Ecology [W]

Ecology is the branch of science that studies the distribution and abundance of living organisms, and the interactions between organisms and their environment. The environment of an organism includes both its physical habitat, which can be described as the sum of local abiotic factors like climate and geology, as well as the other organisms which share its habitat. The term oekologie was coined in 1866 by the German biologist, Ernst Haeckel, from the Greek oikos meaning "household" and logos meaning "science"; hence, the "study of the household of nature."

Herbicide [W]

A herbicide is a pesticide used to kill unwanted plants. Selective herbicides kill certain targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often based on plant hormones. Herbicides used to clear waste ground are nonselective and kill every plant with which they come into contact.

Humus [W]

Humus is a complex substance resulting from the breakdown of plant material in a process called humification. This process can occur naturally in soil, or in the production of compost. Humus is extremely important to the fertility of soils in both a physical and chemical sense. Physically it helps the soil retain moisture and encourages the formation of good soil structure. Chemically, it has many active sites which bind to ions of plant nutrients, making them more available. Humus is often described as the 'life-force' of the soil. Yet it is difficult to define humus in precise terms; it is a highly complex substance, the full nature of which is still not fully understood. Physically humus can be differentiated from oplant matter in that the latter is rough looking material, with coarse plant remains still visible, whilst once fully humified it become more uniform in appearance (a dark, spongy, jelly-like substance) and amorphous in structure. That is, it has no determinate shape, structure or character.

Monoculture [W]

The plantings of a single species. A major force in the increase of monoculture in modern agriculture has been the development of machinery for tilling, planting, pest control and harvesting, which is cheaper than human labor, and is considered more efficient at larger scales. Examples of monocultures include lawns and most field crops, such as wheat or corn. The drawbacks and risks of excessive use of a single species are acknowledged and well understood in agriculture and agricultural science. Cropping systems such as crop rotation and especially pastures address some of these drawbacks. Extensive monoculture of fruits other crops tends to produce pollination problems, because pollinators cannot use all the resources available during bloom, and they may starve during the rest of the season. Such pollination problems are solved by pollination management.

Organic

The most elusive term of all to define. In the context of food and agriculture, organic methods are essentially humankinds best attempt to replicate what nature does best. Organic farming is generally accepted as an agricultural system that aims to achieve enivronmentally sustainable practices, improved soil fertility, animal welfare and increase biodiversity. Whilst disallowing pesticides (herbacides, fungacides,insecticides, molluscicides, etc.). The use of hormones, antibiotics and vaccines is also disallowed. Organic food is not irradiated and does not contain additives. The use of genetically modified organism is disallowed.

Permaculture [W]

The practice of designing sustainable human habitats by following nature's patterns.

Pesticide [W]

A pesticide is a chemical used to control, repel, attract or kill pests. For example, insects, weeds, birds, mammals, fish, or microbes, that are considered a nuisance. Pesticides are usually, but not always, poisons. Pesticides cause destruction or prevent development and include: herbicides (weeds), fungicides (fungi), insecticides (insects), molluscicides (snails), acaricides (mites) and rodenticides (rodents).

Sustainable Agriculture [W]

Integrates three main goals: environmental stewardship, farm profitability, and prosperous farming communities. In [production] terms, sustainable agriculture refers to the ability of a farm to continue producing indefinitely, with a minimum of outside inputs. In order to grow, the crops and livestock draw energy from the soil, air, water, and sunlight. As crops are harvested, the energy they used must be replaced in order to continue the production cycle. Some of that energy comes from the larger environment, from sun, air, and rain. Some can be recycled: crop residues and manure from livestock retain nutrients that can be returned to the soil. Using animals that are fed by the farm to perform farm labour is another form of energy recycling. Anything that has to be imported, reduces sustainability. The less the farm needs outside inputs to maintain production levels, the greater its level of sustainability. In [environmental] terms, given the finite supply of natural resources, agriculture that is very inefficient - low on the sustainability scale - will eventually run out of resources, or the ability afford scarce resources, and cease to be viable. And agriculture that relies mainly on outside inputs contributes to the depletion and degradation of natural resources. In an [economic] context, the farm must generate revenue in order to acquire things that cannot be produced directly. The way that crops are sold then becomes part of the sustainability equation.