Agrobiodiversity : Characterization, Utilization and Management

This book provides a broad review of current thinking on agrobiodiversity - what it is, how it is conserved, and how it can be better utilized in sustainable farming. It brings together contributions from a wide geographical and disciplinary background.

Global attention to biodiversity has expanded in the past decade. Agricultural biodiversity is the most important part of biodiversity for human survival, yet has been neglected as a topic. This book provides a broad review of current thinking on agrobiodiversity - what it is, how it is conserved, and how it can be better utilized in sustainable farming. It brings together contributions from a wide geographical and disciplinary background. Emphasis is placed on functional interactions between components of agrobiodiversity in a range of farming systems, illustrated by many case studies. The book relates the evolution of agrobiodiversity and its successful management to the broader environment and to the growing need to conserve biodiversity in productive agricultural systems. It is essential reading for ecologists, biologists and agricultural scientists.