Practice Abstract - Research and innovation

Ecosystem services in agroecology

Portugal

Agroecological systems deliver provisioning, regulation and maintenance and cultural ecosystem services that sustain productivity, resilience, and long-term adaptation. Agroecological management practices to enhance ecosystem services can include (i) Diversification strategies: intercropping, agroforestry strips, crop rotations and cover crops to enhance biomass production, strengthen soil fertility, improve pest regulation and reduce production risks, (ii) Habitat management: hedgerows, flower strips, refuge patches and non-cropped areas to support pollination and natural pest control through increased landscape complexity, (iii) Soil health practices: reduced or no tillage, organic amendments, green manures, perennial species and permanent soil cover to promote erosion control, nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration, (iv) Integrated pest management (IPM): monitoring, biological and cultural control, with targeted chemical use only above environmental thresholds to reinforce ecological regulation processes, (v) Water and erosion control: riparian vegetation buffers, contour farming, mulching and infiltration-enhancing practices to improve water quality and soil retention and (vi) Seed and genetic resource stewardship: on-farm conservation and participatory breeding to sustain genetic resources and strengthen adaptive capacity.

Additional information

Mauro Nereu, Alexandros Tataridas, Miguel Moreira, Carlos Borralho, Helena Freitas, University of Coimbra, Portugal

Source Project
Sustainable Soil and Subsoil health promotion by implementing agroecological land use and management to enhance ecosystem services delivery for society
Ongoing | 2024-2028
Main funding source
Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
Geographical location
Spain, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Slovakia, Finland, Netherlands, France, Egypt, Tunisia, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Project details

Project Keywords