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Poster Pub
Monday, August 7, 8:00-11:30 am
Symposium 1 - Beyond labeling: comparing the sustainability of certified alternative farming systems
Agriculture in developed countries has become increasingly dependent on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Although successful in terms of yield, this approach to farming has been criticized as environmentally, socially, and economically unsustainable. At the same time, financial, regulatory, and biological pressures have intensified. Recently there has been an upsurge in alternatives agroecosystems such as organic, fair trade, and shade-grown. While these alternatives represent a small proportion of the agricultural landscape, they are upstarts that challenge the icon of conventional agriculture and have been proposed as sustainable ways to increase farm profitability while reducing environmental and human risks. To what extent are these alternative agroecosystems more sustainable than conventional agriculture? For example, successful completion of the 3-yr organic certification provides access to premium markets but does not ensure economic and environmental sustainability. Sound science can help us achieve the goal of meeting growing food and fiber demands while promoting environmental integrity, social justice, and economic fairness. This symposium brings together a diverse group of scientists who work on a variety of research questions across different agroecosystems. Speakers will address a wide range of topics at different spatial and temporal scales including nutrient uptake, pest ecology, soil conservation, biodiversity, and sociology. Agroecosystems will be analyzed across a variety of regions, including the U.S. Midwest and Northern Great Plains, tropical systems in Mexico and Brazil, and temperate grasslands of Argentina. A panel discussion and inputs from the audience will generate discussion related to the optimization and prioritization of continued research efforts with the goal of increasing the sustainability of all food and fiber production systems.
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AV Training for Student Projectionists 3
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VIP Leadership Lounge
Tuesday, August 8, 6:30-8:00 pm
ESA Soil Ecology and Physiological Ecology Mixer
L-12, Lobby Level, Cook Convention Center
Poster Session 26
Poster Session 27
Poster Session 28
Poster Session 29
Poster Session 30
Poster Session 31
Poster Session 32
Poster Session 33
Wednesday, August 9, 11:30 am-1:15 pm
ESA Rapid Response Lunch
Poster Session 34
Wednesday, August 9, 6:30-8:00 pm
ESA Applied Ecology, Long-Term Studies, and Rangeland Ecology and Management Sections Mixer
Nashville, Marriott
Monday, August 7, 8:00-11:30 am
Symposium 3 - Revisiting the crossroads of ecology and agriculture: a tribute to Ben Stinner
Organized by: PJ Bohlen (pbohlen@archbold-station.org), L Drinkwater, and R Lowrance
Agriculture is the cornerstone of humanity’s relationship with nature, yet the ecological and agricultural sciences have progressed separately for many decades. Reasons for this disconnection are complex. Rapid industrialization of agricultural systems since the 1940’s has minimized or masked the role of ecological processes. During this period, ecologists focused almost exclusively on understanding natural unmanaged ecosystems. Now, shifting paradigms in ecology and agriculture are leading to a new convergence of ideas in these interrelated fields. Understanding ecological processes in human-dominated systems is a thriving area of research. At the same time, agriculturalists are recognizing the imperative of fitting agriculture into a wider environmental context. Agricultural sustainability, which is a prerequisite for a broader transition toward sustainability in human societies, will require the development and application of new approaches. This symposium will contribute to a new synthesis of basic principles of agroecosystem ecology and will highlight efforts to integrate the ecological, social and economic aspects of agricultural systems. It will bridge generations by bringing together elder icons and younger upstarts from various fields who have worked to bridge the gap between ecology and agriculture. The symposium is also a tribute to Ben Stinner, one of the pioneers of agroecosystem ecology, who died in a tragic auto accident in 2004, just as his life’s work was reaching a new level of synthesis. Some speakers will emphasize novel approaches that seek to understand coupled human and biophysical factors in agroecosystems, and to apply that understanding through collaboration of ecologists with social scientists and practitioners. Others will stress fundamental mechanisms unique to agroecosystems. The majority of the presentations will focus on temperate and subtropical agroecosystems in developed countries, but the concepts presented have global relevance.
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Student Lounge
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Infant and Toddler Care
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Youth Summer Camp
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Equipment Sign out - Sign in / Speaker Ready Room Sign Up
Wednesday, August 9, 6:30-8:00 pm
Aldo Leopold Leadership Program Mixer
St. Louis, Marriott
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Registration
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Press Office
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Internet Cafe
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Speaker Ready Rooms
Assessing the sustainability of agroecologically based rural development initiatives in Latin America.
Altieri, Miguel*,1, 1 University of California, Berkeley, CA
ABSTRACT- We applied two methodologies (Rapid sustainability assessment-RASA and Indexes of sustainability based on threshold values) to determine whether the interventions promoted by the various actors enhanced agricultural sustainability by improving access to water, soil quality, family nutrition and food security as well as income. Application of RASA (using the indicators crop health, on farm diversity, production, soil conservation and soil quality) in two farms near Acatepec suggested that farmers that diversify their systems via intercropping and rotations, apply sufficient amounts of manure and/or compost, and maintain a good conservation infrastructure by using bordos, terraces and living barriers, retain more water and consequently exhibit higher yield stability.
Key words: indicators, sustainability, agroecosystems