INTEGRATING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, ECOLOGY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL-POLICY

Current agricultural practices are contributing to environmental degradation, which also threatens the sustainability of agricultural production. Ecology has the potential to contribute significantly to the development of a sustainable and environmentally sound agriculture. However, the results of a conference organized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggest that only a small part of this potential has been realized. Successful translation of ecological research results into agricultural management decisions will require a multidisciplinary approach. Ecologists may be most effective in influencing agricultural practices by working as members of multidisciplinary research teams that include farmers and on-farm research.