Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 11
Environmental Aspects Of Organic Farming
Jan Moudrý jr. and Jan Moudrý
Additional information is available at the end of the chapter
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/58298
1. Introduction
In the nature, there is no viable ecosystem that can work without any negative feedback. Any
interference with the system does not affect only in one way but it necessarily evokes another
often unpredictable reactions. In Europe these days, there are quite natural self-regulating
systems with closed energy flows rather exceptionally. This is due to a significant environment
disturbance by humans. In terms of area, the main human activity interfering in natural
ecosystems was agriculture.
Agroecosystems are tightly connected with more natural, respectively near natural ecosys‐
tems. The mutual relationship is bidirectional (nutrient, organism and energy flows, impact
on microclimate). In terms of ecological stability, agroecosystems show all disadvantages of
juvenile (immature) ecosystems.
Some of the agroecosystem characteristics are:
•
additional external energy inputs,
•
significantly reduced biodiversity,
•
artificial support (selection) of dominant production species,
•
juvenile stage of succession (anthropogenic disclimax),
•
reduction even paralysing of self-regulatory processes,
•
significantly reduced degree of environmental stability
•
irreversible degradation processes occurrence
Under the European conditions, there were historically evolved the mixed, commercially
oriented, permanent, mechanized systems with high energy-material inputs, i.e. intensive
farming systems.
