Considerations for Robust Agroecosystems
Biodiversity & Agricultural Systems
Concerningly, some core areas of our agricultural system have the highest risk for disruption when put under pressure. These failures could lead to nutritional needs of the world’s population not being met. We should ask ourselves what constitutes a robust agroecosystem—robust, as in, “capable of performing without failure under a wide range of conditions”. To maintain and increase our agricultural output to meet food demand globally, we must maintain biodiversity within each ecosystem and industry. A further examination finds that there are several changes that can be made to provide better security through the entire agricultural process.
Agricultural systems are supported by specific inputs including nutrients, temperature, water levels, microbes, and pollinators. Monoculture fields, which are expanding, make it harder for these needs to be met naturally. Ecosystems surrounding agricultural areas can also impact their yield and stability. Many studies have shown that increasing genetic diversity of crops, practicing intercropping, as well as incorporating more biodiversity in the areas around fields is highly beneficial. These practices have been shown to produce higher yields, reduce the impact from variation of weather patterns and lead to natural pest control. Other benefits are reduced need for added fertilizer and pest control substances and less pollution or other negative impacts on the surrounding ecosystems.
Increasing biodiversity surrounding crop and farmland will generally increase pollinators and native bird populations, which have positive benefits for the crops and provides a form of natural pest control. On the other side, decreases in diversity of pollinators due to man-made changes to ecosystems can lead to significant impacts on soil biodiversity, soil fertility, and reductions in plants dependent on these pollinators. Loss of native plant populations will in turn increase erosion of the soil and perpetuate further ecosystem and native biodiversity loss.
Within the agroecosystem, soil composition is particularly important and complex. Studies have shown that soil composition is impacted by changes in local biodiversity. Increased biodiversity leads to increased nutrients and beneficial microbial communities in the soil, which can then be utilized by crops. High biodiversity above- and belowground has been shown to help maintain the overall health of ecosystems. There is the added benefit of helping to reduce the need for fertilizer, which then reduces the cost to farmers. Looking for areas like this which provide benefit to both agroecosystems and native ecosystems will help us to effectively create changes.
Looking forward, everyone must work together to implement sustainability interventions to help improve biodiversity and food production. At the consumer end, we can consider options which require less agricultural expansion, such as reducing the amount of animal products we are consuming or purchasing from small to medium sized farms. Learning to reduce food waste and increase activities like composting will also help. Being aware of where food comes from, as well as its impacts on the environment, and making conscious choices based on this knowledge will help us all to become more responsible consumers.
Key recommendations, at a high level:
Update farming regulations to focus on sustainability and biodiversity.
Assistance, particularly for small- to medium-sized farms, to accommodate the implementation of more sustainable practices.
Limiting of largescale agricultural companies land clearing for monocrops as a means to increase their yield.
Farms can consider options like intercropping, increasing the diversity among and between their crops and livestock, and actively working in tangent with the native biodiversity surrounding their land to reduce negative impacts to the environment. Creative science-based solutions can help us to transform our agroecosystems to be both robust and beneficial for biodiversity.
Related Readings
Cappelli SL, Domeignoz-Horta LA, Loaiza V, Laine AL. Plant biodiversity promotes sustainable agriculture directly and via belowground effects. Trends Plant Sci. 2022;27(7):674-87.
Christmann S. Regard and protect ground-nesting pollinators as part of soil biodiversity. Ecol Appl. 2022;32(3):e2564.
Oelmann Y, Lange M, Leimer S, Roscher C, Aburto F, Alt F, et al. Above- and belowground biodiversity jointly tighten the P cycle in agricultural grasslands. Nat Commun. 2021;12(1):4431.
Read QD, Hondula KL, Muth MK. Biodiversity effects of food system sustainability actions from farm to fork. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022;119(15):e2113884119.
Renard D, Tilman D. Cultivate biodiversity to harvest food security and sustainability. Curr Biol. 2021;31(19):R1154-r8.
Smith OM, Kennedy CM, Owen JP, Northfield TD, Latimer CE, Snyder WE. Highly diversified crop-livestock farming systems reshape wild bird communities. Ecol Appl. 2020;30(2):e02031.
Sun Z, Behrens P, Tukker A, Bruckner M, Scherer L. Global Human Consumption Threatens Key Biodiversity Areas. Environ Sci Technol. 2022;56(12):9003-14.
Tscharntke T, Grass I, Wanger TC, Westphal C, Batáry P. Beyond organic farming - harnessing biodiversity-friendly landscapes. Trends Ecol Evol. 2021;36(10):919-30.
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