Management to Support Multiple Ecosystem Services from Productive Grasslands

Sustainable intensification will require the development of new management systems to support global food demands, whilst conserving integrity ecosystem functions. Here, we test and identify strategies maintain or enhance agricultural production in grasslands simultaneously supporting provision multiple services. Over four years, investigated how establishment three plant functional groups (grasses, legumes, other flowering forbs), using different cultivation (minimum tillage deep ploughing) (cutting, grazing their intensity) techniques, affected complementarity between key These services were agronomic production, pollination, pest control, resources for farmland birds, soil We found that floristically diverse swards, particularly those containing grasses, legumes forbs, maximised forage yield quality, pollinator abundance, nitrogen, bird resources, as well enhancing populations natural predators pests. Cutting increased pests without depleting considered. However, a single solution maximise delivery all is unlikely exist, trade-offs also occurred. Consequently, options may need be tailored strategically localised deficits