The Ecology of Temperate Cereal Fields (British Ecological Society Annual Symposium Volume)

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In 1990, agriculture was the focus of increasing media attention, with particular reference to mad cow disease, the dangers of Lysteria in soft cheeses and the ongoing concern over Salmonella in chickens. A closer look at the scientific and agricultural press would have revealed that the qualitative nature of European agricultural policy was being questioned. Central to issues of quality in agriculture are issues of ecology. However, these issues go deeper than many non-specialists appreciate - the principles of ecology are central to the study of crop growth, the reduction of pest species and the efficient use of soil and other resources. Indeed, the cereal field may be the most intensively studied ecosystem in the world, the problem being that the information is fragmented into many sub-disciplines. It is entirely appropriate, therefore, that the British Ecological Society should choose the ecology of temperate cereal fields as the subject for the 1990 Symposium. The contributions in this Symposium volume reflect the level of excellence of all the papers presented at the Symposium in giving an integrated view of the ecology of temperate cereal fields. The volume demonstrates to ecologists that the cereal field is an important area of study, to conservationists that there are areas of cereal field worth conserving, and to agriculturalists that an appreciation of ecology is essential if the twin goals of qualityand profitability are to be met.