Agricultural Systems ( IF 6.1 ) Pub Date : 2022-04-09 , DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103410 Michael S. Corson 1 , Aymeric Mondière 1 , Loïs Morel 2, 3 , Hayo M.G. van der Werf 1
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CONTEXT
Agricultural intensification is a major cause of biodiversity loss. Biodiversity conservation and restoration generally involve human intervention. In comparison, rewilding, a radically different approach to address the erosion of biodiversity, aims to increase the ability of ecological processes to act with little or no human intervention, and thus to enhance biodiversity and the supply of ecosystem services. Rewilding, including that of agricultural systems, has been examined from ecological and social perspectives but rarely from an agricultural perspective.
OBJECTIVE
In this review of the literature and case studies, we (i) analyse whether and how rewilding of agricultural systems, particularly livestock systems, can help conserve and restore biodiversity and offer new prospects, and (ii) identify research questions about rewilding of agricultural systems.
METHODS
We researched literature in the Web of Science Core Collection that focussed on rewilding, agriculture, and interactions between them. We also identified agricultural rewilding projects established for at least five years in the United Kingdom (UK) to analyse their approaches and characteristics.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Agricultural rewilding is an emerging form of land use that we conceptually position on a gradient between agroecology and rewilding. It combines restoration of ecological processes with some degree of agricultural production, most often of herbivores. A selection of 11 agricultural rewilding projects in the UK had areas of 121–4402 ha. The projects targeted 48 key species/breeds, 24 of which were ecosystem engineers: 19 grazers, four pig breeds and Eurasian beavers. The main actions to enhance rewilding were extensive grazing and habitat restoration. The main economic activities were meat or animal sales, tourism and education programmes. Agricultural rewilding may provide a multifunctional model to which livestock systems with herbivores may transition to respond better to environmental concerns. However, because it may lack economic viability and conflict with local culture and traditions, government policies may be needed to encourage more farmers to adopt it.
SIGNIFICANCE
Agricultural rewilding offers new prospects for livestock systems with herbivores. We identified key research questions about its relation to agroecology and rewilding, conditions necessary to implement it, its potential for plant production and its value for farmers. In addition, the forms it can take remain to be explored, and the potential influence of these forms on biodiversity, ecosystem services and environmental impacts needs to be characterised. Exploring the forms that agricultural rewilding may take requires close collaboration among ecologists, animal scientists, agronomists, and social scientists.
中文翻译：
超越农业生态学：农业野化，畜牧系统的前景
语境
农业集约化是生物多样性丧失的主要原因。生物多样性保护和恢复通常涉及人为干预。相比之下，野化是一种完全不同的解决生物多样性侵蚀的方法，旨在提高生态过程在很少或没有人为干预的情况下发挥作用的能力，从而增强生物多样性和生态系统服务的供应。野化，包括农业系统的野化，已经从生态和社会角度进行了审查，但很少从农业角度进行审查。
客观的
在对文献和案例研究的回顾中，我们（i）分析了农业系统，特别是畜牧系统的野化是否以及如何有助于保护和恢复生物多样性并提供新的前景，以及（ii）确定有关农业系统野化的研究问题.
方法
我们研究了 Web of Science 核心合集中的文献，这些文献侧重于野化、农业以及它们之间的相互作用。我们还确定了在英国 (UK) 建立了至少五年的农业野化项目，以分析它们的方法和特征。
结果和结论
农业野化是一种新兴的土地利用形式，我们在概念上将其定位在农业生态学和野化之间的梯度上。它将生态过程的恢复与一定程度的农业生产相结合，最常见的是食草动物。在英国选择的 11 个农业野化项目的面积为 121-4402 公顷。这些项目针对 48 个关键物种/品种，其中 24 个是生态系统工程师：19 个食草动物、4 个猪品种和欧亚海狸。加强野化的主要行动是广泛放牧和栖息地恢复。主要经济活动是肉类或动物销售、旅游和教育计划。农业野化可以提供一种多功能模式，有草食动物的畜牧系统可以过渡到该模式，以更好地应对环境问题。然而，
意义
农业野化为草食动物的畜牧系统提供了新的前景。我们确定了有关其与农业生态学和野化的关系、实施它的必要条件、其植物生产潜力及其对农民的价值的关键研究问题。此外，它可以采取的形式仍有待探索，需要描述这些形式对生物多样性、生态系统服务和环境影响的潜在影响。探索农业野化可能采取的形式需要生态学家、动物科学家、农学家和社会科学家之间的密切合作。
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