Impacts of Fertilization on Environmental Quality across a Gradient of Olive Grove Management Systems in Alentejo (Portugal)
Olive groves are Mediterranean socioecological systems. In Portugal (350,000 hectares of olive groves), a transition is ongoing towards intensification. Such effects may arise from the incremental use of agrochemical fertilizers. The Alentejo region, Portugal, was stratified according to the olive m...
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/12/2194 |
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| author | Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa Claudia Tribaldos-Anda Sergio A. Prats Clarisse Brígido José Muñoz-Rojas Alejandro J. Rescia |
| author_facet | Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa Claudia Tribaldos-Anda Sergio A. Prats Clarisse Brígido José Muñoz-Rojas Alejandro J. Rescia |
| author_sort | Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Olive groves are Mediterranean socioecological systems. In Portugal (350,000 hectares of olive groves), a transition is ongoing towards intensification. Such effects may arise from the incremental use of agrochemical fertilizers. The Alentejo region, Portugal, was stratified according to the olive management systems (i.e., extensive groves managed conventionally, integrated or organically, and intensive and highly intensive farms) and erosive states. Agronomic (i.e., fertilizers) and biological (i.e., herbaceous and lepidopteran richness and biodiversity) variables were quantified in 80 plots so we could know how managements affect biodiversity. Intensive and highly intensive farms showed the highest erosion (up to 48 t ha<sup>−1</sup> year<sup>−1</sup>) and the highest concentration of nitrates (11–16 ppm), phosphates (8–15 ppm), and potassium (169–183 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>), aligned with its lower flora (null) and fauna (0.50–1.75 species). Conventional extensive farms attained an intermediate position, and integrated and organic managements showed the lowest erosion (up to 20 t ha<sup>−1</sup> year<sup>−1</sup>), and the lowest concentration of nitrates (5–6 ppm), phosphates (2–4 ppm), and potassium (92–125 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>) aligned with its higher flora (14–27 species) and fauna (up to 8 species). Studies aimed at characterizing the multifunctionality of olive groves are essential in Portugal, also considering how soil practices can minimize externalities driven by rapid changes in crop systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:12:01Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:12:01Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-7358a06f914849c2baa9149f20d9d4582023-11-24T16:06:58ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2022-12-011112219410.3390/land11122194Impacts of Fertilization on Environmental Quality across a Gradient of Olive Grove Management Systems in Alentejo (Portugal)Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa0Claudia Tribaldos-Anda1Sergio A. Prats2Clarisse Brígido3José Muñoz-Rojas4Alejandro J. Rescia5University Complutense of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University Complutense of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainMED–Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal, and Largo dos Colegiais 2, 7004-516 Évora, PortugalMED–Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal, and Largo dos Colegiais 2, 7004-516 Évora, PortugalMED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Departamento de Geociências, Universidade de Évora, 7006-554 Évora, PortugalDepartment of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University Complutense of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainOlive groves are Mediterranean socioecological systems. In Portugal (350,000 hectares of olive groves), a transition is ongoing towards intensification. Such effects may arise from the incremental use of agrochemical fertilizers. The Alentejo region, Portugal, was stratified according to the olive management systems (i.e., extensive groves managed conventionally, integrated or organically, and intensive and highly intensive farms) and erosive states. Agronomic (i.e., fertilizers) and biological (i.e., herbaceous and lepidopteran richness and biodiversity) variables were quantified in 80 plots so we could know how managements affect biodiversity. Intensive and highly intensive farms showed the highest erosion (up to 48 t ha<sup>−1</sup> year<sup>−1</sup>) and the highest concentration of nitrates (11–16 ppm), phosphates (8–15 ppm), and potassium (169–183 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>), aligned with its lower flora (null) and fauna (0.50–1.75 species). Conventional extensive farms attained an intermediate position, and integrated and organic managements showed the lowest erosion (up to 20 t ha<sup>−1</sup> year<sup>−1</sup>), and the lowest concentration of nitrates (5–6 ppm), phosphates (2–4 ppm), and potassium (92–125 mg kg<sup>−1</sup>) aligned with its higher flora (14–27 species) and fauna (up to 8 species). Studies aimed at characterizing the multifunctionality of olive groves are essential in Portugal, also considering how soil practices can minimize externalities driven by rapid changes in crop systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/12/2194agricultural intensificationbiodiversitybiostatisticschemical fertilizersecologysoil erosion |
| spellingShingle | Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa Claudia Tribaldos-Anda Sergio A. Prats Clarisse Brígido José Muñoz-Rojas Alejandro J. Rescia Impacts of Fertilization on Environmental Quality across a Gradient of Olive Grove Management Systems in Alentejo (Portugal) Land agricultural intensification biodiversity biostatistics chemical fertilizers ecology soil erosion |
| title | Impacts of Fertilization on Environmental Quality across a Gradient of Olive Grove Management Systems in Alentejo (Portugal) |
| title_full | Impacts of Fertilization on Environmental Quality across a Gradient of Olive Grove Management Systems in Alentejo (Portugal) |
| title_fullStr | Impacts of Fertilization on Environmental Quality across a Gradient of Olive Grove Management Systems in Alentejo (Portugal) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impacts of Fertilization on Environmental Quality across a Gradient of Olive Grove Management Systems in Alentejo (Portugal) |
| title_short | Impacts of Fertilization on Environmental Quality across a Gradient of Olive Grove Management Systems in Alentejo (Portugal) |
| title_sort | impacts of fertilization on environmental quality across a gradient of olive grove management systems in alentejo portugal |
| topic | agricultural intensification biodiversity biostatistics chemical fertilizers ecology soil erosion |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/11/12/2194 |
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