Effects Of Farming Systems Research Articles

Organic farming and semi‐natural habitats for multifunctional agriculture: A case study in hedgerow landscapes of Brittany

Abstract Finding more sustainable ways to produce food is a major challenge for humanity in the face of biodiversity extinction and climate change. Consequently, research on the ability of agroecosystems to provide multiple functions is growing. In this regard, the relative importance of organic farming and landscape‐scale measures for improving multifunctionality has recently been debated. We investigated the effects of farming system (conventional vs. organic) at field scale, total length of hedgerows in the landscape and their interaction on the multifunctionality of 40 winter cereal fields in Brittany (France). Our multifunctionality assessment integrated 21 indicators of five agroecosystem goods: biodiversity conservation, nutrient cycling and soil structure, pest and disease regulation, food production and socio‐economic performance. Many indicators of biodiversity conservation, pest and disease regulation, and socio‐economic performance were higher in organic than in conventional systems. However, indicators of nutrient cycling and soil structure did not improve and food production was much lower in organic systems. Total hedgerow length in the landscape had less influence than organic farming on indicators, although we observed positive interactions. Granivorous carabid abundance and semi‐net margin were highest in organic fields located in well‐preserved hedgerow landscapes. Synthesis and applications. Our study suggests that field‐scale organic farming is necessary to promote biodiversity conservation and associated ecological functioning in crop fields, whereas landscape‐scale preservation of semi‐natural habitats alone is likely insufficient. Preservation of hedgerows in the landscape brings additional ecological and socio‐economic benefits for organic systems without compromising agricultural production. More broadly, our results call for more ambitious research into the myriad possible combinations of farming practices and agri‐environmental measures at both field and landscape scales, to improve both below‐ground and above‐ground functioning.

Relative effects of arable land-use, farming system and agri-environment schemes on landscape-scale farmland bird assemblages

ContextFarmland biodiversity has been declining because of agricultural intensification and landscape simplification. Many farmland birds breeding in non-crop habitats use arable land as their feeding habitat (and vice versa) and understanding habitat composition and configuration at the landscape scale is important for their conservation.ObjectivesWe explored the relationship between farmland bird densities and land-use characteristics at a landscape-scale (mean size 235 ha) to reveal the most important land-use elements driving avian farmland abundance.MethodsWe used bird territory mapping from 36 study landscapes across Finland to study relationships between densities of total farmland birds, open field species, edge species, farmyard species, and Farmland Bird Indicator (FBI) species, and multiple descriptors of the composition and configuration of the study landscape mosaics, reflecting the full range of available crop types, farmland structures, non-crop habitat types, and soil type.ResultsDensities of farmland birds increased with greater areas of leys and pastures, subsidized grasslands, habitat diversity, and farmyards with animals, and those effects were consistently stronger compared to effects of non-crop habitats. Positive effects of the relative area of leys and pastures in the landscape was most often consistent in the species-specific models, whereas species-level responses to other landscape characteristics were idiosyncratic, reflecting the variety of the species’ ecologies and habitat requirements.ConclusionsWe demonstrate that overall habitat diversity, and habitat elements like subsidized grasslands, pastures, and farmsteads with animal production support higher bird diversity at the level of landscape mosaics. Our results suggest that studies based on field-scale study units need to be complemented with landscape-scale studies to reveal a holistic understanding of land-use intervention impacts on farmland birds.

Diverse Farming Systems and their Impact on Macro and Microelement Content of Vegetables & Crops.

The present study investigates the effect of conventional and organic farming systems on the nutritional profile of crops. Different crops, namely -millet, sorghum, sesame, mustard, fenugreek, berseem, pea, potato, and onion were cultivated through conventional agriculture in which chemical fertilizers like urea, DAP (Diammonium Phosphate) and pesticides were used and organic farming in which organic fertilizers like seaweed and vermicompost were used. The experimental study was done on a field in north India from 2019 to 2021 in six different seasons, and the nutrient profile of the crops with respect to macroelements (S, K, Na, P, Ca, Mg) and microelements (B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Al) was compared. Macro and microelements were analyzed by Element analyzer and ICP-OES in both types of farming systems. The content of macro, as well as microelements, was found to be significantly higher in all the organically produced crops as compared to the conventionally grown crops. Significant differences were observed in the macroelement content of organic onion (P900 mg/kg, K-2000mg/kg) and organic pea (K 2250 mg/kg) as compared to the content of conventionally grown onion (P-756 mg/kg, K- 1550 mg/kg) and pea (K-2000 mg/kg). Similarly, microelement content in the organic sesame (Fe - 3.12 mg/kg), organic millet (Fe- 2.19 mg/kg), and organic potato (Zn-200 mg/kg) was higher as compared to conventionally grown sesame (Fe 2.05 mg/kg), millet (Fe- 1.56 mg/kg) and potato (Zn 167 mg/kg). This investigation concludes that crops with optimum nutritional content can be produced through organic farming with minimum input and maximum production.

Modulation of the nutritional and functional values of common bean by farming system: organic vs. conventional

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is a crop of high nutritional interest which is widespread throughout the world as a result of which it is considered as a potential crop for ensuring future food security. The effect of organic and conventional farming systems on the nutritional and functional composition of two cultivars of market class fabada (a landrace and a modern elite cultivar) is described. The findings of our study have shown that the common beans from organic farming have a higher content of protein, phenolic compounds, and relevant microelements such as iron and zinc than the seeds from conventional farming trial. However, in conventional crops a higher content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and lower concentrations of phytic acid and raffinose oligosaccharides were also detected. In contrast, no significant differences were detected in the proximate composition of the two genotypes tested, nor in their antioxidant activity or levels of phenolic compounds. The elite cultivar maintains the nutritional characteristics of the landrace from which it derives, suggesting the genomic regions modified in the improvement do not play an important role in their genetic control.

Effect of Farming Systems on Soil Carbon Sequestration and Crop Yield of Paddy (Oryza sativa L.) in Irrigated Rice Field

Carbon sequestration is obtained from the total accumulation of the element in both soil and plants. The enhancement has the capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and influence soil quality and fertility, thereby affecting plant biomass and crop yield. Therefore, this research aimed to compare the total carbon sequestration in rice field with different farming systems, determine soil characteristics, and identify the correlation between the total carbon sequestration and impact on rice yield. An exploratory-descriptive method was used through field survey and laboratory analysis. The locations were mapped by overlaying the Indonesian landform map of the Girimarto District with various rice field systems, soil types, and slopes. Furthermore, the 12 Land Mapping Units (LMU) with 3-time repetitions resulted in 36 sampling points. Data were processed by calculating total carbon sequestration and statistical tests such as one-way ANOVA and Pearson's correlation. The results showed that rice field farming systems affected the total carbon sequestration. Organic farming had the highest total carbon sequestration value of 72.49 Mg/ha and the increase had a strongly positive correlation with crop yield of paddy. Crop yield in organic farming were higher than in semi-organic and conventional systems by 8.92 tons/ha. Factors that determined total carbon sequestration were soil C-organic and microbial biomass C. The suggested improvement recommendations were the transition of conventional and semi-organic farming as well as adding a variety of organic fertilizers such as biofertilizers.

Effect of seasonal variation and farming systems on the properties of Nile tilapia gelatin extracted from scales

Although fish gelatin has become a research hotspot in recent years, researchers and manufacturers are still looking for high-quality sources of fish galatin to meet the commercial demand for safer gelatin.became This study aimed to evaluate the impact of seasonal variation and farming systems on the properties of gelatin extracted from Nile tilapia scales. Gelatin extracted from farmed tilapia had lowest impurities, higher clarity as well as desirable color characteristics (L* = 65.95 and a* = −0.33). The protein and fat composition of Wild (91.00 ± 0.00c) and 1.94 ± 0.05a respectively were higher than farmed gelatin of protein (91.00 ± 0.00c) and fat (0.84 ± 0.08b) but gelatin from the farmed type were clearer (98.30 ± 0.28a) than wild type (94.60 ± 0.28b). In addition, the XRD analysis confirmed its amorphous structure (2θ = 11°, 21°. 29°, and 31°). The gelatin extracted from wild tilapia showed an average yield of 1.98 % and good physicochemical and functional properties. Furthermore, FTIR indicated a strong bond positioned in the amide I region (1650.88 cm-1) of the wild tilapia gelatin. Partial Least Square (PLS) confirmed that viscosity is positively correlated with melting temperature upon a unit change in gelatin yield. This work highlights the significance of farming systems and seasonal variation in extraction conditions and great parameter to comprehensively navigate the functional, biochemical, and physical properties of Nile tilapia gelatin for broadening both food and non-food industrial appliactions.

A comparative study of soil fertility and biota population under organic, semi-organic, and conventional farming system of rice fields in Giriwoyo District, Wonogiri Regency, Indonesia

Continuous use of chemical fertilizers and farming practices in rice fields would reduce nutrient availability and biota population in the soil. Because soil biological linkages are sensitive to changes in soil function, changes in fauna and microbial populations can affect soil fertility. This study aimed to identify the condition of soil fertility and soil biota under various farming systems, namely organic, semi-organic, and conventional, and find the indicators that determine soil fertility index (SFI) in the research area. This research is a survey with the sampling method was purposive on the Land Mapping Unit (LMU) overlaid with thematic maps (land use, soil type, slope, and rainfall). The method analysis of SFI using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and scoring methods were used for the effect of farming systems using One-way, continued by DMRT, and determinant factor using Pearson’s. Correlation. The results illustrated that soil fertility was a moderate category. The highest SFI was in organic rice fields (0.69), then in semi-organic (0.62), and the lowest fertility was in conventional (0.59). Organic farming also showed the best soil biota conditions (0.27 individuals/liter of earthworms and 0.755 µ/g of microbial C biomass) compared to semi-organic (0.15 individuals/liter, 0.508 µ/g microbial C biomass) and conventional farming (0.11 individuals/liter, microbial biomass C 0.325 µ/g). Soil fertility and soil biota are positively correlated, meaning that the higher the soil fertility, the higher the density of soil biota. The soil indicators most determining fertility are total N, P-available, K-available, CEC, and organic C.

Effect of Farming System and Season on Proximate Composition, Fatty Acid Profile, Antioxidant Activity, and Physicochemical Properties of Retail Cow Milk

Consumers differentiate milk-quality characteristics in relation to the production system, but data on retail milk composition are limited. This study investigated how farming methods and seasons affect proximate composition, fatty acid profile, antioxidant activity, and physicochemical characteristics of commercial cow’s milk. Milk samples, both conventional (n = 84, 7 manufacturers) and organic (n = 24, 2 manufacturers), were collected monthly over a year. Farming system did not significantly affect milk composition other than fat content, whereas seasonal effects were notable, impacting the contents of ash, protein, and added water. Fatty acid composition exhibited variations influenced by both production system and season. Compared to conventionally produced milk, organically produced milk exhibited higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (4.54 vs. 3.88, p < 0.01) and a lower atherogenicity index (2.23 vs. 2.50, p < 0.05). The antioxidant activity showed that conventionally produced milk exhibited better radical-scavenging activity (DPPH) (14.54 vs. 12.30 μM TE/mL, p < 0.01). Seasonal variations were evident in both free radical-scavenging activity (DPPH), with values of 12.29 μM TE/mL in winter and 15.58 μM TE/mL in spring (p < 0.05), and ferric reducing-antioxidant power (FRAP), with levels of 21.81 μM TE/mL in autumn and 27.94 μM TE/mL in spring (p < 0.05). Season significantly affected (p < 0.001) milk pH, electrical conductivity, refractive index, and freezing-point depression. In conclusion, this study showed that the farming system has a limited impact on retail milk quality compared to the significant influence of season.

Transition to organic farming negatively affects bat activity.

The effectiveness of organic farming on biodiversity has been widely documented especially for plants, arthropods and birds; however, the effects of the transition period required to become an organic farm on wildlife remain poorly understood.We assessed the effects of organic farming on insectivorous bats in citrus orchards in the Republic of Cyprus employing two matched designs (conventional vs. 3-year organic-transitional and conventional vs. organic-certified) and a third unmatched design (3-year organic-transitional vs. organic-certified). We specifically investigated whether the transition period prior to full organic certification influenced bat activity with a special focus on any moderation effects from surrounding semi-natural areas.The activity of three (Pipistrellus kuhlii, Hypsugo savii and Miniopterus schreibersii) of four bat species was significantly lower in farms undergoing the transitional period than in conventional farms, and P. kuhlii and H. savii were significantly less active in organic transitional farming systems that in organic-certified ones. Furthermore, the activity of the most dominant species (P. kuhlii) was significantly higher on organic than transitional and conventional citrus orchards, thus suggesting a time-lag effect. Landscape complexity measured as the amount of semi-natural areas did not moderate the effects of farming system for any study species. Synthesis and application. The transition to organic farming had persistent detrimental effects on bats and potentially on the pest suppression services they provide. Future agri-environmental policy should consider the transition period and implement measures to mitigate any negative effects on biodiversity, alongside promoting asynchronous transition of nearby farms. Our findings further highlight the crucial need to consider the time since transition to organic farming when assessing potential benefits of organic management on biodiversity.

Dynamic stability of mineral-associated organic matter: enhanced stability and turnover through organic fertilization in a temperate agricultural topsoil

Soil organic matter (SOM) plays a vital role for soil quality, sustainable food production and climate change mitigation. It is common knowledge that SOM consists of different pools with varying qualities, quantities, and turnover times. However, it is still poorly understood how mineral and organic fertilization affects the formation and stabilization of mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM) and how long it can remain there. Here, we report on the long-term effects of different farming systems on the stability and turnover of the fine silt and clay-sized MAOM fraction (<6.3 μm) of a Haplic Luvisol (0–20 cm) in the DOK long-term trial (Switzerland). We compared three farming systems with contrasting fertilization (CONMIN = pure mineral, CONFYM = mineral + organic, BIODYN = pure organic) with an unfertilized control (NOFERT) between 1982 and 2017. We performed specific surface area (SSA) measurements on fractionated MAOM samples (<6.3 μm) from 1982 to 2017, before and after removal of OM, measured the 14C activity of all samples during the entire period and estimated the mean residence time (MRT) with a model taking into account ‘bomb 14C’ and radioactive decay. We found constant MAOM-C contents under organic fertilization. Results of SSA analysis indicate best conditions for MAOM-C stabilization under organic fertilization and different sorption mechanisms in MAOM between farming systems with and without organic fertilization. The modelled MRTs were significantly higher in NOFERT (238 ± 40 yrs) and CONMIN (195 ± 27 yrs), compared to CONFYM (138 ± 18 yrs) and BIODYN (140 ± 19 yrs), implying a high C turnover (i.e. more active MAOM) at high C contents under organic fertilization. Our findings show that MAOM is not the dead OM but corroborates the concept of ‘dynamic stability’. Continuous OM inputs from organic fertilizers and their rapid and constant turnover are needed to stabilize the “stable” MAOM-C fraction.

Comparative Effect of Natural and Chemical Farming Systems of Apple Production on Soil Physio-chemical Properties, Leaf Mineral Content and Fruit Quality

The present study was conducted to compare the effects of natural and chemical farming system of apple production on soil, leaf nutrient status and fruit quality. The results indicated significant difference in primary (N, P, K) and secondary ((6.12, 0.48 dS m-1) in CFS than NFS (5.77, 0.38 dS m-1), while OC was reported to be higher (2.03 %) in Ca, Mg) macronutrient status of leaf and soil samples collected from the study orchards (p&lt;0.05). Among micronutrients, status of Cu and Zn were recorded to be significantly different in both the farming systems whereas, Fe and Mn were recorded to be non-significant. Soil pH and EC were recorded to be higher NFS than CFS (1.78 %). Fruit length, breath, weight and TSS showed significant difference in both the farming systems. Mean fruit length, breadth, weight, and acidity was recorded to be higher (65.80 mm, 71.62 mm, 159.65 g, 0.64 %) in CFS than NFS (58.87 mm, 62.72 mm, 122.41 g, 0.48 %). While firmness and TSS were recorded to be higher (6.95 kg inch-2, 12.27 ᵒBrix) in NFS than CFS (5.64 kg inch-2, 10.91 ᵒBrix). It can be concluded that nutrient status of soils and leaves was higher in CFS.

Effects of organic farming system on some nutritional parameters of tomatoes fruits at different ripening stages

Effects of organic farming system on some nutritional parameters of tomatoes fruits at different ripening stages

Development and environmental policies of Ethiopia: Policy review from view point of development-environment sustainability linkage

Ethiopia is rich in a wide range of agro-ecological zones in which a variety of agricultural activities and farming systems operate. These agricultural activities and farming systems affect the quality of the environment and sustainability of natural resources in different ways, which should be one of the prime concerns of national development policies. The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which Ethiopia's national development, environmental policies, and strategic plans consider the interrelationship between farming systems and environmental sustainability. The second objective was to determine the extent to which the policies and strategies integrate economic growth and environmental sustainability. Accordingly, different national development policies, strategies, and programs of Ethiopia were reviewed. The results reveal that these policies and strategies fundamentally focus on economic growth. Policymakers did not pay adequate attention to the environmental effects of farming systems in national development policies and strategic plans. Policies do not consider the integration of development and environmental sustainability. Simply put, the multidimensional links between economic growth and environmental sustainability have not been adequately articulated in development policies and programs. Therefore, both economic and environmental effects of the farming systems should be well-addressed during the preparation of development policies and strategic plans.

The effects of farming system and soil management on floristic diversity in sloping olive groves

Abstract The effects of the farming system (conventional-organic-abandoned) and soil management (native cover crop vs tillage) on vascular plant species were analyzed in sloping olive groves (&gt;20%) in 20 different locations in Andalusia, SE Spain. The soil management techniques included Organic Tillage (OT), Organic Cover Crops (OC), Conventional Tillage (CT), Conventional Non-Tillage (CNT), Abandoned Cover Crops (AC) and Abandoned Woody (AW). Data for the vascular plant species were recorded through three line transects of 30 m with a bar perpendicularly touching every 1 m of the measuring tape. Environmental variables were also recorded at plot level to assess their influence. Dependent variables, such as species abundance, richness and diversity indexes were studied using univariate analysis (one-way ANOVA, Kruskal–Wallis test) while multivariate statistics (ANOSIM, SIMPER, DCA) were used for analyzing the data matrices. We found that the different combinations of farming system and soil management affect biological diversity in terms of individual abundance, plant cover, species richness and diversity, species and family composition. Life forms and species distribution patterns are also affected. The main environmental variables affecting the plant taxa were those related with soil and climate characteristics, slope, olive age and intensive land uses at landscape level, including the percentage of artificial surfaces. The lowest levels of biodiversity (e.g., species richness) were found in the tilled olive groves (CT = 8.1 sp. ± 2.2, OT = 10.0 sp. ± 5.4). Surprisingly, the organic tilled groves (OT) were very poor in species compared to those with native plant cover (OC = 27.9 sp. ± 3.0). The latter, however, showed similar species richness to the abandoned olive groves (AC = 21.2 sp. ± 3.7, AW = 27.2 sp. ± 3.0). Possible solutions for increasingly uncompetitive sloping olive groves include conversion to organic with native plant cover or abandonment for rewilding.

Farming system effects on root rot pathogen complex and yield of faba bean (vicia faba) in Germany.

A survey across Germany was undertaken from 2016-2019 to evaluate effects of management system (organic vs conventional), pedo-climatic conditions and crop rotation history on faba bean root health status, diversity of major root rot pathogens and yield. Root rot incidence was generally low and there was no effect of the management system on the spectrum of pathogens isolated. Among the most common fungal species identified, frequencies of Fusarium redolens and Didymella pinodella were significantly higher in roots from organic fields compared with conventional and lower was observed for F. avenaceum, F. tricinctum and F. culmorum. Faba bean roots were colonized at similar rates by F. equiseti and the members of the F. oxysporum (FOSC) and F. solani (FSSC) species complexes in both management systems. Almost no legumes had been grown in the 5-11 years preceding the conventional faba beans surveyed while legumes had almost always been present during this period in the organic fields. This difference in rotational histories between the farming systems led to apparent cropping systems effects on the isolation frequencies of several species. For example, D. pinodella was ubiquitous in organic fields with a high frequency of legumes in the rotations but much rarer and often absent in conventional fields. Pedo-climatic conditions, particularly cool conditions at sowing and plant emergence and/or during the vegetative season favored most of the most prevalent Fusarium species identified in this study. In organic systems, yields correlated negatively with D. pinodella and F. redolens frequencies whereas higher levels of F. tricintum in faba bean roots had a positive correlation with yield. In conventional systems, faba bean yields depended more on the total precipitation before sowing and during the main growing season but were also negatively correlated with the frequencies of FOSC and F. culmorum. Phylogenetic analysis based on the TEF1 alpha locus indicated that the FSSC isolates mainly belonged to the F. pisi lineage. In contrast, the FOSC isolates were placed in 9 different lineages, with a conspicuous dominance of F. libertatis that has until now not been associated with any leguminous host.

Local management and landscape composition affect predatory mites in European wine-growing regions

Sustainable land use in agricultural landscapes is essential to counteract the global decline of biodiversity, as well to ensure ecosystem services like natural pest control. Phytoseiid mites are key natural enemies of pest mites in vineyards but how local management and landscape context affect phytoseiid mites remains poorly known. In this study, we examined the effects of farming systems, inter-row management and landscape composition on phytoseiid mite communities in 156 vineyards across five European wine-growing regions. Our results showed that phytoseiid communities were mainly dominated by one or two phytoseiid species across Europe and that local management was a major factor affecting population densities. According to the wine-growing regions, phytoseiid mite densities benefited from integrated pest management or conventional farming compared to organic farming and from spontaneous vegetation cover compared to seeded cover crops. Moreover, mite densities benefited from increasing proportions of vineyards at the landscape scale. The farming systems effects were most likely related to the positive impact of the lower pesticide use in integrated and conventional vineyards. The positive effect of spontaneous vegetation cover could be related to a better supply of nutritive pollen as food resource compared to seeded cover crops, which depends on the plant species in the inter-row. Our findings indicated accordingly that a reduced pesticide use, and inter-row management are crucial factors for promoting pest control by predatory mites in European vineyards. Moreover, the proportion of viticultural area in the landscape is a considerable factor to retain stable phytoseiid mite populations.

Effects of feed formula and farming system on the environmental performance of shrimp production chain from a life cycle perspective

AbstractShrimp is the most popular seafood in the United States; its production plays an important role in the aquaculture industry. However, shrimp farming causes various environment impacts that must be mitigated to ensure the sustainability of shrimp production. This study performed a life cycle assessment (LCA) on two US‐based and one Vietnam‐based shrimp production chains from cradle to US market covering three farming systems and eight shrimp feed formulae. Midpoint environmental impacts including terrestrial acidification, freshwater eutrophication, and global warming were determined. For the intensive production chain (IPC), feed production was identified as the main contributor to the terrestrial acidification potential (TAP) and global warming potential (GWP), and its freshwater eutrophication potential (FEP) was dominated by shrimp farming. Poultry by‐product and fish meals were the feed ingredients contributing high TAP and GWP. However, soybean, wheat, and corn gluten meals produced higher FEP; hence, substituting plant‐based proteins for animal‐based ones in shrimp feeds did not all have positive environmental consequences. Shrimp farming was the hotspot of all the environmental impacts of the semi‐intensive production chain (SPC) and extensive production chain (EPC), except for the TAP of the EPC. Among the three production chains, the IPC had the highest FEP due to the on‐farm discharge of phosphorus‐containing wastewater, and the SPC caused the highest TAP because of the intensive uses of electricity and fertilizers for pond cultivation. Although the EPC was most sustainable in terms of TAP and FEP, open farming in mangrove areas produced the highest GWP owing to land transformation. This LCA study is expected to serve as US shrimp farmers’ decision‐making guidelines to adapt farming practices with lower environmental footprint.

Biological soil quality and soil organic carbon change in biodynamic, organic, and conventional farming systems after 42 years

Soils are the basis of life on land and the ways in which we manage them for crop production, impact their role, functions and quality. Conventional farming uses industrial inputs to a level that is economically justified, whilst organic farming systems avoid mineral fertilizers and synthetic chemical pesticides. This study investigates the long-term effect of organic and conventional farming systems on soil quality. The DOK trial (bioDynamic, bioOrganic, Konventionell (German for conventional)) running since 1978 in Therwil (CH), compares bioorganic (BIOORG), biodynamic (BIODYN), and conventional (CONFYM) farming systems at two farmyard manure intensities corresponding to 0.7 and 1.4 livestock units per hectare with a purely mineral fertilized system (CONMIN) and an unfertilized control (NOFERT). The treatments in the DOK trial vary in plant protection and receive system-specific organic matter inputs differing in rate and quality. With this work, we revisit the soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics across 42 years and redefine the previous perception of mainly declining SOC contents after 21 years of organic and conventional management (Fliessbach et al. 2007). After 42 years, we found SOC contents to be increased in BIODYN 1.4 and to a lesser extent also in BIOORG 1.4. CONFYM 1.4 showed stable SOC contents, while systems fertilized with manure of 0.7 livestock units and CONMIN lost SOC. SOC loss was highest in NOFERT. Enhanced biological soil quality under organic and particularly biodynamic management highlights the close link between soil biology and SOC changes. The impact of farming systems on SOC was detectable after 2 decades of continuous management. We conclude that recycling manure at a level of 1.4 livestock units per hectare permits maintenance of SOC levels and that composting manure, as performed in BIODYN 1.4, helps to further increase SOC levels and improve biological soil quality.

Understanding variability in carbon footprint of smallholder dairy farms in the central highlands of Ethiopia.

Smallholder dairy farms face enormous challenges in increasing milk production while mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, thereby enhancing climate resilience. The carbon footprint (CF) of smallholder milk production is expected to increase with increasing demand for dairy products under the business-as-usual scenario. This study estimates the carbon footprint of smallholder milk production and examines variation across farms using data from 480 households to identify viable options for mitigating GHG emissions. We applied a cradle to farm-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to examine the effects of farming systems on GHG emission intensities across intensification gradients of smallholder farms (SHF) from four potential dairy districts in the central highlands of Ethiopia. According to our findings, enteric fermentation was the primary source of GHG emissions, and methane(CH4) emissions from enteric fermentation and manure management accounted for the majority of total emissions across farms. The estimated average CF varies depending on farming systems, global warming potential (GWP), and allocation methods used. When GHG emissions were allocated to multiple products using economic allocation and based on IPCC (2007)and IPCC (2014)GWPs, the overall average CF of milk production was 1.91 and 2.35kg CO2e/kg fat and protein-corrected milk (FPCM), respectively. On average, milk accounted for 72% of total greenhouse gas emissions. In terms of farm typology, rural SHF systems produced significantly more CF per kg of milk than urban and peri-urban SHF systems. Variations in milk yield explained more than half of the variation in GHG emissions intensity at the farm level. Feed digestibility and feed efficiency had a negative and significant (P < 0.01) association with CF of SHF. Our findings suggested that improving feed digestibility and feed efficiency by increasing the proportion of concentrate and improved forage as well as chemically upgrading straw and crop residue could provide an opportunity to both increase milk yield and reduce the CF of milk production of SHF in the study area. Supporting SHF to realize strategies contributing to climate-resilient dairy development require interventions at several levels in the dairy value chain.

Ecological performance underlying ecosystem multifunctionality is promoted by organic farming and hedgerows at the local scale but not at the landscape scale

Abstract The relative contributions of agricultural intensity and semi‐natural habitats to the multifunctionality and sustainability of ecosystems at different spatial scales remain largely under‐investigated. In this study, we assessed the multifunctionality of 40 winter cereal fields and 40 hedgerows based on ecological, agronomic and socio‐economic performance using data from field surveys and interviews with farmers. We specifically focused on the effects of local farming systems (organic vs. conventional) and management (cereals intercropped with legumes vs. monocrops), the effects of landscape heterogeneity related to hedgerow density, and the spatial extent of semi‐natural habitat and organic farming. Multifunctionality indices associated with increased values of proxies for biodiversity conservation and pest control functions were higher for hedgerows than crop fields. Agroecosystem multifunctionality was similar between organic and conventional farming as a consequence of antagonistic responses of individual function proxies. While organic farming promoted the ecological performance of crops, conventional farming resulted in higher agronomic performance (i.e. yield). Interestingly, lower yields of organic crops were not systematically associated with reductions in socio‐economic performance in terms of farmer income and labour. At the landscape scale, hedgerow density and the extent of semi‐natural habitats and organic farming had little influence on agroecosystem multifunctionality or individual function proxies. Synthesis and applications. Our results confirm the high value of hedgerows and organic farming at the local scale for the ecological performance of ecosystems. Our study suggests that, among existing agri‐environment schemes in Europe, hedgerow planting and organic farming are appropriate tools to optimise the ecological performance of ecosystems at the local scale even if antagonistic effects with agronomic performance should not be neglected.