Increase Biodiversity

Image Credit: Matt Brugger

Increase Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem or field. These different life forms include all of the plants, animals and microorganisms, and their secretions. (NRCS – Principles for High Functioning Soils)

Increase Biodiversity

Importance

Natural systems are incredibly diverse; there are over 1 billion organisms in a teaspoon of soil. This diversity supports the ecosystem, with each organism filling a specific niche. (NRCS – Soil Microorganisms)

Without biodiversity, the soil loses productivity leading to degraded soil and water quality, reduced nutrient availability, releases of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and lower crop productivity, just to name a few.

Increasing biodiversity helps:

Cycle ecosystem nutrients
Plants uptake nutrients and grow well
Improve water infiltration into, and store water in, the soil
Reduce erosion
Suppress pests, parasites and disease
Aid in the capture of carbon
Assist in the world’s gas exchange cycles
Break down organic matter
IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH!
(NRCS – Principles for High Functioning Soils)

This field includes 55+ species that will bloom throughout
the season, providing long-lasting biodiversity.
Image Credit: Derrick Raspor

A bumble bee pollinating buckwheat,
one of 13 species planted into this field.
Image Credit: Derrick Raspor

This diverse seed mix will increase
the biodiversity in this field.
Image Credit: Derrick Raspor

Our Farmers at Work

The Upper Fox-Wolf Demonstration Farm Network farmers are working to increase biodiversity in their fields.

The Upper Fox-Wolf Demonstration Farm Network farmers are working to increase biodiversity in their fields. Learn how they do this in the chart below.

To do this, they use

Increase Biodiversity