Agrosystem services: An additional terminology to better understand ecosystem services delivered by agriculture

Abstract

To discriminate between the contributions of ecosystems and the human subsidies to agricultural systems, we propose using an additional terminology to bring clarification into the controversial discussion about i) ecosystems versus agrosystems and ii) ecosystem services versus agrosystem services. A literature review revealed that with the exception of some very recent publications, this has not yet been sufficiently reflected, neither within the scientific nor in the policy discussion. The question remains whether to spoil the discussion with new terms again and again. We reason that it makes sense to underpin the case-specific share of agricultural inputs to the supply of agroecosystem services and to add "agro" to the terminology. We conclude, that there is a need to promote the new terminology of agrosystem services and to strengthen the use of the already established term agroecosystem services within this context. To emphasise the production patterns behind the multiple benefits agricultural systems provide to humans (commodity and non-commodity outputs) and to guarantee a reasonable weighting of related externalities in policy processes, we suggest to introduce the term agrosystem services into the discussion on ecosystem services. Agrosystem services in this context describe the anthropogenic share of agroecosystem services' generation. Agroecosystem services include multiple provisioning, regulating and cultural services from agricultural ecosystems. The inclusion of agrosystem services might accommodate the ecology-based ecosystem services concept to the specificity of managed agricultural ecosystems and therefore could be better implemented by mostly economy-driven agricultural production systems and agricultural policy.

Supporting Agricultural Ecosystem Services through the Integration of Perennial Polycultures into Crop Rotations

“…), the human benefit provided by the agroecosystem would be much lower [18]. To overcome these conceptual problems and address this anthropogenic factor in ES, an analysis of "agrosystem services" [19] or a complementary life cycle assessment could be useful. In addition to the positive effect on biomass production, the energy and technology use must be considered due to negative externalities such as CO 2 emissions, the negative impact on soil fertility and biodiversity, soil compaction, and other environmental damages.…”

Mapping of nutrient regulating ecosystem service supply and demand on different scales in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

“…Ecosystem service potentials are related to the hypothetical maximum yield of selected ecosystem services (Burkhard et al 2012a), which are commensurate with the theoretical capacity of an ecosystem to provide a service (Wiggering et al 2016, Bastian et al 2012. After von Haaren et al (2014), the ecosystem service potential can be described as 'offered ecosystem service'.…”

“…Much of recent literature deals with nutrient oversupply and its consequences for the environment (e.g. Taube et al 2015, Wendland et al 2014, Withers et al 2014, Larsson and Granstedt 2010, Tilman 1999.…”

“…Sustainable management of nitrogen is of great importance for agroecosystems, as insufficient nitrogen inputs will decrease crop production while an excess input will pollute the environment (Withers et al 2014, Tilman 1999. According to the LLUR (2014) in Schleswig-Holstein, the groundwater bodies of more than 7500 km² have a poor chemical status in the main aquifer, primarily due to nitrate pollution.…”

Evaluation of the ecosystem services approach in agricultural literature

“…Reflecting review results (e.g. Vihervaara et al 2010, Tancoigne et al 2014, our research addresses the degree of assimilation of the ES concept across several scientific disciplines (or topics) that deal with agriculture. One major output is a quantitative overview about the de facto use of the ES concept in current agricultural research studies based on qualitative assessments of 821 papers.…”