The Agroecology interdisciplinary research issue team assembled in March 1991 to address several goals: (1) To assess the impacts of agricultural practices on the structure and function of regional agroecosystems; (2) To design and test small-scale agricultural landscape management systems that can lessen negative environmental impacts of agriculture and enhance natural ecosystem functioning; and (3) To develop a holistic approach for reconstruction and/or restoration and management of regional agroecosystems that are environmentally sound, socially acceptable, and economically feasible.