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| Biodiversity |
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| Written by Administrator |
| Wednesday, 27 May 2009 07:23 |
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It is a general principle of organic farming that every living organism should be held in high regard: from the tiniest micro-organism living in the soil to the mightiest tree towering above it. For this reason, every link in the organic food supply chain is geared towards maintaining and, wherever possible, increasing the diversity of plants and animals. Practices that contribute to high levels of biodiversity are often the result of good farming practice, as well as of the EU organic farming Regulation. Back to nature When the term biodiversity is used in organic farming, it doesn’t just mean more plants and animals, but also that more of the plants and animals native to a particular area grow in a natural way. Particular emphasis is also given to the preservation of native and endangered species of animals and plants. Benefits Many practices that increase productivity in organic agriculture have the natural knock-off effect of increasing plant and animal life and maintaining natural biodiversity. For example: * Using livestock manures increases the concentration of micro-organisms, earthworms, spiders and beetles in the soil * Using multi-annual crop rotations and appropriate plant varieties that can compete with weeds and resist pests and diseases, strengthening the wanted plants and disfavouring the unwanted ones * Multi-annual crop rotations result in the growing of a wider variety of primary crops, legumes and fodder crops * Prioritising indigenous breeds of plants and animals maintains the natural diversity of different areas * Introducing natural enemies of weeds and pests, rather than using chemical synthetic pesticides, helps to increase animal life Further practices Organic farmers also use other agricultural stewardship methods that help maintain the natural environment and biodiversity in and around organic farms. These include: * Planting hedges and trees * Retaining old meadows * Maintaining natural waterways * Protecting trees and other native vegetation Restrictions on the use of synthetic fertilisers, chemical synthetic pesticides and other synthetic inputs also helps avoid potential run-off into waterways and the negative effects that such pollution can have on aquatic life. These restrictions also avoid the potential threat of bioaccumulation, where high level predators, such as birds of prey, can die as a result of consuming toxic doses of these chemicals that have increased in quantity through the links in the food chain. Livestock Practices designed to increase animal welfare, such as providing free-range areas or grazing land for poultry, pigs, cattle and other animals are a further way that natural biodiversity is encouraged. GMO-free On top of this, the Regulation for organic farming prohibits the use of genetically modified organisms in either plant or animal production. This helps maintain populations of native species of plants and animals while encouraging the use of a more diverse range of plants and animals in organic agriculture. Emissions Some studies have also shown that organic agriculture produces fewer carbon emissions and might therefore have a role in minimising climate change. Factors that could possibly contribute to this include: * Reduced energy use through the recycling of wastes and by-products, rather than using synthetic fertilisers produced through energy-intensive processes * Retaining more native vegetation and more vegetation in general * Carbon sequestration in soil organic matter, because organic farming tries to enhance the humus content of the soil A Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) study states that, on a per hectare basis, greenhouse gas emissions in organic systems are 32% lower than in mineral fertiliser systems and 35-37% lower than in conventional manure-based systems. According to the study, this is coupled with the fact that organic farming on average returns 12-15% more carbon dioxide to the soil than mineral fertiliser systems, through the boost it provides to soil fertility and humus content.
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| Last Updated on Monday, 29 June 2009 13:01 |
