ABSTRACT
Starting with the niche theory, agrobionomic principles explain ecological happenings within agroecosystems, the end goal being the design of environmentally friendly, productive ecosystems that benefit landusers, consumers of wood products, and, with enlightened design, nature. In order to survive in a highly competitive world, species utilize or occupy different niches. The fundamental niche occurs when a plant species lives sans competition. This helps explain what may be expected when a plant enters the world of the competitive realized niche. A variation of the shared or constrained fundamental niche has application to, and ecologically defines, the monoculture. This is where multi-species relationships are absent, but a plant must contend with competition from niche-identical or niche-similar species. The competitive niche, that which excluded other species, functions best when water is the limiting resource. The agrobionomic principles stem from niche theory. The myriad of concepts presented under the heading are divided into two systems of governance: species and ecosystem.
