Here's some books that I read & recommend re: applied systems thinking & ecosystems.
http://www.amazon.com/Permaculture-Principles-Pathways-beyon...
http://www.amazon.com/Edible-Forest-Gardens-2-set/dp/1890132...
http://www.amazon.com/One-Straw-Revolution-Introduction-Natu...
http://www.amazon.com/1491-Revelations-Americas-Before-Colum...
http://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/03...
http://www.amazon.com/Collapse-Societies-Choose-Succeed-Revi...
http://www.newsociety.com/Books/D/Decline-and-Fall
http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/...
http://www.amazon.com/Consciousness-Social-Brain-Michael-Gra...
http://www.amazon.com/Sex-Scratch-Making-Relationship-Rules/...
― Albert Einstein
There are more natural ways to achieve the same results. Perennial Polycultures use natural flora & fauna in a closed loop ecosystem. They also have higher overall yields than monocultures.
These solutions are available to us right now. In fact there's a growing movement of farmers who are utilizing & learning more about Perrenial Polycultures.
Here is some literature:
http://www.amazon.com/The-One-Straw-Revolution-Introduction-...
http://www.edibleforestgardens.com/about_book
http://www.afforestt.com/index.html
Here are some farms that I'm familiar with (either I know the farmers or they are well known):
https://www.permaculturenews.org/2020/07/25/the-philosophy-o...