Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e0234288 |
| Number of pages | 28 |
| Journal | PLoS ONE |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| Publication status | Published - 7 Dec 2020 |
Abstract
Keywords
- soil, ecosystem state, Ecosystem condition indicators, control of erosion rates, Lower Saxony, Agriculture, pressures
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: PLoS ONE, Vol. 15, No. 12, e0234288, 07.12.2020.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessment of the relationships between agroecosystem condition and the ecosystem service soil erosion regulation in Northern Germany
AU - Rendon, Paula
AU - Steinhoff-Knopp, Bastian
AU - Saggau, Philipp
AU - Burkhard, Benjamin Felix
PY - 2020/12/7
Y1 - 2020/12/7
N2 - Ecosystems provide multiple services that are necessary to maintain human life. Agroeco- systems are very productive suppliers of biomass-related provisioning ecosystem services, e.g. food, fibre, and energy. At the same time, they are highly dependent on good ecosys- tem condition and regulating ecosystem services such as soil fertility, water supply or soil erosion regulation. Assessments of this interplay of ecosystem condition and services are needed to understand the relationships in highly managed systems. Therefore, the aim of this study is twofold: First, to test the concept and indicators proposed by the European Union Working Group on Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) for assessing agroecosystem condition at a regional level. Second, to identify the relationships between ecosystem condition and the delivery of ecosystem services. For this purpose, we applied an operational framework for integrated mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services. We used the proposed indicators to assess the condition of agroecosystems in Northern Germany and regulating ecosystem service controloferosion rates. We used existing data from official databases to calculate the different indicators and created maps of environmental pressures, ecosystem condition and ecosystem service indi- cators for the Federal State of Lower Saxony. Furthermore, we identified areas within the state where pressures are high, conditions are unfavourable, and more sustainable man- agement practices are needed. Despite the limitations of the indicators and data availability, our results show positive, negative, and no significant correlations between the different pressures and condition indicators, and the control of erosion rates. The idea behind the MAES framework is to indicate the general condition of an ecosystem. However, we observed that not all proposed indicators can explain to what extent ecosystems can provide specific ecosystem services. Further research on other ecosystem services provided by agroecosystems would help to identify synergies and trade-offs. Moreover, the definition of a reference condition, although complicated for anthropogenically highly modified agroecosystems, would provide a benchmark to compare information on the condition of the ecosystems, leading to better land use policy and management decisions.
AB - Ecosystems provide multiple services that are necessary to maintain human life. Agroeco- systems are very productive suppliers of biomass-related provisioning ecosystem services, e.g. food, fibre, and energy. At the same time, they are highly dependent on good ecosys- tem condition and regulating ecosystem services such as soil fertility, water supply or soil erosion regulation. Assessments of this interplay of ecosystem condition and services are needed to understand the relationships in highly managed systems. Therefore, the aim of this study is twofold: First, to test the concept and indicators proposed by the European Union Working Group on Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) for assessing agroecosystem condition at a regional level. Second, to identify the relationships between ecosystem condition and the delivery of ecosystem services. For this purpose, we applied an operational framework for integrated mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services. We used the proposed indicators to assess the condition of agroecosystems in Northern Germany and regulating ecosystem service controloferosion rates. We used existing data from official databases to calculate the different indicators and created maps of environmental pressures, ecosystem condition and ecosystem service indi- cators for the Federal State of Lower Saxony. Furthermore, we identified areas within the state where pressures are high, conditions are unfavourable, and more sustainable man- agement practices are needed. Despite the limitations of the indicators and data availability, our results show positive, negative, and no significant correlations between the different pressures and condition indicators, and the control of erosion rates. The idea behind the MAES framework is to indicate the general condition of an ecosystem. However, we observed that not all proposed indicators can explain to what extent ecosystems can provide specific ecosystem services. Further research on other ecosystem services provided by agroecosystems would help to identify synergies and trade-offs. Moreover, the definition of a reference condition, although complicated for anthropogenically highly modified agroecosystems, would provide a benchmark to compare information on the condition of the ecosystems, leading to better land use policy and management decisions.
KW - soil
KW - ecosystem state
KW - Ecosystem condition indicators
KW - control of erosion rates
KW - Lower Saxony
KW - Agriculture
KW - pressures
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097484103&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0234288
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0234288
M3 - Article
C2 - 33284810
VL - 15
JO - PLoS ONE
JF - PLoS ONE
SN - 1932-6203
IS - 12
M1 - e0234288
ER -