Agricultural ecosystems
Cattle being herded
Nearly one third of the world's land area is used for food production. All domesticated crops and animals result from human management of biological diversity.
Biodiversity provides not only food and income, but also raw materials for clothing, shelter, medicines and breeding new varieties. It also performs other services such as maintenance of soil fertility and biota, and soil and water conservation, all of which are essential to human survival.
As the world's population continues to grow, agricultural production must expand to meet the rising demand for food. The expansion of agricultural land into forests and marginal lands, combined with overgrazing and urban and industrial growth, has substantially reduced levels of biological diversity over significant areas.
What is the Museum doing to help?
Museum scientists are undertaking a number of projects to help to understand the plants and animals that live in agricultural ecosystems and the role they play in regulating natural processes, such as controlling pests.
Find out more about some of the Museum's agricultural research projects.