Balancing production and nature: Ecosystem service trade-offs under agricultural intensification and restoration
Abstract
Agricultural intensification and ecological restoration present contrasting yet interconnected challenges for ecosystem service management. While intensification boosts crop yields and food security, it often compromises soil fertility, water quality, biodiversity and other regulating and supporting services. Conversely, ecological restoration enhances ecosystem resilience, biodiversity and carbon sequestration but may reduce immediate agricultural productivity. This article explores the trade-offs between provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural ecosystem services under varying land-use scenarios. Drawing on studies from agroecosystems, restored landscapes and riparian buffers, we examine how land management, biodiversity and landscape connectivity mediate these trade-offs. Strategies for integrating production and ecological objectives, including agroecology, multifunctional landscapes and adaptive management, are discussed. Understanding and managing these trade-offs is critical for sustainable agriculture, ecosystem resilience and climate adaptation.