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Which Came First; The Chicken or the Egg?Sustainable Agriculture? or A
Sustainable World?
Goals:
Websites: These may be helpful…http://www.sare.org/ http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/Concept.htm http://www.farmsanctuary.org/ http://www.factoryfarming.com/index.htm
1. What is sustainable thinking?
4. Understand your personal contribution to global equality and environmental health
Read: Chapters 40, 42, 43, 44 & 45 (Alt. Bk. – 27 to 32 not 28)
3. Sustainable agriculture and its goals.
2. Define a sustainable World.
Dr. Mark WhalonDepartment of Entomology
Center for Integrated Plant Systems
Michigan State University
Dr. Mark WhalonDepartment of Entomology
Center for Integrated Plant Systems
Michigan State University
[email protected]@msu.edu
When you think of a sustainableUSA; what does that mean to you?When you think of a sustainableUSA; what does that mean to you?
Context-Context-In the cold cruel world of life on planet earth:• Why would we (you, me, your parents, your friends, your state, your country
all of Society) want to “conserve” natural resources – if it’s not to sustain “useful” lands and natural systems for the future
(generations)?• If Sustainability is what we are aiming at, will our current
measures (way we live) “hit” the target? Given: – 1) Your (mine and our) attitudes, – 2) What you (me and us) have bought into, – 3) The way you do life, and/or – 4) The way we ALL DO LIFE.
• Since current definitions of sustainability segregate into four general, but related sectors; – 1) economics, – 2) social systems, – 3) agroecosystems (landscapes) and the – 4) environment,
• What do you know about sustainability?
In the cold cruel world of life on planet earth:• Why would we (you, me, your parents, your friends, your state, your country
all of Society) want to “conserve” natural resources – if it’s not to sustain “useful” lands and natural systems for the future
(generations)?• If Sustainability is what we are aiming at, will our current
measures (way we live) “hit” the target? Given: – 1) Your (mine and our) attitudes, – 2) What you (me and us) have bought into, – 3) The way you do life, and/or – 4) The way we ALL DO LIFE.
• Since current definitions of sustainability segregate into four general, but related sectors; – 1) economics, – 2) social systems, – 3) agroecosystems (landscapes) and the – 4) environment,
• What do you know about sustainability?
What gets measured gets managed…What gets measured gets managed…
Sustainability
• Definition: “the ability of a system to
continue in time”– It’s at the least a
presumption or presupposition about the future:
– involves at least:
• How well are you, me, WE measuring our own life outcomes relative to sustainability?
1- The Environment
2- The Ecosystem2- The Ecosystem
3- Society
4- Economics
5. Can the natural environment be degraded
irrevocably?
4. The longer the long-term
consequences, the less likely
detected
3. Standard of living depends on production
2. Closed world system
1. Future
B. Observations about sustainable thinking
What is an ecosystem?May be easier to understand an agroecosystem…
• A unit of management.= a spatial unit of habitat that a
producer identifies as a field, a block, a planting, a woods or a paddock; which he manages as a contiguous whole.
– Applies inputs to…as a unit.– Harvests from…as a unit.
“Hey, John! Spray ‘Dad’s back-ten’ before the wind gets up today! OK?”
“Yep, I’ll get ‘er done right now, Boss…”
Jay Bruner Picture
Meso-area Biotic Exchange:• landscape interactions• recruitment & biotic flow
Meso-area Biotic Exchange:• landscape interactions• recruitment & biotic flow
Everybody on the farm knows that this unit of landis ‘Dad’s back-ten’…it’s an agroecosytem.
What is an ecosystem?You can understand any unit of earth that you have
impact on as an ecosystem, your ecosystem…
• A unit of management.= a spatial unit of habitat that a
person identifies as a yard, a house, a block, a township a county or state or continent or earth; which he (you, me or we) manage or influence as a contiguous whole.
– Applies inputs to…as a unit.– Harvests from…as a unit.
“Hey, John! Mow the lawn! OK?”
“###%***##!!!, Ah, well, OK I’ll do it…(under his breath, I just got home and now this! Doesn’t he know that I’m not a kid anymore?” Jay Bruner Picture
Meso-area Biotic Exchange:• landscape interactions• recruitment & biotic flow
Meso-area Biotic Exchange:• landscape interactions• recruitment & biotic flow
Everybody in the house knows that this unit of landis ‘the back yard’…it’s an ecosystem—a unit of managed habitat.
Ecosystems:Abiotic and Biotic Integration
Abiotic Environment– Physical laws and structure:
• earth, soil, water, minerals, atmosphere…
– Cycles: H20, C, N, etc…– Chemical Interactions…
• metabolism & synthesis• degradation & mass action
– Energy flux: light, +/_ charge
• e.g. heat (long wave length light)
• e.g. electrical charges (chemical
bonds & enzymes)
• Biotic Systems– Species– Populations– Communities– Agro-Ecosystem– Ecozones– Hemispheres– Bioshpere– Earth– Solar System– Universe
Integration
Structure + Process = Pattern
Integration
Structure + Process = Pattern
Energy FlowEnergy Flow
Water Cycle
Carbon Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
FungiFungiActinomy-
cetesActinomy-
cetesBacteria
Nematodes
Protozoa
ArthropodsArthropodsEarthworms
“The Soil Ecosystem”“The Soil Ecosystem”
The Soil Food WebThe Soil Food Web
Trophic LevelsTrophic Levels
Producers“Crops”
Producers“Crops”
Herbivores“Pests”
Herbivores“Pests”
Carnivores“Biocontrol Agents”
Carnivores“Biocontrol Agents”
Complexit
yComplexit
y
Spatial scales: Local to Regional to GlobalSpatial scales: Local to Regional to Global
Plants (1 m2)Plants (1 m2)
TripodTripod
BalloonBalloon
Aerial PhotoAerial PhotoTM Landsat SceneTM Landsat Scene
Plant patches (100 m2)
Plant patches (100 m2)
Field patches (1000 m2)
Field patches (1000 m2)
Landscape mosaics
(100,000 m2)
Landscape mosaics
(100,000 m2)
Regions (1,000,000 m2)
Regions (1,000,000 m2)
AVHRR sceneAVHRR scene
Imagine using differentVisual Tools…from a
Microscope (.0001 m2) toCamera tripod, to an aerial baloon,
To an Airplane, to Landsat, to AVHRR
Imagine using differentVisual Tools…from a
Microscope (.0001 m2) toCamera tripod, to an aerial baloon,
To an Airplane, to Landsat, to AVHRR
1. Philosophy: stewardship of both natural and human resources
A. Definition of a sustainable land unit…"sustain," from the Latin sustinere (sus-, from
below and tenere, to hold), to keep in existence or maintain, implies long-term support or
permanence & YOU figure prominently in the equation…
You hold the key
to sustainability of the land,
its ecosystems and environment!
You hold the key
to sustainability of the land,
its ecosystems and environment!
Defining Sustainable AgricultureDefining Sustainable Agriculture
Systems of food, feed and fiber production Systems of food, feed and fiber production that are socially responsible, economically that are socially responsible, economically viable and environmentally sound.viable and environmentally sound.
Social Economic
Agroecology
Highly productiveHighly productive Serve local needsServe local needs Provide rewarding human vocationsProvide rewarding human vocations Perform restorative ecological functionsPerform restorative ecological functions Viable over long time horizonsViable over long time horizons
1. Philosophy: stewardship of both natural and human resources
A. Definition of sustainable agriculture
"sustain," from the Latin sustinere (sus-, from below and tenere, to hold), to keep in existence or
maintain, implies long-term support or permanence
It’s the same definition
Just a different unit
Of land!
It’s the same definition
Just a different unit
Of land!
OverviewOverview
Challenges and opportunities in Challenges and opportunities in sustainable agriculture & worldsustainable agriculture & world
BackgroundBackground
A vision for sustainable agriculture and A vision for sustainable agriculture and the role of each person in this classthe role of each person in this class
ChallengesChallenges World populationWorld population Economic disparitiesEconomic disparities GlobalizationGlobalization Environmental degradationEnvironmental degradation
World populationWorld population Economic disparitiesEconomic disparities GlobalizationGlobalization Environmental degradationEnvironmental degradation
OpportunitiesOpportunities
Awareness of sustainabilityAwareness of sustainability Wellness lifestyles– Apply to you?Wellness lifestyles– Apply to you? Michigan’s/US’s natural resourcesMichigan’s/US’s natural resources Personal Responsibility?Personal Responsibility?
Awareness of sustainabilityAwareness of sustainability Wellness lifestyles– Apply to you?Wellness lifestyles– Apply to you? Michigan’s/US’s natural resourcesMichigan’s/US’s natural resources Personal Responsibility?Personal Responsibility?
19801980
20202020
20402040
Built
Agriculture
Other vegetation
Forest
Lake
Wetland
Built
Agriculture
Other vegetation
Forest
Lake
Wetland
ProjectedLand Use
Trend
ProjectedLand Use
Trend
Michigan Land Resources Michigan Land Resources
Integrated Agricultural LandscapesIntegrated Agricultural Landscapes
Work & Income
Environment
Nature &Landscape
Health & Well-being
Climate
Production
Vereijken, P., 2001
C. What Sustainable thinking seeks not to do
Fail to value all of life; including the soil,
microbes, plants,
animals, people, communities,
populations, cities, regions,
continents, the Earth!
One can not value something without
Some understanding of it!
Fail to value all of life; including the soil,
microbes, plants,
animals, people, communities,
populations, cities, regions,
continents, the Earth!
One can not value something without
Some understanding of it!
Four disciplines: 1) environmental health,
2) functional ecology, 3) social and economic equity, & 4) economic profitability within the system’s
limits
Four disciplines: 1) environmental health,
2) functional ecology, 3) social and economic equity, & 4) economic profitability within the system’s
limits
2. Avoid long-term side effects
3. Use non-renewable resources slowly
The fate of lead in the 1970’s
4. Value the land and the people on it! That means farmers, they are your kids future!
4. Value the land and the people on it! That means farmers, they are your kids future!
5. Value Self-sufficiency… could you survive in a polluted world? A world without clean water? A world where you had to produce your own food and housing?
D. Measures of sustainabilityD. Measures of sustainability
1. Productivity1. Productivity
2. Stability2. Stability
3. Sustainability3. Sustainability
4. Equity4. Equity
5. Functional Ecology5. Functional Ecology
Implementation of sustainable thinking in you…
Implementation of sustainable thinking in you…
1. Ecological Efficiency & Living simply…1. Ecological Efficiency & Living simply…
2. Substitution expensive and energy wasteful for frugal
and effective
2. Substitution expensive and energy wasteful for frugal
and effective
3. Redesign your thinking, expectations & your (our) future!
3. Redesign your thinking, expectations & your (our) future!
Extension has the information Extension has the information you need to survive!you need to survive!
Insect Ecology and Biological controlInsect Ecology and Biological control MSU a resource for your futureMSU a resource for your future Biological Control ProgramsBiological Control Programs Sustainable AgricultureSustainable Agriculture Sustainable USustainable U Sustainable MISustainable MI Sustainable WorldSustainable World
Insect Ecology and Biological controlInsect Ecology and Biological control MSU a resource for your futureMSU a resource for your future Biological Control ProgramsBiological Control Programs Sustainable AgricultureSustainable Agriculture Sustainable USustainable U Sustainable MISustainable MI Sustainable WorldSustainable World
http://www.cips.msu.edu/biocontrol/
Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field.
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969)US president 1953-1961
I believe that the great Creator has put ores and oil on this earth to give us a breathing spell. As we exhaust them, we must be prepared to fall back on our farms,
which is God’s true storehouse and can never be exhausted. We can learn to synthesize material for
every human need from things that grow.George Washington Carver (1860-1943)
Agricultural chemist, developer of crop-rotation and 325 uses for the peanut
Farmers are the only indispensable people on the face of the earth. Ambassador Li Zhaoxing (1940-present)
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the United States