Managing an agricultural ecosystem (ag., tropcial, prairie) with respect to biodiveristy - Essay Example

It is stated, that there is lack of efficient methods which could assist in understanding the role of biodiversity in agricultural ecosystems. 'Understanding of the underlying causes of the loss of agricultural biodiversity is limited, as is understanding of the consequences of such loss for the functioning of agricultural ecosystems. Moreover, the assessments of the various components are conducted separately; there is no integrated assessment of agricultural biodiversity as a whole' (Bardgett & Abderson, 2001) However, the principal trends are easy to be seen through the connection of the biodiversity loss and decreasing productivity and increasing exposure of farming families to uncertainty and poverty.

As the example of how the agricultural ecosystem should and can be managed without damaging the biodiversity existing in it, a bright example of the Western Iran areas can be taken. The reason for choosing this area as one of the significant areas needing management in terms of its agricultural potential and the aims of saving biological diversity is the fact that this area is one of the principal areas managed by UNICEF programs and has been selected by FAO as the object of thorough studies.

(Bardgett & Anderson, 2001) The area of Iran itself can be described as being arid and se. It consists of dry farming, agro-forestry and forest products' production. Natural resources are used on the stable basis. Biodiversity in short can be described as follows: one can find steep slopes, woodlands and forests there; plant communities of oak, pistachio, other trees and bushes are also found there; the dominant wildlife species include mammals, reptiles, mountain sheep and goats, eagles, insects, bears, birds, grasshoppers, etc.

The leaves of the oak are used for feeding animals; acorns are used as a raw material for the local type of bread. The forestry is divided among clans (households) and each of them owns its part. This is a part of management system which exists in this area; however it is interesting to have a closer look how biodiversity is managed for the agricultural purposes. (Bardgett & Abderson, 2001)The villagers are used to treating the species which are of the highest value for their life and agricultural development - they gather and dry the seeds of the most appreciated plants; at the end of summer these seeds are spread on the lands.

The livestock is kept on the lands for a certain period of time with the aims of fertilizing them. The energy for cooking and other kinds of household work is provided by cutting the head branches of the trees; while there used to be a need in cutting whole trees; the general plant cover has been seriously damaged. In managing such areas, which are characterized by biodiversity and are useful for agriculture, it is important to follow the principles:1. Managing agro-biodiversity is the matter of societal choice, which means that each specific community vies its land and ecosystem in the light of the local economic and