Considers seven ecological forestry practices and analyses their effect on timber yields. Overall, a forest with an integrated ecological management system is likely to yield around 30% less timber than a conventionally managed forest. However several of the techniques were successful in preserving the forest's key ecosystem characteristics.
Looks at the relationship between tree species diversity, biodiversity and productivity in plantations. Concludes that management practices and species selection are crucial in determining biodiversity and productivity; simply planting mixed species is not beneficial to either.
Osei et al Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 67(2)
W. Busscher Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 67(3)
Argues that ecology has moved from being an academic discipline to being a life philosophy or source of spiritual guidance. Sees permaculture as typifying this shift, originally firmly rooted in the science of ecology but now 'gone wild', with its own research and methods outside of the academic world.
Are noise levels a permaculture issue? An article in Nature suggests they should be, showing that noise disrupts bird migration routes and resulting seed dispersal patterns.
An article in Nature stressed the importance of garden plants in creating local biodiversity.
Nature reports that decreasing contact with the natural environment is leading to an increase in allergies.
In-depth
theoretical assessments of GM crops in Switzerland concluded that
they had only marginal ecological and socio-economic benefits,
although the economic benefits were greater in organic production
systems.
