Complementarity and synergisms among ecosystem services supporting crop yield

GARIBALDI, LUCAS A.; ANDERSSON, GEORG K.S.; REQUIER, FABRICE; FIJEN, THIJS P.M.; HIPÓLITO, JULIANA; KLEIJN, DAVID; PÉREZ-MÉNDEZ, NÉSTOR; ROLLIN, ORIANNE

Global Food Security

Elsevier

Año: 2018 vol. 17 p. 38 - 47

2211-9124

Understanding how ecosystem services interact to support crop yield is essential for achieving food security.Here we evaluate the interactions among biotic pest regulation, pollination, and nutrient cycling. We found only16 studies providing 20 analyses of two-way interactions. These studies show that multiple services limit cropyield simultaneously. Complementary effects (no interactions) between ecosystem services were the mostcommon, followed by synergistic effects (positive interactions), while evidence for negative interactions wasweak. Most studies evaluated two levels of service delivery, thus did not quantify the functional response of cropyield. Although this function is expected to be non-linear, most studies assume linear relations. We conclude thatthe lack of evidence for negative interactions has important implications for agricultural management.