Agroecosystem Health Research Articles

Soil microbial biodiversity supports the delivery of multiple ecosystem functions under elevated CO2 and warming

The contribution of the soil microbes to agroecosystem multifunctionality under global change remains poorly understood. Here, based on data from a field experiment involving elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) and warming in a rice-wheat agroecosystem, we found that soil microbes influence the impact of climate change on agroecosystem functions. The stability of food production during the rice season increased under elevated CO2 but decreased under warming, with no significant changes in the wheat season. The interactive influences of elevated CO2 and warming on agroecosystem multifunctionality were found to be minimal. The abundance of soil fungi and nematode was associated with agroecosystem stability during the rice and wheat seasons, respectively. Soil archaeal diversity and bacterial abundance were linked to agroecosystem multifunctionality in the rice and wheat seasons, respectively. Our work proves the positive effects of soil microbes on agroecosystem functions and highlights the implications of maintaining microbial diversity for agroecosystem health under climate change.

Integrated pest management farmer field school of Chinese cabbage for young farmers in Batu City

The Abinaya Milenial Youth Farmers Group in Sumber Brantas Village, Bumiaji District, Batu City, faces significant challenges in cultivating Chinese cabbage due to a high incidence of clubroot disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, with infection rates reaching 50–80 percent, leading to crop failure. The overuse of synthetic pesticides has resulted in pathogen resistance. Therefore, we adopted an integrated pest management (IPM) approach focusing on long-term prevention by integrating ecologically-based control techniques. The principles of IPM include managing healthy plants, preserving natural enemies, monitoring, and enhancing farmers' ecological understanding to become IPM experts. Through the IPM Farmer Field School (IPM-FFS), we aimed to implement ecological IPM, improve agroecosystem health, and support sustainable agriculture through participatory extension methods. Activities were conducted from June to November 2023 in Sumber Brantas Village, Bumiaji District, Batu City. The activities included surveys, planning, socialization, teaching, training, and follow-up. The IPM-FFS successfully developed standard operating procedures for Chinese cabbage management, increasing farmers' knowledge of IPM by 85 percent. The adoption of IPM reduced the incidence of clubroot disease to 20 percent, increased production by 420 kg, and reduced production costs by IDR 403,000 on an area of 400 m2. Farmers independently produce compost, compost tea, botanical pesticides, mycorrhizae, and fungicides through the IPM-FFS, empowering them in sustainable agriculture.

Soil eDNA biomonitoring reveals changes in multitrophic biodiversity and ecological health of agroecosystems

Soil health is integral to sustainable agroecosystem management. Current monitoring and assessment practices primarily focus on soil physicochemical properties, yet the perspective of multitrophic biodiversity remains underexplored. Here we used environmental DNA (eDNA) technology to monitor multitrophic biodiversity in four typical agroecosystems, and analyzed the species composition and diversity changes in fungi, bacteria and metazoan, and combined with the traditional physicochemical variables to establish a soil health assessment framework centered on biodiversity data. First, eDNA technology detected rich multitrophic biodiversity in four agroecosystems, including 100 phyla, 273 classes, 611 orders, 1026 families, 1668 genera and 1146 species with annotated classification, and the relative sequence abundance of dominant taxa fluctuates tens of times across agroecosystems. Second, significant differences in soil physicochemical variables such as organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN) and available phosphorus (AP) were observed among different agroecosystems, nutrients were higher in cropland and rice paddies, while heavy metals were higher in fish ponds and lotus ponds. Third, biodiversity metrics, including α and β diversity, also showed significant changes across agroecosystems, the soil biota was generally more sensitive to nutrients (e.g., OM, TN or AP), while the fungal communities were mainly affected by heavy metals in October (e.g., Cu and Cr). Finally, we screened 48 sensitive organismal indicators and found significant positive consistency between the developed eDNA indices and the traditional soil quality index (SQI, reaching up to R2 = 0.58). In general, this study demonstrated the potential of eDNA technology in soil health assessment and underscored the importance of a multitrophic perspective for efficient monitoring and managing agroecosystems.

Efecto antrópico en propiedades del suelo en sistemas de producción agrícola en la granja Santa Inés

Soil is the main element for the health of agroecosystems; however, agricultural activities have altered the properties of the soil, affecting the quality of the non-renewable natural resource. The objective of the work was to determine the anthropogenic effect of agricultural management on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil in production systems of the Santa Inés farm. For this, permanent sampling points were randomly selected in five agroecosystems (cocoa, banana, corn, pastures, and forest) belonging to the Santa Inés farm. The anthropogenic effect in agriculture has significantly transformed the properties of the soil, caused by the intensive use of agricultural tillage, fertilizers, and pesticides which have caused notable changes in apparent density, porosity, sand content, clay, and nutrients. The modifications that occurred in the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the Inceptisol soil reflect the direct influence of agricultural practices on soil degradation and its ability to maintain sustainable crops.

Crop Nutrition and Soil Fertility Management in Organic Potato Production Systems

Organic farming is a comprehensive production management system that fosters and improves the health of agroecosystems, encompassing biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a crucial crop in organic farming systems, standing out as one of the most highly demanded organic products on the market. Among all crops, with potatoes, there is a very large yield gap between organic and conventional systems, attributable mainly to its intensive nutrient demands. The present review, considering the most relevant scientific literature worldwide, discusses the contemporary state of knowledge on crop nutrition and soil fertility management in organic potato crop production, analyzing the effects of animal manures, green manures, organic amendments, and biostimulants on organic potato tuber yield and quality. Overall, the main findings show a particular combination is needed to effectively maintain good soil fertility, satisfy the nutritional needs of the crop, and overcome the difference in potato yield between organic and conventional farming methods while meeting consumer demand. This combination entails using an animal manure or leguminous green manure with an organic soil amendment, and even better with a biofertilizer, such as a mycorrhizae-fungus-based one. It also emerged that more targeted studies are needed to select appropriate cultivars for organic potato farming systems to optimize this environmentally friendly production method.

Soil legacy phosphorus and loss risk in subtropical grasslands

The accumulation of soil legacy phosphorus (P) due to past fertilization practices poses a persistent challenge for agroecosystem management and water quality conservation. This study investigates the spatial distribution and risk assessment of soil legacy P in subtropical grasslands managed for cow-calf operations in Florida, with two pasture types along the intensity gradient: improved vs semi-native pastures. Soil samples from 1438 locations revealed substantial spatial variation in soil legacy P, with total P concentrations ranging from 11.46 to 619.54 mg/kg and Mehlich-1 P concentrations spanning 0.2–187.27 mg/kg. Our analyses revealed that most of the sites in semi-native pastures may function as P sinks by exhibiting positive Soil P Storage Capacity (SPSC) values, despite having high levels of soil total P. These locales of higher SPSC values were associated with high levels of aluminum, iron, and organic matter that can adsorb P. In addition, our results from spatial random forest modelling demonstrated that factors including elevation, soil organic matter, available water storage, pasture type, soil pH, and soil order are important to explain and predict spatial variations in SPSC. Incorporating SPSC into the Phosphorus Index (PI) spatial assessment, we further determined that only 3% of the study area was considered as high or very high PI categories indicative of a significant risk for P loss. Our evaluation of SPSC and PI underscores the complexity inherent in P dynamics, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to assessing P loss risk. Insights from this work not only help optimize agronomic practices but also promote sustainable land management, thus ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of grass-dominated agroecosystems.

The Assessment of Biodiversity Changes and Sustainable Agricultural Development in The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region of China

In the face of a series of challenges, such as climate change, population growth, and agricultural intensification, as well as the issue of how to promote sustainable development and guarantee food security, biodiversity, with its unique genetic, ecological, and traditional socio-cultural values, has become an important way to solve this dilemma. Urban biodiversity has continued to decline in recent decades due to rapid urbanization. The agroecosystem health of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, a typical urban agglomeration economic area, is facing a critical situation. Therefore, assessing the potential of ecosystem diversity in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and exploring the assessment mechanisms and methods of ecosystem health can provide theoretical support for biodiversity conservation and utilization. In this thesis, the overall ecosystem health of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region was assessed based on the land cover data from 1992 to 2022 and the projected land cover data up to 2032, as well as using the habitat quality indicated by the Fragstats and InVEST models and the landscape pattern index, habitat quality, and mean species abundance (MSA) indicators of the GLOBIO module. The main results are as follows: Habitat quality and mean species abundance (MSA) in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region were observed to show a continuous downward trend over 40 years from a landscape level perspective, and landscape fragmentation due to urbanization was the main reason. Habitat loss and habitat degradation caused by landscape fragmentation led to a decline in biodiversity. The spatial distribution of habitat quality in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is closely correlated with topography and landscape, being higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast, forming a clear spatial pattern that declined from 0.599 to 0.564 between 1992 and 2032. The mean species richness (MSA) value of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is significantly affected by infrastructure, especially road construction. With the continuous expansion of the road network, the MSA values in the region generally show a decreasing trend from 0.270 to 0.183 between 1992 and 2032. Based on the above results, it is recommended to carry out several aspects of agrobiodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration.

Cow Based Inputs for Sustainable Agriculture: A Review

Food safety is of prime importance at present because the consumption of food products with chemical residues above the threshold levels is causing dreadful diseases in living beings and deteriorating soil health too. The current global scenario firmly emphasizes the need to adopt agricultural practices that are ecologically safe for sustainable food production. Hence, it is necessary to adopt organic farming which improves the health of Agro-ecosystems besides providing safe food and conserving the soil fertility and soil biota. There is a need to identify a suitable substitute in place of chemical fertilizers which are economically cheaper and ecofriendly. In this context, Cow-based inputs (dung, urine, ghee, milk) play an important role in organic farming as an alternative to chemical fertilizers which help in the growth of the crop and provide eco-safety food

Effects of cultural practices on weed community and seedbank dynamics in a potato rotation

ContextStagnant yields and declining soil health are common characteristics of high-intensity, low-residue cropping systems, such as potato, particularly in northeastern North America. Incorporating cultural practices including cover cropping and manure application is a way to combat declines in agroecosystem health and potato productivity. However, manure application and the use of cover crops may exacerbate weed issues through seedbank additions. ObjectiveThis study was aimed at investigating how the cultural practices of cover cropping and manure application and their associated management activities can alter weed community dynamics and weed seedbank composition in a northeastern North American potato rotation. MethodsThe study evaluated the use of eight cover crop mixtures—annual and perennial grasses and legumes—grown over two years with/without manure added in year one of the rotation. It also examined the effects of the cover crop mixtures and the presence/absence of manure on the weed community and on seedbank dynamics within a three-year potato rotation between 2019 and 2021. ResultsIn year one of the study and directly after application, manure plots had greater weed seedbank density and species richness; however, this did not result in greater in-season weed biomass. Manure application resulted in a gradual decline in weed seedbank density over time regardless of cover crop treatment. Further, manure application increased the in-season competitive ability of cover crops, resulting in greater weed suppression per unit of cover crop biomass. In contrast, in the absence of manure, weed seedbank density remained largely unchanged through time regardless of cover crop treatment. We found that management practices associated with annual and perennial cover crops had distinct ecological filtering effects throughout the rotation on the weed community and prevented the dominance of any particular species. ConclusionTogether, our results demonstrate that combining the cultural practices of annual or perennial cover cropping and manure application contributes to weed suppression and should be considered an important component of sustainable potato production.

Nanoparticle applications in agriculture: overview and response of plant-associated microorganisms.

Globally, food security has become a critical concern due to the rise in human population and the current climate change crisis. Usage of conventional agrochemicals to maximize crop yields has resulted in the degradation of fertile soil, environmental pollution as well as human and agroecosystem health risks. Nanotechnology in agriculture is a fast-emerging and new area of research explored to improve crop productivity and nutrient-use efficiency using nano-sized agrochemicals at lower doses than conventional agrochemicals. Nanoparticles in agriculture are applied as nanofertilizers and/or nanopesticides. Positive results have been observed in terms of plant growth when using nano-based agricultural amendments. However, their continuous application may have adverse effects on plant-associated rhizospheric and endospheric microorganisms which often play a crucial role in plant growth, nutrient uptake, and disease prevention. While research shows that the application of nanoparticles has the potential to improve plant growth and yield, their effect on the diversity and function of plant-associated microorganisms remains under-explored. This review provides an overview of plant-associated microorganisms and their functions. Additionally, it highlights the response of plant-associated microorganisms to nanoparticle application and provides insight into areas of research required to promote sustainable and precision agricultural practices that incorporate nanofertilizers and nanopesticides.

The Effects of the Interaction of Pesticides with Humin Fraction as Influencing the Sustainable Development of Agroecosystems

Humin (HUM) is the most stable fraction of the soil organic matter, whose properties determine the soil health and sustainable development of agroecosystems. The aim of the paper was to determine changes in the properties of the HUM after interaction with selected pesticides, which can be visualized using photoluminescence methods. The HUM was isolated from the mollic horizon of Phaeozems arable soils derived from different parent materials in Poland. The isolated and purified HUM were saturated in a batch experiment with selected herbicides and insecticides, then analyzed for chemical composition and spectroscopic properties: Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, fluorescence, and delayed luminescence. The research showed that the interaction of the HUM with selected pesticides caused significant changes in the elemental composition of the HUM; however, no changes in their aromaticity/aliphaticity were found. The impact of pesticides was also marked by a reduction in the concentration of radicals, fluorescence and delayed luminescence intensity and properties. Changes in spectroscopic characteristics and their relationship with soil organic matter (SOM) structure properties require further research so that their results can be used in the management of agroecosystems in accordance with the principles of sustainable development.

Learning ecology of IPM/FFS: the impacts of sustainability and health of agroecosystem

Learning ecology of IPM/FFS: the impacts of sustainability and health of agroecosystem

Biochar relieves the toxic effects of microplastics on the root-rhizosphere soil system by altering root expression profiles and microbial diversity and functions

The accumulation of microplastics in agricultural soil brings unexpected adverse effects on crop growth and soil quality, which is threatening the sustainability of agriculture. Biochar is an emerging soil amendment material of interest as it can remediate soil pollutants. However, the mechanisms underlying biochar alleviated the toxic effects of microplastics in crops and soil were largely unknown. Using a common economic crop, peanut as targeted species, the present study evaluated the plant physiologica and molecular response and rhizosphere microbiome when facing microplastic contamination and biochar amendment. Transcriptome and microbiome analyses were conducted on peanut root and rhizosphere soil treated with CK (no microplastic and no biochar addition), MP (1.5% polystyrene microplastic addition) and MB (1.5% polystyrene microplastic+2% peanut shell biochar addition). The results indicated that microplastics had inhibitory effects on plant root development and rhizosphere bacterial diversity and function. However, biochar application could significantly promote the expressions of key genes associated with antioxidant activities, lignin synthesis, nitrogen transport and energy metabolism to alleviate the reactive oxygen species stress, root structure damage, nutrient transport limitation, and energy metabolism inhibition induced by microplastic contamination on the root. In addition, the peanut rhizosphere microbiome results showed that biochar application could restore the diversity and richness of microbial communities inhibited by microplastic contamination and promote nutrient availability of rhizosphere soil by regulating the abundance of nitrogen cycling-related and organic matter decomposition-related microbial communities. Consequently, the application of biochar could enhance root development by promoting oxidative stress resistance, nitrogen transport and energy metabolism and benefit the rhizosphere microecological environment for root development, thereby improved the plant-soil system health of microplastic-contaminated agroecosystem.

Improving semi-arid agroecosystem services with cover crop mixes.

Winter wheat (Triticum aestivum, L.) production in the semi-arid US Northern High Plains (NHP) is challenged by frequent droughts and water-limited, low fertility soils. Composted cattle manure (compost) and cover crops (CC) are known to provide agroecosystem services such as improved soil health, and in the CC case, increased plant diversity, and competition with weedy species. The main concern of planting CC in winter wheat fallow rotation in regions that are more productive than the NHP, however, is the soil moisture depletion. It is unknown however, whether addition of CC to compost-amended soils in the NHP will improve soil properties and agroecosystem health without compromising already low soil water content. The main objective of this study was to assess the effects of four CC treatments amended with compost (45 Mg ha-1) or inorganic fertilizer (IF) (.09 Mg ha-1 mono-ammonium phosphate, 11-52-0 and 1.2 Mg ha-1ammonium sulfate, 21-0-0) on the presence of weeds, soil and plant total carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and biological dinitrogen (N2) fixation (BNF). Mycorrhizal Mix (MM), Nitrogen Fixer Mix (NF), Soil Building Mix (SB), a monoculture of phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth L.) (PH), and a no CC control (no CC) were grown in native soil kept at 7% soil moisture in a greenhouse for a period of nine weeks. When amended with compost, MM was the most beneficial (48 g m-2 BNF and 1.7% soil C increase). SB had the highest germination, aboveground biomass, and decreased weed biomass by 60%. It also demonstrated the second highest amount of BNF (40 g m-2) and soil C increase by 1.5%. On contrary, IF hindered BNF by almost 70% in all legume-containing CC treatments and reduced soil C by 15%.

Biobased residues sustain crop productivity and soil health in a maize–soybean rotation

AbstractBiobased residues are local and cost‐effective sources of soil amendments that can efficiently provide nutrients to crops, enhance soil health and serve as alternatives to mineral fertilizers. The objective of our study was to comprehensively evaluate the soil health and crop productivity of temperate agroecosystems amended with different types of organic residues (biobased residues), including composted food waste (compost), biosolid slurry (biosolids) and liquid anaerobic digestate (digestate), compared with nitrogen fertilizer. The experiment was conducted on a silt loam soil under maize–soybean rotation in Canada, where a wide range of physical, chemical and biological indicators were measured and integrated into a soil health score. Biobased residues resulted in about 50%–60% increase in soil‐exchangeable potassium and 10% soil‐exchangeable sodium over levels found in nitrogen fertilizer. Soil microbial biomass and the capacity of soil microbes to utilize carbon substrates differed among growing seasons but not among amendment types (p > .05). Crop productivity was similar among amendment types (p > .05). We found that the soil health score of biosolids was positively correlated with shoot and root biomass and negatively correlated with shoot nitrogen (p < .05), while that of nitrogen fertilizer was positively correlated with shoot carbon (p < .05). This was likely because of a variation in the availability of labile carbon and nitrogen among amendment types. Our research also suggests that temperate silt loam soil amended with biobased residues, especially biosolids, supplied sufficient nitrogen without the need for additional nitrogen fertilizer.

Adapting crop production to climate change and air pollution at different scales.

Air pollution and climate change are tightly interconnected and jointly affect field crop production and agroecosystem health. Although our understanding of the individual and combined impacts of air pollution and climate change factors is improving, the adaptation of crop production to concurrent air pollution and climate change remains challenging to resolve. Here we evaluate recent advances in the adaptation of crop production to climate change and air pollution at the plant, field and ecosystem scales. The main approaches at the plant level include the integration of genetic variation, molecular breeding and phenotyping. Field-level techniques include optimizing cultivation practices, promoting mixed cropping and diversification, and applying technologies such as antiozonants, nanotechnology and robot-assisted farming. Plant- and field-level techniques would be further facilitated by enhancing soil resilience, incorporating precision agriculture and modifying the hydrology and microclimate of agricultural landscapes at the ecosystem level. Strategies and opportunities for crop production under climate change and air pollution are discussed.

Field Evaluation of Slow-Release Wax Formulations: A Novel Approach for Managing Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Chemical management of the peach fly, Bactrocera zonata has been compromised due to adverse effects of pesticide residues that not only contaminate environment but also affect non-target organisms including beneficial insects, birds, aquatic life, and soil microorganisms. They can be impacted through direct exposure or by consuming contaminated prey or plants. The present study was designed keeping in view this increasing demand of the consumers to get pesticide residue free fruit and vegetable produce because it reflects the growing consumer concern for food safety and environmental sustainability, motivating the need for alternative pest management strategies. The field experiment was conducted to determine the best slow-release formulation prepared by mixing the following five different types of waxes, including Candelilla wax (CanW), Paraffin wax (PW), Carnauba wax (CarW), Lanolin wax (LW) and Bees wax (BW) with methyl eugenol (ME) (to attract male B. zonata). The selection of the five different types of waxes was likely based on their biodegradability, availability, and potential for slow-release properties. The result revealed that formulations containing SRF-7[LW], SRF-9[CanW], SRF-8[BW], SRF-9[CarW] and SRF-9[PW] exhibited the maximum capture of 42.10 ± 8.14, 43.30 ± 1.76, 34.30 ± 2.96, 35.30 ± 3.18 and 22.70 ± 3.18 male B. zonata per trap per day, respectively. These effective formulations were further evaluated in experiment in which the comparative trapping efficiency of each wax formulation was assessed. The results demonstrated that formulation containing SRF-9[CanW] was expressed maximum capture 13.77 ± 1.26 male B. zonata per trap per day. These formulations were further evaluated in another experiment in which the trapping efficiency was assessed by four different application methods (simple bottle trap, simple bottle trap with water, yellow sticky trap and jute piece with sticky material). The results demonstrated that formulation containing SRF-9[CarW] applied by yellow sticky trap (YST) trapped 61.74 + 7.69 male B. zonata per trap per day and proved more effective. This formulation can be recommended for trapping and management of male population of B. zonata in fruit orchards. This study can influence eco-friendly B. zonata pest control policies, reducing chemical pesticide usage and promoting agricultural sustainability. Future research should study the long-term impact of slow-release formulations on agricultural sustainability, including pest control, crop yield, and agroecosystem health.

Integration of biochar with nitrogen in acidic soil: A strategy to sequester carbon and improve the yield of stevia via altering soil properties and nutrient recycling

The health of agroecosystems is subsiding unremittingly, and the over-use of chemical fertilizers is one of the key reasons. It is hypothesized that integrating biochar, a carbon (C)-rich product, would be an effective approach to reducing the uses of synthetic fertilizers and securing crop productivity through improving soil properties and nutrient cycling. The bamboo biochar at different quantities (4–12 Mg ha−1) and combinations with chemical fertilizers were tested in stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) farming in silty clay acidic soil. The integration of biochar at 8 Mg ha−1 with 100% nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) produced statistically (p ≤ 0.05) higher leaf area index, dry leaf yield, and steviol glycosides yield by about 18.0–33.0, 25.8–44.9, and 20.5–59.4%, respectively, compared with the 100% NPK via improving soil physicochemical properties. Soil bulk density was reduced by 5–8% with biochar at ≥ 8 Mg ha−1, indicating the soil porosity was increased by altering the soil macrostructure. The soil pH was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) augmented with the addition of biochar alone or in the combination of N because of the alkaline nature of the used biochar (pH = 9.65). Furthermore, integrating biochar at 8 Mg ha−1 with 100% NPK increased 22.7% soil organic C compared with the sole 100% NPK. The priming effect of applied N activates soil microorganisms to mineralize the stable C. Our results satisfy the hypothesis that adding bamboo biochar would be a novel strategy for sustaining productivity by altering soil physicochemical properties.

Effects of conventional vs. organic farming practices on raptor nestling health: Neither black nor white

Agricultural intensification is one of the main threats to biodiversity. Farmland bird specialists such as Montagu’s harrier, Circus pygargus, are particularly at risk and declining. Conventional farming (CF) production systems usually involve landscape homogenisation, mechanisation, and the use of synthetic pesticides that may have direct and indirect effects on individuals. By contrast, organic farming (OF) systems typically promote agro-ecosystem health, which benefits biodiversity and the reproductive success of birds. However, the potential effects of agricultural systems on life history traits of Montagu’s harrier chicks have not been investigated. Still, altered life history traits could impair chick survival and future reproductive success, which may in turn impact population dynamics. Here, we investigated the effects of OF (measured as a percentage around nests at different buffer sizes from 100 m to 2000 m) on a set of life history traits covering the behaviour, physiology (haematological, immune and nervous systems) and body condition of 380 chicks from 137 nests monitored between 2016 and 2021. At a local scale (<2000 m), only the H/L ratio (indicative of physiological stress) and carotenoid-based ornaments were clearly related to OF percentage. At 600 m around the nest, a higher OF percentage increased the H/L ratio, suggesting that chicks experienced greater stress due to either increased human disturbance or higher intra-/interspecific negative interactions around OF crop plots. Carotenoid-based ornaments were more strongly coloured with increasing OF around the nest at 1500 m. Considering the role of carotenoids in both detoxification processes and expression of secondary sexual traits, this result may indicate that CF would lead either to a difference in nestlings’ diet and/or to a trade-off between organism’s maintenance and sexual characters. These findings suggest that farming practices at a local scale surrounding nest locations may have subtle effects on chick development, but also on trade-offs between important physiological functions. This study highlights the importance of a multi-trait approach when assessing adverse and beneficial effects of both OF and CF on individuals.

Co-designing a method to assess agroecological transitions: results of a case study in Senegal

Assessing the conditions and performance of agroecological transitions in different contexts is key to supporting these transitions. However, assessing agroecological transitions presents methodological challenges, including: 1) being adaptable to local conditions, 2) consideration of social interactions among stakeholders involved in transitions, 3) clarifying the concept of agroecology, 4) consideration of the temporal dynamics of the transitions to better understand barriers and levers in their development, and 5) using a participatory bottom-up approach. The objective of this research was to design a method that provided evidence on 1) the barriers and levers in the development of agroecological transitions, and 2) their performance related to four dimensions: techno-economic issues, agroecosystem health, quality of life and resilience. To design, test and adapt such a method, while also involving end-users, we adopted a co-design approach based on prototyping. The co-design approach unfolded in nine stages alternating research work and co-design with end-users. The prototype was built on the approaches of existing published methods covering the five challenges for assessing agroecological transitions. It consisted of a four chronological step assessment method. The first three steps consisted of framing the assessment, with the final step a multidimensional performance assessment, using an initial set of 73 indicators to cover the four dimensions. The prototype was then tested and adapted in the village of Sare Boubou, Senegal, which is going through an agroecological transition supported by a non-governmental organization. Changes during the testing and adaptation phase affected three steps of the prototype and allowed the initial prototype to adapt to the case study’s specificities, related to its scale and context. Context-related changes particularly affected the performance assessment, with a total of 31 indicators changed. The analysis of barriers and levers revealed that the transition began 29 years ago, achieved a fair level of advancement and yet was still ongoing. Results revealed heterogeneity between the nine households of the village in terms of: uptake of agroecological practices, household resources, diversification of activities, coverage of food needs through production and level of sales. This heterogeneity explained the large variability in household multidimensional performances across all dimensions. Large disparities were also noticeable at the individual level between men, women and young men in the village regarding the level of education, empowerment and participation in knowledge sharing networks. Despite a method seen as time-consuming and data intensive, end-user validation acknowledged the comprehensiveness of the method and its usefulness for steering and managing agroecological transitions, making it possible to identify levers for action at different scales.