Agricultural ecosystems

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:5097130

Kindscher, K

The agricultural ecosystem concept promotes a distinctive set of ecological principles that give diversity and stability to the food production process. This system allows people to work more closely with nature and to feel a spiritual connection with the earth. Agricultural ecosystems can be designed to provide numerous advantages. They can be energy conserving, more permanent, make better use of space, reduce and eliminate the need for pesticides, tillage, and chemical fertilizers, and provide food for the local community. The agricultural ecosystem model presented is most suitable for a small-scale farmer or market gardener, but the principles can also be applied on a larger or smaller acreage. The agricultural ecosystem concept is a model-building process that will go through successional stages to a more mature food-producing plant community. The agricultural ecosystem concept expresses permanence and ecology, and is a step toward sustainable agriculture. 55 references, 4 figures.

• Research Organization: Kindscher (Kelly), Lawrence, KS (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG47-79R701019
• OSTI ID: 5097130
• Report Number(s): DOE/R7/01019-T1; ON: DE84007750
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
AGRICULTURE
ENERGY CONSERVATION
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES
FARMS
FOOD
PEST CONTROL
SOIL CONSERVATION
SPECIES DIVERSITY
CONTROL
ECOSYSTEMS
INDUSTRY
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
553000* - Agriculture & Food Technology
320300 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes
510100 - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (-1989)
290400 - Energy Planning & Policy- Energy Resources