Organic and conservation agriculture promote ecosystem multifunctionality

Ecosystems provide multiple services to humans. However, agricultural systems are usually evaluated on their productivity and economic performance, and a systematic and quantitative assessment of the multifunctionality of agroecosystems including environmental services is missing. Using a long-term farming system experiment, we evaluated and compared the agronomic, economic, and ecological performance of the most widespread arable cropping systems in Europe: Organic, conservation, and conventional agriculture. We analyzed 43 agroecosystem properties and determined overall agroecosystem multifunctionality. We show that organic and conservation agriculture promoted ecosystem multifunctionality, especially by enhancing regulating and supporting services, including biodiversity preservation, soil and water quality, and climate mitigation. In contrast, conventional cropping showed reduced multifunctionality but delivered highest yield. Organic production resulted in higher economic performance, thanks to higher product prices and additional support payments. Our results demonstrate that different cropping systems provide opposing services, enforcing the productivity-environmental protection dilemma for agroecosystem functioning.

Bender, S. FranzAgroscope,University of Zurich (author)
Hartman, KyleAgroscope (author)
Hydbom, SofiaLund University,Lunds universitet,Biodiversitet,Biologiska institutionen,Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten,Biodiversity,Department of Biology,Faculty of Science(Swepub:lu)biol-shm (author)
Lima, Ruy A.A.Agroscope (author)
Loaiza, VivianaUniversity of Zurich (author)
Nemecek, ThomasAgroscope (author)
Oehl, FritzAgroscope (author)
Olsson, Pål AxelLund University,Lunds universitet,Biodiversitet,Biologiska institutionen,Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten,BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate,Centrum för miljö- och klimatvetenskap (CEC),Växtbiologi,Forskargrupper vid Lunds universitet,Biodiversity,Department of Biology,Faculty of Science,Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC),Plant Biology,Lund University Research Groups(Swepub:lu)mbio-pol (author)
Petchey, OwenUniversity of Zurich (author)
Prechsl, Ulrich E. (author)
Schlaeppi, KlausUniversity of Bern,University of Basel (author)
Scholten, ThomasUniversity of Tübingen (author)
Seitz, SteffenUniversity of Tübingen (author)
Six, JohanETH Zürich (author)
Van Der Heijden, Marcel G.A.University of Zurich,Agroscope (author)
University of ZurichAgroscope (creator_code:org_t)

In:Science Advances: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)7:342375-2548

By the author/editor: Wittwer, Raphaël ...; Bender, S. Franz; Hartman, Kyle; Hydbom, Sofia; Lima, Ruy A.A.; Loaiza, Viviana; show more...; Nemecek, Thomas; Oehl, Fritz; Olsson, Pål Axel; Petchey, Owen; Prechsl, Ulrich ...; Schlaeppi, Klaus; Scholten, Thomas; Seitz, Steffen; Six, Johan; Van Der Heijden, ...; show less...

About the subject

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES: AGRICULTURAL SCI ...; and Agriculture Fore ...; and Agricultural Sci ...

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