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| Overview |
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Ecosystems are as dynamic and complex as the plant, animal, microbial and the nonliving components of which they are made. Humans are an integral part of most every ecosystem--not only are we agents of change, we are consumers of ecosystem goods and services that range from the provisioning of food, fuel, fiber, and fresh water to the regulation of processes that affect air quality, climate, erosion control, and human diseases. CSREES Ecosystem Program goals are to increase the scientific and public understanding that human well-being is inextricably linked to the sustainable use and management of ecosystems.
Ecosystems are life-sustaining interactions among plants, animals, and microorganisms working together in their environment. To function efficiently, an ecosystem's living constituents must be in balance with available resources and conditions. This balance can be adversely affected by disturbances such as disease, predators, fire, and human activity. There are many indications that human demands on ecosystems are growing. Recent estimates of a doubling of the human population and a quadupling of the world's economy by 2050 imply a formidable increase in demand for and consumption of biological and physical resources. The problem posed by the growing demand for ecosystem services is compounded by increasingly serious degradation in the capability of many ecosystems to provide these services. The CSREES Ecosystem Program focuses on the impact of agriculture, forest, and rangeland practices on ecological
health and development and support for research, education, and extension activities that promote the sustainability of food, fiber, and forage production.
Critical issues include land management practices and changes in land use; improved sustainability and management, including tillage practices; animal manure management; forest and rangeland fuel management; conservation corridors and buffer strips; invasive species;
landscape scale changes, such as fire, wind, and urban development; harvesting; pathogen and disease infestations; drought and flooding; climate changes; watershed and air shed protection; and landscape fragmentation.
Future agricultural productivity depends on our ability to make use of the Earth's renewable natural resources without depleting them. Understanding how agricultural practices affect all types of ecosystems is critical to achieving sustainable production. CSREES supports innovative sustainable strategies to optimize production, conservation, and restoration of farms, forests, rangeland and other types of agro-ecosystems.
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Last Updated: September 15, 2008
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