiversity, agriculture