Microbial Ecology in Sustainable Agroecosystems Now Available from CRC Press

July 30, 2012 - PRLog -- 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.

About the Authors

Tanya Cheeke is an affiliate of the Department of Biology at Portland State University, Oregon, USA.

David C. Coleman is an affiliate of Odum School of Ecology at University of Georgia, Athens, USA.

Diana H. Wall is an affiliate of the School of Global Environmental Sustainability at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA.

For More Information Please Visit:
http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781439852965

ISBN 9781439852965, July 2012, 308 pp