A simultaneous assessment of multiple ecosystem services and disservices in vineyards and orchards on Terceira Island, Azores

Monitoring ecosystem processes resulting in services (ESs) and disservices (EDs) is crucial agricultural ecosystems. Traditionally, ESs/EDs provided by arthropods have been estimated indirectly measuring arthropod abundance diversity, overlooking the recognised limitations of such approach. Using a consistent methodology based on sentinel approach, we quantified intensity five ecological leading to four ESs two EDs vineyards citrus orchards Terceira Island, Azores. We assessed herbivory rates lettuce plants (ED), predation green plasticine caterpillars vertebrates invertebrates (ES), insect pollination strawberry wheat dandelion seeds (ED ES, respectively) rodents invertebrates, decomposition using tea rooibos leaves (ES). Herbivory after 2 weeks were significantly lower (mean ± SD; 0.5 0.6%) than (3.6 2.9%). Vertebrate (4.0 13.6% d-1) higher (2.4 10.7% d-1), while no differences observed for overall invertebrate rates. Pollination efficiency (214.5 23.9 seeds/fruit) was (162.0 14.7 seeds/fruit). Seed higher, although not so, (2.0 5.8% (0.3 0.8% d-1). Decomposition leaves, both (1.15 0.11 g vs. 0.72 0.16 g) (1.34 0.06 0.78 0.13 g); between mass loss habitats observed. Our results demonstrated suitability simple, direct monitoring tools quantitative comparison habitats, confirm that landscape complexity does always support ESs, same agro-ecosystem characteristics could occasionally also favour EDs.