Cropland functional diversity increases ecosystem services supply in watersheds of the Rio de la Plata Grasslands

Abstract

Context Implementing heterogeneous rural landscapes with high agricultural diversity and a substantial proportion of natural habitats has been proposed to ensure food production while reducing negative impacts on ecosystem services. However, evidence of an increased supply of ecosystem services (ES) in more heterogeneous landscapes remains limited, with no consensus. Objectives To evaluate the effect of the spatial cropland system’s diversity and landscape configuration on the supply of key ES in agricultural landscapes of the Rio de la Plata Grasslands region. Methods We analyzed the relationship between the supply of ES and the heterogeneity of 1121 micro-watersheds. We assessed the Ecosystem Service Supply Index (ESSI), the Hydrological Yield (HY), and the Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (APAR) in agricultural areas. We calculated the average grassland patch area, the structural and functional cropland diversity, the cropland percentage, and the grassland’s juxtaposition to assess landscape heterogeneity. Results Cropland functional diversity increased the supply of ES at the micro-watershed level. It positively affected the ESSI and APAR, and reduced the HY. In contrast, the juxtaposition of grasslands had opposite effects to those of cropland functional diversity, so the spatial segregation of grasslands favored the ES supply. Conclusions The functional cropland diversification and the segregation of natural grasslands improved the supply of ES and counteracted the negative effects of agricultural expansion. These findings contribute to designing multifunctional landscapes and suggest that cropland functional diversity and grassland configuration should be considered in food production systems aimed to preserve ES supply.