Abstract
Future agriculture will need to produce biomass for energy and bio-materials in addition to food and feed. Ecosystem services that underpin primary production are the basis for a bio-based economy and need to be better exploited to reduce the use of fossil-derived inputs. Diversification of farming systems (e.g. intercropping, crop rotations, landscape management or soil amendments) is often suggested to enhance biotic processes supporting production and combining food and biomass crops provides additional opportunities. But the evidence-base for diversification as a solution for sustainable biomass production is poorly synthesized. Our aims are to critically review and organize diversification options and scrutinize the evidence of their respective effects on yield level and stability and on above and below ground ecosystem services (e.g. pest control, nutrient cycling) linked to agricultural production. In collaboration with cutting edge international researchers, we will synthesize and systematize the global knowledge base from published data on impacts of diversification measures at the arable field and landscape level on primary production and the biotic processes that influence production. In addition, we will perform meta-analyses for quantitative syntheses using available data. Based on this, we enter in dialogue with key stakeholders to develop guidelines for sustainable diversification of Swedish agriculture to enhance primary production of biomass.
Sweden