Description
Integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) can bring numerous benefits to crops or livestock systems, such as increase soil C sequestration, farm profitability, and provisioning of ecosystem services. In a changing world, production systems need to become more resilient and sustainable. Specialized agriculture is characterized by a high level of inputs and outputs, and oftentimes specialize in a single crop to simplify management. However, such operational systems stray away from sustainable standards. Furthermore, specialized cropping systems may face problems such as persistence of pests and diseases, loss of biodiversity, stagnant yields, development of herbicide-resistant weeds, soil erosion and consequently loss of soil organic matter. Recombining crops and livestock in a broad and complementary system is to look back into the past to adopt a practice that used to be common centuries ago. With the advancement of technology and better understanding of this management practice, ICLS appear as an option to provide ecosystem services from agricultural lands, while potentially increasing crop production. Such systems have shown benefits as increasing in soil organic matter, increase in biodiversity, and nutrient cycling. There is an array of ICLS, which may include short and long grazing cycles, more than one animal category, crops from many different functional groups, and trees. Here, we will discuss some of the aspects in nutrient cycling and crop responses on ICLS, giving examples to call attention to some of the advantages ICLS can provide.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Nutrient Cycling and Crop Responses on Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems
Integrated crop-livestock systems (ICLS) can bring numerous benefits to crops or livestock systems, such as increase soil C sequestration, farm profitability, and provisioning of ecosystem services. In a changing world, production systems need to become more resilient and sustainable. Specialized agriculture is characterized by a high level of inputs and outputs, and oftentimes specialize in a single crop to simplify management. However, such operational systems stray away from sustainable standards. Furthermore, specialized cropping systems may face problems such as persistence of pests and diseases, loss of biodiversity, stagnant yields, development of herbicide-resistant weeds, soil erosion and consequently loss of soil organic matter. Recombining crops and livestock in a broad and complementary system is to look back into the past to adopt a practice that used to be common centuries ago. With the advancement of technology and better understanding of this management practice, ICLS appear as an option to provide ecosystem services from agricultural lands, while potentially increasing crop production. Such systems have shown benefits as increasing in soil organic matter, increase in biodiversity, and nutrient cycling. There is an array of ICLS, which may include short and long grazing cycles, more than one animal category, crops from many different functional groups, and trees. Here, we will discuss some of the aspects in nutrient cycling and crop responses on ICLS, giving examples to call attention to some of the advantages ICLS can provide.
