Natural systems agriculture: a truly radical alternative

摘要: The natural systems agriculture (NSA) idea was developed at Land Institute in 1977 and published 1978. Less than 20 years later, research efforts by other researchers familiar with questions had satisfactorily answered the difficult biological questionslaunching possibility of a new agricultural paradigm toward fruition. This features an ecologically sound perennial food-grain-producing system where soil erosion goes to near zero, chemical contamination from agrochemicals plummets, along agriculture’s dependence on fossil fuels. NSA is predicated evolutionary-ecological view world which essentials for sustainable living have been sorted out tested nature’s ecosystems over millions years. From numerous studies, evolutionary biologists ecologists learned much about how ecological bills are paid hold build soil, manage insects, pathogens weeds. A primary feature sufficiently mimic structureto be granted functionof its components. Domesticating wild perennials increasing seed yield same time perennializing major crops planted as domestic prairies goal. For first 10,000 years, humans can now based ecosystems. As prototype this means we explore in-depth never-plowed native prairie works then develop diverse, vegetative structure capable producing desirable edible grains abundance including grain crops. shift relatively easily manageable proportions available solve problem antithetical solving problems agriculture. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.