Conservation agriculture and biodiversity

摘要

Conservation Agriculture (CA) is practised widely in North and South America and the concept is being introduced in Europe. The system was developed to reduce soil erosion and increase soil biodiversity utilising no-tillage (direct drilling) and living or dead plant material as plant cover. In Europe, the implementation of CA has been less prescriptive, using the concept of "as little as necessary" in terms of soil disturbance and agrochemical inputs. Recent European legislation and CAP reform have forced EU member countries to introduce measures to reduce soil and water run-off and diffuse pollution into surface and ground water. These legislative drivers, together with economic pressures to reduce the costs of production, have forced farmers to reconsider crop rotations and soil management practices and incorporate cover crops. At the same time there is greater emphasis on the impact of these practices on biodiversity. This paper defines what Conservation Agriculture means in a European context and identifies the role of Conservation Tillage within it. This paper discusses some areas of CA where the effects on biodiversity have been investigated. Each part of CA is reviewed in turn and future areas of research are identified.