Agriculture and environment - David J Briggs

Drawing together research from a variety of sources on the environmental relations of temperate agriculture, this book aims to explain the interrelationships between agriculture and the physical environment. Many of the examples cited are from lowland Britain, one of the most intensively farmed areas in the temperate zone and one where the agricultural practice is among the most technologically advanced. The pressures on the natural ecosystems in this area are great and it is likely that lessons being learnt in Britain will be of increasing significance elsewhere in the temperate world in years to come. The book is divided into four parts - the historical context of modern agriculture, the nature and basis of modern agriculture, the environmental relationships of the major types of agriculture, and the environmental impact of agriculture described in an ecological perspective. The book was written with environmental studies and geography undergraduates in mind, but would also be of interest to students of agriculture, soil science, conservation and planning, as well as farmers, agricultural advisers, professional and amateur conservationists and teachers.