AGR 2050 Lecture Notes - Species Evenness, Crop Rotation, Monocropping
21 Jan 2013
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Fred vaughn - fvaughn@varsl. com - research services - looking for employees - cam- bridge. Strength through diversity through land management principles. How to minimize footprint of intensive ag. Curve/type 1 - more species the more diversity more functionality. Curve/type 3 - non response to diversity of species - no direct relation to func- tionality. Curve2/type2 - number of species are important, but this flattens out (plateau) low number of species necessary - argument of redundancy. Redundancy still offers security - multiple plans . Losing species means that still have functionality - one species replaces other eliminated species. Eventually could lose stability - too much competition = decrease in func- tionality - likely a sin curve with rise and fall - due to patterns of increase and reduction. Cautions against hype around loss of single species. Concept of functional groups - rather than species. What species contribute to temp control, nutrient cycling. Oak tree and corn plant = different groupings.
