A new version of this entry is available:

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Article
2024

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.

File is subject to an embargo until

This is a correction to:

A correction to this entry is available:

This is a new version of:

Other version

Notes

Publication license

Publication series

Published in

npj sustainable agriculture, 2 (2024), 29. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-024-00034-0. ISSN: 2731-9202 London : Nature Publishing Group UK

Other version

Faculty

Institute

Examination date

Supervisor

Free keywords

Standardized keywords (GND)

Sustainable Development Goals

BibTeX

@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}, }

Share this publication