
Henrik Smith
Professor

Combined effects of agrochemicals and ecosystem services on crop yield across Europe
Författare
Summary, in English
Simultaneously enhancing ecosystem services provided by biodiversity below and above ground is recommended to reduce dependence on chemical pesticides and mineral fertilisers in agriculture. However, consequences for crop yield have been poorly evaluated. Above ground, increased landscape complexity is assumed to enhance biological pest control, whereas below ground, soil organic carbon is a proxy for several yield-supporting services. In a field experiment replicated in 114 fields across Europe, we found that fertilisation had the strongest positive effect on yield, but hindered simultaneous harnessing of below- and above-ground ecosystem services. We furthermore show that enhancing natural enemies and pest control through increasing landscape complexity can prove disappointing in fields with low soil services or in intensively cropped regions. Thus, understanding ecological interdependences between land use, ecosystem services and yield is necessary to promote more environmentally friendly farming by identifying situations where ecosystem services are maximised and agrochemical inputs can be reduced.
Avdelning/ar
- BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate
- Biodiversity
- Markgruppen
- Centrum för miljö- och klimatvetenskap (CEC)
- Biodiversitet och bevarandevetenskap
Publiceringsår
2017-11-01
Språk
Engelska
Sidor
1427-1436
Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie
Ecology Letters
Volym
20
Issue
11
Dokumenttyp
Artikel i tidskrift
Förlag
Wiley-Blackwell
Ämne
- Ecology
- Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use
Nyckelord
- Agricultural intensification
- biological pest control
- ecological intensification
- fertilisers
- insecticides
- landscape complexity
- soil organic carbon
- yield loss
Aktiv
Published
Projekt
- LInking farmland Biodiversity to Ecosystem seRvices for effective
Forskningsgrupp
- Soil Ecology
- Biodiversity and Conservation Science
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISSN: 1461-023X