Cover Crops and Ecosystem Services: Insights from Studies in Temperate Soils

Cover crops (CCs) can provide multiple soil, agricultural production, and environmental benefits. However, a better understanding of such potential ecosystem services is needed. We summarized the current state of knowledge of CC effects on soil C stocks, soil erosion, physical properties, soil water, nutrients, microbial properties, weed control, crop yields, expanded uses, and economics and highlighted research needs. Our review indicates that CCs are multifunctional. Cover crops increase soil organic C stocks (0.1–1 Mg ha −1 yr −1 ) with the magnitude depending on biomass amount, years in CCs, and initial soil C level. Runoff loss can decrease by up to 80% and sediment loss from 40 to 96% with CCs. Wind…