Journal article
Soil Functional Zone Management: A Vehicle for Enhancing Production and Soil Ecosystem Services in Row-Crop Agroecosystems
Frontiers in plant science, Vol.7(2016), p.65
02/05/2016
PMID: 26904043
Abstract
There is increasing global demand for food, bioenergy feedstocks and a wide variety of bio-based products. In response, agriculture has advanced production, but is increasingly depleting soil regulating and supporting ecosystem services. New production systems have emerged, such as no-tillage, that can enhance soil services but may limit yields. Moving forward, agricultural systems must reduce trade-offs between production and soil services. Soil functional zone management (SFZM) is a novel strategy for developing sustainable production systems that attempts to integrate the benefits of conventional, intensive agriculture, and no-tillage. SFZM creates distinct functional zones within crop row and inter-row spaces. By incorporating decimeter-scale spatial and temporal heterogeneity, SFZM attempts to foster greater soil biodiversity and integrate complementary soil processes at the sub-field level. Such integration maximizes soil services by creating zones of 'active turnover', optimized for crop growth and yield (provisioning services); and adjacent zones of 'soil building', that promote soil structure development, carbon storage, and moisture regulation (regulating and supporting services). These zones allow SFZM to secure existing agricultural productivity while avoiding or minimizing trade-offs with soil ecosystem services. Moreover, the specific properties of SFZM may enable sustainable increases in provisioning services via temporal intensification (expanding the portion of the year during which harvestable crops are grown). We present a conceptual model of 'virtuous cycles', illustrating how increases in crop yields within SFZM systems could create self-reinforcing feedback processes with desirable effects, including mitigation of trade-offs between yield maximization and soil ecosystem services. Through the creation of functionally distinct but interacting zones, SFZM may provide a vehicle for optimizing the delivery of multiple goods and services in agricultural systems, allowing sustainable temporal intensification while protecting and enhancing soil functioning.
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Details
- Title
- Soil Functional Zone Management: A Vehicle for Enhancing Production and Soil Ecosystem Services in Row-Crop Agroecosystems
- Creators
- Alwyn Williams - University of MinnesotaDaniel A. Kane - Michigan State UniversityPatrick M. Ewing - University of MinnesotaLesley W. Atwood - University of New HampshireAndrea Jilling - University of New Hampshire at ManchesterMeng Li - Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesYi Lou - Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesAdam S. Davis - Agricultural Research ServiceA. Stuart Grandy - University of New HampshireSheri C. Huerd - University of MinnesotaMitchell C. Hunter - Pennsylvania State UniversityRoger T. Koide - Brigham Young UniversityDavid A. Mortensen - Pennsylvania State UniversityRichard G. Smith - University of New HampshireSieglinde S. Snapp - Michigan State UniversityKurt A. Spokas - Agricultural Research ServiceAnthony C. Yannarell - University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignNicholas R. Jordan - University of Minnesota
- Publication Details
- Frontiers in plant science, Vol.7(2016), p.65
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media Sa
- Number of pages
- 15
- Grant note
- 2011-67003-30343 / Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Agriculture grant United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA); United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Identifiers
- 99901398993201842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article