Flow Pathways and Sediment Trapping in a Field-Scale Vegetative Filter

Helmers, Matthew J.; Eisenhauer, Dean E.; Dosskey, Michael G.; Franti, Thomas G.; Brothers, J. M.; McCullough, Mary Carla

doi:10.13031/2013.18508

Cited by 47 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…The 100% row crop control treatment represents the agricultural norm. Prairie treatments were selected based on previous research and model simulations (57,(63)(64)(65). Cropland in the experiment is in a corn-soybean rotation using standard no-till soil and weed-management techniques.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prairie strips improve biodiversity and the delivery of multiple ecosystem services from corn–soybean croplands

Schulte

Niemi

Helmers

et al. 2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

245

192

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Loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystem services from agricultural lands remain important challenges in the United States despite decades of spending on natural resource management. To date, conservation investment has emphasized engineering practices or vegetative strategies centered on monocultural plantings of nonnative plants, largely excluding native species from cropland. In a catchment-scale experiment, we quantified the multiple effects of integrating strips of native prairie species amid corn and soybean crops, with prairie strips arranged to arrest run-off on slopes. Replacing 10% of cropland with prairie strips increased biodiversity and ecosystem services with minimal impacts on crop production. Compared with catchments containing only crops, integrating prairie strips into cropland led to greater catchment-level insect taxa richness (2.6-fold), pollinator abundance (3.5-fold), native bird species richness (2.1-fold), and abundance of bird species of greatest conservation need (2.1-fold). Use of prairie strips also reduced total water runoff from catchments by 37%, resulting in retention of 20 times more soil and 4.3 times more phosphorus. Corn and soybean yields for catchments with prairie strips decreased only by the amount of the area taken out of crop production. Social survey results indicated demand among both farming and nonfarming populations for the environmental outcomes produced by prairie strips. If federal and state policies were aligned to promote prairie strips, the practice would be applicable to 3.9 million ha of cropland in Iowa alone.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prairie strips improve biodiversity and the delivery of multiple ecosystem services from corn–soybean croplands

Schulte

Niemi

Helmers

et al. 2017

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

245

192

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…This practice has effectively reduced soil erosion and dissolved N losses from upslope croplands (Helmers et al, 2005). For example, Zhou et al (2010) found a significant decrease in NO 3 − -N concentrations in the vadose zone and groundwater after incorporation of PFSs in corn-soybean cropping systems that are the subject of this study.…”

mentioning

confidence: 64%

Denitrification and Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Annual Croplands, Perennial Grass Buffers, and Restored Perennial Grasslands

Iqbal¹,

Parkin

Helmers

et al. 2014

Soil Sci. Soc. Am. j.

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“…Phosphorus is adsorbed by soil when the phosphorus concentration in soil water is higher than the equilibrium level and vice versa [27]. Generally, the effectiveness of vegetated strips in controlling transport of soluble contaminants is less than for strongly-sorbed chemicals because the reduction in water transfer across the buffer is generally smaller than the reduction in sediment transfer [28]. There is also potential for dissolved contaminants infiltrating into the margin to reach surface water subsequently via subsurface drains and/or shallow groundwater.…”

Section: Vegetated Strip Effects On Nutrients and Other Contaminantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The multifunctional roles of vegetated strips around and within agricultural fields

et al. 2018

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Background: Agriculture can have substantial negative impacts on the environment. The establishment and management of vegetated strips adjacent to farmed fields (including various field margins, buffer strips and hedgerows) are commonly advocated mitigation measures for these negative environmental impacts. However, it may be difficult to obtain reliable evidence on the effects of implementation and management of vegetated strips, even though a substantial body of evidence exists. We describe a systematic map of research relating to vegetated strips in boreotemperate farming systems to answer the question: What evidence exists regarding the effects of field margins on nutrients, pollutants, socioeconomics, biodiversity, and soil retention in boreo-temperate systems?Methods: We searched 13 bibliographic databases, 1 search engine and 37 websites of stakeholder organisations using a predefined and tested search string focusing on a comprehensive list of English language vegetated strip synonyms. Searches in Danish, Finnish, Spanish, and Swedish were also conducted using web searches. We screened search results at title, abstract and full text levels, recording the number of studies deemed non-relevant (with reasons at full text). A systematic map database of meta-data (i.e. descriptive summary information about the settings and methods) for relevant studies was produced following full text assessment. The systematic map database is provided as an evidence atlas: interactive, web-based geographical information system. Results:Over 31,000 search results were identified, resulting in a total of 1072 relevant primary research studies and 130 evidence reviews. Articles used a variety of terminology to describe vegetated strips, with 'field margin' , 'hedgerow' , 'shelterbelt' and 'riparian buffer' most common. The volume of primary research is increasing linearly year-by-year, whilst the increase in reviews has tailed off in the last 10 years. The USA and UK were most frequently studied and reviewed. Arable systems were investigated in c. 70% of primary research but 50% of reviews. Some 50% of primary research vegetated strips were field edge and 25% riparian, whilst riparian and field edge strips were roughly equally the focus of around a half of all described strips in reviews. Terrestrial biodiversity, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and soil/water loss or retention were the most commonly measured outcomes in primary studies and reviews, although some other outcomes were more common in reviews than research articles (e.g. pesticides). Conclusions:We identified substantial bodies of evidence on particular sets of related outcomes and ecosystem services, which constitute important knowledge clusters/synthesis gaps relating to: strip width, terrestrial biodiversity, nutrient retention, hydrological regimes, toxic substances, erosion protection, pests, carbon sequestration, and soil and biodiversity combined. We also identified key knowledge gaps relating to: climate regulation, freshwater biodiversity, stri...

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Flow Pathways and Sediment Trapping in a Field-Scale Vegetative Filter

Cited by 47 publications

References 19 publications

Prairie strips improve biodiversity and the delivery of multiple ecosystem services from corn–soybean croplands

Prairie strips improve biodiversity and the delivery of multiple ecosystem services from corn–soybean croplands

Denitrification and Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Annual Croplands, Perennial Grass Buffers, and Restored Perennial Grasslands

The multifunctional roles of vegetated strips around and within agricultural fields

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