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Agriculture
Volume 16
Issue 12
10.3390/agriculture16121336
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Review

The Ecosystem Services of Irrigated Orchards: A Review

by
Pedro Matias
1,2,3,4,*,
Ana Rita Trindade
1,2,
Tomás Magalhães
1,2,
Silvio Lisboa de Souza, Junior
1,2,
Beatriz Duarte
1,2,
Luísa Coelho
2,5,
Miguel Freitas
1,
Isabel Barrote
1,6 and
Amílcar Duarte
1,2
1
Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Campus de Gambelas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
2
MED—Instituto Mediterrânico para a Agricultura, Ambiente e Desenvolvimento & CHANGE—Instituto para a Mudança Global e Sustentabilidade, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Campus de Gambelas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
3
CIMA/ARNET—Centro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental/Rede de Investigação Aquática, Campus de Gambelas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
4
Instituto Superior de Engenharia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus da Penha, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
5
GreenColab—Associação Oceano Verde, Campus de Gambelas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
6
Centro de Ciências do Mar do Algarve (CCMAR/CIMAR LA), Campus de Gambelas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agriculture 2026, 16(12), 1336; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16121336
Submission received: 30 April 2026 / Revised: 8 June 2026 / Accepted: 11 June 2026 / Published: 17 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in Ecosystem, Environment and Climate Change in Agriculture)
Versions Notes

Abstract

In the context of global population growth and intensifying climate change, ensuring food security remains a critical challenge. Orchards are more productive than arable crops, contributing significantly to the nutrition of a growing population. Ecologically, due to the absence of frequent soil tillage, orchards resemble natural forest ecosystems more closely than other agricultural systems. Irrigated orchards are particularly productive and enhance biodiversity in territories where water scarcity is the limiting factor for ecosystems. This review, the result of extensive reflection and a comprehensive analysis of the literature on orchard sustainability, synthesizes evidence on the diverse ecosystem services provided by these perennial systems. Due to their structural complexity, well-managed orchards contribute significantly to climate regulation through carbon sequestration, microclimate cooling, and soil erosion prevention. Furthermore, they support nutrient cycling and provide cultural value. This paper establishes an integrated scientific framework to inform evidence-based policies and reshape societal perceptions. It argues that recognizing orchards as multifunctional landscapes, rather than mere resource consumers, is critical for environmental resilience, supporting their fair valuation as essential components of a sustainable bioeconomy.
Keywords: agroecosystem; biodiversity; carbon sequestration; climate change; evapotranspiration; food security; irrigation; pollination; soil microbial communities; sustainability agroecosystem; biodiversity; carbon sequestration; climate change; evapotranspiration; food security; irrigation; pollination; soil microbial communities; sustainability

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MDPI and ACS Style

Matias, P.; Trindade, A.R.; Magalhães, T.; Souza, S.L.d., Junior; Duarte, B.; Coelho, L.; Freitas, M.; Barrote, I.; Duarte, A. The Ecosystem Services of Irrigated Orchards: A Review. Agriculture 2026, 16, 1336. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16121336

AMA Style

Matias P, Trindade AR, Magalhães T, Souza SLd Junior, Duarte B, Coelho L, Freitas M, Barrote I, Duarte A. The Ecosystem Services of Irrigated Orchards: A Review. Agriculture. 2026; 16(12):1336. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16121336

Chicago/Turabian Style

Matias, Pedro, Ana Rita Trindade, Tomás Magalhães, Silvio Lisboa de Souza, Junior, Beatriz Duarte, Luísa Coelho, Miguel Freitas, Isabel Barrote, and Amílcar Duarte. 2026. "The Ecosystem Services of Irrigated Orchards: A Review" Agriculture 16, no. 12: 1336. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16121336

APA Style

Matias, P., Trindade, A. R., Magalhães, T., Souza, S. L. d., Junior, Duarte, B., Coelho, L., Freitas, M., Barrote, I., & Duarte, A. (2026). The Ecosystem Services of Irrigated Orchards: A Review. Agriculture, 16(12), 1336. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16121336

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