Summary
This multi-site analysis of 32 long-term field experiments across Europe and North America demonstrates that crop rotation diversity substantially mitigates yield losses from climate stress. Species-rich and functionally diverse rotations compensated for yield reductions from anomalous temperatures, drought, and precipitation extremes; notably, adding even a single functional group to monocultures provided measurable climate resilience. The benefits of diversity plateaued at 2–4 crop species depending on context, suggesting opportunities for optimising rotation design to balance resilience with agronomic feasibility.
Regional applicability
The study included field experiments across Europe and North America, providing evidence potentially applicable to United Kingdom cereal and mixed farming systems. UK arable farmers operating under increasing climate variability could adopt the study's findings on functional diversity in rotations; however, specific yield thresholds and optimal species numbers may require validation under UK soil, climate, and market conditions.
Key measures
Grain yield (kg/ha) under varying climatic conditions (temperature anomalies, precipitation patterns, drought duration) across different crop rotation diversity treatments (monoculture, 2-species, 3-species, and higher diversity rotations); functional richness categories
Outcomes reported
The study quantified yield responses of small grains and maize to climatic variations under different crop rotation diversity regimes across 32 long-term field experiments. It measured whether species-diverse and functionally rich rotations could mitigate grain yield losses from adverse climatic conditions such as warm anomalies, dry spells, and precipitation extremes.
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