Results/Conclusions Here we identify key contributions that the field of ecology can make toward sustainable rural livelihoods, especially in the area of hunger alleviation. First, deliberate management of ecosystem services will be increasingly important for sustaining agricultural production through pollination, pest control, and improved agroecosystem resilience. Second, maintaining agrobiodiversity—including functional diversity of plants, animals, and microorganisms—can help support human nutrition by reducing both acute and hidden hunger. Third, increased understanding and accurate modeling of freshwater and saltwater ecosystems will be critical to the sustainable management of fisheries. Finally, an ecological perspective is important for increasing synergies among different land uses and objectives such that conservation, food production, and livelihood goals can simultaneously be achieved across rural landscapes.