Agroecología: de agroecosistemas a agroecosistemas sostenibles
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18270/rt.v18i2.4088Keywords:
crops, organic farming, sustainable agriculture, sustainability, farming systems, rural development, organic agriculture.Abstract
The agricultural system, also called agroecosystem, can be considered as an ecological system, since it includes a living system, where the production unit (the farm) would be seen as equivalent to an ecosystemic unit in ecology. There are multiple definitions of agroecosystem, ranging from the space where biophysical interactions develop to where socio-political, cultural and economic changes germinate. An agroecosystem may or may not be designed similarly to natural ecosystems with the application of ecological concepts, in terms of increasing species diversity, improving nutrient cycling and promoting heterogeneity. This article proposes a reflection on the concept of agroecosystem through a systematic literature review from which the need to differentiate between the concept of agroecosystem and the concept of sustainable agroecosystem was identified. As the main conclusion of the literature review, three features that characterize the design of a sustainable agroecosystem are identified, compiled, organized and structured: to be designed and managed as a complex system integrating agroecosystem components and processes, to implement macro aspects of sustainability and to contribute to the wellbeing of communities.
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