Transforming the agro-food system (#journal)

Agroecological Research: Conforming—or Transforming the Dominant Agro-Food Regime?

Agroecology has three forms—a scientific discipline, an agricultural practice, and a social movement. Their integration has provided a collective-action mode for contesting the dominant agro-food regime and creating alternatives. But agroecology has been recently adopted by some actors who also promote conventional agriculture. Tensions between “conform versus transform” roles can be identified in European agroecological research. To play a transformative role, collaborative strategies need to go beyond the linear stereotype whereby scientists “transfer” technology to farmers. When farmer–scientist alliances co-create and exchange knowledge, such gains can transform the research system.

Polycultures drive plant diversity (#journal)

Selection for niche differentiation in plant communities increases biodiversity effects

In experimental plant communities, relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning have been found to strengthen over time. This paper shows that selection for niche differentiation between species can drive this increasing biodiversity effect. When grown in mixtures, relative differences in height and leaf area between plant species selected in mixtures (mixture types) were greater than between species selected in monocultures (monoculture types). Furthermore, net biodiversity and complementarity effects were greater in mixtures of mixture types than in mixtures of monoculture types. Our study demonstrates a novel mechanism for the increase in biodiversity effects: selection for increased niche differentiation through character displacement. Selection in diverse mixtures may therefore allow increased mixture yields in agriculture or forestry.

Tree Morphogensis (book)

Tree Morphogenesis Book 1, Reduction by Thinning Theory

Reduction Via Thinning is based on a conceptual model  which is in turn, based on new and innovative insights into how trees are designed. Originally a service offered exclusively by the authors tree surgery company the ideas and rationale behind the service are now being made available to people and tree contractors around the world.
The science and art of tree care are closely linked in ways that may surprise you and by reading the book now available you will understand the Tree Morphogenesis project and the tree management strategy "Reduction Via Thinning" and how it can be applied to your trees.

Perennials in agriculture (online)

The advantages of perennial agriculture

This short introductory essay argues that agriculture can be made far more sustainable by transitioning to perennials. Conversion of annual fields into perennial fields offers many biodiversity-friendly benefits; reduced soil erosion, reduced chemical run-off, reduced water use and reduced fossil fuel input.The Land Institute, a United States non-profit group devoted to sustainable agriculture, offers a 50 year farm plan that aims to convert U.S. farmlands to 70 percent perennial crops from their current state of 25 percent perennials within 50 years. The Land Institute’s plan can be adapted to any developed government with centralized research and agriculture support.

Conference call; literature, art and permaculture

Permacultural Practices, panel proposed for the ASLE Eleventh Biennial Conference, June 23-27, 2015, University of Idaho

 

Permaculture has become a truly global movement, inspiring home gardeners and farmers, intentional communities and design courses, and artists and activists, coming to refer more broadly to all aspects of culture, and referring as much to an ethics of life and the living as to principles of conscientious and efficient design. Inspired by this broadening of the concept, this panel queries the applicability of permacultural values to the study of art and literature. To what extent might permaculture offer a model for thinking about the slow violence and environmental injustice of contemporary (agri)culture? How might consideration of permaculture’s design principles inform our interdisciplinary aspirations? Could permaculture enhance our thinking of peak oil, global warming, deep time, and the anthropocene? And, to what extent can art or literature contribute to permaculture on the ground? Please submit a 300-word abstract and a brief bio by November 10, 2014, to both Molly Wallace (wallacem@queensu.ca) and David Carruthers (11dmjc@queensu.ca).

Polycultures create win-wins (#journal)

Do polycultures promote win-wins or trade-offs in agricultural ecosystem services? A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis tested whether within-field crop diversification can lead to win-win relationships between  yield and biocontrol of crop pests. 26 studies were considered. Win-win relationships were found between per plant yield of the primary crop and biocontrol in polyculture systems that minimized intraspecific competition. Findings were consistent across geographical regions and by type of primary crop. Practitioners should therefore utilize polycultures that decrease plant–plant competition through a substitution of large quantities of the primary crop for compatibly harvestable secondary crops. Additionally, if planting at high cropping densities, it is important that legumes be the secondary crop.

The time has come for agro-ecology (online)

The Time has Come for Agro-ecology

This short article reviews the FAO's first Symposium on Agro-Ecology in Rome, and gives a good introduction to agro-ecology as a political movement.