Linking Conservation and Production in Agricultural Landscapes

Abstract

With the increasing pressure on farmers to produce more food, feed, and fiber, their impacts on the multifunctionality of agricultural landscapes also increase. One of the most important aspects of this multifunctionality is the conservation of diversity, be it of wild or cultivated species. This issue shows the complexities in the linking of conservation and production. From grazing systems to intensive crop systems, multiple ways of redesigning agroecosystems with the goals of achieving diversity conservation are presented. By considering crop plants and livestock as integrated components of a multifunctional landscape, the redesign process can enable our food systems to achieve sustainability goals that allow us to go beyond the primary need of feeding people. Nature and natural ecosystem processes need to be nurtured as well.