{"id":363,"date":"2025-10-06T12:10:50","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T18:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/fonte\/?post_type=research&p=363"},"modified":"2025-10-29T11:04:59","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T17:04:59","slug":"multi-functional-farming-systems-and-soil-health","status":"publish","type":"research","link":"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/fonte\/research\/multi-functional-farming-systems-and-soil-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Multi-Functional Farming Systems and Soil Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
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Our lab seeks to assess the multifunctionality of soils and agroecosystems. Essentially, we evaluate the performance of farming systems by examining yields and profitability together with an array of ecosystem services<\/strong> such as erosion control, nutrient cycling and provision, carbon sequestration, pest regulation, water capture and storage, among others.<\/p>\n

By understanding how farm management (e.g., tillage, rotations, grazing intensity, irrigation) influences tradeoffs among various ecosystem services we hope to inform the development of farming systems that support the livelihoods of producers and rural communities<\/strong>, while also meeting the needs of multiple stakeholders and society.<\/p>\n

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Relevant Publications<\/h2>\n

Visscher<\/strong>,\u00a0A.<\/strong>,\u00a0S.J. Vanek<\/strong>,\u00a0K. Meza<\/strong>, C. Wellstein, S. Zerbe, R. Ccanto, E. Olivera, M. Scurrah, and\u00a0S.J. Fonte<\/strong>\u00a0(2022) Tree-based land uses enhance the provision of ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes of the Peruvian highlands.\u00a0Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment<\/em>\u00a0342: 108213.<\/em><\/p>\n

Galindo, V.<\/strong>, C. Giraldo, P. Lavelle, I. Armbrecht, and\u00a0S.J. Fonte<\/strong>\u00a0(2022) Land use conversion to agriculture impacts biodiversity, erosion control and key soil properties in an Andean watershed.\u00a0Ecosphere<\/em>\u00a013: e3979.\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/ecs2.3979<\/a><\/p>\n

Eash, L.<\/strong>, A. Berrada, K. Russell, and\u00a0S.J. Fonte\u00a0<\/strong>(2021) Cover crop impacts on water dynamics and yields in dryland wheat systems on the Colorado Plateau.\u00a0Agronomy<\/em>\u00a011: 1102<\/p>\n

Nyamsoka-Magonziwa, B<\/strong>,\u00a0S.J. Vanek<\/strong>, J.O. Ojiem, and\u00a0S.J. Fonte<\/strong>\u00a0(2020) A soil tool kit to evaluate soil properties and monitor soil health changes in smallholder farming contexts.\u00a0Geoderma<\/em>\u00a0376: 114539.\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.geoderma.2020.114539<\/a><\/p>\n

Deleon, E., T. Bauder, E. Wardle, and\u00a0S.J. Fonte<\/strong>\u00a0(2020) Conservation tillage supports soil macrofauna communities, infiltration, and farm profits in an irrigated maize-based cropping system of Colorado.\u00a0Soil Science Society of America Journal<\/em>\u00a084: 1943\u20131956.\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/saj2.20167<\/a><\/p>\n

Caulfield, M.<\/strong>,\u00a0S.J. Fonte<\/strong>, J. Groot, S. Vanek, S. Sherwood; P. Oyarzun, R. Borja, S. Dumble, and P. Tittonell (2020) Agroecosystem patterns and land management co-develop through environment, management and land-use interactions.\u00a0Ecosphere<\/em>\u00a011: 103561.\u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/ecs2.3113<\/a><\/p>\n

Kearney, S.P.,\u00a0S.J. Fonte<\/strong>,\u00a0E. Garc\u00eda<\/strong>, K.M. Chan, P. Siles, and S.M. Smukler (2019) Evaluating ecosystem service trade-offs and synergies from slash-and-mulch agroforestry systems in El Salvador.\u00a0Ecological Indicators<\/em>\u00a0105: 264-278.\u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.ecolind.2017.08.032<\/a><\/p>\n

Webster, E.<\/strong>, A.C.M. Gaudin, M. Pulleman, P. Siles, and\u00a0S.J. Fonte<\/strong>\u00a0(2019) Improved pastures support early indicators of soil restoration in low-input agroecosystems of Nicaragua.\u00a0Environmental Management\u00a0<\/em>64: 201-212.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s00267-019-01181-8<\/a><\/p>\n

Related Websites<\/h3>\n

Dryland Cover Crops<\/a><\/p>\n

Dryland Agriculture<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\" \"\" \"\" \"\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Our lab seeks to assess the multifunctionality of soils and agroecosystems. Essentially, we evaluate the performance of farming systems by examining yields and profitability together with an array of ecosystem services such as erosion control, nutrient cycling and provision, carbon sequestration, pest regulation, water capture and storage, among others.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":445,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":true},"class_list":["post-363","research","type-research","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/fonte\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/research\/363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/fonte\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/research"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/fonte\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/research"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/fonte\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/labs.agsci.colostate.edu\/fonte\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}