Challenges and opportunities for utilizing ecosystem services in the sustainable management of agroecosystems

Different agricultural practices and farming systems influence biodiversity and the ecosystem services in two fundamental and opposing directions. Some practices lead to a decline in biodiversity, thereby reducing the associated benefits, while others contribute to maintaining or enhancing biodiversity and increasing ecosystem services. Today, ecosystem services are increasingly threatened by human activities, as anthropogenic impacts have greatly diminished the self-regulation capacity of agroecosystems. In agroecosystems, biodiversity is often reduced or modified and pest management practices, particularly those relying heavily on pesticides, can have a substantial negative impact on both biodiversity and ecosystem services. This presents one of the greatest challenges of our time: developing sustainable agricultural production systems capable of meeting the growing demand for food while simultaneously preserving biodiversity and protecting the environment. This study examines farmers' awareness of ecosystem services and their attitudes toward the broader integration of these services into pest management strategies. It identifies the key challenges to the wider adoption of ecosystem services in agroecosystems and proposes potential incentives and measures to encourage their uptake by farmers. Keywords: Ecosystem services, pest control, biological control, agroecology, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture