Contents

Preface
I.Introduction
II.Types of Agro-ecosystems
Ill. Components of Agro-ecosystem
A Vegetation design,
B. Use of biological symbionts,
C. Green manuring,
D. Mulching
E. Composting,
F. Integrated plant protection,
G. Integrated livestock.
H. Integrated aquaculture
VI. Conclusion

Preface

The term eco-system designates the nature and all the things in it whether living or non-living. Man has been using the eco-system towards his benefits for thousands of year. He controls many functions in ecosystem happening naturally and become the master and centre of the ecosystem itself.

Man exercises his control over nature mainly through the agricultural operations to produce all his requirements for his existence and development. That part of the ecosystem where man engages himself in agriculture is called agro-ecosystem. In other words all the cultivated land together can be considered agro-ecosystem. Man takes control of the soil, water, micro-organism, plants and animals and organizes and arranges them to produce all things required for him.

Taking control of the components in the ecosystem implies knowledge about the various components in the ecosystem as well as their interaction affect on the ecosystem itself.

II. Types of Agro-ecosystem

There may be many types of agro-ecosystems as there are farming families on the earth. However, the broad divisions of agro-ecosystems are based on the types of crops cultivated or animals reared. The following are some of the agro-ecosystems commonly found any where in the world and especially in India.

1. Seasonally cropped
The crops and plants which completes their life cycle in a single season are the parts of seasonally cropped agro-ecosystems. Most of the agro-ecosystems in the world are cultivated with seasonal crops such as cereals, pulses and oilseeds which fulfill the food requirements of the people. Soil is degraded more in seasonally cropped areas due to short duration tillage operation. Soil fertility is harassed since every season new crop has to be sown. Depending upon the nature of crops, soil erosion may be more or less.

2. Permanently cropped
Large tracts of agro-ecosystems are under the perennial crops such as orchards, plantation crops like tea, rubber, cardamom, coffee, coconut, areca nuts, cashew nuts, oil palm etc. In orchards and plantation crops, due to bigger inter row and interplant spacing, it is possible to grow seasonal crop in inter-row space.

3. Forestry
All the man-made forests are part of the agro-ecosystem. Forest areas are least tilled compared to the other forms of agro-ecosystem. In some forestries perennial grasses are grown for fodder purposes or grazing the cattle. Man made forest system may again be classified into social forestry, farm forestry, agro-forestry or government forestry plantations.