Perennial grassland agriculture restores critical ecosystem functions in the US Upper Midwest

Dominant forms of agricultural production in the U.S. Upper Midwest are undermining human health and welt being. Restoring critical ecosystem functions to agriculture is key to stabilizing climate, reducing flooding, cleaning water, and enhancing biodiversity. We used simulation models to compare ecosystem functions (food-energy production, nutrient retention, and water infiltration) provided by vegetation associated with continuous corn, corn-soybean rotation, and perennial grassland producing feed for dairy livestock. Compared to continuous corn, most ecosystem functions dramatically improved in the perennial grassland system (nitrate leaching reduced similar to 90%, phosphorus loss reduced similar to 88%, drainage increased similar to 25%, evapotranspiration reduced similar to 29%), which wilt translate to improved ecosystem services. Our results emphasize the need to incentivize multiple ecosystem services when managing agricultural landscapes.

Automated summary

The dominant forms of agricultural production in the U.S. Upper Midwest are negatively affecting human health and well-being. Restoring critical ecosystem functions to agriculture is crucial for climate stabilization, flood reduction, water purification, and biodiversity enhancement. Simulation models showed that perennial grasslands providing feed for dairy livestock significantly improved ecosystem functions compared to continuous corn, suggesting the importance of incentivizing multiple ecosystem services in agricultural management.