Agricultural diversification promotes multiple ecosystem services without compromising yield

Abstract

Enhancing biodiversity in cropping systems is suggested to promote ecosystem services, thereby reducing dependency on agronomic inputs while maintaining high crop yields. We assess the impact of several diversification practices in cropping systems on above- and belowground biodiversity and ecosystem services by reviewing 98 meta-analyses and performing a second-order meta-analysis based on 5160 original studies comprising 41,946 comparisons between diversified and simplified practices. Overall, diversification enhances biodiversity, pollination, pest control, nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and water regulation without compromising crop yields. Practices targeting aboveground biodiversity boosted pest control and water regulation, while those targeting belowground biodiversity enhanced nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and water regulation. Most often, diversification practices resulted in win-win support of services and crop yields. Variability in responses and occurrence of trade-offs highlight the context dependency of outcomes. Widespread adoption of diversification practices shows promise to contribute to biodiversity conservation and food security from local to global scales.

Species traits elucidate crop pest response to landscape composition: a global analysis

“…The identification of locally adapted sustainable farming practices (e.g. diversification of crop varieties, switch to perennial crops) might promote the biocontrol of both native habitat generalists and exotic pests [50][51][52]. As the threat of exotic species invasions is expected to increase with the intensification of international trade in the next decades [53,54], there is an urgent need to prevent or reduce establishment of new invaders and to develop innovative plant protection strategies for the control of emerging pests released from their coevolved antagonists.…”

Plant Biodiversity and Genetic Resources Matter!

“…Relying on only a handful crops and on the enormous advances in plant breeding to feed the global population has greatly improved (global) food security, but has also contributed to malnutrition and has left farmers vulnerable to climate change. A meta-analysis of over 5000 original studies led Tamburini et al [43] to the conclusion that agricultural "diversification enhances biodiversity, pollination, pest control, nutrient cycling, soil fertility, and water regulation without compromising crop yields". Multispecies cropping systems constitute practical applications of ecological principles based on biodiversity, plant interactions, and other natural regulation mechanisms [44], and may lead to higher productivity, yield stability, ecological sustainability, and resilience to disruptions caused by climate change and other natural events.…”

Human-Mediated Land Use Change Drives Intraspecific Plant Trait Variation

“…In those cases where wild plants are better defended than domesticated plants, it is likely that at the landscape scale, herbivores would prefer crop-host over non-crop-hosts, this way reducing herbivore pressure on the wild plants. Additionally, pest control methods ranging from intercropping ( Tamburini et al, 2020 ) to the use of pesticides in cultivated crops could decrease the overall abundance of herbivores, leading to reduced herbivory in adjacent wild relatives. A long term, broad scale study in China found that the increased spatial and temporal use of Bt cotton did not just reduce the pest pressure of cotton bollworm ( Helicoverpa armigera ) on cotton, but also on other crops such as corn, peanuts and other vegetables attacked by this pest ( Wu et al, 2008 ).…”