Multifunctional Agriculture in the United States

Boody, George; Vondracek, Bruce; Andow, David A.; Krinke, Mara; Westra, John V.; Zimmerman, Julie K. H.; Welle, Patrick G.

doi:10.1641/0006-3568(2005)055[0027:maitus]2.0.co;2

Cited by 238 publications

(169 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…More importantly, an integrated approach to developing a whole farm system can also create synergies among individual practices and enhance the benefits to the system, if diverse components are ''correctly assembled in space and time'' (Altieri 1999) with attention to integration of function (Schiere et al 2002). Researchers in Minnesota determined that highly diversified and ecologically integrated farm operations and landscapes would provide greater economic, environmental, and social benefits than systems employing a set of best management practices (Boody et al 2005). Intensification of ecological farming systems through careful management of biological processes may allow for high levels of both food production and ecosystem services (Dore´et al 2011).…”

Section: Assessment Of Farming Practices For Their Role In the Sustaimentioning

confidence: 99%

Review: Redesigning Canadian prairie cropping systems for profitability, sustainability, and resilience

2015

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Thiessen Martens, J. R., Entz, M. H. and Wonneck, M. D. 2015. Review: Redesigning Canadian prairie cropping systems for profitability, sustainability, and resilience. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 1049Á1072. Redesign of agricultural systems according to ecological principles has been proposed for the development of sustainable systems. We review a wide variety of ecologically based crop production practices, including crop varieties and genetic diversity, crop selection and rotation, cover crops, annual polyculture, perennial forages, perennial grains, agroforestry systems, reducing tillage, use of animal manures and green manures, soil biological fertility, organic production systems, integrated cropÁlivestock systems, and purposeful design of farm landscapes (farmscaping), and discuss their potential role in enhancing the profitability, environmental sustainability, and resilience of Canadian prairie cropping systems. Farming systems that most closely mimic natural systems through appropriate integration of diverse components, within a context of supportive social and economic structures, appear to offer the greatest potential benefits, while creating a framework in which to place all other farming practices. Our understanding of ecological relationships within agricultural systems is currently lacking, and a major shift in research, education, and policy will be required to purposefully and proactively redesign Canadian prairie agricultural systems for long-term sustainability.

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Section: Assessment Of Farming Practices For Their Role In the Sustaimentioning

confidence: 99%

Review: Redesigning Canadian prairie cropping systems for profitability, sustainability, and resilience

2015

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“…services-are being lost or severely diminished 4 . As the global society increasingly confronts the consequences of these lossesacutely evidenced by expanding hypoxic zones, declining water quality, increased incidence of severe flooding and drought, and impoverished biodiversity-there is a growing urgency for developing multifunctional agricultural landscapes that provide diverse ES in addition to provisioning services such as food, fiber, fuel and fodder production [5][6][7] . One promising approach to expanding ES provided by agricultural landscapes is through 'perennialization', defined here as the strategic incorporation of diverse perennial plants as integral and purposeful components of agroecosystems to enhance ES benefits.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Targeting perennial vegetation in agricultural landscapes for enhancing ecosystem services

Asbjornsen

Hernández‐Santana

Liebman

et al. 2013

Renew. Agric. Food Syst.

224

168

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Over the past century, agricultural landscapes worldwide have increasingly been managed for the primary purpose of producing food, while other diverse ecosystem services potentially available from these landscapes have often been undervalued and diminished. The incorporation of relatively small amounts of perennial vegetation in strategic locations within agricultural landscapes dominated by annual crops-or perennialization-creates an opportunity for enhancing the provision of a wide range of goods and services to society, such as water purification, hydrologic regulation, pollination services, control of pest and pathogen populations, diverse food and fuel products, and greater resilience to climate change and extreme disturbances, while at the same time improving the sustainability of food production. This paper synthesizes the current scientific theory and evidence for the role of perennial plants in balancing conservation with agricultural production, focusing on the Midwestern USA as a model system, while also drawing comparisons with other climatically diverse regions of the world. Particular emphasis is given to identifying promising opportunities for advancement and critical gaps in our knowledge related to purposefully integrating perennial vegetation into agroecosystems as a management tool for maximizing multiple benefits to society. AbstractOver the past century, agricultural landscapes worldwide have increasingly been managed for the primary purpose of producing food, while other diverse ecosystem services potentially available from these landscapes have often been undervalued and diminished. The incorporation of relatively small amounts of perennial vegetation in strategic locations within agricultural landscapes dominated by annual crops-or perennialization-creates an opportunity for enhancing the provision of a wide range of goods and services to society, such as water purification, hydrologic regulation, pollination services, control of pest and pathogen populations, diverse food and fuel products, and greater resilience to climate change and extreme disturbances, while at the same time improving the sustainability of food production. This paper synthesizes the current scientific theory and evidence for the role of perennial plants in balancing conservation with agricultural production, focusing on the Midwestern USA as a model system, while also drawing comparisons with other climatically diverse regions of the world. Particular emphasis is given to identifying promising opportunities for advancement and critical gaps in our knowledge related to purposefully integrating perennial vegetation into agroecosystems as a management tool for maximizing multiple benefits to society.

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“…An emerging body of literature focuses on spatially quantifying ecosystem services and comparing these with patterns of biodiversity across the landscape and agricultural land returns (Broody et al 2005;Chan et al 2006;Nelson et al 2008Nelson et al , 2009Egoh et al 2009;Polasky et al 2011;Goldstein et al 2012). For example, Nelson et al (2009) …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying Trade-Offs Among Ecosystem Services, Biodiversity, and Agricultural Returns in an Agriculturally Dominated Landscape Under Future Land‑Management Scenarios

Underwood

Hutchinson

Viers³

et al. 2017

SFEWS

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Change in land use in agriculturally dominated areas is often assumed to provide positive benefits for land-owners and financial agricultural returns at the expense of biodiversity and other ecosystem services. For an agriculturally dominated area in the Central Valley of California we quantify the trade-offs among ecosystem services, biodiversity, and the financial returns from agricultural lands. We do this by evaluating three different landscape management scenarios projected to 2050 compared to the current baseline: habitat restoration, urbanization, and enhanced agriculture. The restoration scenario benefited carbon storage services and increased landscape suitability for birds, and also decreased ecosystem disservices (nitrous oxide emissions, nitrogen leaching), although there was a tradeoff in slightly lower financial agricultural returns. Under the urbanization scenario, carbon storage, suitability for birds, and agricultural returns were negatively affected. A scenario which enhanced agriculture, tailored to the needs of a key species of conservation concern (Swainson's Hawk, Buteo swainsoni), presented the most potential for tradeoffs. This scenario benefitted carbon storage and increased landscape suitability for the Swainson's Hawk as well as 15 other focal bird species. However, this scenario increased ecosystem disservices. These spatially explicit results, generated at a scale relevant to land management decision-makers in the Central Valley, provide valuable insight into managing for multiple benefits in the landscape and an approach for assessing future land-management decisions. KEY WORDS

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Multifunctional Agriculture in the United States

Cited by 238 publications

References 25 publications

Review: Redesigning Canadian prairie cropping systems for profitability, sustainability, and resilience

Review: Redesigning Canadian prairie cropping systems for profitability, sustainability, and resilience

Targeting perennial vegetation in agricultural landscapes for enhancing ecosystem services

Quantifying Trade-Offs Among Ecosystem Services, Biodiversity, and Agricultural Returns in an Agriculturally Dominated Landscape Under Future Land‑Management Scenarios

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