Reconciling biodiversity conservation and food …Reconciling biodiversity conservation and food security: scientific challenges for a new agriculture Lijbert Brussaard Dept. of Soil

Reconciling biodiversity conservation and

food security:

scientific challenges for a new agriculture

Lijbert BrussaardDept. of Soil Quality, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

?

Outline

� Ecological intensification: ‘seeds & breeds’ and ‘environment’ approaches

� Ecosystem goods and services

� Soil biota (‘functional groups’)

� A trait.based approach to ecosystem functions and services

� A landscape view on ecosystem functions and services

� Summary

Outline






� Summary

‘see

ds a

nd b

reed

s’ap

proa

ch to

su

stai

nabl

e ag

ricul

ture

(AfterFitter, 2005, J Ecol 93: 231)

Figure: Van Ittersum & Rabbinge, 1997, Field Crops R esearch 52: 197Photographs: Marris, 2008, Nature 456: 563 and www. rps.psu.edu/indepth/ukulima.html

Jonathan Lynch

‘see

ds a

nd b

reed

s’ap

proa

ch to

su

stai

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ture

‘environment’approach to

sustainable agriculture

(After Fitter, 2005, J Ecol 93: 231)

Outline






� Summary

(MEA, 2005, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Current Status and Trends: Findings of the Condition and Trends Workin g Group. - Island Press, Washington DC, pp. 831)

Categorization and nature of the key ecosystem good s and services provided by soil(Haygarth & Ritz, 2009, Land Use Pol 26S: S87)

Ecological intensification

� Intensification to increase the ecosystem services provided by agricultural lands

� Provisioning (goods), regulating, cultural & supporting services

� Relying on ecological processes and renewable resources

� Maintaining a landscape perspective that addresses multi.scale processes and interactions

� Planning for human.induced environmental change

Soil structure, organic matter &

nutrients

Land management

Environmental drivers

Ecosystem structure

Ecosystem functioning

Ecosystem goods & services

Soil cultivationDrainage/irrigation Vegetation/ crop managementAnimal/ livestock grazingFertilization Pesticide useInfrastructureHabitationIndustrial areas

Soil and aboveground biota

Water cycle

Carbon and

nutrient cycles

Pedoclimatic conditions Global Environmental Change

SFD threats** Erosion, compaction, landslides,

sealing, organic matter decline, salinization and contamination

Light

Water

Sustainability/ human well-being

(Modified after Brussaard et al., 2007, Pedobiologia 50: 447)

Outline






� Summary

Biological population regulation

Soil structure maintenance

SOM dynamics

OM input decomposition

Nutrient capture and cycling

Food, fiber, biofuel

Ecosystem functions/ processes

Ecosystem goods


Habitat provisionBiodiversity conservation


Non.agricultural pest and disease control

Nutrient cycling

DecompositionPollutant attenuation and degradation

SOM dynamicsAtmospheric composition and climate (greenhouse gas) regulation

Soil structure maintenanceErosion control

Nutrient cycling

Soil structure maintenanceWater quality and supply


Ecosystem services

Biocontrollers

. Predators

. Microbivores

. Hyperparasites

4. Biological population regulation

Ecosystem engineers

. Roots

. Megafauna

. Macrofauna

. Fungi

. Bacteria

3. Soil structure maintenance

Nutrient transformers

. Decomposers

. Element transformers

. N.fixers

. Mycorhizae

2. Nutrient cycling

Decomposers

. Fungi

. Bacteria

. Microbivores

. Detritivores

1. C transformations

Functionalassemblages ofthe soil biota

Aggregate ecosystem functions/ processes

(Kibblewhite et al., 2008, Phil Trans Roy Soc B 363: 685)

Modified figure in INRA presentation replaced by original one because of authorship issue

+

mycorrhizaand pathogens

es

+ mycorrhizae and pathogenses

Bio

cont

rolle

rs

Micro-foodweb

Litter trans-

formers

Eco system engi neers

Root/rhizosphere biota Root herbivoresand pathogens

(Modified after Wardle, 1995, Adv Ecol Res 26: 105)


Soil structure maintenance

SOM dynamics

OM input decomposition

Nutrient capture and cycling

Food, fiber, biofuel


Ecosystem goods


Habitat provisionBiodiversity conservation


Non.agricultural pest and disease control

Nutrient cycling

DecompositionPollutant attenuation and degradation

SOM dynamicsAtmospheric composition and climate (greenhouse gas) regulation

Soil structure maintenanceErosion control

Nutrient cycling

Soil structure maintenanceWater quality and supply


Ecosystem services

Biocontrollers

. Predators

. Microbivores

. Hyperparasites

4. Biological population regulation

Ecosystem engineers

. Roots

. Megafauna

. Macrofauna

. Fungi

. Bacteria

3. Soil structure maintenance

Nutrient transformers

. Decomposers

. Element transformers

. N.fixers

. Mycorhizae

2. Nutrient cycling

Decomposers

. Fungi

. Bacteria

. Microbivores

. Detritivores

1. C transformations

Functionalassemblages ofthe soil biota

Aggregate ecosystem functions/ processes

(Kibblewhite et al., 2008, Phil Trans Roy Soc B 363: 685)

Modified figure in INRA presentation replaced by original one because of authorship issue

Outline






� Summary

(Modified after Lemanceau, Int Soc Microb Ecol J, sub mitted; courtesy of P Lemanceau)

Functional trait= trait that strongly influences an organism’s or mutualism’s performance or fitness (Webb et al., 2010, Biodiv Cons, publ. on-line)

Figure removed because of authorship issue. The message was: species carrying functional traits are selected by the (a)biotic environment and henceforth conduct activities (based on gene expressions), contributing to ecological functions, which then leads to ecosystem services

Examples of functional traits � Plants

� Growth form

� Leaf/ root morphology

� Specific leaf area

� Root length density

� Canopy/ root system size and architecture

� Leaf/ root chemistry

� C concentration

� Nutrient concentration

� Root turnover

� (Soil) animals� Mouthparts morphology

� Feeding habit

� Mobility

� (Soil) microbes� Ecophysiology

Diagrammatic representation of steps to reduce unce rtainty in the prediction of ecosystem processes and services on the basis of plant functi onal diversity

(Díaz et al., 2007, Proc Nat Ac Sci 104: 20684)

Producing a functional grouping (unshaded objects) and estimating different measures of functional diversity (shaded ellipses)

(Petchey and Gaston, 2006, Ecol Lett 9: 741)

Functional trait= trait that strongly influences an organism’s or mutualism’s performance or fitness (Webb et al., 2010, Biodiv Cons, publ. on-line)

(De Bello et al., 2010, Biodiv Cons 19: 2773)

(Ecosystem functions)

Ecosystem attributes of harvested perennial grass fields compared to annual wheat fields

(Glover et al., 2010, Agric Ecosys Environ 137: 3)

USDA data

yields of measured wheat plots adjacent to perennia l grass plots

Winter wheat N yield (kg N ha -1) for five North Central Kansas counties, receiving appr. 70 kg N ha -1 annually

average N yield (45.4 kg ha -1) of unfertilized perennial grass fields (2004-07)

(Glover et al., 2010, Agric Ecosys Environ 137: 3)

Crop/livestock system

Organic matter inputs

Soil structure & Nutrient cycling

Agricultural production & Ecosystem services

Beneficial soil biota

Detrimental soil biota

Aerial pests

PESTICIDES

TILLAGE

IRRIGATION & FERTILIZERSTILLAGE

1. Root e

xudates

2.

Res

idue

/ m

anur

e qu

ality

3. Resistance to pests and diseases

4. OM to feed

beneficial biota5. OM management

for pest and disease control6. Biological control of pests and diseases

7. Induced systemic defense

8. Ecosystem engineering &

Soil food web interactions

9. Pests and

diseases

10. Inoculation of macrofauna and microbiota

11. Rhizosphere symbionts

1-11: Soil biological entry points

Beneficial effects

Detrimental effects

AGROECOSYSTEM DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT (choice & genetic control of plants/varieties and

animals/breeds and their spatial-temporal arrangement)

12. Soil biological monitoring and evaluationThe potential entry points (1-11) for biological ma nagement of crop/livestock systems, organic matter i nputs and soil organisms, aimed at sustainable agricultural produc tion and ecosystem services, and feedback to agroec osystem design and management using montoring and evaluation (12). OM= organic matter.

(Modified after Brussaard et al., 2007, Agric Ecosys Environ 121: 233)

� Higher diversity increases productivity� Functional complementarity : different species function in different

ways, and together increase the aggregated function� Spatial heterogeneity : favors coexistence of different species� Redundancy : similar species may actually be slightly different, taking

over under environmental change� Sampling effect : with more species, greater likelihood that one species

contributes a unique ecosystem function

� Higher diversity confers resilience: a system adapts to external changes by returning to its original state or by evolving into a state preferable to the initial one� Adaptive capacity : more options for reorganization that reduce

vulnerability� Insurance value : more risk mitigation

Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions

Aboveground: planned, managed biodiversity:

Belowground: from unplanned, unmanaged biodiversity to (partly) planned, managed biodiversity

‘see

ds a

nd b

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s’ap

proa

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stai

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e ag

ricul

ture

‘environment’approach to

sustainable agriculture

From understanding trait-based plant →….plant-animal-soilcommunities in natural systems →… inmanaged systems

From understandingtrait-based community assemblage →

human-induced assemblage of trait-based communities inagriculture →

… in agricultural landscapes

Photo: Michael Stocking Photo: Felipe Barrios

Photo: Eric Brennan

Outline






� Summary

Ecosystem services at the landscape level:

� Wildland biodiversity is relatively important for ecosystem services in agriculture, such as pollination and biocontrol

� Cropland biodiversity is relatively important for ecosystem services beyond agricultural lands, such as GHG mitigation

� In other cases the combination of wildland and cropland biodiversity is essential for yet other ecosystem services in and beyond agricultural lands, such as cultural services (sense of belonging, recreation)

We need a landscape view to design ecology-based solutions, combining biodiversity with other renewable resources for adaptation to local ecosystem complexity and social frameworks under climate change

� knowledge embedded within systems

� provides control over environment

� derived from traditional, reductionist science with clear problem statements, rarely contested at that level

� non.contextual in time & space

� mono.causal perspective

� single effects

� addressing technical problems

� silver bullets

� Knowledge.intensive

� improves understanding functions

� accounts for norms & values, leads to different problem definitions with the result that every answer can be contested

� highly contextual in time & space

� multi.causal perspective

� interactions

� addressing societal problems

� co.innovations

Enabling Technologies Transformational Technologies

(After Keating et al., 2010, Crop Sci, 50: 109)

Enabling Technologies:knowledge embedded within

the systems

Examples:� mineral fertiliser, new varieties� models that optimises N

applications� irrigation systems� farm machinery� GM technology

Transformational Technologies:knowledge intensive systems

Examples:� conservation agriculture� models that improve breeding

programs� aerobic rice systems� precision farming� GM crops within cropping systems

Enabling and transformational technologies

(After Keating et al., 2010, Crop Sci, 50: 109)

Connecting enabling and transformational technologies

From ‘knowledge.embedded technologies’ to ‘knowledge intensive technologies’

Two different pathways for acquiring scientific knowledge (Pielke, 2010):

� Knowledge.embedded technologies provide increased control over the environment (e.g. dams to regulate river flows); and

� Knowledge.intensive technologies improve the understanding of how the world functions and helps with ‘wicked problem solving’

Need to combine reductionist, value.neutral science with value.specific transdisciplinary science

(Pielke RA, 2010. Expert advice and the vast sea of knowledge. In: Inter-und Transdisziplinarität imWandel? Neue Perspektiven auf problemorientierte Forsc hung und Politikberatung, A. Bogner, K. Kastenhofer, H. Torgersen (eds), Nomos Verlagsgesells chaft, Baden-Baden, Germany, 169-187)

It is useful to examine responses to environmental change in specific landscapes that differ by institutional setting, farming systems, level of agricultural intensity (or stage of intensification) and available biodiversity

The global network of 8 DIVERSITAS sites, representing the full range of ‘intensification’, can be used to enrich such efforts

� Considers biodiversity –ecological functions in mosaics of crop production areas and natural habitats

� Sets sustainable management of biodiversity in a social-ecological framework

� Builds upon local experiences and participatory experimentation with diversified production systems

DIVERSITAS agroBIODIVERSITY network

8 research sites representing landscapes positioned along a biodiversity-productivity gradient

and a wide range of socio-economic conditions

Jambi forest margin site, Sumatera

Hoeksche Waard intensive agriculture site, The Netherlands

Three figures removed because of authorship issue;

those figures are basically included in the next slide

Outline





� A landscape view on ecosystem functions and seervices

� Summary

Hydrology

Agronomy

Ecology

Interdisciplinary:

Social Science

Landscape level approach

(Jackson et al., 2010, Curr Opinion Env Sci 2)

Photo: Michael Stocking

Thank you

Acknowledgements:

Louise Jackson, UCDavis, USAMirjam Pulleman, Wageningen, NL,

and other members of agroBIODIVERSITY network of DIVERSITASHolger Meinke, Wageningen, NL

Documents

Reconciling biodiversity conservation and food …Reconciling biodiversity conservation and food security: scientific challenges for a new agriculture Lijbert Brussaard Dept. of Soil