Beyond organic farming – harnessing biodiversity-friendly landscapes

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 36(10), P. 919 - 930

Published: Aug. 3, 2021

Biodiversity continues to decline rapidly, despite decades of repeated national and international policy efforts. Agricultural intensification is a major driver biodiversity losses, while conversion organic farming has been suggested as key technique halt or reverse this trend.In contrast widespread view, certified agriculture raises local richness species by just third when compared conventional farming. This achieved through waiving synthetic agrochemicals, but leads considerable yield requiring the more land obtain similar yields.Diversifying cropland reducing field size on landscape level can multiply in both without productivity.Complementing such increases heterogeneity with at least 20% seminatural habitat per should be recommendation current frameworks. We challenge appraisal that fundamental alternative for harnessing agricultural landscapes. Certification production largely restricted banning resulting limited benefits high losses ongoing specialisation. In contrast, successful measures enhance include diversifying size, which sustaining yields systems. Achieving landscape-level mosaic natural patches fine-grained diversification promoting large-scale biodiversity. needs urgently acknowledged makers an paradigm shift. decline, implementation conservation conventions, Convention Biological Diversity (1992), UN Decade (2011–2020), many other schemes, had little success [1.Kleijn D. et al.Does farmland contribute halting decline?.Trends Ecol. Evol. 2011; 26: 474-481Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (0) Google Scholar,2.Pe'er G. al.Adding some green greening: improving EU's ecological focus areas farmers.Conserv. Lett. 2017; 10: 517-530Crossref Scholar]. Agriculture considered main cause global [3.Sánchez-Bayo F. Wyckhuys K.A.G. Worldwide entomofauna: A review its drivers.Biol. 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Designing biodiversity-based services.Basic Appl. 18: 1-12Crossref (262) 9.Grass I. al.Land-sharing/-sparing connectivity services conservation.People Nat. 1: 262-272Google 10.Grass al.Combining land-sparing land-sharing European landscapes.Adv. Res. 2021; 64: 251-303Crossref (14) Scholar]; is, shift agriculture. Certified farming, agrochemicals [11.Seufert V. Ramankutty N. Many shades gray – context-dependent performance agriculture.Sci. Adv. 3e1602638Crossref Scholar] achieve sustainability general particular, often claimed [12.Niggli Sustainability production: challenges innovations.Proc. Nutr. Soc. 74: 83-88Crossref (39) 13.Bosshard A. International Federation Organic Movements IFOAM Guide Landscape Quality Agriculture. IFOAM, 2009Google 14.Geiger al.Persistent negative pesticides biological control potential farmland.Basic 2010; 11: 97-105Crossref (724) However, contribution stop appears exaggerated public perception [15.Hole D.G. benefit biodiversity?.Biol. 2005; 122: 113-130Crossref Scholar,16.Schneider M.K. al.Gains organically farmed are not propagated farm level.Nat. Commun. 2014; 5: 4151Crossref (64) fact, switching from practices [17.Tuck S.L. al.Land-use intensity biodiversity: hierarchical meta-analysis.J. 51: 746-755Crossref (367) so needed produce same amount Scholar,18.Meemken E.-M. Qaim M. agriculture, environment.Annu. Rev. Resour. Econ. 2018; 39-63Crossref (82) Surprisingly, wealth biodiversity-friendly implemented have far poorly adopted [19.Kleijn al.Ecological intensification: bridging gap between science practice.Trends 34: 154-166Abstract (147) 20.Sirami C. al.Increasing enhances multitrophic regions.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 116: 16442-16447Crossref 21.Batary P. al.Landscape-moderated importance hedges conserving bird vs. croplands grasslands.Biol. 143: 2020-2027Crossref (102) 22.Haan N.L. al.Designing arthropod-based North America.Adv. 191-250Crossref (1) 23.Boetzl F.A. multitaxa assessment effectiveness agri-environmental schemes management.Proc. 118: 1-9Crossref (3) Here, we restoring After considering essential propose effective solutions towards friendly ways integrate scales existing well policies. On average, world's crops ~34% abundance ~50% Scholar,24.Bengtsson J. al.The abundance: 42: 261-269Crossref Scholar,25.Smith O.M. al.Landscape context affects systems.Proc. 2020; 117: 2870-2878Crossref (12) plants bees benefitting most arthropods birds smaller degree Benefits also vary type strives environmental benefits, soil fertility biodiversity, prohibits fertilisers, pesticides, genetically modified organisms Scholar,12.Niggli Scholar,26.Mäder al.Soil farming.Science. 2002; 296: 1694-1697Crossref (1744) replacement herbicides mechanical weeding important conservation, because weed cover [27.Roschewitz complexity arable farming.J. 873-882Crossref (283) 28.Clough Y. al.Alpha beta conventionally managed wheat fields.J. 2007; 44: 804-812Crossref (143) 29.Holzschuh al.Agricultural support pollinator diversity.Oikos. 2008; 354-361Crossref 30.Batáry former Iron Curtain drives biodiversity-profit trade-offs German agriculture.Nat. 1279-1284Crossref (69) Practices diversification, fields, manure, low fertiliser input, restoration elements recommended organisations prevalent than farms [31.Fuller R.J. al.Benefits among taxa.Biol. 431-434Crossref (209) Scholar,32.Holzschuh al.Diversity flower-visiting cereal fields: system, composition regional context.J. 41-49Crossref they formal part certification regulations [33.Tscharntke al.Conserving tropical agroforestry scales.Conserv. 8: 14-23Crossref Mainstreaming public, pushed policies NGO activities, play role success, empathy trust schemes. Lastly, products profitable farmers, consumers, governments, pay premium prices Scholar,30.Batáry Scholar,34.Reganold J.P. Wachter J.M. twenty-first century.Nat. Plants. 2016; 2: 1-8Crossref (464) there limitations reduced misconceptions about pesticide use, taxon-specific commercial production. While waste meat consumption security lower additional obstacles [35.Gabriel al.Food comparing agriculture.J. 2013; 50: 355-364Crossref (134) When measured unit necessary defined output (e.g., number kilograms produced) simply hectare wheat), disappear [10.Grass Scholar,36.Kremen Reframing land-sparing/land-sharing debate conservation.Ann. 1355: 52-76Crossref (207) Globally all crops, 19–25% [18.Meemken Vegetables cereals show highest gaps [37.Seufert al.Comparing agriculture.Nature. 485: 229-232Crossref (1006) up 50% decrease [30.Batáry Scholar,35.Gabriel however, fruits oilseed Moreover, it myth principally waive pesticides. Pesticides allowed under labels long derived substances rather ones Widespread insecticides used pyrethrin, chrysanthemum, azadirachtin Asian neem tree. Copper sulfate applied cope fungal bacterial diseases, example, vineyards, orchards, vegetables [38.Nascimbene al.Organic plant vineyard located intensive landscapes.Environ. Manag. 49: 1054-1060Crossref (38) persistent accumulates soils [39.Tamm L. al.Reduktion von Pflanzenschutzmitteln der Schweiz: Beitrag des Biolandbaus.Agrarforschung Schweiz. 52–59Google Natural do much damage [40.Biondi al.Using organic-certified may safer agents: selectivity side 14 predator Orius laevigatus.Chemosphere. 87: 803-812Crossref (305) vast majority rarely treated potatoes, vegetables, hops, grapes, regularly heavily For instance, spraying grapes apples shown less Scholar,39.Tamm Overall, suggests smart application strategies use Integrated Pest Pollinator Management techniques) regardless [14.Geiger Scholar,41.Tscharntke al.When fails pest Five hypotheses.Biol. 204: 449-458Crossref (241) Scholar,42.Müller Impacts sublethal insecticide exposure insects facts knowledge gaps.Basic 30: 1-10Crossref (56) Similarly, harmful overfertilisation occurs mineral manure [43.Klimek al.Additive partitioning respect regime, fertilisation abiotic factors.Basic 9: 626-634Crossref (45) Importantly, spectrum [5.Lichtenberg Scholar,44.Forrest J.R.K. al.Contrasting patterns functional-trait landscape.J. 52: 706-715Crossref noncrop due missing herbicides, whereas mobile, landscape-dependent insect populations Furthermore, applications common great habitats. These habitats hedges, herbaceous boundaries, traditional, uneconomic agroecosystems calcareous orchard meadows [21.Batary Scholar,45.Weibull A.-C. butterflies landscape: system heterogeneity.Ecography. 2000; 743-750Crossref meta-analysis agrienvironment found off-field measures, margins hedgerows, twice in-field [46.Batáry agri-environment management.Conserv. 29: 1006-1016Crossref (419) diversity, butterfly [45.Weibull Increasing hedge length 250 m one 12 species, increasingly intensified, specialised, away idealism enthusiasm original movement (Figure 1). family characterised beginning movement, modern huge monocultures, resembling fields. come sterile greenhouse blocks cultures plastic sheets, covering entire Almeria Province (Spain) heart Europe's where >50% grown proportion increasing over last decade 1.4% 10.3% [47.Dundas Farming "Supersized": An Imperfect Solution Planet?.2019Google Further examples landscape-damaging produced blocks, favourably doubling extending growing seasons, cost [48.Chang greenhouses beyond supply?.Front. Environ. 43-49Crossref above suggest silver bullet Diversifying pollination, Scholar,49.Rosa-Schleich al.Ecological-economic Diversified Systems review.Ecol. 160: 251-263Crossref (41) Scholar,50.Tamburini promotes multiple compromising yield.Sci. 6eaba1715Crossref (Table 1 Table 2). land, particular Europe America, shaped short rotations simplify techniques specialise best-selling products. Diverse dominated after maize maize), three standard sequences wheat, barley, rape [51.Steinmann H.-H. Dobers E.S. Spatio-temporal analysis sequence Northern Germany: implications health protection.J. Plant Dis. Prot. 120: 85-94Crossref (37) Scholar,52.Bennett A.J. al.Meeting demand rotations.Biol. 52-71Crossref (247) Scholar]). simplified deplete soils, promote infestations, resistance applications, risk resource bottlenecks pollinators biocontrol agents [53.Schellhorn N.A. al.Time will tell: continuity bolsters services.Trends 524-530Abstract (133) increase declines [52.Bennett provided mixed pattern alone combined practices, wildflower strips, effectively stability pollination 54.Rundlöf al.Late-season mass-flowering red clover bumble bee queen male densities.Biol. 172: 138-145Crossref 55.Westphal al.Mass flowering improves early colony growth sexual reproduction bumblebees.J. 2009; 46: 187-193Crossref Globally, 15% longer (4.5 instead 3.8 years). Still, average 48% [56.Barbieri farming.Sci. Rep. 7: Diversification multicropping reduce 8–9% [57.Ponisio L.C. al.Diversification gap.Proc. R. B 282: 20141396Crossref could longer, 7-year period [26.Mäder uptake [58.Seufert al.Current contributions system.Agroecosyst. Divers. 2019: 435-452Crossref (7) Instead, trend intensify Scholar,59.Garibaldi L.A. Pérez-Méndez Positive outcomes employment worldwide.Ecol. 164: 106358Crossref (18) Scholar].Table 1Biodiversity scales, illustrated meta-analyses syntheses showing quantified estimatesMeasuresQuantified findingsRefsLocal scaleOff-field vs measuresMeasures areas, roughly enhancing richnes

Language: Английский

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Disentangling the numbers behind agriculture-driven tropical deforestation

Science, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 377(6611)

Published: Sept. 8, 2022

Tropical deforestation continues at alarming rates with profound impacts on ecosystems, climate, and livelihoods, prompting renewed commitments to halt its continuation. Although it is well established that agriculture a dominant driver of deforestation, mechanisms remain disputed often lack clear evidence base. We synthesize the best available pantropical provide clarity how drives deforestation. most (90 99%) across tropics 2011 2015 was driven by agriculture, only 45 65% deforested land became productive within few years. Therefore, ending likely requires combining measures create deforestation-free supply chains landscape governance interventions. highlight key remaining gaps including trends, commodity-specific land-use dynamics, data from tropical dry forests Africa.

Language: Английский

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Agroecology as a transformative approach to tackle climatic, food, and ecosystemic crises

Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 62, P. 101275 - 101275

Published: March 30, 2023

Language: Английский

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Global agricultural trade and land system sustainability: Implications for ecosystem carbon storage, biodiversity, and human nutrition

One Earth, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 4(10), P. 1425 - 1443

Published: Oct. 1, 2021

Global land systems are increasingly shaped by international trade of agricultural products. An increasing number studies have quantified the implications for single different aspects system sustainability. Bringing together across sustainability dimensions, this review investigates how global flows affected and resulting impacts on food nutrient availability, natural habitat conversion, biodiversity loss, ecosystem carbon storage. We show that effects highly heterogeneous regions commodities, revealing both synergies trade-offs between improved nutrition environmental conservation. For instance, we find while concentration cereal production in North America has spared land, increased demand tropical products induced negatively impacted ecosystems. Based current state knowledge, identify six pathways future research can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding positively meeting goals.

Language: Английский

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Agroforestry-Based Ecosystem Services: Reconciling Values of Humans and Nature in Sustainable Development

Land, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 10(7), P. 699 - 699

Published: July 2, 2021

Agroforestry as active area of multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary research aims to bridge several artificial divides that have respectable historical roots but hinder progress toward sustainable development goals. These include: (1) The segregation “forestry trees” “agricultural crops”, ignoring the continuity in functional properties functions; farm-scale “Agroforestry-1” concept seeks reconnect perennial annual, woody nonwoody plants across forest–agriculture divide markets for inputs outputs. (2) identification agriculture with provisioning services assumed monopoly forests on other ecosystem (including hydrology, carbon storage, biodiversity conservation) landscape, challenged by opportunity “integrated” solutions at landscape scale “Agroforestry-2” explores. (3) gaps among local knowledge farmers/agroforesters managers, contributions social ecological sciences, path-dependency forestry, environmental or agricultural institutions, emerging policy responses “issue attention cycles” public debate, is focus “Agroforestry-3” concept. Progress understanding social–ecological–economic systems practitioners–science–policy interface requires both instrumental relational values nature are appreciated, they complement critical steps progressing issue cycles three scales. A set hypotheses can guide further research.

Language: Английский

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Financial profitability of diversified farming systems: A global meta-analysis

Ecological Economics, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 201, P. 107595 - 107595

Published: Sept. 1, 2022

Diversified farming systems are promoted as a pathway to more sustainable agricultural production. Yet widescale adoption may be slow because of uncertainty about the viability farmer livelihoods on diversified farms and entrenched perceptions that monocultures key making profitable. Here, global meta-analysis 3192 effect sizes from 119 peer-reviewed articles provides evidence at least profitable simplified systems. Our study showed that, average, total costs, gross income profits (net income, or margin) were higher in relative ones, while benefit-cost ratio was equivalent. These results held developed developing countries across geographic regions. From subset 43 reporting labour inputs, we found costs increased systems, but so did incomes leading farm equivalent those dispelling myths requirements undermine diversification. compelling not only viable actually economically preferable wide range contexts represented this study. Policies, markets, investments, value chains need align with promote for benefit farmers rural economies.

Language: Английский

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Theobroma cacao L. cultivar CCN 51: a comprehensive review on origin, genetics, sensory properties, production dynamics, and physiological aspects

PeerJ, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 10, P. e12676 - e12676

Published: Jan. 5, 2022

Many decades of improvement in cacao have aided to obtain cultivars with characteristics tolerance diseases, adaptability different edaphoclimatic conditions, and higher yields. In Ecuador, as a result several breeding programs, the clone CCN 51 was obtained, which gradually expanded through cacao-production regions Colombia, Brazil Peru. Recognized for its high yield environments, it has become one most popular clones programs cultivation around world. This review aims summarize current evidence on origin, genetics, morphological, volatile compounds, organoleptic this clone. Physiological evidence, production dynamics, floral biology are also included explain 51. Thus, such osmotic adjustment, long pollen longevity, fruit formation further discussed associated at end dry period. Finally, impact future industry will be highlighting major challenges flavor enhancement relevance platform identification novel genetic markers cultivar programs.

Language: Английский

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Shade tree trait diversity and functions in agroforestry systems: A review of which traits matter

Journal of Applied Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 61(6), P. 1159 - 1173

Published: April 9, 2024

Abstract Shade trees in agroforestry systems confer ecosystem services, such as enhanced soil fertility from diverse litter inputs, microclimate regulation via shade, and disease mitigation through trophic abiotic interactions. With this thriving role of sustainable agriculture, particularly for tree crops, systematic reliable methods to select shade specific agroecosystem outcomes are crucial. Plant functional traits offer a framework describe, manage trees. Over the last decade, leaf whole plant have been assessed systems. Yet, we lack amalgamated information on (i) what know about trait relationships with functions achieve desired outcomes, (ii) how decades selection by farmers impacts agroforests inter‐ intraspecific diversity, (iii) which should be considered achieving farmer priorities. We consolidate literature Coffea arabica (coffee) Theobroma cacao (cocoa) summarize three key functions: fertility, modification crop productivity. compile global regional datasets diversity show space species compared overall observed plants. Despite, or maybe because of, high characterization remains coarse commonly measured at community scale literature. Based published data, that adjust composition increase recycling nutrients (high nitrogen), production wood (skewing towards lower densities) fruits (tendency seed size). Common coffee cocoa fall mid‐range acquisitive conservative strategies, providing evidence expanding portfolios can improve, even accelerate, functions. Synthesis applications : trait‐environment relationships, propose matrix influence desirable farmers, guide fine‐scale coordination expression

Language: Английский

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Shade tree functional traits drive critical ecosystem services in cocoa agroforestry systems

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 372, P. 109090 - 109090

Published: June 5, 2024

The inclusion of shade trees into cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) systems can generate livelihood opportunities for smallholder farmers. Yet, there is the need to examine ecological context within which trees, and their functional traits, have a positive impact on ecosystem services in systems. Here, we used network farms similar aged hybrid cocoa, nested design consisting agroforestry or monoculture management, three initial soil quality levels (poor, moderate good) two agroecological zones (humid sub-humid) investigate whether tree traits are linked with soil-based cocoa-based services. Initial level was main driver differences organic matter, N, C:N, total C, permanganate-oxidizable while zone largely explained yield aboveground C. increased macrofauna abundance mass but decreased C compared plots. Importantly, systems, leaf expressed as community weighted means SLA, dry matter content These results show that potential enhance without notably decreasing yield. And trait-based approach describe diversity advance our understanding management tree-ecosystem service relationships

Language: Английский

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Food-energy-water nexus of different cacao production systems from a LCA approach

Journal of Cleaner Production, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 304, P. 126941 - 126941

Published: April 9, 2021

This study presents an evaluation of the food-energy-water nexus (FEWn), complemented by a thorough life cycle assessment (LCA), four young cacao production systems: two full-sun monocultures and agroforestry systems under conventional organic management. Land footprint (LF) for food production, non-renewable cumulative energy demand (NR CED) energy, total water (TWF) water, three efficiency indicators FEWn were all analysed. In addition, ten LCA impact categories evaluated in relation to functional units (kilograms output kilograms crop output, i.e., + other crops). The integrated analysis framework reveals how management report better environmental performances almost considered, except TWF. However, given that analysed have no irrigation, between 96.3% 99.8% TWF corresponds green soil moisture from precipitation. Green has lower impacts opportunity costs than used manufacture inputs (WFinput). Accordingly, when is measured WFinput, organically managed produce more food/energy per unit used. Our results show diversification cultural practices can improve reduce use associated with and, consequently, nexus, as well rest design agricultural policies focused on sustainability should strongly favour establishment systems, particularly those are managed.

Language: Английский

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