Agricultural Resilience
Agricultural Resilience
Stephen J. Ramsden, University of Nottingham
Rosemary S. Hails, The National Trust
Agriculture as a social-ecological system embraces many disciplines. This book breaks through the silos of individual disciplines to bring ecologists and economists together to consider agriculture through the lens of resilience. It explores the economic, environmental and social uncertainties that influence the behaviour of agricultural producers and their subsequent farming approach, highlighting the importance of adaptability, innovation and capital reserves in enabling agriculture to persist under climate change and market volatility. The resilience concept and its relation to complexity theory is explained and the characteristics that foster resilience in agricultural systems, including the role of biodiversity and ecosystem services, are explored. The book discusses modelling tools, metrics and approaches for assessing agricultural resilience, highlighting areas where interdisciplinary thinking can enhance the development of resilience. It is suitable for those researching sustainable agriculture or those engaged in agricultural policy decisions and analysis, as well as students of ecology, agriculture and socioeconomics.
- Presents an interdisciplinary approach which combines terminology from economics, ecology and the social sciences to promote shared understanding and, crucially, more effective decision making
- Provides information and tools for those seeking to build a sustainable farming industry, a hugely topical concern under the threat of climate change and economic volatility
- Authored by a series of internationally leading specialists on the interface of ecological and economical thinking in the topic of sustainable agriculture
Reviews & endorsements
'The 36 contributors from various institutions have produced a valuable text that is a vital reminder of the multifaceted nature of agriculture at a time when a warming world is changing rapidly and the global population is increasing.' A. M. Mannion, The Biologist
‘It is suitable for both researchers and policymakers, especially those who are genuinely interested in bridging economics and ecology in agriculture.’ Lixin Wang, The Quarterly Review of Biology
Product details
April 2019Adobe eBook Reader
9781108689656
0 pages
59 b/w illus. 11 tables
This ISBN is for an eBook version which is distributed on our behalf by a third party.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introducing resilience Sarah M. Gardner and Stephen J. Ramsden
- Part I. Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services and Resilience in Agricultural Systems:
- 2. Complexity and resilience in agriculture Sarah M. Gardner
- 3. Biodiversity and agriculture David Tilman
- 4. Determining the value of ecosystem services in agriculture Rosemary S. Hails, Rebecca Chaplin-Kramer, Elena Bennett, Brian Robinson, Gretchen Daily, Kate Brauman and Paul West
- 5. Resilience in agricultural systems Stephen J. Ramsden and James Gibbons
- 6. Building resilience into agricultural pollination using wild pollinators Neal Williams, Rufus Isaacs, Eric Lonsdorf, Rachel Winfree and Taylor Ricketts
- 7. Conflicts and challenges to enhancing the resilience of small-scale farmers in developing economies Richard Ewbank
- 8. Modern biotechnology and sustainable intensification: chances and limitations Rolf Meyer
- 9. Pastoralism, conservation and resilience: causes and consequences of pastoralist household decision-making Katherine Homewood, Marcus Rowcliffe, Jan De Leeuw, Mohamed Y. Said and Aidan Keane
- Part II. Integrating Biodiversity and Building Resilience into Agricultural Systems:
- 10. Delivering sustainability in agriculture: some implications for analysis Ian Hodge
- 11. The resilience of agricultural landscapes characterised by land sparing versus land sharing Dave Abson, Kate Sherren and Joern Fischer
- 12. Ecological-economic modelling for designing cost-effective incentives to conserve farmland biodiversity Martin Drechsler and Frank Wätzold
- 13. Viability analysis as an approach for assessing the resilience of agroecosystems Sophie Martin
- 14. Integrating economics and resilience thinking: the context of natural resource management in Australia Michael Harris, Graham Marshall and David Pannell
- 15. Integrating biodiversity and ecosystem services into European agricultural policy: a challenge for the common agricultural policy Allan Buckwell
- 16. Ecosystem-service based metrics of sustainability as tools for promoting conservation and food security Jonathan R. B. Fisher and Peter Kareiva
- 17. Conclusions on agricultural resilience Sarah M. Gardner, Stephen J. Ramsden and Rosemary S. Hails.
