Ecology in agriculture

Front Cover......Page 1
Ecology in Agriculture......Page 4
Copyright Page......Page 5
Contents......Page 6
Contributors......Page 10
Preface......Page 12
Part I: Plant Responses to the Environment......Page 14
I. Introduction......Page 16
II. Domestication......Page 17
III. Environmental Considerations and Agricultural Selection Strategies......Page 21
IV. Comparison of Crops and Their Wild Relatives......Page 25
V. Potential Contribution of Wild Germplasm to Crop Ecophysiology......Page 40
VI. Concluding Remarks......Page 44
References......Page 45
I. Introduction......Page 52
II. Basic Concepts......Page 53
III. Some Detailed Adaptive Responses of Photosynthesis......Page 62
IV. Use of Photosynthate and Adaptive Patterns Therein......Page 75
V. Synthesis and Conclusions......Page 81
VI. Appendix: Correspondence of Variables with Those of Condon and Hall......Page 83
References......Page 84
I. Introduction......Page 92
II. Mechanisms of Genotypic Variation in Water-Use Efficiency......Page 94
III. Theoretical Associations between Leaf Gas-Exchange Efficiency and Adaptation......Page 101
IV. Empirical Observations......Page 104
V. Critical Research Needs and Conclusions......Page 122
References......Page 124
I. Introduction......Page 130
II. Characterization of Water-Limited Environments......Page 132
III. Water Use and Water-Use Efficiency......Page 135
IV. Carbon Partitioning to Harvestable Yield......Page 140
V. Integration of Responses in Dryland Agricultural Systems......Page 147
References......Page 150
I. Importance of Nitrogen Acquisition......Page 158
II. Physiology of Root Ammonium Acquisition......Page 159
III. Physiology of Root Nitrate Acquisition......Page 166
IV. Plant Growth as a Function of Ammonium or Nitrate......Page 171
References......Page 177
I. Introduction......Page 186
II. Citrus as a Model System......Page 187
III. Optimizing Carbon Expenditure on Roots......Page 188
IV. Parallels between Roots and Leaves......Page 190
V. Specific Root Length, Root Diameter, and Tissue Density......Page 191
VI. Exploiting Soil Heterogeneity......Page 193
VII. Root Architecture......Page 196
VIII. Root Hydraulic Conductivity......Page 199
IX. Root Herbivory and Root Defense......Page 202
X. Mycorrhizae......Page 203
XI. Root Life Span......Page 206
XII. Summary and Conclusions......Page 207
References......Page 208
Part II: Biotic Interactions and Processes......Page 214
I. Introduction......Page 216
II. The Pathologist's View......Page 217
III. The Breeder......Page 231
V. The Agronomist/Adviser......Page 236
VI. The Consumer......Page 238
VII. Politicians and Economists......Page 240
VIII. Society at Large and Future Perspectives......Page 241
References......Page 242
I. Introduction: Crops as Resources......Page 252
II. Ecological Consequences of Economically Driven Decisions: The Grower's Perspective......Page 253
III. Exploitation Strategies: The Herbivore's Perspective......Page 254
IV. Ecological and Evolutionary Antiherbivore Strategies: The Plant's Perspective......Page 256
V. Crop Protection: An Ecological Perspective......Page 284
References......Page 289
I. Introduction......Page 304
II. Information and Approaches......Page 306
III. Basic Principles Guiding Weed Management Strategies......Page 309
IV. Managing Crop–Weed Interactions......Page 320
V. Many Little Hammers......Page 338
VI. Summary and Conclusions......Page 342
References......Page 343
Part III: Ecosystem Processes......Page 358
I. Introduction......Page 360
II. Crop Nitrogen Demand......Page 364
III. Matching Nitrogen Availability to Demand......Page 366
IV. Major Pathways of Nitrogen Loss from Cropping Systems......Page 371
V. Management to Maximize Nitrogen Use in Row-Crop Ecosystems......Page 374
References......Page 375
I. Introduction......Page 380
II. Carbon Flow at the Cellular Level......Page 382
III. Carbon Flow: Populations and Communities......Page 390
IV. Carbon Flow at the Soil Level......Page 395
V. Quantitative Descriptions of Carbon Flow in Soil......Page 406
VI. Comparison of Agricultural to Other Ecosystems......Page 409
VII. Impacts of Soil Carbon–Microbial Interactions on Agroecosystems......Page 410
VIII. Conclusion......Page 415
References......Page 416
I. Introduction......Page 428
II. Global Modeling of Ecosystem and Crop Patterns......Page 431
III. Feedbacks in the Earth's System......Page 446
IV. Integrated Modeling of Global Environmental Change......Page 449
V. Concluding Remarks......Page 458
VI. Summary......Page 459
VII. Appendix: Direct Effects of Increased CO2 Concentrations on Plant Growth......Page 460
References......Page 461
Index......Page 466
Physiological Ecology......Page 486