Resumen

MERCER, Kristin L.. Towards evolutionary agroecology. Inter disciplina [online]. 2018, vol.6, n.14, pp.51-68.  Epub 15-Feb-2021. ISSN 2448-5705.  https://doi.org/10.22201/ceiich.24485705e.2018.14.63380.

Agroecology derives much of its strength from interactions between disciplines that produce a holistic perspective on agricultural systems and issues. Although ongoing integration of social dynamics into agroecology has strengthened the field, evolution and genetics have not been embraced to the same degree, despite the fact that they have been are discussed in some common agroecology texts. I argue that the field of agroecology could extend its reach and depth by embracing the evolutionary study of agroecosystems.

Areas of evolutionary inquiry with relevance to agriculture focus on long or short term processes, encompass a range of scales, incorporate molecular or quantitative genetic analyses, and explore ecological processes to differing degrees. Many research areas that use an evolutionary lens and focus on agricultural systems could enhance agroecology. Some examples include (i) identifying crop adaptations that can be utilized for sustainable agroecosystems; (ii) improving function and adaptive capacity of agroecosystems by promoting genetic diversity within crops; and (iii) improving weed control through explorations of gene flow or hybridization amongst crops and their wild relatives. Future bridging of the agroecology-evolution divide could enhance the nascent field of evolutionary agroecology.

Palabras llave : agroecology; evolution; genetic diversity; selection; gene flow; adaptation; transgenic.

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