Data/hora: 10/06/2024 10:36:23

Biblioteca(s): | Embrapa Agrobiologia.
Data corrente: | 14/06/2005
Data da última atualização: | 14/06/2005
Autoria: | HOLE, D. G.; PERKINS, A. J.; WILSON, J. D.; ALEXANDER, I. H.; GRICE, P. V.; EVANS, A. D.
Título: | Does organic farming benefit biodiversity?
Ano de publicação: | 2005
Fonte/Imprenta: | Biological Conservation, Oxford, v. 122, p .113-130, 2005.
Idioma: | Inglês
Conteúdo: | The intensification and expansion of modern agriculture is amongst the greatest current to worlswide biodiversity. Over the last quarter of the 20th century, dramatic declines in both range and abundance of many species associated with farmland have been reported in Europe, leading to growing concern over the sustainability of current threats to worldwide biodiversity. Over the last quarter of the 20th century, dramatic declines in both range and abundance of many species associated with farmland have been reported in  Europe, leading to growing concern over the sustainability of current intensive farming practices. Pruportedly 'sustainable' farming systems such as organic farming are now seen by many as a potencial solution to this continued loss of biodiversity and receive substantial in the form of subsidy pavmonts through EU and national govermment legislation. This paper assesses the impacts on biodiversity of organic farming, relative to convencional agriculture, through a review, through a review of comparative studies of the two system, in order to determine whether it can deliver on the biodiversity benefits is proponets claim. It identifies a wide range of taxa, including birds and mammals, invertebreates and benefit from organic management through increases in abundance and/or species richness. It also  highlights three broad management practices (prohibition/reduced use of chemical pesticides and inorganic fertilisers; sympathetic management of non-cropped habitats; and preservation of mixedfarming) that are largely intrinsic (but not exclusive) to organic farming, and that are particularly beneficial for farmland wildlife. However, the review also draws attention to four key issues: (1) It remains unclear whether a "holistic" whole-farm  approach (i.e.organic) provides greater benefits to biodiversity than carefully targeted prescriptions applied to relatively small areas of cropped and/or non-cropped habitats within conventional agriculture (i.e. agri-environment schemes); (2) Many comparative studies encounter methdological problems, limiting their ability to draw quantitative conclusions; (3) Our Knowledge of the impacts of organic farming in pastoral and unpland agriculture is limited; (4) There remains a pressing need for longitudinal, system-level studies order to adress these issues and to fill in the gaps in our knowledge of the impacts of organic farming, before a full aporaisal of its potential role in biodiversity conservation in agroecosystem can be made.
Palavras-Chave: | Agricultura natural; Organic farming.
Thesagro: | Agricultura Orgânica; Biodiversidade.
Thesaurus Nal: | biodiversity.
Categoria do assunto: | --
Registro original: | Embrapa Agrobiologia (CNPAB)
Exemplares: | CNPAB - (32550-1) - ADD - SP - -- -  -  - 0004269 - DIS