Maintenance of agriculture and human habitats within the tropical forest ecosystem

The tactics of shifting cultivation are reviewed with particular reference given to techniques of forest regeneration. The desirability of a forest-fallow system of agriculture is explained. Also discussed are the causes, indicators, and consequences of a breakdown of forest-fallow cultivation. In conclusion, the future of tropical forests for agriculture and habitats for man is considered.This article is a modified version of one originally prepared for a Man and the Biosphere Symposium entitled The Ecological Effects of Increasing Human Activities on Tropical Forest Ecosystems. The Symposium met in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, April 28–30, 1975. Proceedings are scheduled for publication in late 1976 and will include another version of the present article.