Agricultural Systems最新文献

{"title":"Explaining global variation in life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soybeans and soybean meal: a systematic review","authors":"Nathaniel P. Springer ,&nbsp;Pedro E. Urriola ,&nbsp;Rylie E.O. Pelton ,&nbsp;Aurup Ratan Dhar ,&nbsp;Jennifer Schmitt ,&nbsp;Gerald C. Shurson","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104559","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104559","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Accurate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) estimates of feed ingredients are essential for formulating low environmental impact diets for sustainable food animal production. Numerous studies have been conducted to estimate life cycle environmental impacts of soybeans and soybean meal, but these estimates are highly variable within specific LCA impact categories.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive review, summarize greenhouse gas (GHG) estimates, and identify factors causing variability in those LCA estimates for soybeans and soybean meal.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>A systematic literature search for relevant publications and databases was conducted. LCA data from 27 studies and databases for soybeans and 22 LCA studies and databases for soybean meal produced in 30 countries were evaluated and summarized. Methodologies used to calculate these estimates were compared and critically reviewed.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>A wide range in GHG emissions estimates were observed for soybeans (−11.4 to 22.0 kg CO₂e kg⁻¹) and soybean meal (0.25 to 6.50 kg CO₂e kg⁻¹). Differences in GHG emissions estimates were due to differences in geographical scale and heterogeneity, land use change, farming practices, allocation factors, exclusion of biogenic carbon, impact characterization methods, and attributional versus consequential LCA modeling approaches.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>LCA methods with higher resolution in geography and farming practices provide more precise estimates of LCA impact hotspots across impact categories. Continued methodological development and alignment of downscaling and uncertainty approaches will make such estimates more useful for industry stakeholders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 104559"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145657150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pioneering sustainability in cattle ranching: Colombia’s silvo-pastoral systems as a model for scaling across the tropics","authors":"Stefan Burkart,&nbsp;Sandoval Yate,&nbsp;Danny Fernando","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104599","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104599","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Colombia’s cattle sector is both a vital economic pillar and a major contributor to deforestation, land degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions. To address these challenges, silvo-pastoral systems (SPS) – which integrate trees, forage, and livestock – have emerged as a sustainable alternative offering environmental and socio-economic benefits.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This article evaluates the potential of SPS to transform Colombia’s cattle industry into a sustainable, inclusive, and financially viable sector. It investigates the economic, environmental, and social benefits of SPS, explores innovative financing mechanisms, assesses the regulatory landscape, and examines market trends to guide investment and policy strategies.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>A systematic literature review was conducted, focusing on studies published between 2000 and 2025. The review synthesized 185 relevant documents, including peer-reviewed articles, institutional reports, and government policies. Analysis covered SPS adoption dynamics, scaling strategies, financial modeling, and investment cases, guided by frameworks on technology diffusion, scaling innovation, and sustainable finance.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>SPS significantly enhance productivity and profitability, with potential returns exceeding 20% IRR and diversified income from timber, fruit, and carbon credits. Environmentally, they sequester carbon, reduce methane emissions, and restore degraded ecosystems. Socially, they support smallholders, women, and displaced populations while improving food security. Yet, adoption remains constrained by insecure land tenure, limited financing, and institutional gaps. Effective scaling requires blended finance, enabling policies, and coordinated public-private action.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>Colombia’s SPS experience offers a scalable model for sustainable cattle ranching across the tropics. The findings support investors, policymakers, and practitioners seeking climate-smart, inclusive agricultural development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 104599"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145645619","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regenerative practices reduce global warming impact and intensity of maize systems in north-central Italy","authors":"Tommaso Tadiello ,&nbsp;Diego Armando Arellano Vazquez ,&nbsp;Neville Millar ,&nbsp;Mariarita Cammarata ,&nbsp;Giampaolo Oliviero ,&nbsp;Prateek Sharma ,&nbsp;Michela Gallo ,&nbsp;Adriana Del Borghi ,&nbsp;Bruno Basso","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104587","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104587","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Agriculture significantly contributes to global climate warming, accounting for up to one-third of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. One of the key strategies to mitigate these emissions is through adopting regenerative agricultural practices. This study quantified the global warming impact (GWI) and its intensity (GWI-I) associated with conventional and regenerative maize production systems in Emilia Romagna in the center of the Po Valley region, Italy. Using detailed field-level producer data and a hybrid quantification framework that combines process-based crop modeling with carbon footprint analysis, we compared a business-as-usual (BAU) management scenario—characterized by intensive tillage, frequent irrigation, and high agrochemical inputs—with six regenerative strategies. Results from the 16 measured sites over four years (2019–2022) showed an average GWI of 5594 kg CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;-eq ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; yr&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; under BAU, primarily driven by GHG emissions from soil organic carbon (SOC) loss and synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer inputs. When scaled regionally, regenerative practices substantially reduced GWI and GWI-I, with reductions ranging from 35 % to 87 % compared to BAU. The most climate mitigating management scenario involved a combination of no-tillage, diversified crop rotation, and N rate reduction. These practices enhanced SOC gain by 0.38 Mg C ha&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt; yr&lt;sup&gt;−1&lt;/sup&gt;, reduced nitrous oxide (N&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;O) emissions by 35 %, while maintaining crop yields. Our findings highlight that adopting regenerative agricultural practices offers climate mitigation potential without sacrificing productivity.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;CONTEXT&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Agriculture is a major contributor to climate change, responsible for up to one-third of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. There is an urgent need to identify scalable strategies that mitigate these emissions without compromising productivity. Regenerative agriculture has emerged as a promising solution, but field-scale data combined with robust modeling approaches are needed to assess its effectiveness.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;OBJECTIVE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;To quantify the global warming impact (GWI) and its intensity (GWI-I) of conventional (business-as-usual, BAU) versus regenerative maize management practices in the Emilia Romagna region of northern Italy, while identifying the best scenarios that offer the greatest climate mitigation potential without reducing crop yield.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;METHODS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We applied a hybrid quantification framework that integrated field-level measurements, carbon footprint (CF) life cycle assessment (LCA) based, and process-based crop modeling (CSM) to evaluate GWI and GWI-I under BAU and six regenerative management scenarios. Data from 16 maize fields over four years (2019–2022) were collected and regionally upscaled to 3509 maize fields using soil datasets. Scenarios included variations in tillage, crop rotation, cover c","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 104587"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145645545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emergence of cross-level poverty traps in agricultural innovations systems: Environmental impacts and sustainable interventions","authors":"Udita Sanga ,&nbsp;Sonja Radosavljevic ,&nbsp;Maja Schlüter","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104596","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104596","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;CONTEXT&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Poverty can result from complex social-ecological interactions where persistent feedback loops create resistant, unsustainable states. In dryland regions, agricultural innovations intended to break poverty traps can often neglect long-term environmental consequences, leading to a reinforcing cycle of degradation and poverty.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;OBJECTIVE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study investigates how cross-level dynamics in agricultural innovation systems generate and sustain poverty traps. We ask: (i) How do poverty traps emerge in agricultural innovation systems? (ii) What characterizes agents experiencing these traps? (iii) How can traps be avoided or overcome?&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;METHODS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;We combine dynamical systems modeling (DSM) and agent-based modeling (ABM) to analyze poverty trap emergence. DSM uses bifurcation analysis to reveal system-level dynamics under two innovation scenarios: low-impact (“gentle”) and high-impact (“strong”). ABM simulates these scenarios, tracking agent attributes across runs and mapping them onto DSM parameter space to identify producers and innovators in poor or non-poor states. Comparing agent outcomes with DSM parameter space identifies characteristics of poor and non-poor states. Together, DSM captures system dynamics while ABM reflects heterogeneity, enabling targeted interventions to escape poverty traps.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Under gentle innovations, poverty and well-being depend on thresholds in innovation efficiency, funding, and desire: below thresholds, poverty is inevitable, at intermediate levels, outcomes depend on farmers' initial conditions and above thresholds, all reach well-being. Strong innovations carry higher ecological risks, with traps arising whenever thresholds are unmet. Low efficiency traps all farmers with fragile bistability and oscillating well-being at higher efficiencies. Low innovation funding and desire creates poor equilibria with stable well-being at higher levels. Improving innovation efficiency, through stronger knowledge efficiency (understanding producers' needs), greater innovation demand, and higher capital efficiency (better use of resources), increases the effectiveness of innovations and enables producers to escape poverty traps. Similarly, increasing innovation funding and demand for low-environmental-impact agricultural technologies supports pathways out of poverty by simultaneously improving income, ecological indicators, and crop production.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;SIGNIFICANCE&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study highlights the critical role of agricultural innovation in shaping poverty trap dynamics and environmental outcomes. By focusing on cross-level interactions between micro-level producers and meso-level innovators, the study demonstrates how these interactions can create or sustain poverty traps. It emphasizes the importance of ecological feedback for understanding the long-term effects of interventions aimed at reducin","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"233 ","pages":"Article 104596"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145645546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A meta-analysis on the impact of trees on yield of intercrops in alley-cropping systems of temperate climates","authors":"Anna Panozzo ,&nbsp;Paul Quataert ,&nbsp;Tom De Swaef ,&nbsp;Paul Pardon ,&nbsp;Teofilo Vamerali ,&nbsp;Kris Verheyen ,&nbsp;Bert Reubens","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104578","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104578","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>The environmental benefits of agroforestry have been highlighted worldwide, although improved intercrop productivity has been clearly demonstrated only in the tropics.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE AND METHODS</h3><div>This meta-analysis aimed at summarizing knowledge from 18 trials on grain yield of arable intercrops in alley-cropping systems of temperate climates, within a mixed-effect model framework.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>A general negative impact of trees on crop grain yield was documented, with an average reduction by 30 % compared to full sun, across the whole inter-row of wheat, barley, soybean and maize. Key findings included: (i) distance from trees is the major driver of the grain yield response, with increasing impact in the vicinity of the tree row, (ii) significance of crop phenology and species choice, with lower impact on winter vs. summer crops; (iii) tree age is the only relevant variable of the woody component, with increasing impact with aging; and (iv) available rainfall and potential evapotranspiration are key moderators, with a less detrimental or positive impact of trees under low rainfall and high evapotranspiration. This study also describes the implications of some tree design and management practices: (i) branchless tree rows allows for halving the alley width where crop yield is negatively affected by the tree line compared to a hedgerow, (ii) crop yield recovers at distances (D) from the tree row at which D/tree heigh approaches 1, this suggesting the interrow should be at least twice the maximum height of trees, (iii) intercrop should be varied across the tree cycle, by cultivating high shade-tolerant species/varieties when the tree age is &gt;8 years.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This meta-analysis underscores the need for further empirical studies on other intercrops and within climatic zones where limited data is currently available.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 104578"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145611873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sowing the seeds for international cooperation: The Dutch diamond in action","authors":"Melle Leenstra ,&nbsp;Fleur Kilwinger","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104571","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104571","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>The Netherlands has a long-standing presence and influence in the international seed sector. Through partnership initiatives, diverse stakeholders are committed to leveraging Dutch know-how and fostering international cooperation to transform the seed sector in African countries. This effort is viewed as a key contribution of the Netherlands to global food and nutrition security rooted in the collaborative model known as the “Dutch diamond,” which brings together research, policy, business, and civil society. However, international cooperation is ultimately a human endeavour, where policy priorities, funding decisions, and staffing are influenced by both human agency and external circumstances.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This paper examines narratives surrounding Dutch international cooperation in the seed sector with a focus on the human factor, such as personal ambitions, motivations, values, experiences, opportunity, social ties and serendipity.</div></div><div><h3>METHOD</h3><div>Based on key informant interviews, this paper traces the life histories of nine key actors who have driven cooperation in Dutch efforts for international seed sector development. These actors were purposively selected due to their central, influential, and connective roles. Using concepts of Actor Network Theory we analysed the interviews to describe how these key actors became part of the Dutch seed sector development network, how they were shaped by this network, and how they shaped it.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND DISCUSSION</h3><div>Our findings show that change in international seed sector development emerged through a dynamic interplay of serendipitous encounters and deliberate interventions. Beyond more formalized collaboration structures, friendship, trust, and mutual understanding—often built through shared experiences and knowledge exchange—played an important role in translating seed system approaches. Alumni acted as boundary-spanning actors, moving knowledge between policy, research, and practice. Together, these dynamics illustrate how bonding and bridging enabled the adaptation and circulation of seed system development approaches across diverse contexts.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>This study contributes to wider debates on innovation and international development cooperation by showing how seed sector development approaches and networks are shaped. While the findings reflect a Dutch perspective, they underline the importance of engaging African viewpoints and knowledge systems to move toward more equitable forms of cooperation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 104571"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145598569","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Agrivoltaic systems: Trade-offs on microclimate, physiology, yield and canopy thermal-spectral maps","authors":"Maryam Rahimi Jahangirlou ,&nbsp;Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Pullens ,&nbsp;Magnus Kamau Katana Lindhardt ,&nbsp;Yannick Valentin El Khoury ,&nbsp;Vita Antoniuk ,&nbsp;Kiril Manevski ,&nbsp;Carl-Otto Ottosen ,&nbsp;Uffe Jørgensen","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104557","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104557","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>Competition between solar energy deployment and cropland use is intensifying. Agrivoltaics (APV), which co-produces food and electricity, modifies the microclimate between panels, influencing plant physiology, yield, and quality. Comparative field-scale evidence across different PV configurations and crops is required to optimize APV design for both productivity and resilience.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>To evaluate how APV-induced microclimate alters crop physiology, canopy traits, yield, and quality over two years, with interannual weather variability and to determine system- and crop-specific responses that inform climate-smart APV design.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>Two bifacial APV systems (25° south-tilted and vertical east–west) were compared with an open-field reference in rotations of winter wheat, grass–clover, and soybean in a temperate climate. Measurements stratified by panel-relative zones (shaded, semi-shaded, open) included: (i) microclimate (air temperature, humidity, wind speed) used to derive VPD and ET₀; (ii) leaf traits (temperature, stomatal conductance, Fv/Fm) at key growth stages; (iii) UAV-based thermal multispectral maps (NDVI, surface temperature); (iv) yield and quality at harvest.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>Grass–clover biomass was consistently higher between vertical panels (5.8 and 14.8 t/ha in 2023 and 2024) than between tilted panels (4.3 and 14.0 t/ha, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01), and comparable to open field. Wheat yields were similar across treatments in the dry year 2023 (3.7–4.7 t/ha), but declined between panels in the wet year 2024 (6.0–6.2 vs 7.0–7.1 t/ha in reference). However, wheat quality improved under APV in both years: grain protein (9.5–9.8 % vs 8.1 %) and gluten (17–18 % vs 15–16 %, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01). Soybean yields were reduced in APV zones (3.25–3.50 vs 4.91 t/ha, p &lt; 0.01), although dry matter content remained ∼35 %. APV reduced mean wind speed (vertical 1.19, tilted 1.58 vs reference 2.17 m/s) and ET₀, and lowered canopy/leaf temperatures while increasing Fv/Fm. NDVI and thermal maps partly reflected these physiological patterns. Responses varied with interannual weather: APV conferred greater shelter benefits in the dry year, particularly in the vertical system.</div></div><div><h3>SIGNIFICANCE</h3><div>By linking leaf-level physiology to canopy and landscape indicators, this framework enables systematic APV assessment across weather conditions and designs. Findings highlight vertical APV as a promising configuration for stabilizing yields under drought, supporting evidence-based decisions for land-efficient, climate-resilient food–energy systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 104557"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145598998","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"FarmLCA: A novel approach to assess agroecological innovations in Life Cycle Assessment","authors":"Simon Moakes ,&nbsp;Philipp Oggiano ,&nbsp;Jan Landert ,&nbsp;Catherine Pfeifer ,&nbsp;Laura de Baan","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104560","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104560","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Context&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Agroecological innovations are seen as solutions to reduce environmental impacts of agriculture but can potentially lead to trade-offs with food production. Appropriate tools are needed to better understand synergies and trade-offs among environmental issues, resource efficiency and food production.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;This study presents the FarmLCA tool, which models farms as interconnected crop-livestock systems and assesses environmental impacts from farms and farm-inputs. A mixed beef farm serves as case study to assess synergies and trade-offs of avoiding human edible feed in beef production.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;FarmLCA allows the calculation of cradle-to-farm gate life cycle assessments (LCA). Emissions of environmentally harmful substances from crops and livestock are modelled based on the farm management. Upstream impacts from imported inputs (including fertilizer or feed) are accounted for with life cycle inventory data. Yields and nutrient requirements are checked for plausibility, based on management handbooks, while manure availability and composition are calculated based on livestock production. Environmental impacts, nutrient use efficiency and food production for a typical mixed beef farm in Scotland were calculated (&lt;em&gt;baseline&lt;/em&gt;) and compared to alternative farm management scenarios: a &lt;em&gt;Feed-no-Food&lt;/em&gt; scenario, avoiding concentrate feeds resulting in a smaller herd size and a &lt;em&gt;circular Feed-no-Food&lt;/em&gt; scenario, additionally optimizing productivity and synergies between crop and livestock (e.g. more legumes in crop rotation, reduced replacement rate and feed waste).&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results and conclusions&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;In the &lt;em&gt;Feed-no-Food&lt;/em&gt; scenario, the beef production was reduced by 25 %, but more calories and protein were produced overall due to cereal and legumes now being available for direct human consumption. However, slower growth of livestock led to increased environmental impact of beef, whilst reduced livestock numbers required more mineral fertilizer for crop production to replace on-farm manure. In the &lt;em&gt;circular Feed-no-Food&lt;/em&gt; scenario, beef and overall calorie production were slightly reduced compared to the baseline, but 1.5 more high quality protein (expressed by the Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score, DIAAS), were produced. Environmental impacts of beef were reduced and nitrogen self-sufficiency improved due to increased legume share in the rotation.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Significance&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;Existing LCA approaches often fail to capture the complex dynamics of integrated crop-livestock systems and agroecological practices. FarmLCA addresses this by modelling both on-farm processes and upstream inputs, enabling a consistent assessment of environmental impacts, nutrient use efficiency, and food production. It offers a more holistic and systemic view of the consequences of agroecological innovations and enables the identi","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 104560"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145593036","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying the coupling coordination relationship between new-type urbanization and cultivated land use transition and its impact mechanism—A case study of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River in China","authors":"Longbo Ma ,&nbsp;Qian Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaoming Tan ,&nbsp;Yaru Chen ,&nbsp;Wenbin Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104568","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104568","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>CONTEXT</h3><div>The sustainable management of cultivated land resources is essential for attaining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 15 (Life on Land). Rapid urbanization has posed significant challenges to cultivated land systems. Therefore, understanding the interaction mechanisms between new-type urbanization (NTU) and cultivated land use transition (CLUT) is vital for addressing resource constraints and promoting coordinated development of human and land systems.</div></div><div><h3>OBJECTIVE</h3><div>This study analyzes the evolution of the coupling coordination degree (CCD) between NTU and CLUT in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yellow River region. It aims to identify key problematic areas and uncover the underlying factors driving their interaction.</div></div><div><h3>METHODS</h3><div>The study utilizes the entropy weight method and linear weighting approach to assess NTU and CLUT levels. A coupling coordination degree model (CCDM) is employed to quantify their relationship, complemented by a geographic detector analysis to identify primary drivers influencing the CCD.</div></div><div><h3>RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS</h3><div>The results indicate that: (1) The NTU index increased from 0.26 in 2005 to 0.46 in 2020, displaying notable spatial and temporal heterogeneity characterized by higher levels in the southeast, moderate levels in the northwest, and lower levels centrally. Conversely, CLUT levels saw a modest rise from 0.37 to 0.41, with higher values concentrated mainly in inland cities of Shandong and Henan provinces. (2) The CCD improved from 0.55 to 0.65, following a pattern of rapid growth initially, then stabilization, with evident spatial clustering and limited inter-city disparities. (3) Diagnostic analysis identified over 15 areas with problematic coordination between 2005 and 2020, primarily along the middle reaches of the Yellow River, where CLUT lagged behind. (4) The CCD is influenced by a combination of economic, social, and governmental factors, with economic drivers—such as industrial clustering, fiscal investment, and infrastructure development—exerting the strongest effects. Interaction effects between two factors generally demonstrated greater influence than individual factors alone.</div><div><strong>Significance:</strong> The Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yellow River serve as a representative region for understanding regional disparities, offering valuable insights into the key drivers of unbalanced development and strategies for achieving coordinated progress—lessons that are applicable to similar regions globally.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 104568"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145583877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Herder cooperatives vs. independent herders in Inner Mongolia: A comparative analysis of multi-dimensional efficiency","authors":"Jiuzhou Jin ,&nbsp;Ruiyao Zhang ,&nbsp;Pengpeng Dou,&nbsp;Rong Zhi,&nbsp;Ping Li","doi":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104575","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.agsy.2025.104575","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Abstract</h3><div>Context</div><div>Pastoral systems in Inner Mongolia sustain livelihoods and ecosystem services but face degradation driven by overgrazing, tenure fragmentation, and market–climate stressors. Herder cooperatives have emerged as a policy-backed governance innovation to address these challenges.</div><div>Objective</div><div>Assess whether cooperatives achieve higher multidimensional efficiency—Ecological, economic, and social—Than large- and small-scale independent herders.</div><div>Methods</div><div>Guided by an integrated resource-based, institutional, and sustainable-livelihoods framework, we surveyed 223 households across four banners (2022). Household pastures were georeferenced to MODIS 500 m NPP and within-pasture quadrats (α-diversity). Eighteen indicators were winsorized, normalized, and combined via an entropy-weighted composite, with robustness checks against equal-weight and CRITIC schemes. Determinants were estimated with two-limit Tobit; mechanisms were tested using a parallel two-mediator model (assets, coordination) with bootstrap inference.</div><div>Results and conclusions</div><div>Cooperatives outperform both large- and small-scale independents in ecological and economic efficiency; social differences are modest. Composite efficiency is higher for cooperatives (0.229 vs. 0.217 and 0.210). Positive drivers include labor share, education, and fixed assets; herd size is not significant; non-livestock training is marginally negative. Mediation results show significant indirect effects via assets and via coordination, while the asset to coordination chain is unsupported; a small direct effect remains</div><div>SIGNIFICANCE: Cooperative governance can help reconcile production with ecological stewardship. Performance-linked support that lowers coordination costs and builds household assets may enhance sustainability in pastoral regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":7730,"journal":{"name":"Agricultural Systems","volume":"232 ","pages":"Article 104575"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145575494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}