Re: best papers in agroecology

CRAIG HOLLINGSWORTH (chollingsworth@coopext.umass.edu)
Thu, 03 Feb 1994 09:52:43 -0500 (EST)

>
> We are soliciting your personal opinion as a prominent
> researcher/practictioner/thinker in agroecology or sustainable
> agriculture: which are the foundational papers in agroecology?
> Please tell us 1-3 references of papers that have played a major
> role in the development of agroecology.
> Please indicate if they are classics because they offered conceptual
> foundations, theoretical advances, methodological advances,
> experimental exemplars, raised or settled pivotal controversies, or other.
> Finally, please choose the descriptor(s) of "agroecology" that
> most reflects your own opinion: (1) the application of ecological principles
> to cropping systems, (2) integration of ecological ideas with social processes
> in agriculture, or (3) other (please elaborate).
> Thank you very much from Deborah Letourneau (dletour@cats.ucsc.edu)
> and members of our graduate seminar in Agroecology and Sustainable Ag at the
> University of California, Santa Cruz.
>
Ms. Letourneau -
First, thanks for posing the question. I think that you would do the SANet
community a service if you would post your results. I would be very interested
to see what others find in their niches of SA.

Second, Definition #1 works for me. Though I find that while, "the word means
what you want it to mean" (Alice, cited by L. Carroll), what you want it to
mean may vary with the your expectations at the moment. I have just gone
through the excercise of defining IPM with my class, and found that definitions
of the concept reflect the (often valid) biases of the individual.

Next - my candidates for significant papers - these reflect my current focus on
IPM definitions and evaluation.

Kovach, J., C. Petzoldt, J. Degni and J. Tette. 1992. A method to measure the
environmental impact of pesticides. NY Food and Life Sci. Bull. no. 139.
I have spent less time with...
Higley, L.G. and W.K. Wintersteen. 1992. A novel approach to environmental
risk assessment of pesticides as a basis for incorporating environmental costs
into economic injury levels. Amer. Entomol. 38(1):34-39.

McDonald, D.G. and C.J. Glynn. 1993 (or 1994). Difficulties in measuring
adoption of apple IPM: a case study. J. Agric., Ecosystems and the Environment
[this was in press when I read the manuscript]

Sorensen, A.A. 1993. Integrated pest management; finding a new direction.
Cereals World 38*4*:187-195.

-- 
CRAIG HOLLINGSWORTH	
INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST	
DEPARTMENT OF ENTOMOLOGY
BOX 30210				PHONE: (413)545-1055
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS		FAX:   (413)545-5858
AMHERST MA  01003-0210			Email: chollingsworth@coopext.umass.edu