Impacts of Fertilization on Environmental Quality across a Gradient of Olive Grove Management Systems in Alentejo (Portugal)

Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa (), Claudia Tribaldos-Anda, Sergio A. Prats, Clarisse Brígido, José Muñoz-Rojas and Alejandro J. Rescia
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Antonio Alberto Rodríguez Sousa: University Complutense of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Claudia Tribaldos-Anda: Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University Complutense of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Sergio A. Prats: MED–Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal, and Largo dos Colegiais 2, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal
Clarisse Brígido: MED–Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal, and Largo dos Colegiais 2, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal
José Muñoz-Rojas: MED—Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE—Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Departamento de Geociências, Universidade de Évora, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
Alejandro J. Rescia: Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University Complutense of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 12, 1-19

Abstract: Olive groves are Mediterranean socioecological systems. In Portugal (350,000 hectares of olive groves), a transition is ongoing towards intensification. Such effects may arise from the incremental use of agrochemical fertilizers. The Alentejo region, Portugal, was stratified according to the olive management systems (i.e., extensive groves managed conventionally, integrated or organically, and intensive and highly intensive farms) and erosive states. Agronomic (i.e., fertilizers) and biological (i.e., herbaceous and lepidopteran richness and biodiversity) variables were quantified in 80 plots so we could know how managements affect biodiversity. Intensive and highly intensive farms showed the highest erosion (up to 48 t ha −1 year −1 ) and the highest concentration of nitrates (11–16 ppm), phosphates (8–15 ppm), and potassium (169–183 mg kg −1 ), aligned with its lower flora (null) and fauna (0.50–1.75 species). Conventional extensive farms attained an intermediate position, and integrated and organic managements showed the lowest erosion (up to 20 t ha −1 year −1 ), and the lowest concentration of nitrates (5–6 ppm), phosphates (2–4 ppm), and potassium (92–125 mg kg −1 ) aligned with its higher flora (14–27 species) and fauna (up to 8 species). Studies aimed at characterizing the multifunctionality of olive groves are essential in Portugal, also considering how soil practices can minimize externalities driven by rapid changes in crop systems.

Keywords: agricultural intensification; biodiversity; biostatistics; chemical fertilizers; ecology; soil erosion; multifunctional agriculture; olive groves (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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