Ecology of the Classical World?

[Valmy]

Is Israel's agriculture sustainable, though?  Aren't Israelis depleting their fresh water sources at an alarming rate?

I think that has to do with a combination of drought and over-population.

In any case now Israel will have to get on the de-salinization project.

[Queequeg]

Is Israel's agriculture sustainable, though?  Aren't Israelis depleting their fresh water sources at an alarming rate?

It was at one point the land of milk and honey. And I doubt that was just in comparison to Sinai; it was host to some remarkably complex, flourishing literate societies. 

[Malthus]

I rather suspect that the relative appearance of fertility has to do with land management practices at the time.

Take for example what is now Israel. Travellers of the 19th century universally describe "Palestine" as, basically, a goat-infested wilderness of desolation. It was considered the worst possible posting if you were a Turkish bureaucrat. The climate certainly hasn't changed in 100 years, but Isreal is now a major agricultural centre in the region.

Is Israel's agriculture sustainable, though?  Aren't Israelis depleting their fresh water sources at an alarming rate?

Could well be, yes. Indeed, many of the explainations as to why the mid-east isn't as fertile as it was have to do with unsustainable agricultural practices, particularly salinization of the soil. 

[HVC]

I rather suspect that the relative appearance of fertility has to do with land management practices at the time.

Take for example what is now Israel. Travellers of the 19th century universally describe "Palestine" as, basically, a goat-infested wilderness of desolation. It was considered the worst possible posting if you were a Turkish bureaucrat. The climate certainly hasn't changed in 100 years, but Isreal is now a major agricultural centre in the region.

Is Israel's agriculture sustainable, though?  Aren't Israelis depleting their fresh water sources at an alarming rate?

IIRC giant sinkholes are forming around the dead sea becasue the water table has fallen so low since so much water is getting diverted for agriculture.

[saskganesh]

covercropping. mulching and planting more perennials usually helps retain soil and retain soil moisture, lowering the need for water diversion projects.

what they have to do now is build soil. compost (goat manure!) would help.

[alfred russel]

Could well be, yes. Indeed, many of the explainations as to why the mid-east isn't as fertile as it was have to do with unsustainable agricultural practices, particularly salinization of the soil.

I read some time back that stated the best guess of crop yields in ancient Iraq were approximately equal those of today using modern agricultural methods. The main reason given for the lack of improvement was that the irrigation salinated the soil. This is the reason wheat gave way to an extent to barley as time went on--barley was more resistent to the growing salination.