Resumen de Models, driving forces and developmental strategies of Chinese homestead garden ecosystems

Z. Miao, Qingmin Meng, Z. Miao

• This paper reviewed the history, types and models, driving forces and developmental strategies of Chinese homestead garden ecosystems. This study also analyzed ecological, economic and social benefits of numerous case studies of home garden ecosystems in China. The research indicated that the homestead garden ecosystems took a crucial part in improving sustainability of rural ecosystems, rural productivity and farmer�s income. Driving forces of Chinese homestead garden ecosystems included family use, market demands, landscape aesthetics, intensive management practices, incentive and subsides policies from government. The priority to improve the household garden ecosystems is to optimize components and structure, and to ameliorate function and services of the ecosystems according to family use, market demands, local resource availability and social culture.