While provisioning ecosystem services generated through agricultural production are high, this often comes at the expense of other ecosystem services. Approaches that support both farm income and a balanced array of ecosystem services are needed. We employed a landscape modeling approach to demonstrate the financial and ecosystem service outcomes of strategically restoring grassland cover within a Corn Belt agricultural watershed. We assessed potential changes associated with a “Baseline” land use scenario and two alternative scenarios for the Grand River Basin (Iowa and Missouri, USA). In a “Buffered” scenario we simulated the impacts of replacing cropland within 20 m of streams with restored native grassland cover. In a “Productivity-based” scenario we simulated the replacement of annual row crops on poorly performing croplands with native grassland cover. Grasslands comprised 0.4% of the Baseline scenario. Grassland was expanded to 0.8% of the watershed in the Buffered scenario, reducing annual nutrient and sediment loss by 1.44%, increasing soil carbon sequestration by 0.12% over 10 years, and increasing pollinator abundance by 0.01%. The estimated annual value of these enhancements was $1.7 million for nitrogen reduction, $0.1 million for phosphorus reduction, $0.5 million for sediment reduction, and $1.3 million for soil carbon sequestration. Grassland comprised 4.9% of the watershed in the Productivity-based scenario, reduced annual nutrient and sediment loss by 11.50%, increased soil carbon sequestration by 1.13% over 10 years, and increased pollinator abundance by 0.42%. The estimated annual value of enhancements was $18 million for nitrogen reduction, $1.4 million for phosphorus reduction, $2.5 million for sediment reduction, and $14 million for soil carbon sequestration. We also calculated the value of grassland biomass for a potential energy market. The benefit of producing and selling grassland biomass ranged -$445 to $1,291 ha−1 yr−1. Scaled to the watershed, annual revenues ranged -$7.3 million to $21.1 million for the Buffered scenario and -$44.2 million to $128.8 million for the Productivity-based scenario. This study was the first to quantify changes in revenue and the value of ecosystem services associated with grassland restoration in the Grand River Basin and can help inform discussion among watershed stakeholders.
| Table name | Column name | Data type | Units | Column description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| data.carbon_models_carbon_pools | c above | float | NA | Carbon stored above ground. |
| data.carbon_models_carbon_pools | c below | float | NA | Carbon stored below ground. |
| data.carbon_models_carbon_pools | c dead | float | NA | Carbon stored in dead organic matter. |
| data.carbon_models_carbon_pools | c soil | float | NA | Carbon stored in soil. |
| data.carbon_models_carbon_pools | carbon models carbon pools pkey | float | number | A unique primary key for this table. |
| data.carbon_models_carbon_pools | count | float | number | Number of pixels of each land cover type. |
| data.carbon_models_carbon_pools | lucode | float | number | Numerical code representing each land cover type. |
| data.carbon_models_carbon_pools | nlcd land | string | NA | Description or type of land cover. |
| data.enterprise_budget | cost type | string | NA | The source of the cost or type of activity accruing cost. |
| data.enterprise_budget | costs | string | NA | Specific cost activity. |
| data.enterprise_budget | enterprise budget pkey | float | number | A unique primary key for this table. |
| data.enterprise_budget | mean price dollars per ac | float | NA | The average cost of the activity per acre. |
| data.enterprise_budget | notes | string | NA | Extra information for each activity. |
| data.enterprise_budget | range of costs | string | NA | The range of costs/unit of each activity. |
| data.enterprise_budget | source of price information | string | NA | The source of the cost information. |
| data.enterprise_budget | steps | string | NA | The steps needed for the activity. |
| data.enterprise_budget | year cost incurred | string | NA | The year the cost is expected to occur. |
| data.nutrient_model_biophysical_table | count | float | number | Number of pixels of each land cover type. |
| data.nutrient_model_biophysical_table | crit len n | float | meter | The distance after which it is assumed that this LULC type retains the nutrient at its maximum capacity. |
| data.nutrient_model_biophysical_table | crit len p | float | meter | The distance after which it is assumed that this LULC type retains phosphorous at its maximum capacity. |
| data.nutrient_model_biophysical_table | eff n | float | NA | Maximum nutrient retention efficiency. |
| data.nutrient_model_biophysical_table | eff p | float | NA | Maximum phosphorous retention efficiency. |
| data.nutrient_model_biophysical_table | load n | float | NA | The nutrient loading for each land use class. |
| data.nutrient_model_biophysical_table | load p | float | NA | The phosphorous loading for each land use class. |
| data.nutrient_model_biophysical_table | lucode | float | number | Numerical code representing each land cover type. |
| data.nutrient_model_biophysical_table | nlcd land | string | NA | Description or type of land cover. |
| data.nutrient_model_biophysical_table | nutrient model biophysical table pkey | float | number | A unique primary key for this table. |
| data.nutrient_model_biophysical_table | proportion subsurface n | float | NA | The proportion of the total amount of nitrogen that are dissolved into the subsurface. |
| data.pollination_guild_table | alpha | float | meter | Foraging range. |
| data.pollination_guild_table | foraging activity fall index | float | dimensionless | Index indicating the degree of foraging activity in the fall. |
| data.pollination_guild_table | foraging activity spring index | float | dimensionless | Index indicating the degree of foraging activity in the spring. |
| data.pollination_guild_table | foraging activity summer index | float | dimensionless | Index indicating the degree of foraging activity in the summer. |
| data.pollination_guild_table | nesting suitability cavity index | string | NA | Index that indicates if the species nests in cavities. |
| data.pollination_guild_table | nesting suitability ground index | string | NA | Index that indicates if the species nests in the ground. |
| data.pollination_guild_table | nesting suitability milkweed index | string | NA | Index that indicates if the species uses milkweed for nesting. |
| data.pollination_guild_table | pollination guild table pkey | float | number | A unique primary key for this table. |
| data.pollination_guild_table | relative abundance | float | NA | The proportion of total pollinator abundance that consists of this species. |
| data.pollination_guild_table | species | string | NA | The species being modeled. |
| data.pollinator_model_biophysical_table | count | float | number | Number of pixels of each land cover type. |
| data.pollinator_model_biophysical_table | floral resources fall index | float | dimensionless | Floral resources for each land cover type in the fall. |
| data.pollinator_model_biophysical_table | floral resources spring index | float | dimensionless | Floral resources for each land cover type in the spring. |
| data.pollinator_model_biophysical_table | floral resources summer index | float | dimensionless | Floral resources for each land cover type in the summer. |
| data.pollinator_model_biophysical_table | lucode | float | number | Numerical code representing each land cover type. |
| data.pollinator_model_biophysical_table | nesting cavity availability index | float | dimensionless | Availability of land cover for pollinator nesting cavities. |
| data.pollinator_model_biophysical_table | nesting ground availability index | float | dimensionless | Availability of land cover for pollinator ground nesting. |
| data.pollinator_model_biophysical_table | nesting milkweed availability index | float | dimensionless | Availability milkweed in each land cover type. |
| data.pollinator_model_biophysical_table | nlcd land | string | NA | Description or type of land cover. |
| data.pollinator_model_biophysical_table | pollinator model biophysical table pkey | float | number | A unique primary key for this table. |
| data.sediment_model_biophysical_table | c norm | float | dimensionless | Uncalibrated crop or management practice factor in soil loss equation. |
| data.sediment_model_biophysical_table | lucode | float | number | Numerical code representing each land cover type. |
| data.sediment_model_biophysical_table | nlcd land | string | NA | Description or type of land cover. |
| data.sediment_model_biophysical_table | p norm | float | dimensionless | Uncalibrated support practice factor in soil loss equation. |
| data.sediment_model_biophysical_table | sediment model biophysical table pkey | float | number | A unique primary key for this table. |
| data.sediment_model_biophysical_table | usle c | float | dimensionless | Calibrated crop or management practice factor in soil loss equation. |
| data.sediment_model_biophysical_table | usle p | float | dimensionless | Calibrated support practice factor in soil loss equation. |