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ORGANIC AGRICULTURE NURTURES SOIL BIODIVERSITY
Scientific research has demonstrated that organic agriculture significantly increases the density and species of soil's life.
Suitable conditions for soil fauna and flora as well as soil forming and conditioning and nutrient cycling are encouraged by
organic practices such as: manipulation of crop rotations and strip-cropping; green manuring and organic fertilization (animal
manure, compost, crop residues); minimum tillage; and of course, avoidance of pesticides and herbicides use.
Benefits of organic management on soil biological activity are summarized below1:
• Abundant arthropods and earthworms. Organic management increases the abundance and species richness of beneficial
arthropods living above ground and earthworms, and thus improves the growth conditions of crops. More abundant predators
help to control harmful organisms (pests). In organic systems the density and abundance of arthropods, as compared to
conventional systems, has up to 100% more carabids, 60-70% more staphylinids and 70-120% more spiders. This difference is
explained by prey deficiency due to pesticide influence as well as by a richer weed flora in the standing crop that is less dense
than in conventional plots. In the presence of field margins and hedges, beneficial arthropods are further enhanced, as these
habitats are essential for over-wintering and hibernation. The biomass of earthworms in organic systems is 30-40% higher than
in conventional systems, their density even 50-80% higher. Compared to the mineral fertilizer system, this difference is even
more pronounced.
• High occurrence of symbionts. Organic crops profit from root symbioses and are better able to exploit the soil. On average,
mycorrhizal colonization of roots is highest in crops of unfertilized systems, followed by organic systems. Conventional crops
have colonization levels that are 30% lower. The most intense mycorrhizal root colonization is found in grass-clover, followed by
the vetch rye intercrop. Roots of winter wheat are scarcely colonized. Even when all soils are inoculated with active micorrhizae,
colonization is enhanced in organic soil. This indicates that, even at an inoculum in surplus, soil nutrients at elevated levels and
plant protection suppress symbiosis. This underlines the importance of appropriate living conditions for specific organisms.
• High occurrence of micro-organisms. Earthworms work hand in hand with fungi, bacteria, and numerous other
microorganisms in soil. In organically managed soils, the activity of these organisms is higher. Micro-organisms in organic soils
not only mineralize more actively, but also contribute to the build up of stable soil organic matter (there is less untouched straw
material in organic than in conventional soils). Thus, nutrients are recycled faster and soil structure is improved. The amount of
microbial biomass and decomposition is connected: at high microbial biomass levels, little light fraction material remains
undecomposed and vices versa.
• Microbial carbon. The total mass of micro-organisms in organic systems is 20-40% higher than in the conventional system
with manure and 60-85% than in the conventional system without manure. The ratio of microbial carbon to total soil organic
carbon is higher in organic system as compared to conventional systems. The difference is significant at 60 cm depth (at 80 cm
depth, no difference is observed). Organic management promotes microbial carbon (and thus, soil carbon sequestration
potential).
• Enzymes. Microbes have activities with important functions in the soil system: soil enzymes indicate these functions. The
total activity of micro-organisms can be estimated by measuring the activity of a living cell-associated enzyme such as
dehydrogenase. This enzyme plays a major role in the respiratory pathway. Proteases in soil, where most organic N is protein,
cleave protein compounds. Phosphatases cleave organic phosphorus compounds and thus provide a link between the plant and
the stock of organic phosphorus in the soil. Enzyme activity in organic soils is markedly higher than in conventional soils.
Microbial biomass and enzyme activities are closely related to soil acidity and soil organic matter content.
• Wild flora. Large organic fields (over 15 ha) featured flora six times more abundant than conventional fields, including
endangered varieties. In organic grassland, the average number of herb species was found to be 25 percent more than in
conventional grassland, including some species in decline. Vegetation structure and plant communities in organic grassland are
more even and more typical for a specific site than in conventionally managed systems. In particular, field margin strips of organic
farms and semi-natural habitats conserve weed species listed as endangered or at risk of extinction. Animal grazing behaviour or
routing activity (e.g. pigs) was found important in enhancing plant species composition. Weeds (often sown in strips in organic
orchards to reduce the incidence of aphids) influence the diversity and abundance of arthropods and flowering weeds are
particularly beneficial to pollinators and parasitoids.
• High-energy efficiency. Organic agriculture follows the ecosystem theory of closed (or semi-closed) nutrient cycle on the
farm. Organic land management allows the development of a relatively rich weed-flora as compared to conventional systems.
Some "accompanying plants" of a crop are desired and considered useful in organic management. The presence of versatile
flora attracts beneficial herbivores and other air-borne or above-ground organisms. Their presence improves the nourishment of
predatory arthropods. When comparing diversity and the demand of energy for microbial maintenance (as indicated by the
metabolic quotient), it becomes evident that diverse populations need less energy per unit biomass. A diverse microbial
population, as present in the organic field plots, may divert a greater part of the available carbon to microbial growth rather than
maintenance. In agricultural practice this may be interpreted as an increased turnover of organic matter with a faster
mineralization and delivery of plant nutrients. Finally, more organic matter is diverted to build-up stable soil humus.
• Erosion control: Organic soil management improves soil structure by increasing soil activity and thus, reduces erosion risk.
Organic matter has a positive effect on the development and stability of soil structure. Silty and loamy soils profit from organic
matter by an enhanced aggregate structure. Organic matter is adsorbed to the charged surfaces of clay minerals. The negative
charge decreases with increasing particle size. Silt is very susceptible to erosion since it is not charged, but organic matter layers
on the silt surface favor aggregates with silt too.
MAINSTREAMING ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
In line with the Convention on Biological Diversity, organic agriculture can enhance the value of biological diversity by linking
conservation efforts with social and economic benefits. Decision III/11 on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Agricultural
Biological Diversity "encourages the development of technologies and farming practices that not only increase productivity, but
also arrest degradation as well as reclaim, rehabilitate, restore and enhance biological diversity and monitor adverse effects on
sustainable agricultural biodiversity" such as "inter alia, organic farming".
Target 12 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (i.e., "30 per cent of plant-based
products derived from sources that are sustainably managed") identifies organic agriculture as a main indicator to monitor
progress towards this target.
Organic agriculture meets precise standards which are verified through certification; in 2002, the International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movements has included "organic ecosystems", with specific biodiversity parameters, within its International
Basic Standards for Organic Production and Processing.
Improved awareness on the potential of organic agriculture to provide food while conserving biodiversity offers both a practical
option to implement commitments made by governments to the Convention on Biological Diversity as well as more coherence to
national policies (and related support) to agriculture and environment schemes.
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