Includes bibliographical references and index.

Sec. I. Introduction to agroecology -- Case for fundamental change in agriculture -- Agroecology and the agroecosystem concept -- Sec. II. Plants and abiotic factors of the environment -- The plant -- Light -- Temperature -- Humidity and rainfall -- Wind -- Soil -- Water in the soil -- Fire -- Sec. III. A more complete autecological perspective -- Biotic factors -- The environmental complex -- Heterotrophic organisms -- Sec. IV. System-level interactions -- Population ecology of agroecosystems -- Genetic resources in agroecosystems -- Species interactions in crop communities -- Agroecosystem diversity -- Disturbance, succession, and agroecosystem management -- Animals in agroecosystems -- Energetics of agroecosystems -- Landscape diversity -- Sec. V. The transition to sustainability -- Converting to ecologically based management -- Indicators of sustainability -- Sec. VI. Bringing about a sustainable world food system -- Agriculture, society, and agroecology -- Community and culture in the remaking of the food system -- From sustainable agroecosystems to a sustainable food system.