Latest .... major success so far in EU H2020 bids .... TRUE, DIVERSIFY and TOMRES .... details to follow .... Newton projects [1] begin March 2017 .... success for doctoral students [2] ...
The Agroecology Group aims to provide a rigorous scientific basis for sustainable croplands. We examine how plants, animals and microbes may interact to form a dynamic ecosystem supporting long-term economic offtake. Our home base is the maritime croplands of the north-east Atlantic, from where we collaborate in a range of climatic and ecological zones across Europe and beyond. Integral to our enterprise is a comprehensive and unique knowledge-exchange chain comprising the Institute's farms [3], LEAF [4] (Linking Environment and Farming), regional farm networks [5] and the Living Field [6]. We are active in global debates on food security, biodiversity and the sustainable use of resources. Geoff Squire hands over group leader duties to Graham Begg [7] from January 2017. Contact for Agroecology web pages: Graham Begg [7].
Research is closely tied to outreach and knowledge-exchange through the following channels:
Many of the skill sets current in agroecology developed at the Institute during the coordinated programmes funded by the Scottish Government in the late 1990s, notably Vegetation Dynamics (Coordinator: Geoff Squire) and Soil-plant Dynamics (Coordinator Karl Ritz). Concepts and techniques were refined through external projects 1998-2008 on the ecological and economic impacts of GM crops. Full details including publications can be found at the Ecological biosafety and geneflow [16] web pages on the previous SCRI website, or go directly via the following links to the UK’s Farm Scale Evaluations of GMHT crops [17], the EU ECOGEN project on GM insect resistant crops; the GMO Guidelines [18] project in Brazil, Kenya and Vietnam (IOBC); the EU SIGMEA project on coexistence [19]; and a series of major projects on Gene movement and persistence [20] funded by Defra, RERAD and BBSRC.
Project report in addition to those on the above sites (PDF file 956 kb): Factors affecting cross pollination of oilseed rape growing under UK conditions [21] (2008) Defra RG0125
The group and close colleagues, took lead roles in the 2006-11 RERAD programmes, notably in the Sustainable Crop Systems workpackage, and the BBSRC (trophic) LINK project (2005-2008).
Links:
[1] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/departments/ecological%20sciences/our%20science/agroecology/funding
[2] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/departments/ecological%20sciences/our%20science/agroecology/students
[3] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/about/facilities/balruddery-farm
[4] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/learning/leaf
[5] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/departments/ecological-sciences/agroecology/maritime-croplands
[6] http://www.livingfield.co.uk
[7] mailto:graham.begg@hutton.ac.uk
[8] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/departments/ecological-sciences/our-science/agroecology/research-and-applications
[9] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/groups/ecological-sciences/agroecology/research-and-applications/ipm-weeds
[10] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/departments/ecological-sciences/our-science/agroecology/maritime-croplands
[11] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/departments/ecological-sciences/our-science/agroecology/staff-capability-infrastructure
[12] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/departments/ecological-sciences/our-science/agroecology/students
[13] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/departments/ecological-sciences/our-science/agroecology/funding
[14] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/departments/ecological-sciences/our-science/agroecology/publications
[15] http://www.hutton.ac.uk/about/facilities/centre-sustainable-cropping
[16] http://www.scri.ac.uk/research/epi/agroecology/fieldandlandscape
[17] http://www.scri.ac.uk/research/epi/agroecology/fieldandlandscape/fseofgmhtcrops
[18] http://www.scri.ac.uk/research/epi/agroecology/fieldandlandscape/gmoera
[19] http://www.scri.ac.uk/research/epi/agroecology/fieldandlandscape/coexistencewithGMcropsinEuropeanagriculture
[20] http://www.scri.ac.uk/research/epi/agroecology/fieldandlandscape/genemovement
[21] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/staff/squire/Defra_RG0125_Factors_affecting_crosspollination_finalreport_23Jun08.pdf