Ecosystem services and the resilience of agricultural landscapes

Bennett, Elena M.; Baird, Julia; Baulch, Helen M.; Chaplin‐Kramer, Rebecca; Fraser, Evan D. G.; Loring, Phil; Morrison, Peter; Parrott, Lael; Sherren, Kate; Winkler, Klara J.; Cimon-Morin, Jérôme; Fortin, Marie-José; Kurylyk, Barret L.; Lundholm, Jeremy; Poulin, Monique; Rieb, Jesse T.; Gonzalez, Andrew; Hickey, Gordon M.; Humphries, Murray M.; Kc, Krishna Bahadur; Lapen, David R.

doi:10.1016/bs.aecr.2021.01.001

Cited by 65 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 146 publications

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“…Agricultural landscape has changed drastically towards the modernization of farming systems with the intensification of agriculture, which has led to a loss of resilience and lack of sustainability in agroecosystems (Altieri et al 2011;Bennett et al 2021). In Europe, agricultural landscape are characterized by the use of external inputs, land concentration and difficulties in land accessibility for new farmers (Castro et al 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Participatory collective farming as a leverage point for fostering human-nature connectedness

Pérez-Ramírez

García‐Llorente

Portilla

et al. 2021

Ecosystems and People

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Human-nature connectedness is key to foster environmental and socio-cultural sustainability in agricultural landscapes since it promotes the establishment of belonging, stewardship, and connections to nature. Cooperation, collective action, and the role of women at sustainable agroecological practices could be leverage points in which small interventions may hold great potential for system transformation. We analyse the different types of human-nature connectedness mediated by the Agrolab participatory collective farming initiative running in Madrid (Spain). Our results described and quantified a participatory collective farming initiative using the leverage point perspective, and identified factors explaining nature relatedness of participants (i.e. social importance of agricultural landscapes, linkages with farming activities, time spent outdoors, gender and a negative relationship with the rural residence). We found that women showed a stronger and broader worldview on the philosophical arguments about their connection with nature, while men identified themselves and nature through more cognitive responses. Our results give indication of participatory collecting farming as a leverage point to foster human-nature connectedness. Finally, we discussed how participatory collective farming activities are suitable for introducing nature into people's daily lives and may help to identify pathways towards a stronger human-nature connectedness.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Participatory collective farming as a leverage point for fostering human-nature connectedness

Pérez-Ramírez

García‐Llorente

Portilla

et al. 2021

Ecosystems and People

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show abstract

“…Expanding our assessments of food systems innovations to include a variety of social and environmental indicators, from quality of employment to greenhouse gasses and water quality, is essential if we are to effectively identify sustainable solutions that decomplexify our food systems while also addressing current and future food needs (Bennett et al, 2021;Reganold & Wachter, 2016).…”

Section: Conclusion: Getting Complexity Under Controlmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indicators of Complexity and Over-complexification in Global Food Systems

Loring¹,

Sanyal²

2021

Preprint

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Global food systems have increased in complexity significantly since the mid-20th century, through such innovations as mechanization, irrigation, genetic modification, and the globalization of supply chains. While complexification can be an effective problem-solving strategy, over-complexification can cause environmental degradation and lead systems to become increasingly dependent on external subsidies and vulnerable to collapse. Here, we explore a wide array of evidence of complexification and over-complexification in contemporary global food systems, drawing on data from the Food and Agriculture Organization and elsewhere. We find that food systems in developed, emerging, and least developed countries have all followed a trajectory of complexification, but that return on investments for energy and other food system inputs have significantly declined—a key indicator of over-complexification. Food systems in developed countries are further along in the process of over-complexification than least developed and emerging countries. Recent agricultural developments, specifically the introduction of genetically modified crops, have not altered this trend or improved return on investments for inputs into food systems. Similarly, emerging innovations belonging to the “digital agricultural revolution” are likewise accompanied by energy demands that may further exacerbate over-complexification. To reverse over-complexification, we discuss strategies including innovation by subtraction, agroecology, and disruptive technology.

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“…Human actions have caused a global biodiversity crisis with rapid and widespread rates of biodiversity decline (Dirzo et al, 2014; van Klink et al, 2020; Wagner et al, 2021; Wepprich et al, 2019). Simultaneously, humans are faced with the challenge of sustainably and equitably supporting a growing human population (Bennett et al, 2021; Foley et al, 2011; Kremen & Merenlander, 2018). Agricultural landscapes are the greatest source of biodiversity loss and have the greatest potential for sustainable conservation (IPBES, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimizing pollinator conservation and crop yield among perennial bioenergy crops

2021

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In order to both combat the decline of biodiversity and produce food, fuel, and fiber for a growing human population, current agricultural landscapes must transition into diversified, multifunctional systems. Perennial cellulosic biofuel crops have potential to meet both of these challenges, acting as multifunctional systems that can enhance biodiversity. What is not well understood, and what we test here, are the tradeoffs among different perennial crops in their performance as biofuels and in biodiversity conservation. Working in an established bioenergy experiment with four native, perennial, cellulosic biofuel crop varieties—ranging from monoculture to diverse restoration planting—we tested the effect of biofuel crop management on flower communities, pollinator communities, and crop yield. The greatest abundance and diversity of pollinators and flowers were in treatments that were successional (unmanaged), followed by restored prairie (seeded mix of native grasses and forbs), switchgrass, and a mix of native grasses. However, biofuel crop yield was approximately the inverse, with native grasses having the highest yield, followed by switchgrass and prairie, then successional treatments. Restored prairie was the optimal biofuel crop when both pollinator conservation and crop yield are valued similarly. We add to mounting evidence that policy is needed to create sustainable markets that value the multifunctionality of perennial biofuel systems in order to achieve greater ecosystem services from agricultural landscapes.

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Ecosystem services and the resilience of agricultural landscapes

Cited by 65 publications

References 146 publications

Participatory collective farming as a leverage point for fostering human-nature connectedness

Participatory collective farming as a leverage point for fostering human-nature connectedness

Indicators of Complexity and Over-complexification in Global Food Systems

Optimizing pollinator conservation and crop yield among perennial bioenergy crops

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