Achieving win-win outcomes for biodiversity and yield through diversified farming
To leverage agriculture's potential to better benefit both people and nature, policymakers need clear messages about which farming practices positively impact biodiversity and yields, and when trade-offs arise. Existing reviews analyse effects of different agricultural practices on either biodi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Basic and Applied Ecology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1439179122001013 |
| _version_ | 1797755114909335552 |
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| author | Sarah K. Jones Andrea C. Sánchez Damien Beillouin Stella D. Juventia Aline Mosnier Roseline Remans Natalia Estrada Carmona |
| author_facet | Sarah K. Jones Andrea C. Sánchez Damien Beillouin Stella D. Juventia Aline Mosnier Roseline Remans Natalia Estrada Carmona |
| author_sort | Sarah K. Jones |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To leverage agriculture's potential to better benefit both people and nature, policymakers need clear messages about which farming practices positively impact biodiversity and yields, and when trade-offs arise. Existing reviews analyse effects of different agricultural practices on either biodiversity or yield, without considering interactions. Here, we applied multinomial and quantile regression models to synthesize global evidence of synergies and trade-offs between biodiversity and yield, using 764 paired observations (from 43 studies across 18 countries) comparing diversified and simplified farming systems. Results show that farmland diversification led to win-win outcomes for biodiversity and yield in 23% of cases, while a win for biodiversity coupled with a loss in yield was the most likely outcome (28% of cases). Yield and biodiversity responses were negatively correlated, meaning that diversifying farming systems solely in pursuit of production goals is unlikely to lead to markedly better outcomes for biodiversity, or vice-versa. Yet certain situations made win-win significantly more likely, including when crop and animal production, or multiple diversification practices (e.g., intercropping and cover crops), were combined, when no agrochemicals were applied, when diversification occurred in temperate climates, and when diversification enhanced below-ground taxa. Win-win was also more likely than lose-lose when biodiversity was measured as richness or richness-evenness, but not abundance, suggesting that in certain contexts diversified farming can effectively enhance species diversity while increasing agricultural yields. Overall, crop commodity group and bioclimatic location were amongst the most important contextual factors influencing the likelihood of a synergy or trade-off between biodiversity and yield, and diversification that accounts for these is less likely to lead to unexpected outcomes. Our novel method and up-to-date review show that farmland diversification frequently leads to better outcomes for biodiversity and/or agricultural production when compared to monocultures and farmland stripped of natural vegetation, opening a pathway to more sustainable agricultural production. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T17:42:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f3ba138e70d549a887de96d8ade9c50c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1439-1791 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T17:42:12Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Basic and Applied Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-f3ba138e70d549a887de96d8ade9c50c2023-08-04T05:46:42ZengElsevierBasic and Applied Ecology1439-17912023-03-01671431Achieving win-win outcomes for biodiversity and yield through diversified farmingSarah K. Jones0Andrea C. Sánchez1Damien Beillouin2Stella D. Juventia3Aline Mosnier4Roseline Remans5Natalia Estrada Carmona6Multifunctional Landscapes, Bioversity International, Parc Scientifique d'Agropolis II, 34370, Montpellier, France; Corresponding author.Multifunctional Landscapes, Bioversity International, Parc Scientifique d'Agropolis II, 34370, Montpellier, FranceCirad, Montpellier, France, CIRAD, UPR HortSys, 34398, Montpellier, France; HortSys, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, FranceFarming Systems Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, 6700AK Wageningen, the NetherlandsFood and Land team, Sustainable Development Solutions Network, 75009, Paris, FranceMultifunctional Landscapes, Bioversity International, Heverlee, 3001, BelgiumMultifunctional Landscapes, Bioversity International, Parc Scientifique d'Agropolis II, 34370, Montpellier, FranceTo leverage agriculture's potential to better benefit both people and nature, policymakers need clear messages about which farming practices positively impact biodiversity and yields, and when trade-offs arise. Existing reviews analyse effects of different agricultural practices on either biodiversity or yield, without considering interactions. Here, we applied multinomial and quantile regression models to synthesize global evidence of synergies and trade-offs between biodiversity and yield, using 764 paired observations (from 43 studies across 18 countries) comparing diversified and simplified farming systems. Results show that farmland diversification led to win-win outcomes for biodiversity and yield in 23% of cases, while a win for biodiversity coupled with a loss in yield was the most likely outcome (28% of cases). Yield and biodiversity responses were negatively correlated, meaning that diversifying farming systems solely in pursuit of production goals is unlikely to lead to markedly better outcomes for biodiversity, or vice-versa. Yet certain situations made win-win significantly more likely, including when crop and animal production, or multiple diversification practices (e.g., intercropping and cover crops), were combined, when no agrochemicals were applied, when diversification occurred in temperate climates, and when diversification enhanced below-ground taxa. Win-win was also more likely than lose-lose when biodiversity was measured as richness or richness-evenness, but not abundance, suggesting that in certain contexts diversified farming can effectively enhance species diversity while increasing agricultural yields. Overall, crop commodity group and bioclimatic location were amongst the most important contextual factors influencing the likelihood of a synergy or trade-off between biodiversity and yield, and diversification that accounts for these is less likely to lead to unexpected outcomes. Our novel method and up-to-date review show that farmland diversification frequently leads to better outcomes for biodiversity and/or agricultural production when compared to monocultures and farmland stripped of natural vegetation, opening a pathway to more sustainable agricultural production.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1439179122001013Systematic reviewMultinomial modellingTrade-offsSynergiesOn-farm diversification |
| spellingShingle | Sarah K. Jones Andrea C. Sánchez Damien Beillouin Stella D. Juventia Aline Mosnier Roseline Remans Natalia Estrada Carmona Achieving win-win outcomes for biodiversity and yield through diversified farming Basic and Applied Ecology Systematic review Multinomial modelling Trade-offs Synergies On-farm diversification |
| title | Achieving win-win outcomes for biodiversity and yield through diversified farming |
| title_full | Achieving win-win outcomes for biodiversity and yield through diversified farming |
| title_fullStr | Achieving win-win outcomes for biodiversity and yield through diversified farming |
| title_full_unstemmed | Achieving win-win outcomes for biodiversity and yield through diversified farming |
| title_short | Achieving win-win outcomes for biodiversity and yield through diversified farming |
| title_sort | achieving win win outcomes for biodiversity and yield through diversified farming |
| topic | Systematic review Multinomial modelling Trade-offs Synergies On-farm diversification |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1439179122001013 |
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