Cover Cropping: A Malleable Solution for Sustainable Agriculture? Meta-Analysis of Ecosystem Service Frameworks in Perennial Systems

Cover crops have been touted for their capacity to enhance multifunctionality and ecosystem services (ESs). Ecosystem services are benefits which people obtain from ecosystems. Despite nearly a century of cover crop research, there has been low adoption of the practice in perennial systems of many parts of the world. Emphasis on the multi-functional dimension of cover crop outcomes may misrepresent the practice as a panacea for sustainable agriculture and distract from the need to tailor the practice to specific contexts and differing value systems. In this study, we explore how cover crop ecosystem service (ES) frameworks reflect the distinct environmental realities of perennial agriculture. We considered that ES value systems are manifested through the non-randomization of research coverage. Therefore, value systems can be elucidated through evidence-based systematic mapping. Our analysis revealed differential systems of ES valuation specific to perennial crop types. While ES frameworks are heavily contextualized, the design of seed mixes is not. We suggest that cover crop adoption could be enhanced by clearly acknowledging the different conceptualizations of agricultural sustainability addressed by various cover crops. Furthermore, explicitly delineating the competing desires of stakeholders is a crucial step in rationally selecting between various cover crop seed mix options.

Automated summary

Cover crops have the potential to enhance multifunctionality and ecosystem services in agriculture, but their adoption in perennial systems is low. Emphasizing multifunctionality may lead to misunderstandings and distract from the need to tailor cover crop practices to specific contexts and value systems. Understanding the distinct environmental realities of perennial agriculture and recognizing different conceptualizations of agricultural sustainability can help improve cover crop adoption rates.