Interactions Between Agroecosystems and Rural Communities

Cornelia Flora Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA

Series: Advances in Agroecology Volume: 5

List Price: $94.95
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Cat. #: 0917 ISBN: 0849309174 Publication Date: 2/5/2001 Number of Pages: 296

There is an increasing realization among biophysical scientists that human behavior drastically impacts the degree to which sound agroecosystems are implemented. Written by an international team of experts assembled by a leading rural sociologist, Interactions Between Agroecosystems and Rural Communities shows how human behavior impacts agroecosystems both positively and negatively and provides an understanding of alternative ways of working with human communities to increase agroecosystem sustainability.

Through a general overview and a series of case studies, this text demonstrates how changes in the economy influence what local people can do to sustain agroecosystems. It also addresses specific community-based actions located in both temperate and tropical zones in Europe, North America, Asia, Central America, and Latin America that have resulted in more sustainable agroecosystems. With 30 diagrams and illustrations, this volume enables the reader to understand fully the impact of exogenous forces on agroecosystems.

• Fills a huge gap in the literature on agroecosystems in its combination of a social science perspective, an analysis of agroecosystems, and case studies of agricultural impacts on communities
• Shows how the globalization of the economy has impacted agroecosystems and how communities have responded
• Provides case studies of community-based actions that have resulted in the implementation of healthier agroecosystems
• Addresses social, environmental, and economic sustainability issues