Measures of the effects of agricultural practices on ecosystem services

Abstract

Agriculture both affects and is affected by ecosystem services such as soil conservation, biodiversity, water quantity and quality, carbon sequestration, pollination, nutrient cycles and others. Different agricultural management approaches have varying impacts on ecosystem services, ranging from detrimental to neutral to positive. Although challenging, it is necessary to develop indicators to evaluate the impacts of agricultural practices on ecosystem services so that more sustainable, beneficial methods can be identified, developed, and implemented. This paper provides a framework of factors to consider in choosing indicators and reviews current knowledge on the interactions of agricultural methods with land use change, erosion, and chemical use.