Agroecology landscapes

Abstract

Context Agroecology combines agronomic and ecological concepts. It relies on the enhancement of biodiversity and related ecosystem services to support agricultural production. It is dependent on biological interactions for the design and management of agricultural systems in agricultural landscapes. Objectives We review the role of landscape ecology to understand and promote biodiversity, pest regulation and crop pollination for the designing of “agroecology landscapes”. We illustrate the use of landscape ecological methods for supporting agroforestry systems as an example of agroecological development, and we propose pathways to implement agroecology at landscape scale. Methods The state of the art of how landscape ecology contributes to agroecology development is summarized based on a literature review. Results Agroecology requires thinking beyond the field scale to consider the positioning, quality and connectivity of fields and semi-natural habitats at larger spatial scales. The spatial and temporal organisation of semi-natural elements and the crop mosaic interact. Understanding this interaction is the pre-requisite for promoting patterns and mechanisms that foster biodiversity and ecosystem service provision. Promoting agroecological practices beyond individual farm borders can be rooted in a bottom-up approach from agroecological lighthouse farms to farm networks to amplify agroecology adoption at the landscape scale. Conclusions Achieving agricultural landscapes composed of fields and farms following agroecological management requires understanding of biodiversity patterns, biological interactions and mechanisms that determine and boost ecosystem functioning to improve services at landscape scale, involving farmers in a bottom-up and context-specific approach.

Flower strips, crop management and landscape composition effects on two aphid species and their natural enemies in faba bean

“…Coccinella septempunctata, (Hodek et al, 2012); Episyrphus balteatus, Sphaerophoria scripta (Raymond et al, 2014)) and might therefore be disadvantaged by tillage. For these species, a perennial strip would provide a less disturbed complementary habitat with resources non-substitutable from those in different habitats (Ganser et al, 2019 ;Jeanneret et al, 2021). Moreover, some predators and parasitoids need pollen and nectar resources to extend their longevity and fecundity (He et al, 2021).…”

Can Agroecology Provide a Panacea for Sustaining the Adoption of Soil Erosion Control Measures? A Case of Smallholder <em>Coffea arabica</em> Production in the Rwenzori Mountain Region Uganda

“…They considered the local context which is important in fulfilling the social, economic, and ecological aspects [18,44]. Thus, the measures recommended by the farmer institutions were more adopted as has been proposed by [19]. This confirms that soil erosion control measures conforming to the agroecology elements 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 can be sustainably adopted as opposed to those that do not.…”

“…As a response, several studies on enabling adoption, have recommended context-specific approaches to address the complexities associated with dynamics brought about by varying social, economic, and environmental elements which vary both in space and time [12,[14][15][16]. To attain context fit, agroecology has been presented as a holistic approach [17][18][19].…”

Impacts of Intercropped Maize Ecological Shading on Tea Foliar and Functional Components, Insect Pest Diversity and Soil Microbes

“…This is an important point in pastoral landscape design: it is not a separate existence but a mutual influence. Agroforestry combines the use of trees with annual crops or fodder plants on the same piece of land that build up synergies, which leads to a higher resilience and allows crops to maintain long-term productivity [ 49 ].…”