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Article
2024
Mineral-ecological cropping systems mitigate biodiversity-productivity trade-offs of the organic vs. conventional farming dichotomy
Mineral-ecological cropping systems mitigate biodiversity-productivity trade-offs of the organic vs. conventional farming dichotomy
Abstract (English)
Conventional agriculture significantly reduces biodiversity, while organic farming promotes it, but often yields half as much. Addressing this biodiversity-productivity trade-off is crucial for future agriculture. Mineral-ecological cropping systems (MECS) have been suggested as an alternative, blending organic and conventional methods by avoiding chemical-synthetic pesticides and using mineral fertilizers. In a German experiment with 168 parcels, we compared MECS, conventional, and organic systems in terms of ecological and economic performance. Arthropod diversity was measured through standardized species collections and DNA-metabarcoding. Productivity was assessed via yields and economic profits. MECS showed similar arthropod diversity to other farming systems, achieved 90% of conventional crop yields, and produced 1.8 times of the organic yield. Profits from MECS were on average 37% higher than the conventional system with a short wheat-maize-soy crop rotation. Further farm-level studies are needed, but MECS could be a reasonable alternative to both organic and conventional farming and can mitigate biodiversity-productivity trade-offs.
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npj sustainable agriculture, 2 (2024), 29.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-024-00034-0.
ISSN: 2731-9202
London : Nature Publishing Group UK
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English
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630 Agriculture
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Sustainable Development Goals
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@article{Kasten2024,
doi = {10.1038/s44264-024-00034-0},
author = {Kasten, Marit Kinga and Witte, Felix and Sponagel, Christian et al.},
title = {Mineral-ecological cropping systems mitigate biodiversity-productivity trade-offs of the organic vs. conventional farming dichotomy},
journal = {npj Sustainable Agriculture},
year = {2024},
volume = {2},
number = {1},
}