Abstract:
Agriculture is often seen as the villain with respect to biodiversity, because it dramatically transforms ecosystems, and in some cases destroys biodiversity. Farms encroach on wilderness, thereby depriving habitat for some wild animals and plants. Containing the spread of agriculture is thus of major concern to conservationists. But three aspects of the interface between agriculture and biodiversity are often overlooked. First, changes in the mixture of land use patterns in an area can also have a major impact on biodiversity, such as the displacement of rich agroforestry systems or forest extraction by cattle ranching. Second, intensification of agriculture is essential if remaining protected areas are to be saved. Third, agricultural intensification can only be accomplished successfully by blending traditional knowledge with scientific research and tapping a greater array of biological resources.