While soil ecologists continue to be on the forefront of research on biodiversity and ecosystem function, there are few interdisciplinary studies that incorporate ecological knowledge into sustainable land management practices. Conventional, high fossil-fuel input-based agricultural systems can reduce soil biodiversity, alter soil community structu
While soil ecologists continue to be on the forefront of research on biodiversity and ecosystem function, there are few interdisciplinary studies that incorporate ecological knowledge into sustainable land management practices. Conventional, high fossil-fuel input-based agricultural systems can reduce soil biodiversity, alter soil community structure and nutrient cycling, and lead to greater dependence on energy-intensive practices. Microbial Ecology in Sustainable Agroecosystems brings together soil ecologists, microbial ecologists, and agroecologists working globally to demonstrate how research in soil ecology can contribute to the long-term sustainability of agricultural systems. The book identifies five key areas of research that can be combined to support and direct sustainable land management practices: agriculture, biodiversity, ecosystem services, integrated soil ecology research, and policy. Topics include: A broad range of soil microbial processes in terms of the importance of microbial heterogeneity Inputs by soil microorganisms into wheat-farming systems The importance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in making nutrients more available to crops The benefits and environmental problems associated with the use of crops genetically modified with Bacillus thuringiensis The incorporation of soil ecological or microbial ecological theory into agricultural practice to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability Challenges in sustainable agricultural research and the need for coalescing new avenues of research in agriculture and soil ecology The contributors range from long-time ecological researchers to graduate students and early career scientists, representing a wide spectrum of experience, ages, diversity, and research interests in this area. They cover the diversity and complexity of microbial activity and interactions in soil systems and the many ways in which microorganisms may be manipulated and managed to improve the functions of crop rhizospheres and thereby maximize crop yields and overall productivity. These recommendations can be used to direct and influence agricultural and environmental policy and guide future research in sustainable agricultural systems management.
The book explores the challenges and opportunities associated with high-altitude agro-ecosystems and the factors that influence them. It discusses the various indigenous agricultural practices and approaches, as well as the microbiology of mountain & hill agro-ecosystems, providing a comprehensive overview of the various factors that control the microbiome at high altitudes. The contributions examine microbiological advances, such as use of “omics” technologies for hill agriculture and environmental sustainability, and explore the use of nanotechnology for agricultural and environmental sustainability at higher altitudes. The book also describes various aspects of low-temperature microbiology in the context of high-altitude farming and environmental sustainability.
Sustainable Agroecosystem Management: Integrating Ecology, Economics, and Society examines the challenges for developing integrated approaches to the management of agricultural ecosystems. Providing historical background of attempts to bridge the ecological and agricultural sciences, this book highlights recent efforts to integrate natural and social science perspectives. Through various case studies with global applications, the text explores practical innovative strategies, policies, and research needs for emphasizing whole system productivity, diversification of agricultural operations, and management of agricultural systems that sustain multiple functions including ecological integrity.
Microbes are the predominant form of life on the planet due to their broad range of adaptation and versatile nutritional behavior. The ability of some microbes to inhabit hostile environment incompatible with most forms of life means that their habitat defines the extent of the biosphere and delineates the barrier between the biosphere and geosphere. The direct and indirect role of microbes that include bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, viruses, mycoplasma, and protozoans are very much important in development of modern human society for food, drugs, textiles, agriculture, and environment. Furthermore, microorganisms and their enzyme system are responsible for the degradation of various organic matters. Microbes for Sustainable Development and Bioremediation emphasizes the role of microbes for sustainable development of ecosystem. Environmental microbiology role in biogeochemical cycle and bioremediation of environmental waste is major theme, which comprises the following aspects: Bacterial phytoextraction mechanism of heavy metals by native hyperaccumulator plants from complex waste-contaminated site for eco-restoration Role of microbial enzyme for eco-friendly recycling of industrial waste Field-scale remediation of crude oil–contaminated desert soil and treatment technology Microbial technology for metal recovery from e-waste printed circuit board Impact of genomic data on sustainability of ecosystem Methane monooxygenases: their regulations and applications Role of microbes in environmental sustainability and food preservation This book will be directly beneficial to researchers and classroom students, in areas of biotechnology, environmental microbiology, molecular biology, and environmental engineering with specialized collection of cutting-edge knowledge.
This two-volume work is a testament to the increasing interest in the role of microbes in sustainable agriculture and food security. Advances in microbial technologies are explored in chapters dealing with topics such as carbon sequestration, soil fertility management, sustainable crop production, and microbial signaling networks. Volume I is a collection of research findings that invites readers to examine the application of microbes in reinstating degraded ecosystems and also in establishing sustainable croplands. Highly readable entries attempt to close the knowledge gap between soil microbial associations and sustainable agriculture. An increase in the global population with changing climate is leading to environments of various abiotic and biotic stresses for agricultural crops. It therefore becomes important to identify the techniques to improve soil fertility and function using different microbial groups such as actinobacteria, microalgae, fluorescent pseudomonads and cyanobacterial systems. These are examined in this volume in greater detail. This work is a significant contribution to research in this increasingly important discipline, and will appeal to researchers in microbiology, agriculture, environmental sciences, and soil and crop sciences.
Soil Microbiology, Ecology, and Biochemistry, Fifth Edition addresses the increasingly important field of soil biota and their interactions in research and education. Soil biota are an important defining component of soils and one of Earth's most important natural resources. It is especially relevant to today's societal questions related to global change, ecosystem sustainability, and food security in our ever-changing environment. Revised by a group of world-renowned authors in many institutions and disciplines, Soil Microbiology, Ecology, and Biochemistry, Fifth Edition relates the breakthroughs in knowledge in this important field to its history as well as future applications. The new edition provides readable, practical, impactful information for its many applied and fundamental disciplines. There is no other available volume that, while providing the background and present knowledge in Soil Microbiology, Ecology and Biochemistry that also integrates the concepts such that they are of greatest usefulness by a broad group of readers. - Provides step-by-step guidance on key procedures/processes - Includes information on the modeling of soil microbial processes, as well as the greater application of models in facing societal challenges - Stresses the importance of nitrogen and its relevance to plant growth, enzyme production, soil organic matter formation, food security, and environmental sustainability, including pollution
Agroecology is the science of applying ecological concepts and principles to the design, development, and management of sustainable agricultural systems. Agroecological economics, a subsection of agricultural economics, evaluates the ecological consequences of agricultural methods on the economic scale. Agroecological economics considers green engineering as a means of measurement. As the environmental movement unfolds, the importance of biodiversity and long-term sustainability are indisputable. Progress depends on determining the economic viability of terrestrial agroecosystems. What is lacking is the analysis needed to bring biodiverse and sustainable systems to fruition. Agroecological Economics analyzes the current topics that must be addressed in order to provide sustainable agricultural systems. It explains the economics of land-use ecology with emphasis on changing over from a conventional model of agriculture to environmentally- and ecologically-friendly models and the financial incentives that are important to these practices. - Analyzes agricultural solutions with economic testing - Includes a complete analysis of recent biodiversity-based research with valuable new economic methodologies - Provides various applications to mitigate the problems which have economic and ecological effects on agroecosystems - Offers applications of ecologically-sound land-use practices in production and manufacturing
Today, microbiology is a rapidly growing discipline in the life sciences, and the technologies are evolving on a virtually daily basis. Next-generation sequencing technologies have revolutionized microbial analysis, and can help us understand the biology and genomic diversity of various bacterial species with significant impacts on agro-ecosystems. In addition, advances in molecular biology and microbiology techniques hold the potential to improve the productivity and sustainability of agriculture and forestry. This new volume addresses the role of microbial genomics in understanding the living systems that exist in the soil and their interactions with plants, an aspect that is also important for crop improvement. The topics covered focus on a deeper and clearer understanding of how microbes cause diseases, the genome-based development of novel antibacterial agents and vaccines, and the role of microbial genomics in crop improvement and agroforestry. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable resource for researchers and students of agriculture and infectious biology.
We hear a lot about how agriculture affects climate change and other environmental issues, but we hear little about how these issues affect agriculture. When we look at both sides of the issues, we can develop better solutions for sustainable agriculture without adversely affecting the environment. Agroecology, Ecosystems, and Sustainability explores a modern vision of ecology and agricultural systems, so that crop production can be sustainably developed without further environmental degradation. With contributions from experts from more than 20 countries, the book describes how to make the transition to modern agroecology to help the environment. It examines the global availability of natural resources and how agroecology could allow the world population to reach the goal of global sustainable ecological, agricultural, and food production systems. The book discusses important principles that regulate agroecological systems, including crop production, soil management, and environment preservation. Making the link between theory and practices, the book includes examples of agroecology such as an interdisciplinary framework for the management of integrated production and conservation landscapes and the use of mechanized rain-fed farming and its ecological impact on drylands. An examination of how ecology and agriculture can be allied to ensure food production and security without threatening our environment, the text shows you how natural resources can be used in a manner to create a "symbiosis" to preserve ecological systems and develop agriculture.
