Agroecosystem Services Research Articles

Soil Quality and Health to Assess Agro-Ecosystems Services

Nowadays, agricultural production systems are facing serious challenges mainly related to the climate changing, the world population growing and environmental pollution that are threatening the survival of the natural resources [...]

Linking remote sensing data to the estimation of pollination services in agroecosystems.

Wild bees are key providers of pollination services in agroecosystems. The abundance of these pollinators and the ecosystem services they provide rely on supporting resources in the landscape. Spatially explicit models that quantify wild bee abundance and pollination services in food crops are built on the foundations of foraging and nesting resources. This dependence limits model implementation as land-cover maps and pollination experts capable of evaluating habitat resource quality are scarce. This study presents a novel approach to assessing crop pollination services using remote sensing data (RSD) as an alternative to the more conventional use of land-cover data and local expertise on spatially explicit models. We used landscape characteristics derived from remote sensors to qualify nesting resources in the landscape and to evaluate the delivery of pollination services by mining bees (Andrena spp.) in 30 fruit orchards located in the Flemish region of Belgium. For this study, we selected mining bees for their importance as local pollinators and underground nesting behavior. We compared the estimated pollination services derived from RSD with those derived from the conventional qualification of nesting resources. We did not observe significant differences (p=0.68) in the variation in mining bee activity predicted by the two spatial models. Estimated pollination services derived from RSD and conventional characterizations explained 69% and 72% of the total variation, respectively. These results confirmed that RSD can deliver nesting suitability characterizations sufficient for estimating pollination services. This research also illustrates the importance of nesting resources and landscape characteristics when estimating pollination services delivered by insects like mining bees. Our results support the development of holistic agroenvironmental policies that rely on modern tools like remote sensors and promote pollinators by considering nesting resources.

Multi-Indicator and Geospatial Based Approaches for Assessing Variation of Land Quality in Arid Agroecosystems

Novel spatial models for appraising arable land resources using data processing techniques can increase insight into agroecosystem services. Hence, the principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchal cluster analysis (HCA), analytical hierarchy process (AHP), fuzzy logic, and geographic information system (GIS) were integrated to zone and map agricultural land quality in an arid desert area (Matrouh Governorate, Egypt). Satellite imageries, field surveys, and soil analyses were employed to define eighteen indicators for terrain, soil, and vegetation qualities, which were then reduced through PCA to a minimum data set (MDS). The original and MDS were weighted by AHP through experts’ opinions. Within GIS, the raster layers were generated, standardized using fuzzy membership functions (linear and non-linear), and assembled using arithmetic mean and weighted sum algorithms to produce eight land quality index maps. The soil properties (pH, salinity, organic matter, and sand), slope, surface roughness, and vegetation could adequately express the land quality. Accordingly, the HCA could classify the area into eight spatial zones with significant heterogeneity. Selecting salt-tolerant crops, applying leaching fraction, adopting sulfur and organic applications, performing land leveling, and using micro-irrigation are the most recommended practices. Highly significant (p < 0.01) positive correlations occurred among all the developed indices. Nevertheless, the coefficient of variation (CV) and sensitivity index (SI) confirmed the better performance of the index developed from the non-linearly scored MDS and weighted sum model. It could achieve the highest discrimination in land qualities (CV > 35%) and was the most sensitive (SI = 3.88) to potential changes. The MDS within this index could sufficiently represent TDS (R2 = 0.88 and Kappa statistics = 0.62), reducing time, effort, and cost for estimating the land performance. The proposed approach would provide guidelines for sustainable land-use planning in the studied area and similar regions.

Inventory of agroecosystem services and perceptions of potential implications due to climate change: A case study from Benin in West Africa

Agricultural and Agroforestry play an important role in the economy of West African countries. They contribute to nearly 40% of the GDP and provide a large variety of ecosystem services to the local populations. However, the sustainability of agricultural and agroforestry systems in these countries is gradually jeopardised by climate change since these ecosystems are still predominantly rain-fed and therefore at the mercy of climatic hazards. For a developing country like Benin, there is still a lot of data gap in other to quantify the impact of climate change on agro-ecosystems. Thus, the current study focused on providing an inventory of the evolution and the monetary value of agro-ecosystem services in Benin with an analysis of the perceptions of the impact of climate change on these services. The data analysed showed, from 1975 to 2015, a reduction in forests and savannahs in favour of an increase in cultivated land. The areas of water bodies, swamps and floodplains have increased by almost 500% in the subequatorial climate regions and have remained almost unchanged in the tropical climate regions. The main uses of agroecosystems were agriculture, fishing, energy production, timber trade, and cultural rituals. A monetary estimate reveals that the value of agroecosystems services provided in the subequatorial regions (USD 3700/ha) is 2–3 times greater than that of the value of these services in the tropical regions (USD 1600/ha). The local population didn't perceive see climate hazards as a threat to community forests and planted forests. However, they felt that the establishment of sustainable management of agroecosystems through good agricultural practices and sustainable management of the landscape, would allow better regulation of the climate, conservation of specific and genetic biodiversity, and solve the problems of erosion and silting up of rivers.

Socio-economic drivers of irrigated paddy land abandonment and agro-ecosystem degradation: Evidence from Japanese agricultural census data.

The abandonment of irrigated paddy land has increased in Japan, which can cause a decline in food security and biodiversity. Despite the importance of individual decisions, most studies have only examined regional or community-based determinants of paddy land abandonment. This study aimed to uncover the socio-economic determinants affecting individual landowners’ decisions to abandon paddy land, using Japanese agricultural census data (2005, 2010, and 2015) composed of over one million unique paddy landowners. Results showed that low agricultural benefits are a key driver of abandonment, similar to European countries. Conversely, there is a positive correlation between the population of full-time cultivators in a household and paddy land abandonment, which contradicts previous evidence. Although some mosaics of socio-ecological landscapes with high biodiversity formed through long-term human influence (i.e., the Satoyama landscapes) are less-favored agricultural areas, the paddy land in some of these landscapes tends not to be abandoned. These findings support effective policymaking that balances biodiversity conservation and the provision of agroecosystem services in semi-natural landscapes.

Rotational pasture management to increase the sustainability of mountain livestock farms in the Alpine region

Over the past 30 years, farming in the Alpine region has undergone important changes: the average number of animals per farm and the use of external inputs have increased while the diversity of farming practices has decreased, becoming similar to intensive farming. This change has led to a reduction in the supply of agroecosystem services and the sustainability of the mountain livestock sector. In this study, we investigated rotational grazing as alternative to continuous grazing to improve the sustainability of mountain farming practices. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide were measured together with soil properties (bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, organic carbon content and plant biomass) for two grazing seasons using static chambers. The results showed that rotational grazing had a positive impact on plant biomass: minimize soil disturbance, reduce compaction and GHG emissions of the soil and increase water infiltration. Therefore, this practice has revealed clear benefits in terms of soil protection and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Traditional knowledge of edible plants used as flavoring for fish-grilling in Southeast Guizhou, China

BackgroundThe local Dong people in Qiandongnan Prefecture, Guizhou Province, China, with rich biocultural diversity, have developed the traditional rice-duckweed-fish-duck agroecosystem (RDFDA) to support biodiversity conservation and to meet food and cultural needs. However, there is still not much research on traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in this area. In particular, there is a lack of traditional knowledge of edible plants used by the Dong people as flavoring to grill fish (Cyprinus carpio) collected from RDFDA, which is extremely valuable in their traditional culture. The study focused on documenting plant species used in grilling fish and analyzing the status of its TEK.MethodsTwenty-one sampling points of three Dong minority villages in Qiandongnan were selected for the research. The local TEK associated with plant resources for fish-grilling was recorded through free listing and semi-structured interviews. Fidelity level (FL) and ethnoecological importance value (EIV) indicators were designed to determine the socioeconomic influence of TEK. The non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) method was used to evaluate the differentiation of edible plant species distribution in dissimilar accessibility types.ResultsA total of 430 people were interviewed about grilled fish, of whom 75% were men and 85% were farmers. Thirty-four edible plants were documented for fish-grilling in three Dong villages. They belong to 16 plant families, such as Apiaceae, and Asteraceae. The life forms included herbaceous (76%), shrubs (18%) and trees (6%). Leaves are the most commonly used part of for grilling fish, followed by aerial parts, and whole plants. Among these edible plants, Allium hookeri, A. macrostemon and Houttuynia cordata with the highest fidelity level (100%) were cited as edible plants for grilling fish by all informants. The NMDS showed different accessibility types of collection sites, with different importance values. Paddy rice field edge (2.03) has the highest value, followed by forest-farming ecotone (1.74), streamsides (1.71) and woodland (0.48).ConclusionThe purpose of this study was to investigate the traditional knowledge of edible plant materials used by the Dong people for grilling fish. The results demonstrate the strong connection between local people, the bio-environment and agroecosystem services. The survey and comparative analysis revealed that plant species with high FL values may be potential sources of natural flavors.

Soil Sterilization Eliminates Beneficial Microbes That Provide Natural Pest Suppression Ecosystem Services Against Radopholus similis and Fusarium Oxysporum V5w2 in the Endosphere and Rhizosphere of Tissue Culture Banana Plants

Endosphere and rhizosphere microbes offer plant growth promotion and pest suppression ecosystem services in banana-based agroecosystems. Interest has been growing towards the use of such beneficial microbes in protecting vulnerable tissue culture banana plants against pathogens such as Radopholus similis and Fusarium oxysporum. A screenhouse experiment with potted tissue culture banana plants was conducted using sterile and non-sterile soil to investigate the effect of soil biota on R. similis and F. oxysporum strain V5w2. Plants grown in non-sterile soil had lower damage and R. similis density in roots and rhizosphere, while most plant growth-related parameters including root freshweight, shoot freshweight, total freshweight, plant height, and leaf size were larger compared to those from sterile soil. Shoot dryweight and Mg content were higher in plants from sterile soil, while their leaves developed discolored margins. R. similis-inoculated plants in sterile soil were smaller, had more dead roots, higher nematode density, and produced fewer and smaller leaves, than those from non-sterile soil. For all plant growth-related parameters, nematode density and root damage, no differences were recorded between controls and F. oxysporum V5w2-inoculated plants; and no differences between those inoculated with R. similis only and the ones co-inoculated with the nematode and F. oxysporum V5w2. Banana roots inoculated with F. oxysporum V5w2 were lighter in color than those without the fungus. Independent or combined inoculation of banana plants with F. oxysporum V5w2 and R. similis resulted in lower optical density of root extracts. In vitro assays indicated the presence of Fusarium spp. and other root endophytic microbes that interacted antagonistically with the inoculated strain of F. oxysporum V5w2. It is concluded that, soil sterilization eliminates beneficial microbes that provide natural pest suppression ecosystem services against R. similis and F. oxysporum in the endosphere and rhizosphere of tissue culture banana plants. I recommend the integration of microbiome conservation into tissue culture technology through the proposed “Tissue Culture Microbiome Conservation Technology.”

Unpacking the governance of agro-ecosystem services – the case of Bulgaria

Unpacking the governance of agro-ecosystem services – the case of Bulgaria

The social wellbeing of irrigation water. A demand-side integrated valuation in a Mediterranean agroecosystem

Irrigation water is a vital input for agricultural production. The supply of irrigation water to crops enhances land productivity and affects the agroecosystem functioning. Agroecosystems co-provide a wide range of agroecosystem services and disservices, which contribute positively and negatively, respectively, to human wellbeing. Therefore, irrigated agroecosystems produce several positive and negative outcomes in relation to society, and agricultural water management is key to the provision of adequate incentives for the enhancement of social wellbeing. In such a context, the aim of this work was to value the contribution of water to the provision of agroecosystem services and disservices, as a way to summarise the contribution of irrigation to social wellbeing. To this end, a demand-side integrated valuation of agroecosystem services and disservices was carried out for both rain-fed and irrigated agriculture in two different agroecosystems of the Region of Murcia (south-eastern Spain), a semi-arid western Mediterranean region characterised by water scarcity. In addition, the intensity of the agricultural water use was considered by distinguishing traditional and highly-intensive irrigated agroecosystems. Almond and lemon, two woody crops, were employed to develop the economic valuation in rain-fed and irrigated agroecosystems, respectively. The assessment of biophysical indicators to quantify the provision of services and disservices and their economic valuation, using market and non-market methods, were used. The results show that the contribution of water to social wellbeing is valued at 9000–12,300 €/ha/year, being greater when the intensive use of agricultural water is promoted. The net economic value of all categories of agroecosystem services and disservices increases when irrigation water is supplied. Notwithstanding, the greatest contribution is due to the increase in provisioning services, mainly food provision in the case of the highly-intensive agroecosystem. Traditional irrigated agroecosystems make a greater contribution to regulating and cultural agroecosystem services. Hence, agricultural water management should focus on increasing the contribution of irrigated agroecosystems to human wellbeing.

Identifying drivers of change and predicting future land-use impacts in established farmlands

ABSTRACT There is growing consensus that global food systems will need to undergo substantial transformations to ensure continued food security and to halt environmental degradation. Such efforts will have to include more sustainable management of existing farmscapes. Here, we examine drivers of cropland transitions between 13 crop commodities cultivated in Kern County, California. We parameterized multinomial logistic regression models of crop choices, using observed data from 2002 to 2018. We then simulated future crop choices under three scenarios exploring the consequences of climate change, water shortages and policy response, and projected impacts on three agroecosystem pressures (water-use, soil erosion, pesticide-use), and three agroecosystem services (profits, nutrition, and carbon sequestration). Agricultural land-use transitions were especially sensitive to biophysical factors, profits and neighborhood effects. Our results illustrate how climate change may lead to landscape-level crop replacement by 2050, with likely significant socio-ecological consequences.

Cover crop residue decomposition in no-till cropping systems: Insights from multi-state on-farm litter bag studies

Cover crop (CC) residue decomposition influences the provisioning of agroecosystem services. While several laboratory and field studies have investigated processes and mechanisms of CC residue decomposition at specific point or plot scales, regional assessment of factors controlling decomposition rates (i.e., k-values) in no-till corn (Zea mays L.) systems are currently lacking. Here, we conducted the first multi-state on-farm litter bag studies over 105 site-years in the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern US states to determine the independent and combined effect of factors intrinsic to the field (soil and weather) and extrinsic or management factors (CC quantity and quality) on k-values. In the coastal plain regions, the k-values decreased as the underlying soils became sandier. Among weather variables, mean daily air relative humidity (RH) and number of rainy days showed stronger control on k-values than cumulative rainfall. This suggests faster decomposition of CC residues in humid environments and in site-years with frequent rain-events. Among extrinsic factors, the k-values decreased with higher CC biomass, C:N, residue holo-cellulose concentrations, and lignin:N, but increased with higher residue carbohydrate concentrations. The combination of CC residue quality (C:N and holo-cellulose) and weather (RH and rainy days) variables accounted in total for 69% of the variability in k-values with CC residue quality having a greater control over k-values than does weather in the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern US states. Therefore, our study emphasizes the necessity to update current process-based decomposition models to explicitly consider both CC residue quality (C:N, holo-cellulose) and weather factors (RH, rainy days), when predicting CC residue decomposition in no-till cropping systems.

How weed management influence plant community composition, taxonomic diversity and crop yield: A long-term study in a Mediterranean vineyard

Agricultural expansion and intensification is a major driver of biodiversity loss. Conventional weed management (e.g. tillage, herbicide) has encouraged the promotion of a few more competitive species over a wide range of arable plants that are now in decline. A reduction in plant diversity would negatively affect the provision of key ecosystem services in agroecosystems. In vineyards, the use of plant covers has emerged as the principal alternative to conventional weed management, providing multiple ecosystem services such as enhance biodiversity, but usually with a decrease in yields in Mediterranean vineyards. This long-term study assessed how weed management (herbicide, mowing, tillage) influenced plant community composition, taxonomic diversity and vineyard yield. Plant surveys and grape yield measurements were carried out from 2015 to 2018 in an experiment established in 2008. Effects on plant community composition were analysed, focusing on two groups: noxious grapevine weeds and terophytic grassland species. In addition, three fundamental components of taxonomic diversity were measured: β-diversity, evenness and species richness. Linear mixed models and generalised linear mixed model were used to examine the response of different variables to weed management. Position (row, inter-row) as well as the indirect effect of adjacent management on the subplots were also included as fixed factors. Furthermore, the percentage of bare soil, related to disturbance degree associated with management, was explored as a potential predictor of taxonomic diversity and vineyard yield. Results indicated that plant community composition was affected by weed management and to a lesser extent by position. Noxious grapevine weeds were more abundant in herbicide-sprayed rows, while terophytic grasslands species showed a higher presence in mown subplots. Weed management had a strong effect on bare soil, which proved to be a good predictor of the variables studied. Indeed, the highest species richness were associated with the lowest percentages of bare soil (mown subplots), while the lowest values were found at high percentages of bare soil (tilled subplots). Herbicide showed intermediate values, with a response dependent on adjacent management. On the other hand, vineyard yields were higher with increased bare soil, although with the consequent loss of species richness. Conversely, mowing in spontaneous plant covers caused a decrease in yield, but still production was within the maximum limit established by the Regulatory Council, while increasing the species richness and a significant presence of therophytic grasslands species. These findings could foster the development of more sustainable management in Mediterranean vineyards.

Habitat selection by a predator of rodent pests is resilient to wildfire in a vineyard agroecosystem.

Conservation of uncultivated habitats can increase the potential for ecosystem services in agroecosystems, but these lands are also susceptible to wildfires in the arid western United States. In Napa Valley, California, abundant rodent pests and an interest in integrated pest management have led wine producers to use nest boxes to attract Barn Owls (Tyto furcata) to winegrape vineyards. The viability of this practice as a method to control rodent pests depends heavily on the amount of hunting effort that Barn Owls expend in vineyards, which is known to be influenced by the amount of uncultivated land cover types surrounding the nest box. Wildfires burned nearly 60,000 ha of mainly urban and uncultivated lands surrounding Napa Valley in 2017, altering Barn Owl habitats. We compared GPS tracking data from 32 Barn Owls nesting in 24 individual nest boxes before and after the fires to analyze their hunting habitat selection. Owls with burned areas available to them after the fires had home ranges that shifted toward the fires, but selection was not strongly associated with burned areas. Though there was some spatial use of burned areas, selection of land cover types was similar for birds before and after the fires and in burned and unburned areas. The strongest selection was for areas closest to the nest box, and most recorded locations were in grassland, though selection indicated that owls used land cover types in proportion to their availability. Overall, habitat selection was resilient to changes caused by wildfires. These results are important for farmers who use nest boxes as a means of rodent control, which may be affected after dramatic disturbance events, especially as wildfires increase in the western United States.

Contrasting responses of soybean aphids, primary parasitoids, and hyperparasitoids to forest fragments and agricultural landscape structure

Primary parasitoid species, usually Hymenopteran wasp species, contribute to pest regulation services in agroecosystems by parasitizing crop pests and reducing their abundance. However, this positive effect can be limited if primary parasitoids themselves are parasitized by secondary parasitoids, also known as hyperparasitoids. These trophic dynamics that influence pest regulation take place within the context of changes to agricultural landscape structure including loss of natural habitat and landscape simplification. Therefore, there is great interest in understanding how landscape structure influences pest, primary parasitoid, and hyperparasitoid dynamics. We investigated how the structure of agricultural landscapes in Southern Quebec affects primary and hyperparasitism rates of soybean aphid (Aphis glycines). We found that pests, primary parasitoids, and hyperparasitoids responded in contrasting ways to landscape structure. While aphid abundances and hyperparasitoid rates increased with increasing distance-from-forest in soybean fields and as the proportion of forest in the surrounding landscape decreased, primary parasitoid rates showed the opposite trends. Relationships with forest fragment size and isolation were complex, with contrasting positive, negative, and neutral effects across the three groups. Finally, wider fields consistently had lower aphid abundances, primary parasitoid rates, and hyperparasitoid rates. Our results highlight the complexity of the trophic dynamics that underlie pest regulation and how changes to landscape structure can lead to conflicting and contradictory effects on pest regulation.

Identifying and Evaluating the Mechanisms and Modes of Governance of Ecosystem Services – The Case of Bulgarian Agriculture

This article presents the results of a large-scale study on the mechanisms and modes of governance of diverse ecosystem services in Bulgarian agriculture. Firstly, it identifies the type, amount, and importance of various ecosystem services maintained and “produced” by the Bulgarian farms. The study has found out that country’s farms provide a great number of essential ecosystem services among which provisioning food and feed, and conservation of elements of the natural environment prevail. Secondly, it identifies and assesses the efficiency and complementarities of specific modes and mechanisms of governance of ecosystem services used by agricultural holdings. The study had found out that a great variety of private, market, collective, public and hybrid modes of governance of farm activity related to agroecosystem services are applied. There is significant differentiation of employed managerial forms depending on the type of ecosystem services and the specialization of agricultural farms. Furthermore, the management of agroecosystem services is associated with a considerable increase in the production and transaction costs of participating farms as well as big socio-economic and environmental effects for agricultural holdings and other parties. The factors that mostly stimulate the activity of agricultural producers in Bulgaria for protection of (agro)ecosystems services are participation in public support programs, access to farmers’ advice, professional training, available information, and innovation, received direct subsidies from EU and national government, personal conviction and satisfaction, positive experience of others, long-term and immediate benefits for the farm, and integration with suppliers, buyers, and processors.

From Microns to Meters: Exploring Advances in Legume Microbiome Diversity for Agroecosystem Benefits

Legumes are of primary importance for agroecosystems because they provide protein-rich foods and enhance soil fertility through fixed atmospheric nitrogen. The legume-rhizobia symbiosis that makes this possible has been extensively studied, from basic research on biochemical signaling to practical applications in cropping systems. While rhizobia are the most-studied group of associated microorganisms, the functional benefit they confer to their legume hosts by fixing nitrogen is not performed in isolation. Indeed, non-rhizobia members of the rhizosphere and nodule microbiome are now understood to contribute in multiple ways to nodule formation, legume fitness, and other agroecosystem services. In this review, we summarize advances contributing to our understanding of the diversity and composition of bacterial members of the belowground legume microbiome. We also highlight applied work in legume food and forage crops that link microbial community composition with plant functional benefits. Ultimately, further research will assist in the development of multi-species microbial inoculants and cropping systems that maximize plant nutrient benefits, while reducing sources of agricultural pollution.

A Rapid Review of Territorialized Food Systems and Their Impacts on Human Health, Food Security, and the Environment.

The global food system is facing multiple problems, including rising food insecurity, degrading environments, and an increased incidence of diet-related chronic diseases. International organizations are thus calling for a transition toward territorialized food systems to alleviate some of these challenges. Yet, limited evidence supporting the benefits of territorialized food systems is available. Our objective was to summarize the current body of literature on territorialized food systems and their impacts on human health, food security, and the environment using a rapid review methodology. Articles were retrieved from three databases and analyzed using keywords and inclusion criteria corresponding to territorialized food systems, environment, human health, and food security. Six relevant publications were identified. While this limited evidence suggests that territorialized food systems may have positive effects on all three dimensions, data are not consistent across publications. For example, territorialized food systems may contribute to improved diet quality, provide agroecosystem services, and contribute to food security. However, food produced within these food systems may have a higher carbon footprint and be less available than industrially produced food. This rapid review also highlights the siloed nature of the current research on territorialized food systems and emphasizes the need for more holistic and interdisciplinary research.

Declining Abundance of Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) Among Crop and Prairie Habitats of Eastern South Dakota, USA

Lady (= ladybird) beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) provide agroecosystem services as major predators of aphids and other pests of field crops. Several native coccinellids in North America have declined in association with the introduction of invasive species of lady beetles. In particular, populations of three native species declined drastically (Coccinella transversoguttata richardsoni) or effectively disappeared (Coccinella novemnotata, Adalia bipunctata) from agricultural landscapes in eastern South Dakota, U.S.A., following establishment of an invasive coccinellid (Coccinella septempunctata) in the 1980s. Since then, two other non-native coccinellids (Harmonia axyridisandHippodamia variegata) have established in eastern South Dakota, but long-term analysis of their impact on the aphidophagous coccinellid guild is lacking. This paper summarizes long-term results from 14 years (2007–2020) of sampling coccinellids by sweepnet and timed searches in five field crops and restored prairie in eastern South Dakota. In all, 17,338 aphidophagous coccinellids comprising 10 species were sampled. Two invasive species (Coc. septempunctata, Har. axyridis) were the third- and fourth-most abundant species, respectively. The seven most abundant species constituted 99% of all coccinellids sampled and were recorded from all six habitats. However, coccinellid species ranged considerably in their evenness of habitat use, resulting in differences in rank abundance among habitats. Coccinellid assemblages were similar for alfalfa and winter wheat, but not for other habitats, which possessed distinct coccinellid assemblages based on rank abundance. Annual abundance of coccinellids varied considerably within habitats, but declining trends were evident from significant negative regressions in annual abundance for adult and immature coccinellids in corn and adults in soybean. As a group, native adult coccinellids showed a significant declining trend in corn but not in other habitats, whereas trends for non-native adult coccinellids were non-significant in all habitats. Sample rates of coccinellids in alfalfa, spring grains, and corn in this study were 74, 26, and 6%, respectively, compared to that of a previous study from the region, further indicating substantial decreases in coccinellid abundance. Possible explanations and implications for observed patterns in coccinellid diversity and individual species abundances in field crops and restored prairie of eastern South Dakota are discussed with respect to prey, agronomic trends, and landscape factors.

Modelling water productivity for ecological intensification of crop sequences in the Inner Argentinean Pampas

• We evaluated water productivity (WP) and glucose yield of crop sequences. • Crop sequences were characterized with indexes of Ecological Intensification (EI). • WP was more related to water capture (C w ) than to water use efficiency (WUE). • WP, C w and WUE were associated with EI indexes. • The impact of VPD on WUE was as important as rainfall and its distribution pattern. The design of crop sequences based on ecological intensification (EI) may help to restore lost agroecosystem services and to increase resource use efficiency. Our aim was to evaluate, using a modelling approach, the impact of EI-based strategies, such as changing crop sequence configuration and increasing cropping intensity and agrobiodiversity, in the Inner Argentinean Pampas (IAP) region on water productivity (WP) of crop sequences and its components, i.e. water capture (C w ) and water use efficiency (WUE). We simulated crop sequences using SWB crop model for a 50-year period in two locations of IAP region. Crop sequences, of two-year duration each, had different configurations and included sole and/or double-crops in the growing season. These crop sequences were characterized using the following indexes of EI: cropping intensity index (CII), agrobiodiversity index (ABDI), cereal proportion (CP), maize ( Zea mays L.) proportion (MP) and soybean ( Glycine max [L] Merrill) proportion (SP). Our main findings reveal that: i) Regardless of location, all crop sequences alternatives to those based on a high SP had a higher estimated glucose yield, ii) Estimated glucose yield, WP, C w , and WUE were significantly related to one or more indexes of EI included in multiple lineal models, iii) The role of C w was more important than that of WUE to increase WP, iv) The choice of crop sequence was more critical to increase C w when decreasing rainfall, v) vapour pressure deficit appears as a meteorological variable at least as important as the total amount of rainfall and its distribution pattern to design crop sequences in the IAP. Thus, the used modelling approach allowed us to evaluate crop sequences spanning a wide range of ecological intensification indexes, which take into account the level of agrobiodiversity, cropping intensity, and the proportion of key crops in their composition, gaining useful insights to design sustainable cropping systems.