Organic tomato farmscape in Yolo County, California
Biodiversity is a key aspect of organic farm management, not only for crop production practices, but for the entire farmscape, e.g., crop fields, riparian corridors, hedgerows, detention ponds, and ditches. At an organic farm in
Preliminary results show greater differences in aboveground species diversity of non-production areas of the farm than in belowground communities. One of the largest differences between habitats is in greenhouse gas mitigation potential. Greenhouse gas emissions are the greatest in ponds and ditches which occupy little of the farm area while carbon storage may be greatest in the riparian habitat. Ecological and economic impacts from restoration practices will also be considered in a survey of local landowners for their willingness to invest in biodiversity-based practices to increase farm stewardship.
References:
Smukler, S. M., L. E. Jackson, S. S. Moreno, S. J. Fonte, H. Ferris, K. Klonsky, A. T. O'Geen, K. M. Scow, and K. L. Steenwerth. Biodiversity and multiple ecosystem functions in an organic farmscape. Ms. submitted, Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment.
Smukler, S. M., L. E. Jackson, A. T. O'Geen, and H. Ferris. Environmental tradeoff assessment for best management practices on an organic farm in a Mediterranean-type climate. Ms. submitted, Journal of Environmental Quality.
Brodt, S., K. Klonsky, L.E. Jackson, S.B. Brush, S.M. Smukler. 2008. Factors affecting adoption of hedgerows and other biodiversity-enhancing features on farms in
Sánchez-Moreno, S., S. Smukler, H. Ferris, and L.E. Jackson. 2007. Nematode diversity, food web condition, and chemical and physical properties in different soil habitats of an organic farm. Biology and Fertility of Soils 59:341–63.
http://groups.ucanr.org/jacksonlab/files/46157.pdf