Ecosystem Services and Ecosystem Services and yyDiversity in Agricultural Diversity in Agricultural

SystemsSystemsSystemsSystems

Katherine L. Gross, Director and University Distinguished Professor

W.K. Kellogg Biological Stationand Department of Plant Biology

Mi hi St t U i itMichigan State University

kgross@kbs.msu.edu

What are ecosystem services?What are ecosystem services?

Ecological systems have the potential to provide a p pdiversity of services that enhance and sustain human well beingwell being …

The value of these services has been estimated to be in

Diverse ecological

has been estimated to be in the Trillions of Dollar$$

Diverse ecological communities have the capacity to provide us with a greater variety of ecosystemgreater variety of ecosystem services…Constanza et al 1997

Agricultural and Ecosystem ServicesAgricultural and Ecosystem ServicesAgricultural and Ecosystem ServicesAgricultural and Ecosystem Services

Food, fiber and fuel are important ecosystemimportant ecosystem services provided by agricultural systems

Conventional agriculturalConventional agricultural practices have focused on increased crop production .. an increase in one ecosystem service

Corn Production and InputsCorn Production and InputsCorn Production and InputsCorn Production and Inputs

These “on farm” increases in yields areincreases in yields are driven by increased inputs – fertilizer, pesticides – and technologies (GMOs)

Hatfield& Pruger 2004;

Unintended Offsite consequences…Unintended Offsite consequences…Unintended Offsite consequences…Unintended Offsite consequences…

Nutrient inputs to Mississippi River have increased with fertilizer use in the Midwestern US

An offsite cost:An offsite cost:C l “D d ”C l “D d ”Coastal “Dead zones”Coastal “Dead zones”

Increased nutrients to coastal areas, attributed to agricultural practices, create ‘dead zones’, which devastate coastal fisheriesdevastate coastal fisheries

A “off site” loss of ecosystem services canecosystem services…can cost millions of dollars

Goolsby, D. and W. Battaglin, 1997.

N retention and removal by WetlandsN retention and removal by Wetlands

Wetlands and vegetated dj t tzones adjacent to

agricultural lands can reduce downstream N inputs

Habitats can be created toHabitats can be created to increase the landscape capacity to intercept and remove Nitrogen fromremove Nitrogen from ground water

Pollinator Services for AgriculturePollinator Services for AgriculturePollinator Services for AgriculturePollinator Services for Agriculture

World wide pollination services to crop plants are estimated $10B in US

N ti lli t hNative pollinators have been reduced due to habitat loss, disease and pesticides

Reductions in commercial Pollinator Services: Almonds

2000 $40/hivehoney bee populations are increasing costs of providing this service

2004 $75/hive

2006 $140/hivep g

NRC 2006

2007 $200+/hive (estimated)

Native bees from adjacent habitats Native bees from adjacent habitats h i ldh i ldenhance crop yieldenhance crop yield

Recent work in CA hasRecent work in CA has shown that pollination by native bees enhances fruit set in commerciallyset in commercially important crops

Chapparal habitats nearChapparal habitats near agricultural fields are the habitat (source) for native bbees

Adjacency of ‘wild habitat’ to agricultural fields

Greenleaf & Kremen PNAS 2006Greenleaf & Kremen PNAS 2006

to agricultural fields increases this service

Biological Control: Soybean AphidBiological Control: Soybean Aphid

Soybean aphids firstSoybean aphids first detected in 2000, now occur in 21 states

Can cause 40-50% yield loss

Estimated cost to control with pesticide: >$90M

Experimental work at KBS has explored potential for Biological Control

DamageDamageSoybean aphidSoybean aphid

g

KBSKBS--LTER Experimental DesignLTER Experimental DesignKBSKBS LTER Experimental DesignLTER Experimental Design

A5 N5 L5TREATMENTS:TREATMENTS:

C5

A5

S5

N5

O5

L5

P5PoplarsPoplars

Early successionalEarly successional

P

S

N2

L2

N3

O3

L4

N4

C1

S1

AlfalfaAlfalfa

Conventional tillageConventional tillage

A

C

O2

P2

S3

A3

C4

O4

P1

L1P6 A6 N6

No tillNo till

Low input / legume coverLow input / legume cover

N

L

C2

A2

L3

P3

A4

S4

O1

N1

S6

L6

O6

C6 100 m100 m

O Organic / Legume coverOrganic / Legume cover

S2 C3 P4A1

Field inputs affect pests and predatorsField inputs affect pests and predatorsp p pp p p

Densities of aphids areDensities of aphids are lower in “organic” treatments

Predators, lady beetles, keep aphid density below ‘ iti l th h ld ’‘critical thresholds’

Evidence for ‘within field’ or ‘on farm’ ecosystemor on farm ecosystem services

Costamagna & Landis 2007 Ecol ApplCostamagna & Landis 2007 Ecol Appl

“Off Farm” Habitats Sustain Predators“Off Farm” Habitats Sustain Predators

UncultivatedhabitatsWoods and

uncultivated habitats Feeding

Aggregationsites

habitats adjacent to croplands are

FeedingReproduction

Cultivated

critical to sustaining predator

Overwintering

Cultivatedhabitats

pservices (Lady-beetles ) to crops

Colunga & Gage 1998

Strong Biocontrol potentialStrong Biocontrol potential if if system system managed for biodiversity (ecosystem service)managed for biodiversity (ecosystem service)managed for biodiversity (ecosystem service)managed for biodiversity (ecosystem service)

GeneralistGeneralistpredatorspredatorsTopTop--downdown

3 3 –– 7 x7 x

Soybean Soybean aphidaphid

B ttB ttSoybean Soybean

plantplant

BottomBottom--upup1.5 1.5 –– 2 x2 x

pp

Costamagna & Landis 2007 Ecol. Appl.Costamagna & Landis 2007 Ecol. Appl.

How can we enhance diversity in agricultural landscapes?

On and OffOn and Off--farm approachesfarm approachesOn and OffOn and Off farm approachesfarm approaches

On FarmChange inputsOrganic Cover cropsCover crops

Off farmManaging the landscape Cropped and uncropped lands

ConclusionsConclusions

1.1. Strong potential for enhancing ecosystem services in Strong potential for enhancing ecosystem services in agriculture by changing practices on and offagriculture by changing practices on and off--farmfarm

Reduced inputs, cover crops and rotations can increase Reduced inputs, cover crops and rotations can increase internal benefits: nutrient management, pest controlinternal benefits: nutrient management, pest controlOO f d h i l ff d h i l f

2 Need to consider off2 Need to consider off farm (landscape scale) potentials forfarm (landscape scale) potentials for

OnOn--farm management can reduce or enhance potential for farm management can reduce or enhance potential for ecosystem services from surrounding habitatsecosystem services from surrounding habitats

Proximity to unmanaged areas can influence Proximity to unmanaged areas can influence

2. Need to consider off2. Need to consider off--farm (landscape scale) potentials for farm (landscape scale) potentials for ecosystem services ecosystem services

ecosystems services provided to ecosystems services provided to -- and lost fromand lost from--agricultural landscapesagricultural landscapesActive management of ‘offActive management of ‘off--farm’ landscapes canfarm’ landscapes canActive management of offActive management of off farm landscapes can farm landscapes can enhance ecosystem services ‘on farm’enhance ecosystem services ‘on farm’