Land to feed us
Cultivating land and feeding on its products has always been an acitvity men carry out keeping into consideration climatic and environmental conditions typical of every territory. Men have slowly overcome limits set by the environment thanks to progress and modern technologies and have thus been enhancing environmental stress. Men have therefore modified landscapes to increase productivity transforming land into cultivated fields, reclaiming wetlands, terracing slopes, and converting forests into pastures. Agriculture has an impact on the environment with regards to the quantity of resources employed and substances it generates – both natural and chemical – which are released in various environmental compartments, soil, water and atmosphere. For example, to grow a cornfield, besides solar energy, also requires soil minerals and nutrients, irrigation water, and chemical fertilizers to sustain plant growth; it’s also crucial to protect corn from insects, fungi and parasites attacks, which in a natural environment occurs thanks to the presence of other animal or plant organisms feeding on these insects.
To prevent parasites from attacking and feeding on fields, though, men often intervene using powerful insecticides which are harmful for the whole environment and for humans. The introduction of these substances in the environment and the use of natural resources affect the natural balance of the environment which becomes vulnerable. The environment tries to compensate the effects determined by agricultural activity as well as the effects generated by human activity. If conditions of strong climatic change occurred, especially on a global scale, whether the latter were caused by excessive inputs generated by human activity or as a consequence of the natural development of the planet, agricultural systems would become incapable of maintaining the high levels of production required as fields rely directly on the conditions of the soul, atmosphere and water.
Special reports
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9 May 2022
Pollination, a perfect alliance between plants and animals
Firmly rooted in soil, over the course of their evolution plants have had to develop biological mechanisms for feeding and…
20 October 2021
Chapada Diamantina: a treasure beyond gemstones
Discovering the Diamond Plateau, one of Brazil's most unique naturalistic jewels ...
30 July 2020
Holidays, yes! but they must be sustainable!
We have been speaking of sustainable behaviours to apply to our daily life, but what happens when we unplug and…
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23 June 2020
The Last Wild Valley. In defence of the Cime Bianche
The Vallone delle Cime Bianche or Courtaud Valley rises at the top of the Val d'Ayas, in Valle d'Aosta. It…
10 February 2020
Coral turns pale!
The coral reef is one of the ecosystems with the richest biodiversity...
7 January 2020
Urban woods
When walking along a tree-lined avenue in a crowded and traffic-congested city, wrapped up in our daily commitments, we do…
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6 February 2017
Robotics: environmental monitoring and more
More than 830 events were organised in 30 countries during the European Robotics Week (18-27 November)
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9 May 2022
Pollination, a perfect alliance between plants and animals
Firmly rooted in soil, over the course of their evolution plants have had to develop biological mechanisms for feeding and…
20 October 2021
Chapada Diamantina: a treasure beyond gemstones
Discovering the Diamond Plateau, one of Brazil's most unique naturalistic jewels ...
-
30 July 2020
Holidays, yes! but they must be sustainable!
We have been speaking of sustainable behaviours to apply to our daily life, but what happens when we unplug and…
23 June 2020
The Last Wild Valley. In defence of the Cime Bianche
The Vallone delle Cime Bianche or Courtaud Valley rises at the top of the Val d'Ayas, in Valle d'Aosta. It…
-
10 February 2020
Coral turns pale!
The coral reef is one of the ecosystems with the richest biodiversity...
7 January 2020
Urban woods
When walking along a tree-lined avenue in a crowded and traffic-congested city, wrapped up in our daily commitments, we do…
-
9 May 2022
Pollination, a perfect alliance between plants and animals
Firmly rooted in soil, over the course of their evolution plants have had to develop biological mechanisms for feeding and…
-
20 October 2021
Chapada Diamantina: a treasure beyond gemstones
Discovering the Diamond Plateau, one of Brazil's most unique naturalistic jewels ...
-
30 July 2020
Holidays, yes! but they must be sustainable!
We have been speaking of sustainable behaviours to apply to our daily life, but what happens when we unplug and…