OOS 46
Agroecology and Its Applications, from Marine Kelp to Mountain Coffee

Thursday, August 14, 2014: 1:30 PM-5:00 PM
308, Sacramento Convention Center
Organizer:
Alex E. Racelis, University of Texas Pan American
Co-organizer:
Deborah K. Letourneau, University of California-Santa Cruz
Amidst a growing pressure to meet the food needs of a growing population, agriculturalists also face severe challenge of maintaining (or increasing) food production in the light of a changing climate, pollinator decline, and increasing dependence on fossil fuels, synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Many agricultural areas--from the emerging aquaculture farms in the northeastern bays and waterways of the US, to coffee plantations the that populate the mountains the tropics, and even the fruit and vegetable producing areas of California--are associated with rich and unique diversity of biota, landscapes, and populations, and thus require management approaches that are considered environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. The field of agroecology in part aims to address these challenges by promoting science-based strategies and uncovering information necessary for meeting growing food demands while managing agroecosystems in ways that protect and promote both environmental integrity and socio-economic well-being. But to what extent is agroecology actually helping agriculturalists and growers meet these challenges? This organized oral session aims to highlight recent practical applications of ecological research for promoting sustainable food production, addressing agricultural policy concerns, and improving educational engagement in food systems. Presenters in this session will to spend part of their presentation explaining the justification and/or broader impacts of their work as a way to convey to the audience some successful approaches and general heuristics to the application of agroecological research across various settings and circumstances. With a wide range of expertise and geographic range, this session will be of interest to a broad audience as all presentations emphasize how current ecological theory can be successfully applied in various agroecological settings to help orient efforts towards improved management of our ecosystems and the services they provide.
1:50 PM
 Robust associations between wild perennial vegetation in coastal landscapes and on-farm parasitic wasp diversity
Deborah K. Letourneau, University of California-Santa Cruz; Sara G. Bothwell-Allen, University of California-Santa Cruz; Michael J. Sharkey, University of Kentucky
2:10 PM
 Ecosystem services, pest control, and shade management in coffee agroecosystems: Ecology and application
Stacy M. Philpott, University of California, Santa Cruz; Shalene Jha, University of Texas at Austin
2:30 PM
 Agroecology and aquaculture: Linking fish and vegetable production systems
Dave Love, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
2:50 PM
 Investigating the effects of production-scale harvesting on pollination and biocontrol services in bioenergy grasslands
Brian J. Spiesman, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Tania N. Kim, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Heidi Liere, University of Wisconsin - Madison; Timothy D. Meehan, The Nature Conservancy; Claudio Gratton, University of Wisconsin - Madison
3:10 PM
3:20 PM
 Pest management decision-making: A comparison of farmer and scientist mental models and implications for outreach
Randa Jabbour, University of Wyoming; Eric R. Gallandt, University of Maine; Sarah Zwickle, Ohio State University; Robyn S. Wilson, The Ohio State University; Douglas Doohan, Ohio State University
3:40 PM
 Agroecological research, education, and extension: An integrated approach to improving educational engagement in food systems
Alex E. Racelis, University of Texas Pan American; Carlo R. Moreno, University of Texas Pan American; Mike Morris, National Center for Appropriate Technology; Robert Maggiani, National Center for Appropriate Technology
4:00 PM
 Mobilizing science in formulating organic policies
Kathleen Delate, Iowa State University; Catherine Greene, United States Department of Agriculture; Stefano Canali, Italian Ministry of Agriculture
4:20 PM
 Can ecological knowledge be used to design cover crop mixtures that provide multiple ecosystem services?
Laurie E. Drinkwater, Cornell University; Emily Reiss, Cornell University
4:40 PM
 Land use and livelihood diversity on permaculture agroecosystems in the US
Rafter Sass Ferguson, University of Illinois; Sarah Taylor Lovell, University of Illinois