EESC3310 · Earth and Environmental Sciences

Agroecology: The Science of Sustainable Agriculture

Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences

Conventional agriculture, while responsible for enormous increases in yield, has undermined the natural resources that support agricultural yield and ecosystem services. Yet there is a pressing need to maintain yield in the face of climate change. How can we meet the food needs of a growing human population without clearing more forests, polluting rivers and the atmosphere, overdrawing from aquifers, and threatening the existence of wild species? In this course we will learn how the principles of ecology can be applied to the design, management, and analysis of agroecosystems and agricultural landscapes with the goal of creating a sustainable food system.