Positive but variable effects of crop diversification on biodiversity and ecosystem services

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 27(19), P. 4697 - 4710

Published: June 11, 2021

Abstract Ecological theory suggests that biodiversity has a positive and stabilizing effect on the delivery of ecosystem services. Yet, impacts increasing diversity cultivated crop species or varieties in agroecosystems are still under scrutiny. The available empirical evidence is scattered scope, agronomic geographic contexts, services may depend type diversification strategy used. To robustly assess effects agroecosystems, we compiled results 95 meta‐analyses integrating 5156 experiments conducted over 84 experimental years representing more than 54,500 paired observations 120 85 countries. Overall, our synthesis data from across globe shows enhances not only production (median +14%) but also associated (+24%, i.e., non‐cultivated plants animals), several supporting regulating including water quality (+51%), pest disease control (+63%) soil (+11%). However, there was substantial variability for each individual service between different strategies such as agroforestry, intercropping, cover crops, rotation variety mixtures. Agroforestry particularly effective delivering multiple services, is, regulation quality, diseases regulation, biodiversity, long‐term productivity quality. Variety mixtures, instead, provide lowest benefits, whereas other show intermediate results. Our highlight while represents very promising sustainable land management, contributing to enhanced yields, some others key

Language: Английский

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Intercropping of grain legumes and cereals improves the use of soil N resources and reduces the requirement for synthetic fertilizer N: A global-scale analysis

Agronomy for Sustainable Development, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 40(1)

Published: Feb. 1, 2020

Abstract Planetary boundaries for terrestrial inputs of reactive nitrogen (Nr) are transgressed and reducing the input new Nr its environmental impacts major global challenges. Grain legumes fix dinitrogen (N 2 ) in symbiosis with soil bacteria use N sources, but often less efficient than cereals. Intercropping grain cereals may be a means increasing efficiency N. Here, we estimate sole cropped legume acquisition from to approximately 14.2 Tg year −1 , which corresponds one-third synthetic fertilizer (109 all crops, assuming that recover on average 40% Published data legume-cereal intercrop experiments, employing stable 15 isotope methods, have shown due competitive interactions complementary intercrops, more proportional share sources. As consequence, intercropped derives atmosphere, compared when it is grown as crop. We estimated increased intercropping can reduce requirements fossil-based by about 26% scale. In addition, our estimates indicate if current crops would instead cereals, potential net land saving achieved, also replacing part cereal crop area intercropping. has additional advantages such yield stability per unit area, reduced pest problems agrochemicals, while stimulating biodiversity. It concluded diversification consequently support development sustainable cropping systems.

Language: Английский

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Benefits and Risks of Intercropping for Crop Resilience and Pest Management

Journal of Economic Entomology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 115(5), P. 1350 - 1362

Published: March 11, 2022

To combat climate change, farmers must innovate through ecological intensification to boost food production, increase resilience weather extremes, and shrink the carbon footprint of agriculture. Intercropping (where alternative crops or noncrop plants are integrated with cash crops) can strengthen stabilize agroecosystems under change by improving resource use efficiency, enhancing soil water holding capacity, increasing diversity quality habitat for beneficial insects that provide pollination services natural pest control. Despite these benefits, intercropping has yet be widely adopted due perceived risks challenges including decreased crop yield, increased management complexity, a steep learning curve successful management, susceptibility pests. Here, we explore major benefits in agricultural systems control reported 24 meta-analyses, while addressing barriers implementation. Most studies demonstrate clear weed, pathogen, insect control, relative gross profitability. However, relatively few document ecosystem conferred intercrops alongside labor costs, which key economic sustainability farmers. In addition clearer demonstrations viability intercropping, also need strong technical financial support during adoption process help them troubleshoot site-specific complexities managing polycultures. Ecological agriculture requires more strategic approach than simplified production is not without challenges. Calibrating incentive programs reduce burdens risk could promote widespread intercropping.

Language: Английский

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Mainstreaming Smart Agroforestry for Social Forestry Implementation to Support Sustainable Development Goals in Indonesia: A Review

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 14(15), P. 9313 - 9313

Published: July 29, 2022

The increasing need for forest resources and cultivated land requires a solution in management to realize sustainable use. Smart agroforestry (SAF) is set of agriculture silviculture knowledge practices that aimed at not only profits resilience farmers but also improving environmental parameters, including climate change mitigation adaptation, biodiversity enhancement, soil water conservation, while assuring landscape management. SAF, systems reduce the rate deforestation, smart effort overcome food crisis mitigate prospectively applied mainly social forestry area. Optimized utilization could be achieved by implementing SAF applying silvicultural crop cultivation techniques optimize productivity meet sustainability adaptability goals. This paper reviews existing conditions, opportunities, challenges mainstreaming implementation support Sustainable Development Goals Indonesia. Mainstreaming should include policy innovation regulation implementation, use appropriate technology, compromises or trade-offs among benefits, risks, resources. strategy revive rural economy community prosperity through optimal local as well form land-use has significant roles bioenergy, responses, enhanced conservation.

Language: Английский

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Crop Diversification for Improved Weed Management: A Review

Agriculture, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 11(5), P. 461 - 461

Published: May 19, 2021

Weeds are among the major constraints to any crop production system, reducing productivity and profitability. Herbicides most effective methods control weeds, reliance on herbicides for weed has increased significantly with advent of herbicide-resistant crops. Unfortunately, over-reliance leads environmental-health issues causing human health ecological concerns. Crop diversification can help manage weeds sustainably in systems. It acts as an organizing principle under which technological innovations insights be combined sustainably. Diversified cropping defined conscious inclusion functional biodiversity at temporal and/or spatial levels improve stability ecosystem services. helps reduce density by negatively impacting seed germination growth. Additionally, diversified farming systems more resilient climate change than monoculture provide better yield. However, there a few challenges adopting ranging from technology innovations, government policies, farm-level decisions, change, market conditions. In this review, we discuss how supports sustainable management, associated it, future management respect concept.

Language: Английский

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Intercropping improves soil ecosystem multifunctionality through enhanced available nutrients but depends on regional factors

Plant and Soil, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 480(1-2), P. 71 - 84

Published: June 24, 2022

Language: Английский

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THE 4 C APPROACH AS A WAY TO UNDERSTAND SPECIES INTERACTIONS DETERMINING INTERCROPPING PRODUCTIVITY

Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 0(0), P. 0 - 0

Published: Jan. 1, 2021

● The 4C approach considers intercropping performances as the result of joint effects. Partial land equivalent ratios indicate which effect(s) are major one(s). A effect complementarity is related to a better capture abiotic resources. Modern agriculture needs develop transition pathways toward agroecological, resilient and sustainable farming systems. One key pathway for such agroecological intensification diversification cropping systems using notably cereal-grain legume mixtures. Such mixtures or intercrops have potential increase stabilize yields improve cereal grain protein concentration in comparison sole crops. Species complex both pedagogical scientific way represent combination four effects Competition, Complementarity, Cooperation, Compensation processes occurring simultaneously dynamically between species over whole cycle. Competition when plants fairly similar requirements resources space time, all that occur one has greater ability use limiting (e.g., nutrients, water, space, light) than others. Complementarity grown together different time form. Cooperation modification environment by beneficial other(s). failure compensated other(s) because they differ their sensitivity stress. allows assess performance arable versus classical through understanding

Language: Английский

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Nitrogen Distribution and Soil Microbial Community Characteristics in a Legume–Cereal Intercropping System: A Review

Agronomy, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 12(8), P. 1900 - 1900

Published: Aug. 13, 2022

Intercropping systems can flexibly use resources such as sunlight, heat, water, and nutrients in time space, improve crop yield land utilization rates, effectively reduce continuous cropping obstacles the occurrence of diseases insect pests, control growth weeds. Thus, intercropping is a safe efficient ecological planting mode. The legume–cereal system most common combination. Legume crops fix nitrogen from atmosphere through their symbiotic fixation abilities, fixed be transferred to utilized by cereal various ways. efficiency legume was improved reducing inhibition soil on nitrogenase activity competitive absorption nitrogen. However, effects transformation distribution microbial community structure characteristics transfer need further explored. In this review, (ⅰ) we present system; (ⅱ) describe systems; (ⅲ) discuss advantages using modern biological molecular techniques study microorganisms. We conclude that increase diversity microorganisms, interaction between different plants has an important impact composition bacterial fungal communities. extensive application research great contribution sustainable agriculture are particularly emphasized review.

Language: Английский

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A quantitative review into the contributions of biological nitrogen fixation to agricultural systems by grain legumes

European Journal of Agronomy, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 136, P. 126514 - 126514

Published: April 12, 2022

Language: Английский

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Leguminous plants significantly increase soil nitrogen cycling across global climates and ecosystem types

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 29(14), P. 4028 - 4043

Published: April 27, 2023

Abstract Leguminous plants are an important component of terrestrial ecosystems and significantly increase soil nitrogen (N) cycling availability, which affects productivity in most ecosystems. Clarifying whether the effects legumes on N vary with contrasting ecosystem types climatic regions is crucial for understanding predicting processes, but these currently unknown. By conducting a global meta‐analysis, we revealed that increased net mineralization rate ( R min ) by 67%, was greater than recently reported associated deposition (25%). This effect similar tropical (53%) temperate (81%) grasslands (151%) forests (74%) croplands (−3%) situ incubation (101%) or short‐term experiments (112%) laboratory (55%) long‐term (37%). Legumes influenced dependence fertilization experimental factors. The nonlegume soils, not legume soils. In addition, mean annual temperature, nutrients duration were smaller soils Collectively, our results highlighted significant positive cycling, indicated should be elucidated when addressing response to plants.

Language: Английский

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