Ivette Perfecto | |
|---|---|
 Perfecto in 2019 | |
| Born | |
| Alma mater | Universidad Sagrado del Corázon University of Michigan |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Ecology, Agroecology, Natural Resources & Conservation |
| Institutions | George W. Pack Professor of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan |
Ivette Perfecto is an ecologist and professor at the University of Michigan. Her work focuses on complex ecosystem dynamics and the application of ecological theories to agricultural systems.
Ivette Perfecto was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. As a child, she was fascinated by the environment of the Caribbean. She enjoyed the outdoors, particularly the underwater world she could explore while snorkeling. The interactions she observed between organisms sparked her original interest in biology. However, the contamination of many of Puerto Rico's ecosystems that resulted from the industrialization programs of Operation Bootstrap [1] instilled a passion in Perfecto for environmental sciences. She enrolled in the Universidad Sagrado del Corázon in Santurce, Puerto Rico and graduated with a B.S. of Biology in 1977. [2] After earning an undergraduate degree, Perfecto was accepted as a graduate student at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. At the time she was a single mother and was often unable to start her work until after she had put her son to bed in the evenings. In 1982 she earned her Masters of Ecology [2] and then returned to Puerto Rico where she taught college biology. She taught biology for a year in Puerto Rico, but her desire to continue conducting research lead her to return to the University of Michigan where she earned a PhD in Ecology and Natural Resources in 1989. [3] [2]
Perfecto is a professor in the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan and became the George W. Pack Professor of Natural Resources and Environment in 2009. [4] [3] [2] Her work can be generalized under the category of ecology, but specifically she studies agroecology, diversity in coffee agricultural systems, and conservation biology. [3] [4] Some of her major findings have included a better understanding of complex ecosystem dynamics through the analysis of spatial factors and trait mediated effects. [5] Perfecto's research regarding the improvement of agricultural systems through the application of ecological theories is inherently interdisciplinary. It reflects her career as a scientist and efforts as an engaged activist to improve the livelihoods of Puerto Rican agriculturists through research and communication. Her work regarding the role of pest species in agroecosystems has been utilized to the effect that the use of pesticides can be reduced to the benefit of farmers. [6] In addition, Perfecto has researched the effect of shade trees in agroecosystems as a potential alternative to increased irrigation in the face of climatic alterations such as increased temperature and decrease precipitation. [7] [8] Perfecto has a large volume of published books and scientific articles. More than 100 journal publications and articles that she has authored or co-authored have been cited over 27,000 times. [4] [9]
Perfecto and co-contributors, John Vandermeer and Javier Lugo, were awarded a United States Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant in 2018 assessing the effects of Hurricane Maria on the resiliency of coffee farms in Puerto Rico. [10] Perfecto and Vandermeer also developed a board game called "Azteca-Chess" [13] to improve coffee farmers' understanding of the ecological complexity of their farms. The game incorporates the pests common to coffee farms and is designed to educate players about the beneficial roles these insects can have in a coffee agroecosystem. [14] [6] Through the dissemination of this game, farmers will better understand the interconnected nature of the ecosystems they cultivate and use this knowledge to inform decisions regarding pest management. [13]
Media related to Ivette Perfecto at Wikimedia CommonsThe following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to sustainable agriculture:
Sustainable agriculture is farming in sustainable ways meeting society's present food and textile needs, without compromising the ability for current or future generations to meet their needs. It can be based on an understanding of ecosystem services. There are many methods to increase the sustainability of agriculture. When developing agriculture within sustainable food systems, it is important to develop flexible business processes and farming practices. Agriculture has an enormous environmental footprint, playing a significant role in causing climate change, water scarcity, water pollution, land degradation, deforestation and other processes; it is simultaneously causing environmental changes and being impacted by these changes. Sustainable agriculture consists of environment friendly methods of farming that allow the production of crops or livestock without causing damage to human or natural systems. It involves preventing adverse effects on soil, water, biodiversity, and surrounding or downstream resources, as well as to those working or living on the farm or in neighboring areas. Elements of sustainable agriculture can include permaculture, agroforestry, mixed farming, multiple cropping, and crop rotation.
Agroecology is an academic discipline that studies ecological processes applied to agricultural production systems. Bringing ecological principles to bear can suggest new management approaches in agroecosystems. The term can refer to a science, a movement, or an agricultural practice. Agroecologists study a variety of agroecosystems. The field of agroecology is not associated with any one particular method of farming, whether it be organic, regenerative, integrated, or industrial, intensive or extensive, although some use the name specifically for alternative agriculture.
Agroecosystems are the ecosystems supporting the food production systems in farms and gardens. As the name implies, at the core of an agroecosystem lies the human activity of agriculture. As such they are the basic unit of study in Agroecology, and Regenerative Agriculture using ecological approaches.
In agriculture, polyculture is the practice of growing more than one crop species together in the same place at the same time, in contrast to monoculture, which had become the dominant approach in developed countries by 1950. Traditional examples include the intercropping of the Three Sisters, namely maize, beans, and squashes, by indigenous peoples of Central and North America, the rice-fish systems of Asia, and the complex mixed cropping systems of Nigeria.
Agricultural biodiversity or agrobiodiversity is a subset of general biodiversity pertaining to agriculture. It can be defined as "the variety and variability of animals, plants and micro-organisms at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels that sustain the ecosystem structures, functions and processes in and around production systems, and that provide food and non-food agricultural products.” It is managed by farmers, pastoralists, fishers and forest dwellers, agrobiodiversity provides stability, adaptability and resilience and constitutes a key element of the livelihood strategies of rural communities throughout the world. Agrobiodiversity is central to sustainable food systems and sustainable diets. The use of agricultural biodiversity can contribute to food security, nutrition security, and livelihood security, and it is critical for climate adaptation and climate mitigation.
Daniel Hunt Janzen is an American evolutionary ecologist and conservationist. He divides his time between his professorship in biology at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is the DiMaura Professor of Conservation Biology, and his research and field work in Costa Rica.
Richard Levins was a Marxist biologist, a population geneticist, biomathematician, mathematical ecologist, and philosopher of science who researched diversity in human populations. Until his death, Levins was a university professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a long-time political activist. He was best known for his work on evolution and complexity in changing environments and on metapopulations.
Agroecosystem analysis is a thorough analysis of an agricultural environment which considers aspects from ecology, sociology, economics, and politics with equal weight. There are many aspects to consider; however, it is literally impossible to account for all of them. This is one of the issues when trying to conduct an analysis of an agricultural environment.
Shade-grown coffee is a form of the crop produced from coffee plants grown under a canopy of trees. A canopy of assorted types of shade trees is created to cultivate shade-grown coffee. Because it incorporates principles of natural ecology to promote natural ecological relationships, shade-grown coffee can be considered an offshoot of agricultural permaculture or agroforestry. The resulting coffee can be marketed as "shade-grown".
Agroecology is an applied science that involves the adaptation of ecological concepts to the structure, performance, and management of sustainable agroecosystems. In Latin America, agroecological practices have a long history and vary between regions but share three main approaches or levels: plot scale, farm scale, and food system scale. Agroecology in Latin American countries can be used as a tool for providing both ecological, economic, and social benefits to the communities that practice it, as well as maintaining high biodiversity and providing refuges for flora and fauna in these countries. Due to its broad scope and versatility, it is often referred to as "a science, a movement, a practice."
Biodiversity in agriculture is the measure of biodiversity found on agricultural land. Biodiversity is the total diversity of species present in an area at all levels of biological organization. It is characterized by heterogeneous habitats that support the diverse ecological structure. In agricultural areas, biodiversity decreases as varying landscapes are lost and native plants are replaced with cultivated crops. Increasing biodiversity in agriculture can increase the sustainability of farms through the restoration of ecosystem services that aid in regulating agricultural lands. Biodiversity in agriculture can be increased through the process of agroecological restoration, as farm biodiversity is an aspect of agroecology.
Crop diversity or crop biodiversity is the variety and variability of crops, plants used in agriculture, including their genetic and phenotypic characteristics. It is a subset of a specific element of agricultural biodiversity. Over the past 50 years, there has been a major decline in two components of crop diversity; genetic diversity within each crop and the number of species commonly grown.
Miguel Altieri is a Chilean born agronomist and entomologist. He is a Professor of Agroecology at the University of California, Berkeley in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management.
Regenerative agriculture is a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems. It focuses on topsoil regeneration, increasing biodiversity, improving the water cycle, enhancing ecosystem services, supporting biosequestration, increasing resilience to climate change, and strengthening the health and vitality of farm soil.
John Harry Vandermeer is an American ecologist, a mathematical ecologist, tropical ecologist and agroecologist. He is the Asa Gray Distinguished University Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor at the University of Michigan, where he has taught since 1971. His research focuses on the ecology of agricultural systems, and he has operated a plot of coffee plants in Mexico for his research for more than fifteen years. In 2016, the symposium "Science with Passion and a Moral Compass" was held to honor his career as a scientist and activist. The symposium, also known as VandyFest, was held in Ann Arbor, Michigan from May 6 to May 8.
Carla Restrepo is a professor in the biology department of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Her research focuses on the study of tropical landscapes, including the processes underlying their large-scale dynamics.
A wildflower strip is a section of land set aside to grow wildflowers. These can be at the edge of a field to mitigate against agricultural intensification and monoculture; along road medians and verges; or in parkland or other open spaces such as the Coronation Meadows. Such strips provide an attractive amenity and can also improve biodiversity, conserving birds, insects and other wildlife.
Stacy Philpott is an American ecologist who is a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Her research considers agroecology and the conservation of biodiversity. She was elected a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America in 2021.
Damayanti Buchori is an entomologist and land use ecologist, currently based in Bogor, Indonesia. She is a professor, researcher, non-profit director, and an ATBC honorary fellow.
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