Monocropping’s Deleterious Effects on Ecosystem Biodiversity 

Monocropping’s Deleterious Effects on Ecosystem Biodiversity 

Background 

Monoculture farming is a system where a single type of crop is grown in large quantities on the same land year after year. As a system of farming, monoculture first rose to prominence in the United States in the 1960s, a time which would come to be known as the “Green Revolution.” During this period, several global organizations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, became concerned that the world would soon be facing a global food shortage. This led to advancements in agriculture, such as High Variety Yield Seeds to increase crop yield. Additionally, large amounts of fertilizer, modern agriculture machinery, and higher water usage were needed to support the cultivation of High Variety Yield Seeds. These seeds proved to be effective in producing large quantities of crops, so the system of monoculture cultivation was implemented to grow them, replacing older, traditional agricultural practices. 

Effects on Ecosystem Biodiversity 

Land Use and Biodiversity Loss

Biodiversity is an important indicator of an ecosystem’s health. Ecosystems that feature a richer variation in, and especially among, species are considered to be more biodiverse, and as a result, have a higher survival rate when compared to less biodiverse ecosystems. Currently, biodiversity loss is considered to be a threat to human survival, a problem exacerbated by the negative effects agricultural land use has on biodiversity. Globally, 40% of land is used for crop cultivation, but this number is even higher in the United States, where 53% of land is used for agricultural purposes. Additionally, more than ¼ of forest loss is driven by the transformation of forest land into agricultural land, particularly for the use of cattle, soy, and oil palm rearing. This statistic is particularly worrisome considering, “Forests contain 80 percent of terrestrial biomass and provide habitat for more than half of the world’s known terrestrial plant and animal species.”

Insect Diversity Loss

Research shows that monoculture land has lower insect biodiversity compared to other agriculture land regimes. Insect diversity is an important aspect of greater ecosystem biodiversity, meaning that a decline in insect biodiversity negatively affects ecosystems at a larger scale. Additionally, insects are needed to pollinate crops, making them an indispensable component of sustainable agriculture. The decrease in insect diversity is, in part, due to the increased over use of pesticides within monocultures. 

Water Contamination 

Because they disrupt the natural cycling of nutrients throughout an ecosystem, monocultures rely heavily on human additions to the ecosystem in the form of fertilizers. The overreliance of fertilizers in these systems can lead to a host of negative consequences, including fertilizer residue in soil post-harvest, groundwater contamination and degradation, and the contamination of nearby ecosystems via the infected groundwater.

Greenhouse Gas Emission

Finally, the agriculture business is estimated to be responsible for 18% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the conversion of natural land into agricultural use results in significant ecosystem degradation

Recommended Actions 

Monocropping has a host of extremely negative effects on the environment, which threaten biodiversity and food sustainability in the long run. As such, it is important to explore alternatives and encourage consumers to make different choices with their money. For example:

• Alternative agricultural systems, such as intercroppin,g have proven effective at producing high yields of crops while maintaining responsible pest control. Intercropping systems may require specialized equipment, but other countries, such as Switzerland, have already developed and deployed new farming equipment suitable for intercropping with great success. Tax breaks, or other economic incentives, can be used to encourage large farms to switch from a system of monocropping to an alternative, such as intercropping. 

• Information campaigns targeted at consumers may encourage people to consider shopping local, such as at farmers' markets.

Works Cited

Darmawan, Andy, Hendry Wijayanti, and Yanti Ariyanti. 2019. “Arthropod Diversity Loss Due to Monoculture Practice in South Lampung, Indonesia.” BioWallacea Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Biologi Mei 5 (2): 69-73. 

“Environmental Impacts of Monoculture.” Private Label With Purpose. Gallant International Inc. https://www.gallantintl.com/blogs/environmental-impacts-of-monoculture#:~:text=Reusing%20the%20same%20soil%20for,degraded%20and%20inhospitable%20for%20agriculture.&text=In%20a%20conventional%20monoculture%20setting%2C%20the%20soil%20moisture%20is%20unstable. 

Grant, Shannan M. 2007. “The Importance of Biodiversity in Crop Sustainability: A Look at Monoculture.” Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition 1 (2): 101–9. doi:10.1300/J477v01n02_07.

“Land Use, Land Value & Tenure - Major Land Uses.” USDA Economic Research Service, Jan 1, 2025. https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/land-use-land-value-tenure/major-land-uses#:~:text=About%2053%20percent%20of%20the,%2C%20and%20farmsteads/farm%20roads.&text=Land-use%20change%20occurs%20for%20a%20variety%20of%20reasons. 

Rivera, Alfredo, Shweta Movalia, Hannah Pitt and Kate Larsen. “Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions: 1990-2020 and Preliminary 2021 Estimates.” Dec 19, 2022. https://rhg.com/research/global-greenhouse-gas-emissions-2021/. 

Sunderland, Terry, Alida O’Connor, Giulia Muir, Lauren Nerfa, Giulia Rota Nodari, Camilla Wildmark, Nur Bahar, and Amy Ickowitz, “Zero Hunger –Challenging the Hegemony of Monoculture Agriculture for Forests and People.” SLUpub, (2019): 48-71.