Realizing resilient food systems through managing multi-trophic interactions in cropping systems

Modern crop production faces challenges related to the simplification of agroecosystems and replacement of ecological services rendered by healthy soils and biological communities with agrichemicals. Pest management is an illustrative example. Agricultural pests are symptoms of systemic problems found in crop production (large monocultures of genetically diminished crops grown in highly disturbed soils with little biodiversity to be found). Restoring ecological processes into farmland using proven agronomic tactics can reduce or eliminate the need for chemical pesticides. These sustainable tactics reduce disturbance and increase biodiversity. Incorporating complex, multifunctional food webs into agroecosystems is inherent in providing long-term, sustainable food production.