Synopsis

To meet these needs, new information is required to understand the economic, social, and ecological dynamics of food, fiber, and natural resource systems. Research will be oriented toward assuring multiple uses of natural resources in environmentally responsible production systems that assure global competitiveness and profitability.

Major areas of research to be undertaken include protecting and enhancing soil, water, and air quality in the context of agricultural and forestry operations; developing methods to manage complex ecosystems to maintain biodiversity of both plant and animal species; developing new biological, physical, and socioeconomic data bases to assure balanced management decisions and policy options; and generating new knowledge needed to enhance the quality of soil, water, and air by recovering and using plant, animal, and industrial nutrients now lost as waste.

Southern Synopsis Relatively large private ownership of forests and rangelands links private ownership with broad natural resource management issues. The region is currently initiating restoration projects that address water quality and other forms of pollution. The Southern Region is developing production systems that are environmentally compatible yet economically rewarding to producers. The research agenda includes land-use regulatory procedures that restrict the use of private lands and the management and access to public lands, animal waste management, and forest and rangeland management.

Base Program Dynamics

In the last five years, the CSREES water quality program was initiated and is being continued. Research in the NRI was added in the area of environment and natural resources. Reinvestment of existing resources directed research at problems arising from management of lands in conservation reserve programs and to issues that are associated with fragile ecosystems, such as wetlands, shores, and estuaries. Studies to facilitate implementation of the Threatened and Endangered Species Act have been initiated. There is a continuing and expanding effort to develop new information related to the effects of climate change. New research has been initiated in the area of waste management and control of nonpoint pollution. Research on the use of forest lands has shifted emphasis from a focus on production and multiple use to studies that support an ecosystem approach to forest management.

CONSERVE AND ENHANCE AIR, SOIL, AND WATER RESOURCES

• Sustainable Ecosystems
• Synergy at the Agriculture-Urban Interface
• Waste Management
• Risk Management
• Integrated Pest Management

Impact
The quality of air, soil, and water resources is critical not only to continued production of food, fiber, and forest products but to the overall well-being of the entire biosphere. Accordingly, research is needed to assure that these vital resources are conserved and enhanced in the use of natural and managed ecosystems. The societal value of protecting natural resources must be expressed in terms that are much broader than economics. Accepted methods of establishing a value system for this purpose only now are emerging. Results of this research will provide knowledge and technology to reduce contamination of ground and surface waters; address the problems of contamination of bays and estuaries resulting from agricultural facilities; reduce soil erosion; conserve wetlands; and assure that agricultural and forestry operations are not associated with unacceptable air quality degradation. As the demand for and cost of water continue to grow, there is a need to further develop methods to conserve and wisely use this resource. Moreover, this research will develop methods to restore and enhance these fundamental natural resources, using new systems to reduce the effect of industrial and urban impacts on the environment.

Southern Relevance The Southern Region has a higher potential for water and air contamination from agricultural practices than other regions because its diverse climates create situations where producers have relied on more pesticides and fertilizers. The topography and physical characteristics of the region s soil create a high potential for soil erosion and for water, air, and soil quality degradation. Around two-thirds to three-fourths of U.S. watersheds drain through the Southern Region and can potentially receive and introduce significant amounts of nutrients, pesticides, and silt into the wetlands and marine estuaries along the coast. The Southern Region has the fastest growing urban population, which places even greater concerns and attention on air and water quality issues.

Objectives

• Create water quality management strategies. Develop management strategies to maintain or improve the quality of ground and surface water and develop techniques for removing contaminants from point and nonpoint sources.

• Devise water conservation strategies. Develop management strategies and techniques to increase water supplies and use of wastewaters.

• Identify soil quality and conservation techniques. Catalog, model, and quantify soil quality, behavior, and spatial and temporal variability. Evaluate the effects of alternative uses on soils and landscapes and develop management strategies and techniques to maintain and enhance soil quality and to conserve and protect environmentally sensitive lands, including wetlands. Design technology and strategies for adoption of precision crop and soil management systems.

• Analyze agricultural impacts on air quality. Determine the impact of agricultural production on air quality in order to develop management strategies and techniques to reduce detrimental effects.

• Create integrated management systems and decision support models. Develop integrated management systems approach that recognize soil, air, and water interactions to enhance environmentally sound land use. Develop optimal management systems for cropping systems, range and other non-cropped ecosystems, animal systems, whole farm and watershed systems, fishery and wildlife systems, and agricultural businesses and research organizations.

IMPROVE ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINED PRODUCTIVITY

• Sustainable Ecosystems
• Synergy at the Agriculture-Urban Interface
• Biodiversity
• Waste Management
• Risk Management
• Integrated Pest Management

Impact
Because of society's diverse economic and environmental goals, there is an increased pressure for more efficient and wise management of our natural resources. By integrating knowledge of individual components of natural and managed systems into an ecosystem approach, we will be better able to develop management strategies to meet these goals. Ecosystem research is needed to foster agricultural and forestry production that is environmentally sound, economically viable, and socially acceptable; to benefit natural resource management by promoting health and productivity of forests, rangelands, and aquatic systems; and to meet the needs of urban communities for an aesthetic, wholesome, healthy environment with improved recreational opportunities. Such knowledge will also assist in predicting, mitigating, and adapting to climate change and increase society's ability to meet changing or conflicting demands for resources.

Maintaining the biological integrity of natural and managed ecosystems is of utmost importance to sustained productivity. Currently, our knowledge of how ecosystems respond to environmental changes and management activities is extensive but narrowly focused it must be broadened.

We must maintain biodiversity as a natural source for antibiotics, germplasms for food and fiber crops, natural pesticides, raw materials for industry and medicine, fuels, ornamentals, and recreation.

Southern Relevance Research is needed to protect and enhance the rich biodiversity of the Southern Region and make wise use of its diverse climates, soil types, and aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Intense agricultural and natural resource management (including forestry and range management) practices must be modified to develop long-term sustainablity and potential use of biodiversity. The region s priority research needs in this area include assessing the affects of agricultural and natural resource management on biological diversity; ensuring biodiversity is integrated in these management systems; and determining the influence of species losses and changes on ecosystem processes important to agriculture and natural resources.

Objectives

• Improve ecosystem management strategies. Enhance understanding of ecosystem structures, functions, processes, and responses, including landscape patterns and human and economic dimensions, into management strategies that maintain ecosystem structure, processes, and function.

• Examine impacts of global climatic change. Understand and mitigate detrimental effects of global change on ecosystems and vice versa. Determine the impact of global change, climatic change, and other factors on biodiversity and ecosystem processes.

• Harmonize productivity and biodiversity. Define relationships between production methods and their impact on biodiversity and design management systems to meet goals related to economic and ecological outcomes, within the context of profitable production systems.

RECOVER AND USE WASTE RESOURCES

• Sustainable Ecosystems
• Synergy at the Agriculture-Urban Interface
• Waste Management

Impact
Research is needed to develop more economically and ecologically viable methods of converting and using waste a resource that can be recycled productively through agricultural and forestry systems. Animal, food and forestry processing, and human wastes become pollutants when they are out of place in the environment. However, many of these byproducts have substantial nutritive or other biological/physical potential to be recycled in food and fiber production. The cost for disposing of animal, plant, and human waste is increasing each year and when not handled appropriately, these waste products often constitute a continuing environmental problem. Developing methods of recycling waste materials in food and fiber production systems not only avoids the disposal problem but enhances the overall effective use of our natural resources.

Southern Relevance Byproducts generated by agricultural and forest-based industries in the South (pulp and paper, animal products, food processing, etc.) can be recycled for productive use. The current methods used to process Southern crops, such as cotton and sugar cane, produce byproducts that could be used with other processing wastes as fertilizers for the South s growing nursery and landscaping industries. Instead of being disposed of in landfills or burned, low-grade timber (a byproduct of forestry processing) can be processed into building materials for certain applications. This new industry could help provide employment for the South s many economically depressed areas. Southern processing industries produce waste water, which has potential nutrients that can be used in crop production and on golf courses.

Objectives

• Use recovered nutrients from waste. Develop methods to enhance the use of wastewater and improve the quality of agricultural, municipal, and urban byproducts for recycling in food and fiber production systems. Provide technology to use soil as a living filter for nutrients and biodegradable materials from waste materials.

• Develop soil remediation techniques. Use organic-based wastes to remediate degraded soils and soil-based microbes to remediate contaminated soils.

• Reduce impacts of airborne emissions. Develop management strategies for animal and other waste-processing systems to mitigate odor and dust emissions.

• Develop methods to recover energy from waste. Capture energy from manures and other natural wastes. Improve anaerobic digestion procedures and bioengineered microorganisms to produce biofuels that increase energy production from wastes.

DEVELOP RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DECISION SYSTEMS

• Sustainable Ecosystems
• Synergy at the Agriculture-Urban Interface
• Biodiversity
• Risk Management
• Integrated Pest Management

Impact
Through the development and use of the products of research, significant progress has been made in producing food, fiber, and forest products efficiently and cost effectively. However, the impact of current and emerging practices on the protection and conservation of natural resources must be given even greater attention to meet society's expectations and needs. There is increasing need to better understand the social and environmental consequences of resource management decisions. Multiple uses of both public and private lands bring still another complicating dimension to the total equation.

Research in this area is needed to (1) provide knowledge through data bases about the missing fundamental information relevant to natural resource use and (2) to develop the multi-faceted management system models that will allow users of natural resources and policy/decision-makers to make science-based judgments on the relative merits of alternative practices. Research in this area will result in enlightened policy decision-making, better use of natural resources, and improved efficiency of food, fiber, and forest production and management systems compatible with social and environmental values.

Southern Relevance Resource management decision systems must be developed specifically for the Southern Region to address the region's unique and varied natural resources, agricultural systems, and cultural diversity. Region-specific management systems will help reduce social and economic pressures generated from an expanding urban population, demands for increased natural resource conservation, and the industrializing of the agricultural sector.

Objectives

• Determine environmental criteria. Develop science-based criteria for environmental quality as a standard for evaluating the positive and negative impacts of alternative management strategies.

• Develop methods to assess social values. Develop quantitative methods to evaluate the social and environmental value of natural resource availability and quality.

• Assess management system impacts. Identify and measure the environmental effects from public and private conventional agricultural and forestry resource management practices.

• Provide models for natural resource management. Identify and evaluate public policies for natural resource use and management systems compatible with social, economic, and non-market environmental values.