Pollinators
Bees, butterflies, moths, flies and other organisms contribute to pollination and crop reproduction.
AgroBiodiversity
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THE SCIENCE OF AGRICULTURAL DIVERSITY
The Living Foundation of Sustainable Agriculture
Explore the extraordinary diversity of genes, crops, animals, microorganisms and ecosystems that sustain agriculture and shape the future of food production.
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Genetics
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Species
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Ecosystems
UNDERSTANDING AGROBIODIVERSITY
Agriculture is more than what we grow.
Agrobiodiversity encompasses the immense variety of plants, animals, microorganisms, genes and ecosystems that interact within agricultural systems.
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Genetic Diversity
Variation within crops, livestock and other agricultural species provides the biological foundation for adaptation and breeding.
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Species Diversity
Pollinators, soil microorganisms, predators, crops, livestock and wild species interact to support productive agricultural ecosystems.
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Ecosystem Diversity
Agroforestry, crop rotation, mixed farming and other systems create diverse productive landscapes.
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Levels of Diversity
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Biological Interactions
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Major Agricultural Domains
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Shared Future
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Genetic Diversity
GENETIC RESOURCES
Genetic diversity is the engine of adaptation.
Genetic diversity provides agricultural species with variation that can support adaptation to changing environments.
Traditional varieties and locally adapted breeds may contain characteristics associated with drought tolerance, salinity tolerance, temperature adaptation, maturation time and resource-use efficiency.
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Climate adaptation
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Breeding innovation
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Genetic resource conservation
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Agricultural resilience
SPECIES DIVERSITY
Agriculture is an ecosystem.
Crops exist within complex biological communities. Every organism contributes to the interactions that shape agricultural landscapes.
Soil Microorganisms
Bacteria and fungi participate in decomposition, nutrient transformations and plant–soil interactions.
Soil Fauna
Earthworms and other soil organisms influence organic matter transformation and soil structure.
Natural Predators
Predatory organisms can contribute to ecological regulation within agricultural environments.
AGROECOSYSTEMS
Designing agriculture around diversity.
Agroecosystems integrate ecological principles into productive landscapes, encouraging interactions between crops, trees, animals, microorganisms and the surrounding environment.
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Intercropping
Multiple crops grown within the same agricultural area can create greater biological and structural diversity.
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Crop Rotation
Rotating crops changes interactions with soil, nutrients and biological communities across seasons.
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Agroforestry
Trees integrated with crops and livestock can increase landscape complexity and habitat diversity.
THE HIDDEN WORLD
Soil is not inert. It is alive.
Agricultural soils contain complex communities of bacteria, fungi, archaea, nematodes, protozoa, earthworms and other organisms.
Together, these organisms contribute to decomposition, nutrient transformations, organic matter dynamics and interactions with plant roots.
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Bacteria
Fungi
Roots
Organic Matter
Soil Fauna
RESILIENCE
Diversity creates biological options.
Different species and varieties can respond differently to environmental conditions. This variation can help agricultural systems remain adaptable.
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Drought
Different varieties may exhibit different responses to limited water.
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Salinity
Genetic resources can provide useful traits for challenging soils.
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Temperature
Biological variation creates opportunities for environmental adaptation.
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Changing Seasons
Variation in maturation and growth can provide flexibility.
CONSERVATION CHALLENGES
What threatens agrobiodiversity?
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Agricultural Intensification
Increasing production intensity can reduce diversity across agricultural landscapes.
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Monoculture
Dependence on uniform crops can reduce genetic and ecological variation.
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Habitat Loss
Habitat reduction can affect pollinators, predators and other agricultural organisms.
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Genetic Erosion
Loss of traditional varieties can remove valuable genetic resources.
PROTECTING DIVERSITY
Conservation means keeping diversity alive.
Seed Banks
Genetic resources can be preserved under controlled storage conditions for future research and breeding.
On-Farm Conservation
Farmers can maintain traditional varieties within living agricultural systems.
Habitat Conservation
Natural and semi-natural habitats can support pollinators, predators and soil organisms.
MODERN SCIENCE
Biotechnology is helping us understand diversity.
Modern biological technologies provide powerful approaches for characterizing genetic resources, studying microorganisms and understanding agricultural ecosystems.
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Genomics
Characterize genetic variation across crops and agricultural species.
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Sequencing
Generate molecular information from agricultural organisms and microbial communities.
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Bioinformatics
Analyze large biological datasets to discover patterns within agricultural diversity.
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Microbiome Research
Investigate complex microbial communities associated with plants and soils.
FROM DISCOVERY TO APPLICATION
The Agrobiodiversity Research Pipeline
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Collect
Gather genetic and biological resources.
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Characterize
Study biological and ecological traits.
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Sequence
Generate molecular information.
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Analyze
Use bioinformatics to identify patterns.
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Conserve
Protect valuable biological resources.
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Utilize
Apply knowledge to agricultural innovation.
THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE
The agriculture of tomorrow begins with the diversity we preserve today.
Every seed, species, microorganism, livestock breed and agricultural ecosystem represents biological information with potential value for the future.
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