Nature-based agricultural practices in the Mediterranean agroecosystems: A meta-analysis of their benefits on crop productivity, soil quality, and biodiversity

Nature-based solutions (NbS) in agricultural landscapes remain underrecognized despite efforts to establish frameworks that identify certain agricultural practices as NbS. This meta-analysis aims to assess the effects of agricultural practices aligned with NbS principles in the Mediterranean agroecosystems and evaluate their impacts on crop productivity, soil quality, and biodiversity. A total of 15 potential NbS related to ground cover and field management practices were identified across ten agroecosystems. Crop yield showed a low effect size and high heterogeneity across NbS types, with legume and non-legume cover having the highest significant effect size. NbS increased microbial biomass carbon (MBC), microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN), and soil nitrogen, all with the highest significant effect size in legume cover and spontaneous vegetation. NbS also increased total organic carbon (TOC), with herbaceous cover having the highest significant effect size. No significant effects of NbS were observed in soil bulk density, and available soil phosphorus and potassium. Spontaneous vegetation, traditional farming systems, and undisturbed ground cover had the highest effect sizes on arthropod abundance. Across agroecosystems, the effect size for crop yield was low and heterogeneous, with a significant increase only in the leguminous field crop. Soil quality was significantly improved across agroecosystems except for bulk density and available phosphorus. Microbial activity increased in olive orchards, soil chemical properties improved in vineyards, and arthropod diversity was enhanced in both systems. The overall findings of this study support a significant step toward establishing these agricultural practices as NbS or nature-inclusive. • Fifteen nature-based solutions (NbS) have been identified in ten Mediterranean agroecosystems. • Legume and non-legume cover had the highest effect size on crop yield. • Spontaneous vegetation and legume cover had the highest effect size on soil quality. • Spontaneous and undisturbed cover had the highest effect size on arthropod abundance. • NbS improved soil chemical properties in vineyards and microbial activity in olive orchards.