UH Agro-Ecologists Published in Sustainable Food Systems Journal

Agroecology research plot—biological diversification of a vineyard agroecosystem in the central valley of California. Photo courtesy of UH/Albie Miles

University of Hawaiʻi–WestOʻahu Assistant Professor Albie Miles and UH Mānoa Assistant Professor Rebecca Ryals have contributed key articles to a special issue of the Journal of Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, according to UH news release.

Titled Agroecology: Building an ecological knowledge-base for food system sustainability, the special edition presents recent progress in the fields of ecology and environmental science relevant to tackling national and global food system challenges. Topics include the role of ecological theory in agroecosystem design, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services in agriculture, enhancing water resiliency through perennial farming systems, nutrient cycling in agroecosystems and the research and policies needed to drive food system transformation toward ecological sustainability and social equity.

Miles’ contribution—Triggering a positive research and policy feedback cycle to support a transition to agroecology and sustainable food systems—presents an analysis of recent USDA research funding for agroecology and explores the key research and policy mechanisms needed to facilitate the transition to more sustainable food system.

Ryals’ article—Nutrient cycling in agroecosystems presents an analysis of agroecosystem management practices that serve to balance productivity with a diversity of natural resource conservation objectives.

The special issue was recently described by the Union of Concerned Scientists as taking agroecology “to the next level,” with the contributions from UH placing the university among the leaders in the scientific field of agroecology.