Soil Productivity Degradation in a Long-Term Eroded Olive Orchard under Semiarid Mediterranean Conditions

González-Rosado, Manuel; Parras-Alcántara, Luis; Aguilera-Huertas, Jesús; Lozano‐García, Beatriz

doi:10.3390/agronomy11040812

Cited by 14 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 94 publications

(105 reference statements)

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“…Regarding crop management practices, the conventional and most widespread practice is the intensive and persistent removal of herbaceous cover using chemical methods (herbicides) (hereafter, "intensive management"). These types of practices are very aggressive for the soil, causing erosion and loss of tons of fertile soil every year (Castro et al, 2008;Gómez-Rosado et al, 2021). Conversely, other more environmentally respectful practices are notably increasing in the region, since the application of the most recent update to European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which entails the maintenance of spontaneous herbaceous cover, that is left to grow for most of the year (hereafter, "lowintensity management").…”

Section: Study Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This study does not evaluate olive farming intensification based on increased tree density (which considered traditional, intensive, and superintensive tree density frames) since in Andalusia (the largest region/area devoted to olive groves in the world) traditional tree density frames still represent 75% while superintensive hedge-like plantations only reach 2.5% of the land devoted to this crop (Vilar and Pereira, 2018). The removal of ground cover has raised strong environmental, sustainability and biodiversity concerns in Andalusia Moreno et al, 2009;Paredes et al, 2013;Sánchez-Moreno et al, 2015;Parras-Alcántara et al, 2016;Martínez-Núñez et al, 2020a,b;Gómez-Rosado et al, 2021;Tarifa et al, 2021; for some examples). Awareness of the environmental impact caused by bare soils in the olive cultivation sector is reflected also in European Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) (Díaz et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Persistence of Seed Dispersal in Agroecosystems: Effects of Landscape Modification and Intensive Soil Management Practices in Avian Frugivores, Frugivory and Seed Deposition in Olive Croplands

et al. 2021

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Farming impacts animal-mediated seed dispersal through mechanisms operating on at least two spatial scales. First, at the landscape scale, through habitat loss and land conversion to agriculture/livestock grazing, and second, at the farm scale, via a local intensification of agricultural practices. These two scales of farming impact seed dispersal function but have rarely been integrated. In particular, studies evaluating the effect of agriculture on the seed dispersal function of frugivorous birds in Mediterranean ecosystems are lacking. This study evaluates the role of landscape transformation, from fruit-rich woodland habitats to olive grove landscapes, together with local intensive practices of soil management on the persistence of the seed dispersal function for Mediterranean fleshy-fruited plants in olive landscapes of south Spain. We used bird censuses, mist-nets, and seed traps to characterize avian frugivore assemblages, frugivory, and seed deposition in the seminatural woodland habitat (SNWH) patches and olive fields of 40 olives farms spanning 20 localities distributed across the whole range of olive cultivation in Andalusia (southern Spain). We found that despite the remarkable dispersal function of olive grove landscapes, avian frugivore abundance and diversity, frugivory, and seed arrival decreased in olive fields compared to SNWH patches. Likewise, SNWH cover loss and/or olive growing expansion decreased avian frugivory and seed arrival. Interestingly, the habitat effects in the olive farms often depended on the landscape context. In particular, less diverse fruit-eating bird assemblages pooled in SNWH patches as olive grove cover increased or SNWH decreased in the landscape, while remaining relatively invariant in the olive fields. Finally, compared to conventional intensive agriculture, low-intensity management increased frugivory and seed deposition. We conclude that olive fields are less permeable to frugivores than expected due to the agroforest-like nature of these landscapes and that the presence of SNWH patches is crucial for the maintenance of frugivory and seed dispersal in agricultural landscapes. These results evidence that woodland habitat loss by olive expansion and intensive practices seriously threaten the dispersal service in olive-dominated landscapes. Maintenance, restoration, and promotion of woodland patches should be prioritized for the conservation of seed dispersal service and for enhancing the functional connectivity in human-shaped olive landscapes.

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Section: Study Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Persistence of Seed Dispersal in Agroecosystems: Effects of Landscape Modification and Intensive Soil Management Practices in Avian Frugivores, Frugivory and Seed Deposition in Olive Croplands

et al. 2021

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“…The intensification process of the agricultural farming system is a response to the world population growth and the new food consumption pattern in recent decades [1,2]. In order to increase the crop productivity, a series of changes in mechanisation, the use of fertilisers and pesticides, and the establishment of mono-cropping have been implemented with the aim of maximised production [3,4]. Looking back through history, it is evident that soil degradation and desertification are not new issues [5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

No-Tillage Does Not Always Stop the Soil Degradation in Relation to Aggregation and Soil Carbon Storage in Mediterranean Olive Orchards

et al. 2022

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Intensive tillage (CT) application in Mediterranean olive orchards has threatened soil quality and led to soil degradation. No tillage with bare soil (NT+H) has been considered as an alternative practice to this management system; however, there are discrepancies in the literature on the results of the application of this practice. Our main objective was to assess the impact of continuous tillage and zero tillage on soil aggregate stability, SOC and SON stocks. The study was conducted in a Mediterranean rainfed olive grove under semi-arid conditions in a Calcaric Cambisol, for 16 years evaluating complete soil profiles (0–120 cm depth). In the long-term, the management practices CT1 and NT+H significantly affected aggregate particle size by reducing the percentage of macro-aggregates (>250 μm) and promoting a higher number of micro-aggregates (<250 μm). Nevertheless, NT+H affected the Bw and BC horizons with the increase in the large macroaggregates (>2000 μm) percentage. In relation to these results, the soil structural stability indices showed a significant decrease in both Mean Weight Diameter (MWD) and Geometric Mean Diameter (GMD) values with losses of more than 50% with respect to the initial period (CT0) in the first two horizons. In the long term, both in CT1 and in NT+H, higher SOC concentrations were found in deep horizons showing a C redistribution in depth and important losses in TN values—while, in CT0, macroaggregates contained the highest CPC values, after the long-term both management practices (CT1 and NT+H) affected the C dynamics and were characterised by higher C pool in the microaggregates than in the macroaggregate fractions. Therefore, long-term NT+H and CT1 showed an SOC storage deterioration and increased susceptibility to decomposition, CO2 emissions and fertility losses. This trend i.e., decreases in SOC stocks following NT, confirms previous studies on the subject and points to nutrient balance impacts.

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“…Agriculture is one of the main sectors in the emission of greenhouse gases worldwide; in Spain, this sector is responsible for 12% of total emissions, and they have increased by 8% since 1990 [20]. However, the agricultural sector has a great potential to contribute to the reduction of emissions and become a key sector for mitigating the effects of climate change [21].Sustainable management practices implementation are not only important to mitigate CO 2 emissions and increase the C sequestration rate in agricultural soils [22] but also to enhance soil organic matter sustainable practices to improve soil quality by increasing soil fertility [23][24][25], water holding capacity [26,27] resistance to prolonged drought periods [28] and erosion processes [29]. The implementation of sustainable management practices will be of crucial importance to achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal [30] and Horizon Europe Mission on Soil health and Food [31].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Building an Agroecological Process towards Agricultural Sustainability: A Case Study from Southern Spain

et al. 2021

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The urgent need to implement agricultural systems that provide greater sustainability and resilience to the challenges of the climate change process has meant that alternative paradigms for agri-food systems and agriculture have become more relevant in recent times. In this study, we present the building process and consolidation of an agro-ecological project (Extiercol) in a rural area of southern Spain, with a prolonged depopulation process and close connections to nearby urban areas. Through participatory action research, the specific objectives of this study are (1) to describe the agroecological collective process from its creation by a youth association to its establishment as a viable agricultural project; (2) to identify the drivers for the development of this type of transition process towards agricultural sustainability and (3) to analyse urban-rural alliances in the establishment of agroecological projects. Finally, the replicability of this project was assessed, with a special focus on the main barriers to be addressed in order to implement this agricultural system such as difficult to land access or a negative perception of sustainable management by farmers. Through this study we have shown how the connection between the food production area and nearby urban areas can be achieved through an agroecological project.

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Soil Productivity Degradation in a Long-Term Eroded Olive Orchard under Semiarid Mediterranean Conditions

Cited by 14 publications

References 94 publications

Persistence of Seed Dispersal in Agroecosystems: Effects of Landscape Modification and Intensive Soil Management Practices in Avian Frugivores, Frugivory and Seed Deposition in Olive Croplands

Persistence of Seed Dispersal in Agroecosystems: Effects of Landscape Modification and Intensive Soil Management Practices in Avian Frugivores, Frugivory and Seed Deposition in Olive Croplands

No-Tillage Does Not Always Stop the Soil Degradation in Relation to Aggregation and Soil Carbon Storage in Mediterranean Olive Orchards

Building an Agroecological Process towards Agricultural Sustainability: A Case Study from Southern Spain

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