DOI: 10.5061/dryad.6m905qg1c
title: The concurrent assessment of agronomic, ecological, and environmental variables enables better choice of agroecological service crop termination management

description: 1. Although organic farming was originally promoted as an alternative
 farming system to address agronomic, environmental, and ecological issues,
 its conventionalisation has led to an intensification and specialisation
 of production. In light of this, several studies have questioned the
 environmental benefits of organic farming as well as its agronomic
 viability. Thus, there is a need to improve organic vegetable systems to
 reduce their environmental impact without affecting their productivity. To
 tackle this challenge, European farmers and researchers have recently
 started to focus on agroecological service crops (ASCs). However, few
 studies have simultaneously evaluated the agronomic, environmental, and
 ecological aspects of ASC management under different European
 pedo-climatic conditions. 2. We evaluated effects of the ASC management
 strategies: no-till roller crimping (NT-RC) and green manuring (T-GM) on
 cropping system performance using agronomic, environmental, and ecological
 indicators, to exemplify the need for multidimensional analysis to
 understand management implications for addressing environmental and
 agronomic challenges. We combined the results from eleven organic
 vegetable field trials conducted in seven European countries over a period
 of two years to test for general trends. 3. Our results provide solid
 evidence that NT-RC management across different pedo-climatic conditions
 in Europe enhances the activity density of ground and rove beetles, and
 improves both the potential energy recycling within the system and weed
 control. However, in NT-RC plots lower cash crop yield and quality,
 energetic efficiency of production, and activity density of spiders was
 observed compared to T-GM. 4. Synthesis and applications: Multidimensional
 analyses using agronomic, environmental, and ecological indicators are
 required to understand the implications of agricultural management in
 agroecosystem functioning. Introducing agroecological service crops
 combined with the use of no-till roller crimping is a promising strategy
 for improving agronomic performance (e.g., fewer weeds) and reducing
 environmental (e.g., increasing the potentially recyclable energy), and
 ecological (e.g., enhancing the activity density of beneficial taxa such
 as ground and rove beetles) impacts. However, our study also indicates a
 need for agronomic and environmental improvements while promoting a wider
 acceptance of this strategy.29-Nov-2021 --
description: <strong>Dataset specifications: </strong>
 This dataset gathers data from 11 organic arable vegetable field
 trials located in Belgium (BE), Denmark (DK), Estonia (EE), France (FR),
 Italy (IT), Slovenia (SI), and Spain (ES). Two parallel field experiment
 types were carried out during two crop cycles. Field experiment type A
 (FtA) involved the introduction of cold-rainy season ASCs into the crop
 rotation, followed by a spring-summer cash crop. Field experiment type B
 (FtB) was performed only at the IT and ES locations where the
 Mediterranean climatic conditions enabled introduction of the ASCs in the
 warm-dry season (i.e., summer), followed by the transplantation of an
 autumn-winter cash crop.  <strong>This dataset
 contains: </strong> Ecological and environmental
 indicators: Activity density of ground (Carabidae) and rove
 (Staphylinidae) beetles and spiders (Araneae); Beta-glucosidase enzyme
 activity assessment; Nitrogen leaching potential measured by soil mineral
 nitrogen assessment at cash crop harvest; and the potentially recyclable
 energy use efficiency indicator (PRE-EUE) (Navarro-Miró, Iocola, et al.,
 2019).  Agronomic indicators: Cash crop marketable
 yield, and the cash crop quality; The energy efficiency of the marketable
 production was determined by the energy-use efficiency indicator (M-EUE)
 (Barut, Ertekin, & Karaagac, 2011). Weed control was analysed by
 determining weed density (individuals
 m<sup>-2</sup>).  Information about
 Repetition/block and sample can be found in Appendix "S1. Trial
 details". Repetition/block and sample are sometimes not included
 because the measure under consideration has been taken at higher level
 (i.e., ASC, termination, plot).