Topics

All Abstracts, Reviews, short articles, Full articles, Posters are welcomed related with any of the following research fields:

1. Ecological Agriculture (Eco-Ag)

This field focuses on agricultural systems that mimic natural processes to minimize environmental impact.

Regenerative Practices
- No-till farming and soil carbon sequestration.
- Cover cropping and green manures.
- Crop rotation and intercropping.
Alternative Farming Systems
- Agroforestry (integrating trees with crops/livestock).
- Permaculture design and ethics.
- Organic farming standards and certification.
Resource Management
- Closed-loop nutrient cycling.
- Ecological pest management (biocontrol vs. synthetic pesticides).
- Water harvesting and precision irrigation.

This explores the variety of life and the "free" services nature provides to sustain farming and human life.

Genetic Diversity
- Agrobiodiversity: Heirloom seeds and heritage livestock breeds.
- Crop wild relatives (CWR) and climate resilience.
- Seed banks and germplasm conservation.
Functional Biodiversity
- Pollinator health (bees, butterflies, and bats).
- Soil microbiome diversity (mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria).
- Natural predators for pest regulation.
Ecosystem Stability
- Habitat fragmentation and wildlife corridors.
- Resilience against invasive species.
- Wetland restoration for flood control and water purification.

This focuses on how the quality of our environment and food systems dictates community well-being.

Nutritional Quality
- Micronutrient density in soil-grown vs. hydroponic food.
- The "dilution effect" (lower nutrients in high-yield industrial crops).
- Food security vs. Food sovereignty.
Environmental Health Risks
- Pesticide exposure and endocrine disruption.
- Antibiotic resistance (linked to industrial concentrated animal feeding operations).
- Waterborne diseases from agricultural runoff (nitrates and pathogens).
Epidemiology and Zoonotics
- Land-use change and the spillover of viruses from wildlife to humans.
- The impact of climate change on vector-borne diseases (malaria, Lyme disease).

These topics sit at the intersection of all three categories and are where the most critical modern research is happening.

Connection: The diversity of microbes in the soil directly influences the microbes on our food, which in turn shapes the human gut microbiome and immune system.

Connection: Ecological agriculture increases biodiversity, which sequesters carbon, thereby reducing extreme weather events that threaten public health (heatwaves, crop failures).

Connection: Shifting toward plant-heavy, biodiverse diets reduces the land-use pressure of industrial meat, protecting wild habitats and reducing the prevalence of lifestyle diseases (diabetes, heart disease).

Connection: Small-scale ecological farming supports local economies and provides "social safety nets" through diverse food sources, reducing the public health burden of poverty.