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Moldoveanu OC, Maggioni M, Dani FR. Environmental ameliorations and politics in support of pollinators. Experiences from Europe: A review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 362:121219. [PMID: 38838532 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
At least 87% of angiosperm species require animal vectors for their reproduction, while more than two-thirds of major global food crops depend on zoogamous pollination. Pollinator insects are a wide variety of organisms that require diverse biotic and abiotic resources. Many factors have contributed to a serious decrease in the abundance of populations and diversity of pollinator species over the years. This decline is alarming, and the European Union has taken several actions aimed at counteracting it by issuing new conservation policies and standardizing the actions of member countries. In 2019, the European Green Deal was presented, aiming to restore 100% of Europe's degraded land by 2050 through financial and legislative instruments. Moreover, the Common Agricultural Policies have entailed greening measures for the conservation of habitats and beneficial species for more than 10 years. The new CAP (CAP 23-27) reinforces conservation objectives through strategic plans based on eco-schemes defined at the national level by the member countries, and some states have specifically defined eco-schemes for pollinator conservation. Here, we review the framework of EU policies, directives, and regulations, which include measures aimed at protecting pollinators in agricultural, urban, and peri-urban environments. Moreover, we reviewed the literature reporting experimental works on the environmental amelioration for pollinators, particularly those where CAP measures were implemented and evaluated, as well as studies conducted in urban areas. Among CAP measures, several experimental works have considered the sowing and management of entomophilous plants and reported results important for environmental ameliorations. Some urban, peri-urban and wasteland areas have been reported to host a considerable number of pollinators, especially wild bees, and despite the lack of specific directives, their potential to contribute to pollinator conservation could be enhanced through targeted actions, as highlighted by some studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martino Maggioni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Centre, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Romana Dani
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Centre, Palermo, Italy.
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2
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Kirk DA, Martínez-Lanfranco JA, Forsyth DJ, Martin AE. Farm management and landscape context shape plant diversity at wetland edges in the Prairie Pothole Region of Canada. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e2943. [PMID: 38504599 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Evaluating the impacts of farming systems on biodiversity is increasingly important given the need to stem biodiversity loss, decrease fossil fuel dependency, and maintain ecosystem services benefiting farmers. We recorded woody and herbaceous plant species diversity, composition, and abundance in 43 wetland-adjacent prairie remnants beside crop fields managed using conventional, minimum tillage, organic, or perennial cover (wildlife-friendly) land management in the Prairie Pothole Region. We used a hierarchical framework to estimate diversity at regional and local scales (gamma, alpha), and how these are related through species turnover (beta diversity). We tested the expectation that gamma richness/evenness and beta diversity of all plants would be higher in remnants adjacent to perennial cover and organic fields than in conventional and minimum tillage fields. We expected the same findings for plants providing ecosystem services (bee-pollinated species) and disservices (introduced species). We predicted similar relative effects of land management on alpha diversity, but with the expectation that the benefits of organic farming would decrease with increasing grassland in surrounding landscapes. Gamma richness and evenness of all plants were highest for perennial cover, followed by minimum tillage, organic, and conventional sites. Bee-pollinated species followed a similar pattern for richness, but for evenness organic farming came second, after perennial cover sites, followed by minimum tillage and conventional. For introduced species, organic sites had the highest gamma richness and evenness. Grassland amount moderated the effect of land management type on all plants and bee-pollinated plant richness, but not as expected. The richness of organic sites increased with the amount of grassland in the surrounding landscape. Conversely, for conventional sites, richness increased as the amount of grassland in the landscape declined. Our results are consistent with the expectation that adopting wildlife-friendly land management practices can benefit biodiversity at regional and local scales, in particular the use of perennial cover to benefit plant diversity at regional scales. At more local extents, organic farming increased plant richness, but only when sufficient grassland was available in the surrounding landscape; organic farms also had the highest beta diversity for all plants and bee-pollinated plants. Maintaining native cover in agroecosystems, in addition to low-intensity farming practices, could sustain plant biodiversity and facilitate important ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan Andrés Martínez-Lanfranco
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Centennial Center for Interdisciplinary Science Bldg, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Douglas J Forsyth
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Amanda E Martin
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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3
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Richter FJ, Suter M, Lüscher A, Buchmann N, El Benni N, Feola Conz R, Hartmann M, Jan P, Klaus VH. Effects of management practices on the ecosystem-service multifunctionality of temperate grasslands. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3829. [PMID: 38714701 PMCID: PMC11076620 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48049-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Human wellbeing depends on ecosystem services, highlighting the need for improving the ecosystem-service multifunctionality of food and feed production systems. We study Swiss agricultural grasslands to assess how employing and combining three widespread aspects of grassland management and their interactions can enhance 22 plot-level ecosystem service indicators, as well as ecosystem-service multifunctionality. The three management aspects we assess are i) organic production system, ii) an eco-scheme prescribing extensive management (without fertilization), and iii) harvest type (pasture vs. meadow). While organic production system and interactions between the three management aspects play a minor role, the main effects of eco-scheme and harvest type considerably shape single services. Moreover, the eco-scheme 'extensive management' and the harvest type 'pasture' enhance plot-scale ecosystem-service multifunctionality, mostly through facilitating cultural services at the expense of provisioning services. These changes in ecosystem-service supply occur mainly via changes in land-use intensity, i.e., reduced fertilizer input and harvest frequency. In conclusion, diversifying grassland management where this is currently homogeneous across farms and landscapes depicts an important first step to improve landscape-scale multifunctionality for sustainable grassland systems. To meet societal ecosystem services demand, the three studied management aspects can be systematically combined to increase ecosystem services that are in short supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska J Richter
- Grassland Sciences, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Matthias Suter
- Forage Production and Grassland Systems, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Lüscher
- Forage Production and Grassland Systems, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nina Buchmann
- Grassland Sciences, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nadja El Benni
- Sustainability Assessment and Agricultural Management, Agroscope, Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | - Rafaela Feola Conz
- Sustainable Agroecosystems, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Hartmann
- Sustainable Agroecosystems, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Pierrick Jan
- Managerial Economics in Agriculture, Agroscope, Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | - Valentin H Klaus
- Grassland Sciences, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Forage Production and Grassland Systems, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland
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4
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Tscharntke T, Batáry P, Grass I. Mixing on- and off-field measures for biodiversity conservation. Trends Ecol Evol 2024:S0169-5347(24)00085-5. [PMID: 38705769 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The continuing biodiversity losses through agricultural expansion and intensification are dramatic. We argue that a mix of on- and off-field measures is needed, overcoming the false dichotomy of the land sharing-sparing debate. Protected land is essential for global biodiversity, while spillover between farmed and natural land is key to reducing species extinctions. This is particularly effective in landscapes with small and diversified fields. Focusing only on protected land fails to conserve a wealth of species, which often provide major ecosystem services such as pest control, pollination, and cultural benefits. On-field measures must minimise yield losses to prevent increased demand for food imports from biodiversity-rich regions, requiring enforcement of high social-ecological land-use standards to ensure a good life for all.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Péter Batáry
- "Lendület" Landscape and Conservation Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Botany, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary; Faunistics and Wildlife Conservation, Department of Agriculture, Ecotrophology, and Landscape Development, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Bernburg, Germany
| | - Ingo Grass
- Ecology of Tropical Agricultural Systems, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; Center for Biodiversity and Integrative Taxonomy (KomBioTa), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
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5
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Gols R, Barden A, Ozden Ö. A comparison of butterfly communities in irrigated and non-irrigated Mediterranean farmlands. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 922:171247. [PMID: 38423333 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Irrigation is considered a form of agricultural intensification and is of significant importance in arid and semi-arid regions, such as those in the Mediterranean basin. This region differs substantially from temperate ones, in terms of climate, land-use policies and types of agricultural systems. Therefore, how biodiversity is affected by agricultural intensification may also differ substantially from countries in north-western Europe. We investigated the effect of irrigation on butterfly diversity and abundance at two different spatial scales in an agricultural region in northern Cyprus, an area representative of typical lowland agricultural practices of the Eastern Mediterranean. We investigated how local field-scale management (irrigated vs rain-fed) and the proportion of irrigated land at a larger scale of 0.25 km2 affected the abundance and diversity of butterflies and herbaceous plant species. Butterflies and herbaceous plants were surveyed in field boundaries adjacent to agricultural fields located in paired plots that had contrasting levels of irrigation. Butterflies in the field boundaries along agricultural fields were strongly positively affected by irrigation in the adjacent fields both in terms of abundance and species diversity, whereas the effect of irrigation at the larger scale of the 0.25-km2 plot was less prominent. Species composition of butterflies and plants did not correlate. However, plant abundance and alpha diversity of the vegetation in the field boundaries correlated with both abundance and alpha diversity of the butterflies when the abundance of plants was relatively low, in particular, when grasses were omitted from the data set. Crop species associated with irrigated fields contributed to the observed patterns. Comparing the results of this study with those reported for temperate regions in northwestern Europe reveals that the effectiveness of management schemes on biodiversity depend on biogeographical region, highlighting the risk of making broad assumption on the effectiveness of management strategies on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rieta Gols
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | | | - Özge Ozden
- Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
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6
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Rasmussen LV, Grass I, Mehrabi Z, Smith OM, Bezner-Kerr R, Blesh J, Garibaldi LA, Isaac ME, Kennedy CM, Wittman H, Batáry P, Buchori D, Cerda R, Chará J, Crowder DW, Darras K, DeMaster K, Garcia K, Gómez M, Gonthier D, Guzman A, Hidayat P, Hipólito J, Hirons M, Hoey L, James D, John I, Jones AD, Karp DS, Kebede Y, Kerr CB, Klassen S, Kotowska M, Kreft H, Llanque R, Levers C, Lizcano DJ, Lu A, Madsen S, Marques RN, Martins PB, Melo A, Nyantakyi-Frimpong H, Olimpi EM, Owen JP, Pantevez H, Qaim M, Redlich S, Scherber C, Sciligo AR, Snapp S, Snyder WE, Steffan-Dewenter I, Stratton AE, Taylor JM, Tscharntke T, Valencia V, Vogel C, Kremen C. Joint environmental and social benefits from diversified agriculture. Science 2024; 384:87-93. [PMID: 38574149 DOI: 10.1126/science.adj1914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Agricultural simplification continues to expand at the expense of more diverse forms of agriculture. This simplification, for example, in the form of intensively managed monocultures, poses a risk to keeping the world within safe and just Earth system boundaries. Here, we estimated how agricultural diversification simultaneously affects social and environmental outcomes. Drawing from 24 studies in 11 countries across 2655 farms, we show how five diversification strategies focusing on livestock, crops, soils, noncrop plantings, and water conservation benefit social (e.g., human well-being, yields, and food security) and environmental (e.g., biodiversity, ecosystem services, and reduced environmental externalities) outcomes. We found that applying multiple diversification strategies creates more positive outcomes than individual management strategies alone. To realize these benefits, well-designed policies are needed to incentivize the adoption of multiple diversification strategies in unison.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Vang Rasmussen
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ingo Grass
- Department of Ecology of Tropical Agricultural Systems, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
- Center for Biodiversity and Integrative Taxonomy (KomBioTa), University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Zia Mehrabi
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Better Planet Laboratory, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Mortenson Center for Global Engineering and Resilience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Olivia M Smith
- Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | | | - Jennifer Blesh
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lucas Alejandro Garibaldi
- Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales, Agroecología y Desarrollo Rural, Río Negro, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales, Agroecología y Desarrollo Rural, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Marney E Isaac
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences and Department of Global Development Studies, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Hannah Wittman
- Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Péter Batáry
- Lendület Landscape and Conservation Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Botany, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Damayanti Buchori
- Department of Plant Protection, Bogor Agricultural University, Jalan Kamper, Kampus Darmaga, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Rolando Cerda
- Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE), Turri Alba, Costa Rica
| | - Julián Chará
- Center for Research on Sustainable Agricultural Systems (CIPAV), Cali, Colombia
| | - David W Crowder
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | | | - Kathryn DeMaster
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Karina Garcia
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Manuel Gómez
- Federación Colombiana de Ganaderos (FEDEGAN), Bogotá, Columbia
| | - David Gonthier
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Aidee Guzman
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Purnama Hidayat
- Department of Plant Protection, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - Juliana Hipólito
- Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Biology Institute, Salvador, Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Conselho de Ensino, Pesquisa e Extensão, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Campus Universitário, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
- Brazil Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, INPA, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Mark Hirons
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lesli Hoey
- Urban and Regional Planning Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dana James
- Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Innocensia John
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Business, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Andrew D Jones
- School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Daniel S Karp
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Yodit Kebede
- Eco&Sols, Université de Montpellier, IRD, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Susanna Klassen
- Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Sociology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Martyna Kotowska
- Department of Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Holger Kreft
- Biodiversity, Macroecology & Biogeography, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Christian Levers
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Environmental Geography, Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Thünen Institute of Biodiversity, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute - Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry, and Fisheries, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Diego J Lizcano
- The Nature Conservancy, Latin America North Andes and Central America Region, Bogota, Columbia
| | - Adrian Lu
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sidney Madsen
- Department of Global Development, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Rosebelly Nunes Marques
- Applied Ecology Graduate Program, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pedro Buss Martins
- Applied Ecology Graduate Program, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - America Melo
- The Nature Conservancy, Latin America North Andes and Central America Region, Bogota, Columbia
| | | | | | - Jeb P Owen
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Heiber Pantevez
- Federación Colombiana de Ganaderos (FEDEGAN), Bogotá, Columbia
| | - Matin Qaim
- Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Sarah Redlich
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Scherber
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Museum Koenig, Centre for Biodiversity Monitoring and Conservation Science, Bonn, Germany
- Bonn Institute for Organismic Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Sieglinde Snapp
- Sustainable Agrifood Systems, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), El Batan, Mexico
| | - William E Snyder
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Anne Elise Stratton
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Sustainable Use of Natural Resources Department, Institute of Social Sciences in Agriculture, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Joseph M Taylor
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Teja Tscharntke
- Department of Agroecology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Vivian Valencia
- Farming Systems Ecology Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Department of Environment, Agriculture and Geography at Bishop's University, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Cassandra Vogel
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Claire Kremen
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, Biodiversity Research Centre and Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Fertő I, Bojnec Š. Empowering women in sustainable agriculture. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7110. [PMID: 38531914 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57933-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The agricultural and rural development policy seeks to facilitate the transition towards environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral agricultural practices, with a focus on human capital, knowledge, and innovation. Gender equality can play a significant role in promoting environmentally sustainable practices in the agricultural sector, particularly through the adoption and implementation of agri-environment-climate schemes (AECS) in the context of farm, agricultural, and rural development. We examine the presence of gender bias in the adoption intensity of AECS by utilising farm-level data from Slovenia. We find that women on Slovenian farms engage in the adoption of AECS and receive subsidies, despite the presence of a gender gap in various agricultural factor endowment variables that typically favour men. The results of this study provide evidence in favour of promoting greater involvement and empowerment of women in the fields of green technology applications and green entrepreneurship, particularly with AECS practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imre Fertő
- HUN-REN Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Tóth K. u. 4, 1112, Budapest, Hungary.
- Corvinus University of Budapest, Fővám tér 8, 1097, Budapest, Hungary.
- Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamycka 129, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Štefan Bojnec
- University of Primorska, Izolska vrata 2, 6000, Koper, Slovenia
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8
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Block JB, Danne M, Mußhoff O. Farmers' Willingness to Participate in a Carbon Sequestration Program - A Discrete Choice Experiment. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024:10.1007/s00267-024-01963-9. [PMID: 38514478 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-024-01963-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Farmers can counteract global warming by drawing carbon dioxide from the air into agricultural soils by building up humus. Humus programs were developed to motivate farmers for even more humus formation (= carbon sequestration) through an additional financial incentive. These programs are still at an early stage of development, which is why the number of participating farmers and research work is still low. This study is the first to analyze the willingness of German farmers to participate in hypothetical humus programs. The results of a discrete choice experiment show that a (higher) threshold for the payout of the premium, regional (rather than field-specific) reference values, and the risk of repayment clearly discourage farmers from participating. Program providers must more than double the premium (set at around 240 € per hectare and 0.1% humus increase) to maintain farmers' willingness to participate despite a payout threshold. Regional reference values and an additional premium/repayment system would lead to an increase in the premium of around 20 € per hectare in order to keep the willingness to participate at the same level. The motivation to build up humus, the desire to maximize subsidies, and a higher livestock density have a positive influence on farmers' decision to participate. Farm size and risk attitude have an impact on farmers' preferences for program design. The study is relevant for policymakers and non-governmental organizations concerned with carbon management, as our findings highlight pathways for efficient, targeted designs of humus programs and carbon sequestration policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia B Block
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Göttingen, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Michael Danne
- Thünen Institute, Institute of Farm Economics, Bundesallee 63, 38116, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Oliver Mußhoff
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, University of Göttingen, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
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9
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Aldabe J, Morán-López T, Soca P, Blumetto O, Morales JM. Bird species responses to rangeland management in relation to their traits: Rio de la Plata Grasslands as a case study. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e2933. [PMID: 37983735 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Areas used for livestock production and dominated by native grasses represent a unique opportunity to reconcile biodiversity conservation and livestock production. However, limited knowledge of individual species' responses to rangeland management restricts our capacity to design grazing practices that favor endangered species and other priority birds. In this work, we applied Hierarchical Modelling of Species Communities (HMSC) to study individual species responses, as well as the influence of traits on such responses, to variables related to rangeland management using birds of the Rio de la Plata Grasslands as a case study. Based on presence-absence data collected in 454 paddocks across 46 ranches we inferred the response of 69 species considering imperfect detection. This degree of detail fills a major gap in rangeland management, as species-level responses can be used to achieve targeted conservation goals other than maximizing richness or abundance. We found that artificial pastures had an overall negative impact on many bird species, whereas the presence of tussocks had a positive effect, including all threatened species. Grassland specialists were in general sensitive to grass height and tended to respond positively to tussocks but negatively to tree cover. Controlling grass height via adjustments in stocking rate can be a useful tool to favor grassland specialists. To favor a wide range of bird species in ranches, a mosaic of short and tall native grasslands with patches of tussocks and trees is desirable. We also found that species-specific responses were modulated by their traits: small-sized birds responded positively to tussocks and tree cover while large species responded negatively to increasing grass height. Ground foragers preferred short grass while birds that scarcely use this stratum were not affected by grass height. Results on the influence of traits on bird responses are an important novelty in relation to previous work in rangelands and potentially increase our predicting capacity and model transferability across grassland regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquín Aldabe
- Departamento de Sistemas Agrarios y Paisajes Culturales, Centro Universitario Regional del Este, Universidad de la República, Rocha, Uruguay
- Southern Cone Grassland Alliance, Aves Uruguay-BirdLife International, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Teresa Morán-López
- Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo and Instituto Mixto de Investigación en Biodiversidad (Universidad de Oviedo-CSIC-Principado de Asturias), Oviedo y Mieres, Spain
- Grupo de Ecología Cuantitativa, INIBIOMA-CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Pablo Soca
- Ecología del Pastoreo Group, Departamento de Producción Animal y Pasturas, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Oscar Blumetto
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (INIA). Area de Recursos Naturales, Producción y Ambiente. Estación Experimental INIA Las Brujas, Canelones, Uruguay
| | - Juan Manuel Morales
- Grupo de Ecología Cuantitativa, INIBIOMA-CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Bariloche, Argentina
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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10
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Marja R, Albrecht M, Herzog F, Öckinger E, Segre H, Kleijn D, Batáry P. Quantifying potential trade-offs and win-wins between arthropod diversity and yield on cropland under agri-environment schemes-A meta-analysis. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 353:120277. [PMID: 38325288 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
In Europe, agri-environment schemes (AES) are a key instrument to combat the ongoing decline of farmland biodiversity. AES aim is to support biodiversity and maintain ecosystem services, such as pollination or pest control. To what extent AES affect crop yield is still poorly understood. We performed a systematic review, including hierarchical meta-analyses, to investigate potential trade-offs and win-wins between the effectiveness of AES for arthropod diversity and agricultural yield on European croplands. Altogether, we found 26 studies with a total of 125 data points that fulfilled our study inclusion criteria. From each study, we extracted data on biodiversity (arthropod species richness and abundance) and yield for fields with AES management and control fields without AES. The majority of the studies reported significantly higher species richness and abundance of arthropods (especially wild pollinators) in fields with AES (31 % increase), but yields were at the same time significantly lower on fields with AES compared to control fields (21 % decrease). Aside from the opportunity costs, AES that promote out-of-production elements (e.g. wildflower strips), supported biodiversity (29-32 % increase) without significantly compromising yield (2-5 % increase). Farmers can get an even higher yield in these situations than in current conventional agricultural production systems without AES. Thus, our study is useful to identify AES demonstrating benefits for arthropod biodiversity with negligible or relatively low costs regarding yield losses. Further optimization of the design and management of AES is needed to improve their effectiveness in promoting both biodiversity and minimizing crop yield losses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riho Marja
- "Lendület" Landscape and Conservation Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Botany, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Alkotmány u. 2-4, 2163 Vácrátót, Hungary.
| | | | - Felix Herzog
- Agroscope, Agricultural Landscapes and Biodiversity, Switzerland
| | - Erik Öckinger
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hila Segre
- Department of Natural Resources, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Volcani Center, Rishon Le'Zion, Israel; Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - David Kleijn
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Péter Batáry
- "Lendület" Landscape and Conservation Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Botany, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Alkotmány u. 2-4, 2163 Vácrátót, Hungary
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11
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Alford L, Roudine S, Valsami D, Fontaine-Guenel T, Namintraporn T, Guedon A, Normand R, Lagneau L, Le Lann C, Van Baaren J. No evidence for competition over floral resources between winter-active parasitoids and pollinators in agroecosystems. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2239. [PMID: 38278827 PMCID: PMC10817971 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52146-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Warming temperate winters are resulting in increased insect winter activity. With modern agroecosystems largely homogenous, characterised by low floral diversity, competitive interactions may arise between flower-visiting species, with potential implications for the ecosystem services they provide (e.g. biological control and pollination). Flower strips may be implemented during winter months to support flower-visiting insects and enhance ecosystem service provision. Employing field trials conducted in Brittany, France between 2019 and 2021 and laboratory cage experiments, the current study examined the impact of winter flower strips on aphid biological control performed by parasitoid wasps and the potential for competitive interactions between winter-active parasitoids and pollinators. Results revealed that parasitism rate was not enhanced by the presence of winter flower strips. This lack of effect was not the consequence of pollinator presence, and the current study found no effect of pollinator abundance on parasitism rate. Flower strips may thus be implemented during winter months to support nectar-feeding insects when floral resources are scarce, with no evidence of exploitative competition between pollinators and parasitoids, nor a detrimental impact on biological control provision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Alford
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK.
- University of Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)]-UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes Cedex, France.
| | - Sacha Roudine
- University of Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)]-UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Dimitra Valsami
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Tiphanie Fontaine-Guenel
- University of Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)]-UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Talay Namintraporn
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Anaëlle Guedon
- University of Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)]-UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Romane Normand
- University of Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)]-UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Ludovic Lagneau
- University of Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)]-UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Cecile Le Lann
- University of Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)]-UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes Cedex, France
| | - Joan Van Baaren
- University of Rennes, CNRS, ECOBIO [(Ecosystems-Biodiversity-Evolution)]-UMR 6553, Campus de Beaulieu, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes Cedex, France
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12
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Baráth L, Bakucs Z, Benedek Z, Fertő I, Nagy Z, Vígh E, Debrenti E, Fogarasi J. Does participation in agri-environmental schemes increase eco-efficiency? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167518. [PMID: 37813258 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
The literature on the effectiveness of Agri-Environmental Schemes focuses mainly on the environmental effects; only a few studies have focused on economic aspects. The number of papers that address ecological and economic outcomes simultaneously is even more limited. In this paper, we apply the concept of eco-efficiency to integrate these two factors. The aim of the paper is to analyze the impact of participation in the agri-environmental scheme of Hungarian field crop farmers in terms of eco-efficiency. To make unbiased and consistent comparisons we use advances from aggregation and bootstrap theory in Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) context. The results indicate that there exists a significant potential for enhancing eco-efficiency in Hungarian crop farms. Furthermore, our results reveal that, in terms of eco-efficiency, perceived as the relationship of farm income to pesticide, fertilizers and energy use, no significant differences exist between participating and non-participating farmers. The results are robust to different methods. Our results pose questions about the efficacy of the Agri-Environmental Scheme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lajos Baráth
- HUN-REN, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Institute of Economics, 1097 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Zoltán Bakucs
- HUN-REN, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Institute of Economics, 1097 Budapest, Hungary; Óbuda University, Budapest, Tavaszmező u. 15-17, 1086, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Benedek
- HUN-REN, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Institute of Economics, 1097 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Imre Fertő
- HUN-REN, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies, Institute of Economics, 1097 Budapest, Hungary; Corvinus University, Budapest, Fővém tér 9, 1097, Hungary; Czech University of Life Sciences, Kamycka 129,165 00, Praha, Suchdol, Czechia
| | - Zsuzsanna Nagy
- University of Nyíregyháza, 4400 Nyíregyháza, Sóstói út 31/B, Hungary
| | - Enikő Vígh
- Institute of Agricultural Economics, H-1093 Budapest, Zsil u. 3-5, Hungary; Partium Christian University, Strada Primăriei 36, Oradea 410209, Romania
| | - Edith Debrenti
- Partium Christian University, Strada Primăriei 36, Oradea 410209, Romania
| | - József Fogarasi
- Óbuda University, Budapest, Tavaszmező u. 15-17, 1086, Hungary; Partium Christian University, Strada Primăriei 36, Oradea 410209, Romania
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13
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Lukanov S, Kolev A, Dimitrova B, Popgeorgiev G. Rice Fields as Important Habitats for Three Anuran Species-Significance and Implications for Conservation. Animals (Basel) 2023; 14:106. [PMID: 38200836 PMCID: PMC10778459 DOI: 10.3390/ani14010106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Agriculture can have different effects on wildlife depending on land-use type and extensive/intensive practices. The aim of this study was to establish the significance of rice fields in Central Bulgaria as anuran habitats. We used Audiomoth acoustic loggers to record calling activity at three sites near the city of Plovdiv-one shallow pond and two rice fields-from June to September in 2022 and 2023. We registered the three most widespread species in the region-Bufotes viridis, Hyla orientalis and Pelophylax ridibundus-and created pattern-matching models for them using the free web interface Arbimon, which enabled us to perform presence/absence counts and abundance estimates. At the beginning and the end of the rice vegetation period, water samples were collected and analysed for 62 substances. Substance concentrations were compared between ponds and with LC50 data from the available literature. We registered 19 and 21 substances in 2022 and 2023, respectively, with concentrations within the accepted limits, and although some metals were near risk levels, this was not reflected in the presence counts or the abundance estimates. The results indicated that frog activity was not related to any of the registered substances, but that it was positively correlated with daily rainfall and was higher in the rice fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simeon Lukanov
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria;
| | - Andrey Kolev
- Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Sofia 1164, Bulgaria;
| | - Blagovesta Dimitrova
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria;
| | - Georgi Popgeorgiev
- National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria;
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14
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Zindler M, Haensel M, Fricke U, Schmitt TM, Tobisch C, Koellner T. Improving Agri-environmental Schemes: Suggestions from Farmers and Nature Managers in a Central European Region. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023:10.1007/s00267-023-01922-w. [PMID: 38108828 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-023-01922-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Agri-environmental schemes (AES) are important policy instruments within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union for environmental protection. Due to the voluntary nature of AES, their attractiveness to farmers and stakeholders involved in nature management and protection (nature managers) is essential for high participation levels. This study aims to assess farmers' and nature managers' ideas to improve agri-environmental schemes. We analyzed suggestions of 825 farmers and 118 nature managers for improvements of AES collected in a large-scale survey in Bavaria, Germany. A content analysis was applied to categorize and compare suggestions by farmers (differentiated into two groups through a cluster analysis) and nature managers. The results reveal that stakeholders were highly willing to share ideas and made detailed suggestions for improvements and individual measures. They were aware of the importance of protecting nature and promoting biodiversity in agricultural landscapes and acknowledged the necessity of (financial) support programs. Farmers placed more emphasis on the practicability and profitability of measures on arable land, while nature managers tended to propose policy-related ideas focusing on nature protection, biodiversity, and specific species. Among farmers, suggestions differed with farm characteristics such as the operation mode (full-time, part-time). These findings can support the design of future AES, accounting for different background situations and thereby increasing acceptability. This includes considering perspectives from different stakeholder groups and creating regionally adapted programs with varying levels of flexibility and practicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Zindler
- Professorship of Ecological Services, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Maria Haensel
- Professorship of Ecological Services, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany.
| | - Ute Fricke
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Julius-Maximilians-University, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Thomas M Schmitt
- Professorship of Ecological Services, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Cynthia Tobisch
- Institute of Ecology and Landscape, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences, Am Hofgarten 4, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Thomas Koellner
- Professorship of Ecological Services, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany
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15
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Tourani M, Sollmann R, Kays R, Ahumada J, Fegraus E, Karp DS. Maximum temperatures determine the habitat affiliations of North American mammals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2304411120. [PMID: 38048469 PMCID: PMC10723132 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2304411120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Addressing the ongoing biodiversity crisis requires identifying the winners and losers of global change. Species are often categorized based on how they respond to habitat loss; for example, species restricted to natural environments, those that most often occur in anthropogenic habitats, and generalists that do well in both. However, species might switch habitat affiliations across time and space: an organism may venture into human-modified areas in benign regions but retreat into thermally buffered forested habitats in areas with high temperatures. Here, we apply community occupancy models to a large-scale camera trapping dataset with 29 mammal species distributed over 2,485 sites across the continental United States, to ask three questions. First, are species' responses to forest and anthropogenic habitats consistent across continental scales? Second, do macroclimatic conditions explain spatial variation in species responses to land use? Third, can species traits elucidate which taxa are most likely to show climate-dependent habitat associations? We found that all species exhibited significant spatial variation in how they respond to land-use, tending to avoid anthropogenic areas and increasingly use forests in hotter regions. In the hottest regions, species occupancy was 50% higher in forested compared to open habitats, whereas in the coldest regions, the trend reversed. Larger species with larger ranges, herbivores, and primary predators were more likely to change their habitat affiliations than top predators, which consistently affiliated with high forest cover. Our findings suggest that climatic conditions influence species' space-use and that maintaining forest cover can help protect mammals from warming climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahdieh Tourani
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT59812
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Rahel Sollmann
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
- Department of Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin10315, Germany
| | - Roland Kays
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC27607
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC27601
| | - Jorge Ahumada
- Moore Center for Science, Conservation International, Arlington, VA22202
- Center for Biodiversity Outcomes, Julia Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ85281
| | - Eric Fegraus
- Moore Center for Science, Conservation International, Arlington, VA22202
| | - Daniel S. Karp
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
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16
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Knozowski P, Nowakowski JJ, Stawicka AM, Górski A, Dulisz B. Effect of nature protection and management of grassland on biodiversity - Case from big flooded river valley (NE Poland). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 898:165280. [PMID: 37419354 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Agriculturally used meadows are habitats whose biodiversity depends on anthropogenic disturbances such as fertilization or mowing. Intensified agricultural practices (too frequent mowing, use of mineral fertilizers and insecticides) lead to declines in the abundance and species diversity of the biota inhabiting them. The intensification of agricultural production in north-eastern Poland relates primarily to the increase in cattle numbers and the intensification of grassland management, but many areas were included in Natura 2000 network. Our study was aimed at indicating the impact of diverse use of meadows on the species richness and diversity of invertebrates, amphibians, and birds in the grasslands of Narew river valley, Special Bird Protection Area, where the intensification of grassland use was noted in the last decades, and part of the meadows was included in the agri-environmental program. The agri-environmental program is a very good tool for the protection of grassland biotic diversity. The highest taxonomic richness and diversity of the studied animal groups were found in meadows included in these programs with extensive use, while the lowest was in the over- and intensively used meadows fertilized with mineral fertilizers and liquid manure. Only the meadows in the agri-environment program were inhabited by the fire-bellied toad and the tree frog - amphibians from Annex IV of the Habitats Directive. The number of breeding bird species globally threatened (IUCN Red List), listed in Annex I of the EU Birds Directive, and with negative population trend in Europe (SPEC1-3) was highest in meadows included in EU conservation programs. The main factors reducing biotic diversity in the grassland of flooded river valley were the high number of grassland mowing per season, intensive fertilization, especially with liquid manure, the great distance of meadows to the river, low soil humidity, and low share of shrubs and trees in the meadows border zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Knozowski
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Jacek J Nowakowski
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Anna Maria Stawicka
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Andrzej Górski
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland.
| | - Beata Dulisz
- University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland.
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17
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Straub F, Birkenbach M, Leonhardt SD, Ruedenauer FA, Kuppler J, Wilfert L, Ayasse M. Land-use-associated stressors interact to reduce bumblebee health at the individual and colony level. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231322. [PMID: 37817596 PMCID: PMC10565366 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In agricultural landscapes, bees face a variety of stressors, including insecticides and poor-quality food. Although both stressors individually have been shown to affect bumblebee health negatively, few studies have focused on stressor interactions, a scenario expected in intensively used agricultural landscapes. Using the bumblebee Bombus terrestris, a key pollinator in agricultural landscapes, we conducted a fully factorial laboratory experiment starting at nest initiation. We assessed the effects of food quality and insecticides, alone and in interaction, on health traits at various levels, some of which have been rarely studied. Pollen with a diluted nutrient content (low quality) reduced ovary size and delayed colony development. Wing asymmetry, indicating developmental stress, was increased during insecticide exposure and interactions with poor food, whereas both stressors reduced body size. Both stressors and their interaction changed the workers' chemical profile and reduced worker interactions and the immune response. Our findings suggest that insecticides combined with nutritional stress reduce bumblebee health at the individual and colony levels, thus possibly affecting colony performance, such as development and reproduction, and the stability of plant-pollinator networks. The synergistic effects highlight the need of combining stressors in risk assessments and when studying the complex effects of anthropogenic stressors on health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Straub
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Markus Birkenbach
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Sara D. Leonhardt
- Plant-Insect-Interactions, Research Department Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Fabian A. Ruedenauer
- Plant-Insect-Interactions, Research Department Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Jonas Kuppler
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Lena Wilfert
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Manfred Ayasse
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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18
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Fialas PC, Froidevaux JSP, Jones G, Batáry P. Transition to organic farming negatively affects bat activity. J Appl Ecol 2023; 60:2167-2176. [PMID: 38505688 PMCID: PMC10947233 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The effectiveness of organic farming on biodiversity has been widely documented especially for plants, arthropods and birds; however, the effects of the transition period required to become an organic farm on wildlife remain poorly understood.We assessed the effects of organic farming on insectivorous bats in citrus orchards in the Republic of Cyprus employing two matched designs (conventional vs. 3-year organic-transitional and conventional vs. organic-certified) and a third unmatched design (3-year organic-transitional vs. organic-certified). We specifically investigated whether the transition period prior to full organic certification influenced bat activity with a special focus on any moderation effects from surrounding semi-natural areas.The activity of three (Pipistrellus kuhlii, Hypsugo savii and Miniopterus schreibersii) of four bat species was significantly lower in farms undergoing the transitional period than in conventional farms, and P. kuhlii and H. savii were significantly less active in organic transitional farming systems that in organic-certified ones. Furthermore, the activity of the most dominant species (P. kuhlii) was significantly higher on organic than transitional and conventional citrus orchards, thus suggesting a time-lag effect. Landscape complexity measured as the amount of semi-natural areas did not moderate the effects of farming system for any study species. Synthesis and application. The transition to organic farming had persistent detrimental effects on bats and potentially on the pest suppression services they provide. Future agri-environmental policy should consider the transition period and implement measures to mitigate any negative effects on biodiversity, alongside promoting asynchronous transition of nearby farms. Our findings further highlight the crucial need to consider the time since transition to organic farming when assessing potential benefits of organic management on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penelope C. Fialas
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Bristol, Life Sciences BuildingBristolUK
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Exeter, Hatherly BuildingExeterUK
| | - Jérémy S. P. Froidevaux
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Bristol, Life Sciences BuildingBristolUK
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO, UMR 7204), CNRS, MNHN, Sorbonne‐UniversitéConcarneauFrance
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - Gareth Jones
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Bristol, Life Sciences BuildingBristolUK
| | - Péter Batáry
- ”Lendület” Landscape and Conservation EcologyInstitute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological ResearchVácrátótHungary
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19
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Ecker KT, Meier ES, Tillé Y. Integrating spatial and ecological information into comprehensive biodiversity monitoring on agricultural land. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:1161. [PMID: 37676354 PMCID: PMC10485118 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11618-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity loss on agricultural land is a major concern. Comprehensive monitoring is needed to quantify the ongoing changes and assess the effectiveness of agri-environmental measures. However, current approaches to monitoring biodiversity on agricultural land are limited in their ability to capture the complex pattern of species and habitats. Using a real-world example of plant and habitat monitoring on Swiss agricultural land, we show how meaningful and efficient sampling can be achieved at the relevant scales. The multi-stage sampling design of this approach uses unequal probability sampling in combination with intermediate small-scale habitat sampling to ensure broad representation of regions, landscape types, and plant species. To achieve broad coverage of temporary agri-environmental measures, the baseline survey on permanent plots is complemented by dynamic sampling of these specific areas. Sampling efficiency and practicality are ensured at all stages of sampling through modern sampling techniques, such as unequal probability sampling with fixed sample size, self-weighting, spatial spreading, balancing on additional information, and stratified balancing. In this way, the samples are well distributed across ecological and geographic space. Despite the high complexity of the sampling design, simple estimators are provided. The effects of stratified balancing and clustering of samples are demonstrated in Monte Carlo simulations using modelled habitat data. A power analysis based on actual survey data is also presented. Overall, the study could serve as a useful example for improving future biodiversity monitoring networks on agricultural land at multiple scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Thomas Ecker
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Research, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
| | | | - Yves Tillé
- Institute of Statistics, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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20
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Morizet-Davis J, Marting Vidaurre NA, Reinmuth E, Rezaei-Chiyaneh E, Schlecht V, Schmidt S, Singh K, Vargas-Carpintero R, Wagner M, von Cossel M. Ecosystem Services at the Farm Level-Overview, Synergies, Trade-Offs, and Stakeholder Analysis. GLOBAL CHALLENGES (HOBOKEN, NJ) 2023; 7:2200225. [PMID: 37483416 PMCID: PMC10362122 DOI: 10.1002/gch2.202200225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The current geological epoch is characterized by anthropogenic activity that greatly impacts on natural ecosystems and their integrity. The complex networks of ecosystem services (ESs) are often ignored because the provision of natural resources, such as food and industrial crops, is mistakenly viewed as an independent process separate from ecosystems and ignoring the impacts on ecosystems. Recently, research has intensified on how to evaluate and manage ES to minimize environmental impacts, but it remains unclear how to balance anthropogenic activity and ecosystem integrity. This paper reviews the main ESs at farm level including provisioning, regulating, habitat, and cultural services. For these ESs, synergies are outlined and evaluated along with the respective practices (e.g., cover- and intercropping) and ES suppliers (e.g., pollinators and biocontrol agents). Further, several farm-level ES trade-offs are discussed along with a proposal for their evaluation. Finally, a framework for stakeholder approaches specific to farm-level ES is put forward, along with an outlook on how existing precision agriculture technologies can be adapted for improved assessment of ES bundles. This is believed to provide a useful framework for both decision makers and stakeholders to facilitate the development of more sustainable and resilient farming systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Morizet-Davis
- Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy (340b) Institute of Crop Science University of Hohenheim 70599 Stuttgart Germany
| | - Nirvana A Marting Vidaurre
- Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy (340b) Institute of Crop Science University of Hohenheim 70599 Stuttgart Germany
| | - Evelyn Reinmuth
- Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy (340b) Institute of Crop Science University of Hohenheim 70599 Stuttgart Germany
| | | | - Valentin Schlecht
- Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy (340b) Institute of Crop Science University of Hohenheim 70599 Stuttgart Germany
| | - Susanne Schmidt
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences University of Queensland The University of Queensland Brisbane 4072 QLD Australia
| | - Kripal Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology Andong National University Andong 36729 Republic of Korea
| | - Ricardo Vargas-Carpintero
- Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy (340b) Institute of Crop Science University of Hohenheim 70599 Stuttgart Germany
| | - Moritz Wagner
- Department of Applied Ecology Hochschule Geisenheim University 65366 Geisenheim Germany
| | - Moritz von Cossel
- Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy (340b) Institute of Crop Science University of Hohenheim 70599 Stuttgart Germany
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21
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Mancini F, Cooke R, Woodcock BA, Greenop A, Johnson AC, Isaac NJB. Invertebrate biodiversity continues to decline in cropland. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230897. [PMID: 37282535 PMCID: PMC10244961 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Modern agriculture has drastically changed global landscapes and introduced pressures on wildlife populations. Policy and management of agricultural systems has changed over the last 30 years, a period characterized not only by intensive agricultural practices but also by an increasing push towards sustainability. It is crucial that we understand the long-term consequences of agriculture on beneficial invertebrates and assess if policy and management approaches recently introduced are supporting their recovery. In this study, we use large citizen science datasets to derive trends in invertebrate occupancy in Great Britain between 1990 and 2019. We compare these trends between regions of no- (0%), low- (greater than 0-50%) and high-cropland (greater than 50%) cover, which includes arable and horticultural crops. Although we detect general declines, invertebrate groups are declining most strongly in high-cropland cover regions. This suggests that even in the light of improved policy and management over the last 30 years, the way we are managing cropland is failing to conserve and restore invertebrate communities. New policy-based drivers and incentives are required to support the resilience and sustainability of agricultural ecosystems. Post-Brexit changes in UK agricultural policy and reforms under the Environment Act offer opportunities to improve agricultural landscapes for the benefit of biodiversity and society.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rob Cooke
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Ben A. Woodcock
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Arran Greenop
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, UK
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22
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Mi C, Song K, Ma L, Xu J, Sun B, Sun Y, Liu J, Du W. Optimizing protected areas to boost the conservation of key protected wildlife in China. Innovation (N Y) 2023; 4:100424. [PMID: 37181229 PMCID: PMC10173781 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2023.100424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
To meet the challenge of biodiversity loss and reach the targets of the proposed Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, the Chinese government updated the list of national key protected wildlife in 2021 and has been continually expanding the protected areas (PAs). However, the status of protected wildlife in PAs remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a national assessment of the status of protected wildlife and suggested an optimization plan to overcome these shortcomings. From 1988 to 2021, the number of protected species almost doubled, and the area of PAs increased by 2.4 times, covering over 92.8% of the protected species. Nonetheless, 70.8% of the protected species are still not effectively protected by PAs, with some having less than 10% of their habitat included in PAs. Despite the significant addition of amphibians and reptiles to the latest protection list, they are the fewest species and are the least covered by PAs compared with birds and mammals. To fix these gaps, we systematically optimized the current PAs network by adding another 10.0% of China's land area as PAs, which resulted in 37.6% coverage of protected species' habitats in PAs. In addition, 26 priority areas were identified. Our research aimed to identify gaps in current conservation policies and suggest optimization solutions to facilitate wildlife conservation planning in China. In general, updating the list of key protected wildlife species and systematically optimizing PA networks are essential and applicable to other countries facing biodiversity loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunrong Mi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Corresponding author
| | - Kai Song
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Liang Ma
- School of Ecology, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Jiliang Xu
- School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Baojun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yuehua Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jianguo Liu
- Center of Systems Integration and Sustainability, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
| | - Weiguo Du
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- Corresponding author
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23
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Makrickas E, Manton M, Angelstam P, Grygoruk M. Trading wood for water and carbon in peatland forests? Rewetting is worth more than wood production. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 341:117952. [PMID: 37196393 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
While traditional forest management systems aim at maximizing timber production, sustainable forest management focuses on the multiple benefits of entire forest landscapes. The latter is now at the top of policy agendas. This calls for learning through evaluation to support the implementation of policies aiming towards multi-functional forest landscapes. The aim of this study is to quantify the economic trade-offs among natural, current, and re-wetted peatland forests using seven indicators, viz. drainage maintenance, rewetting, water retention, wood production, and three types of carbon sequestration as economic indicators. We discuss ways to adapt to and mitigate effect of forest draining on climate change toward securing multi-functional forest landscapes. The cost benefit analysis showed that in a potential natural state, Lithuania's peatland forests would deliver an economic benefit of ∼€176.1 million annually. In contrast, compared to natural peatland forests, the drainage of peatland forests for wood production has caused a loss of ∼€309 million annually. In comparison, peatland forest rewetting is estimated to increase the economic value by ∼€170 million annually. This study shows that satisfying different ecosystem services is a balancing act, and that a focus on wood production has resulted in net losses when foregone values of water storage and carbon sequestration are considered. Valuation of different sets of ecosystems service benefits and disservices must be assessed, and can be used as a tool towards creating, implementing and monitoring consequences of policies on both sustainability and biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evaldas Makrickas
- Vytautas Magnus University, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Ecology, Studentu Str. 11, Akademija, Kauno r., 53361, Lithuania.
| | - Michael Manton
- Vytautas Magnus University, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Ecology, Studentu Str. 11, Akademija, Kauno r., 53361, Lithuania.
| | - Per Angelstam
- Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agricultural Sciences and Biotechnology, 2480, Evenstad, Norway; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Faculty of Forest Sciences, School for Forest Management, PO Box 43, 73921, Skinnskatteberg, Sweden.
| | - Mateusz Grygoruk
- Institute of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, ul. Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787, Warsaw, Poland.
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24
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Sattler C, Barghusen R, Bredemeier B, Dutilly C, Prager K. Institutional analysis of actors involved in the governance of innovative contracts for agri-environmental and climate schemes. GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE 2023; 80:102668. [PMCID: PMC10209475 DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2023.102668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
19 cases of result-based, collective, land tenure and value chain contracts from six countries are analyzed. Innovative contracts involve a higher number and more diverse actors than mainstream agri-environmental and climate schemes. Actors perform 16 critical roles in contract governance, often sharing or taking on several roles. (Non-)Performance of roles can potentially affect contracts’ environmental effectiveness. Which actors take on which role is context-dependent.
In this study, we used institutional analysis to investigate the design of innovative contracts for agri-environmental and climate schemes. The aim of such contracts is to better incentivize farmers for the provision of environmental public goods in comparison to current ‘mainstream’ contracts. For the analysis, we differentiated four contract types: result-based, collective, land tenure, and value chain contracts. To represent each type in the analysis, we selected 19 case examples from six European countries. Cases were identified through a mix of methods, combining literature review, web search, and expert consultation. After a structured data collection based on Ostrom’s institutional analysis and development (IAD) framework, we focused our analysis on the involved actors and their roles in contract governance. Our results highlight the great diversity of public, private, and civil actors involved from the local, regional, national or international governance level, each performing one or several critical roles in contract governance. We found that it is highly context-dependent which actors assume certain roles. We also discuss how provision of environmental public goods through the contracts might potentially be impacted by certain roles and their assignment to specific actors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Sattler
- Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Working Group ‘Governance of Ecosystem Services’, Germany
| | - Rena Barghusen
- Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Working Group ‘Governance of Ecosystem Services’, Germany
| | - Birte Bredemeier
- Leibniz University Hannover, Institute of Environmental Planning, Germany
| | - Céline Dutilly
- CIRAD, UMR MoISA, Montpellier, France
- MoISA, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, CIHEAM-IAMM, INRAE, Institut Agro, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Katrin Prager
- University of Aberdeen, Department of Geography and Environment, United Kingdom
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25
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Zaviezo T, Muñoz AE. Conservation biological control of arthropod pests using native plants. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 56:101022. [PMID: 36918044 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Habitat or vegetation manipulation is a strategy within conservation biological control, yet, its formal study is relatively recent and lacking in many parts of the world, particularly when using native plants. We found 56 studies dealing with native plants and conservation biological control, from 2002 to 2022. Most were carried out in developed countries, and studied the provision of flower resources to natural enemies' complexes in several crops. The main gaps in knowledge, similar to studies with non-native plants, were the lack of understanding mechanisms, unknown effects on pest populations, and absence of cost-benefit analyses. Breaching these gaps will allow this strategy to be more transferable among cropping systems and locations and will promote its use by farmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania Zaviezo
- Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Santiago 7820436, Chile.
| | - Alejandra E Muñoz
- Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Santiago 7820436, Chile.
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26
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Manley R, Doublet V, Wright ON, Doyle T, Refoy I, Hedges S, Pascall D, Carvell C, Brown MJF, Wilfert L. Conservation measures or hotspots of disease transmission? Agri-environment schemes can reduce disease prevalence in pollinator communities. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220004. [PMID: 36744563 PMCID: PMC9900712 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Insects are under pressure from agricultural intensification. To protect pollinators, conservation measures such as the EU agri-environment schemes (AES) promote planting wildflowers along fields. However, this can potentially alter disease ecology by serving as transmission hubs or by diluting infections. We tested this by measuring plant-pollinator interactions and virus infections (DWV-A, DWV-B and ABPV) across pollinator communities in agricultural landscapes over a year. AES had a direct effect on DWV-B, reducing prevalence and load in honeybees, with a tentative general dilution effect on load in early summer. DWV-A prevalence was reduced both under AES and with increasing niche overlap between competent hosts, likely via a dilution effect. By contrast, AES had no impact on ABPV, its prevalence driven by the proportion of bumblebees in the community. Epidemiological differences were also reflected in the virus phylogenies, with DWV-B showing recent rapid expansion, while DWV-A and ABPV showed slower growth rates and geographical population structure. Phylogenies indicate that all three viruses freely circulate across their host populations. Our study illustrates how complex interactions between environmental, ecological and evolutionary factors may influence wildlife disease dynamics. Supporting pollinator nutrition can mitigate the transmission of important bee diseases, providing an unexpected boost to pollinator conservation. This article is part of the theme issue 'Infectious disease ecology and evolution in a changing world'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robyn Manley
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Vincent Doublet
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany,Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Owen N. Wright
- Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Toby Doyle
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Isobel Refoy
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Sophie Hedges
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - David Pascall
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SR, UK
| | - Claire Carvell
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Mark J. F. Brown
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Lena Wilfert
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany,Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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27
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Blumgart D, Botham MS, Menéndez R, Bell JR. Floral enhancement of arable field margins increases moth abundance and diversity. JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION 2023; 27:455-465. [PMID: 37234225 PMCID: PMC10205847 DOI: 10.1007/s10841-023-00469-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Moth populations have declined across large parts of north-western Europe since the mid-20th century due, in part, to agricultural intensification. Agri-environment schemes (AES) are widely implemented across Europe to protect biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. Grass field margins enriched with wildflowers typically out-perform grass-only margins in terms of increasing insect abundance and diversity. However, the effect of wildflower enrichment on moths remains largely unstudied. Here, the relative importance of larval hostplants and nectar resources for adult moths within AES field margins are investigated. Two treatments and a control were compared: (i) a plain grass mix, the control, (ii) a grass mix enriched with only moth-pollinated flowers, and (iii) a grass mix enriched with 13 wildflower species. Abundance, species richness and Shannon diversity were up to 1.4, 1.8 and 3.5 times higher, respectively, in the wildflower treatment compared to plain grass. The difference in diversity between treatments became greater in the second year. There was no difference in total abundance, richness or diversity between the plain grass treatment and grass enriched with moth-pollinated flowers. The increase in abundance and diversity in the wildflower treatment was due primarily to the provision of larval hostplants, with nectar provision playing a smaller role. The relative abundance of species whose larval hostplants included sown wildflowers increased in the second year, suggesting colonisation of the new habitat. Implications for insect conservation. We show that, at the farm scale, moth diversity can be greatly enhanced and abundance moderately enhanced by sowing diverse wildflower margins, providing these insects with both larval hostplants and floral resources, compared to grass-only margins. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10841-023-00469-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Blumgart
- Rothamsted Insect Survey, Biointeractions and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, West Common, AL5 2JQ Harpenden, UK
| | - Marc S. Botham
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, OX10 8BB Wallingford, Oxfordshire UK
| | - Rosa Menéndez
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, LA1 4YQ Lancaster, UK
| | - James R. Bell
- Rothamsted Insect Survey, Biointeractions and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, West Common, AL5 2JQ Harpenden, UK
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28
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Pindar A, Raine NE. Safeguarding pollinators requires specific habitat prescriptions and substantially more land area than suggested by current policy. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1040. [PMID: 36944669 PMCID: PMC10030592 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26872-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Habitat loss and fragmentation are major drivers of global pollinator declines, yet even after recent unprecedented periods of anthropogenic land-use intensification the amount of habitat needed to support insect pollinators remains unknown. Here we use comprehensive pan trap bee survey datasets from Ontario, Canada, to determine which habitat types are needed and at what spatial scales to support wild bee communities. Safeguarding wild bee communities in a Canadian landscape requires 11.6-16.7% land-cover from a diverse range of habitats (~ 2.6-3.7 times current policy guidelines) to provide targeted habitat prescriptions for different functional guilds over a variety of spatial scales, irrespective of whether conservation aims are enhancing bee species richness or abundance. Sensitive and declining habitats, like tallgrass woodlands and wetlands, were important predictors of bee biodiversity. Conservation strategies that under-estimate the extent of habitat, spatial scale and specific habitat needs of functional guilds are unlikely to protect bee communities and the essential pollination services they provide to both crops and wild plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana Pindar
- School of Science and Techonology, Cape Breton University, Sydney, NS, B1P 6L2, Canada.
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Nigel E Raine
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
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29
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de Paz V, Asís JD, Holzschuh A, Baños-Picón L. Effects of Traditional Orchard Abandonment and Landscape Context on the Beneficial Arthropod Community in a Mediterranean Agroecosystem. INSECTS 2023; 14:277. [PMID: 36975963 PMCID: PMC10056667 DOI: 10.3390/insects14030277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural abandonment is one of the main land-use changes in Europe, and its consequences on biodiversity are context- and taxa-dependent. While several studies have worked on this topic, few have focused on traditional orchards, especially in different landscapes and under a Mediterranean climate. In this context, we aimed to determine the effects of almond orchard abandonment on the communities of three groups of beneficial arthropods and the role of the landscape context in modulating these effects. Between February and September 2019, four samplings were carried out in twelve almond orchards (three abandoned and three traditional (active orchards under traditional agricultural management) located in simple landscapes as well as three abandoned and three traditional in complex landscapes). Abandoned and traditional almond orchards harbor different arthropod communities and diversity metrics that are strongly conditioned by seasonality. Abandoned orchards can favor pollinators and natural enemies, providing alternative resources in simple landscapes. However, the role that abandoned orchards play in simple landscapes disappears as the percentage of semi-natural habitats in the landscape increases. Our results show that landscape simplification, through the loss of semi-natural habitats, has negative consequences on arthropod biodiversity, even in traditional farming landscapes with small fields and high crop diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor de Paz
- Departmento de Biología Animal, Ecología, Parasitología, Edafología y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Farmacia, Campus Miguel de Unamuno s/n, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (V.d.P.); (L.B.-P.)
| | - Josep D. Asís
- Departmento de Biología Animal, Ecología, Parasitología, Edafología y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Farmacia, Campus Miguel de Unamuno s/n, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (V.d.P.); (L.B.-P.)
| | - Andrea Holzschuh
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany;
| | - Laura Baños-Picón
- Departmento de Biología Animal, Ecología, Parasitología, Edafología y Química Agrícola, Facultad de Farmacia, Campus Miguel de Unamuno s/n, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain; (V.d.P.); (L.B.-P.)
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30
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Omer A. A club model of nature-smart agriculture for biodiversity, climate, and productivity enhancements. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2023; 19:412-421. [PMID: 35621332 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This article considers horizontal and vertical intensification interactions between environmental conservation and agricultural production to investigate a top-down partnership in agriculture. It addresses the issues underlying the challenge of food security. It explores a nature-based landscape approach to agriculture management that simultaneously ensures food security and safeguards the natural environment. The economic theory of clubs is applied to extend farm-level sustainable agricultural intensification and conservation practices to encompass interconnected activities within the entire landscape. A theoretical ecological-economic club model is used to explore how biodiversity and climate-related environmental goods and agricultural products are coproduced by private producers in agroecosystems of any spatial scale. The model considers any given agroecosystem as a club producing two goods: private economic output and public ecological output. It also proposes a dual environmental incentive approach to promote participants' individual and collaborative efforts. The model derives (a) the social conditions for the optimal application and allocation of resources for producing sustainable agricultural and ecological outputs and (b) the producer's incentive conditions for adequate levels of individual and collaborative conservation activities. Thus, the study identifies conditions that optimize horizontal and vertical agri-environmental farming intensification while preventing crowding out voluntary conservation activities. The model presented here can set a theoretical "benchmark" model to address real-life deviations comparatively. A practical proposition derived from the analysis points to the possibility that farm-scale conservation (of biodiversity and climate-related attributes), when extended to the landscape level, can optimally enhance the interconnected goals of agri-environmental farming. Thus, a data-driving methodology is described to outline a practical approach to the agricultural transition toward landscape conservation, a practical guide for policymakers and regulators who need to develop and provide tailor-made support to agricultural producer members of the club. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:412-421. © 2022 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Amani Omer
- Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE
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Tälle M, Öckinger E, Löfroth T, Pettersson LB, Smith HG, Stjernman M, Ranius T. Land sharing complements land sparing in the conservation of disturbance-dependent species. AMBIO 2023; 52:571-584. [PMID: 36565407 PMCID: PMC9849535 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01820-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Alteration of natural disturbances in human-modified landscapes has resulted in many disturbance-dependent species becoming rare. Conservation of such species requires efforts to maintain or recreate disturbance regimes. We compared benefits of confining efforts to habitats in protected areas (a form of land sparing) versus integrating them with general management of production land (a form of land sharing), using two examples: fire in forests and grazing in semi-natural grasslands. We reviewed empirical studies from the temperate northern hemisphere assessing effects of disturbances in protected and non-protected areas, and compiled information from organisations governing and implementing disturbances in Sweden. We found advantages with protection of areas related to temporal continuity and quality of disturbances, but the spatial extent of disturbances is higher on production land. This suggests that an approach where land sparing is complemented with land sharing will be most effective for preservation of disturbance-dependent species in forests and semi-natural grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malin Tälle
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Erik Öckinger
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Therese Löfroth
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Lars B. Pettersson
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity Unit, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Henrik G. Smith
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity Unit, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Martin Stjernman
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity Unit, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Thomas Ranius
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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Linking Beekeepers' and Farmers' Preferences towards Pollination Services in Greek Kiwi Systems. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13050806. [PMID: 36899663 PMCID: PMC10000199 DOI: 10.3390/ani13050806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The kiwi is a highly insect-pollinated dependent crop and is the cornerstone of the Greek agricultural sector, rendering the country as the fourth biggest kiwi producer worldwide, with an expected increase in national production the following years. This extensive transformation of the Greek arable land to Kiwi monocultures in combination with a worldwide shortage of pollination services due to the wild pollinators' decline raises questions for the provision of pollination services, and consequently, for the sustainability of the sector. In many countries, this shortage of pollination services has been addressed by the installation of pollination services markets, such as those in the USA and France. Therefore, this study tries to identify the barriers towards the implementation of a pollination services market in Greek kiwi production systems by conducting two separate quantitative surveys, one for beekeepers and one for kiwi producers. The findings showed a strong basis for further collaboration between the two stakeholders, as both of them acknowledge the importance of pollination services. Moreover, the farmers' willingness to pay and the beekeepers' willingness to receive of the beekeepers regarding the renting of their hives for pollination services were examined.
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Boinot S, Alignier A. Discrepancies between the drivers of alpha and beta plant diversity in arable field margins. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222179. [PMID: 36722079 PMCID: PMC9890110 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Field margins are major habitats for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem functioning in agricultural landscapes, but biotic homogenization of plant communities threatens their ecological and agronomic functions. Our objective is to determine the drivers of plant diversity in field margins for conservation and restoration purposes. To do so, we assessed the effects of field margin structure and long-term management over 20 years (1995-2015) on the taxonomic and functional α- and β-diversity, and the functional composition of herbaceous plant communities. In 2015, we surveyed 302 field margins in bocage landscapes of Brittany, northwestern France. Results were very similar between taxonomic and functional diversity but revealed important discrepancies between the drivers of α- and β-diversity. Deep ditches, mowing and grazing increased α-diversity but did not affect β-diversity. Denser hedgerows had lower α-diversity than other field margins but strongly contributed to β-diversity by harbouring more unique sets of species or life strategies. Long-term herbicide spraying in field margins and cropping intensity in adjacent habitats did not affect α-diversity, but had more complex effects on β-diversity and selected for common weeds. All in all, preservation of dense hedgerows, abandonment of herbicide spraying, and protection against agrochemical drifts are key measures to prevent the establishment of common weeds and biotic homogenization of herbaceous plant communities in field margins. Above all, our study shows how important it is to go beyond α-diversity to make robust conservation and restoration decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Boinot
- UMR 0980 BAGAP, INRAE - Institut Agro - ESA, 65 rue de St Brieuc CS 84215, 35042 Rennes, France
| | - Audrey Alignier
- UMR 0980 BAGAP, INRAE - Institut Agro - ESA, 65 rue de St Brieuc CS 84215, 35042 Rennes, France,LTSER 'Zone Atelier Armorique', 35042 Rennes, France
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Sharps E, Hawkes RW, Bladon AJ, Buckingham DL, Border J, Morris AJ, Grice PV, Peach WJ. Reversing declines in farmland birds: How much agri‐environment provision is needed at farm and landscape scales? J Appl Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Elwyn Sharps
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science RSPB, The Lodge Sandy UK
- School of Ocean Sciences Bangor University Menai Bridge UK
| | | | - Andrew J. Bladon
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science RSPB, The Lodge Sandy UK
- Agroecology Group, Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Will J. Peach
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science RSPB, The Lodge Sandy UK
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Roilo S, Engler JO, Václavík T, Cord AF. Landscape-level heterogeneity of agri-environment measures improves habitat suitability for farmland birds. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2720. [PMID: 36173257 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Agri-environment schemes (AESs), ecological focus areas (EFAs), and organic farming are the main tools of the common agricultural policy (CAP) to counteract the dramatic decline of farmland biodiversity in Europe. However, their effectiveness is repeatedly doubted because it seems to vary when measured at the field-versus-landscape level and to depend on the regional environmental and land-use context. Understanding the heterogeneity of their effectiveness is thus crucial to developing management recommendations that maximize their efficacy. Using ensemble species distribution models and spatially explicit field-level information on crops grown, farming practice (organic/conventional), and applied AES/EFA from the Integrated Administration and Control System, we investigated the contributions of five groups of measures (buffer areas, cover crops, extensive grassland management, fallow land, and organic farming) to habitat suitability for 15 farmland bird species in the Mulde River Basin, Germany. We used a multiscale approach to identify the scale of effect of the selected measures. Using simulated land-use scenarios, we further examined how breeding habitat suitability would change if the measures were completely removed and if their adoption by farmers increased to meet conservation-informed targets. Buffer areas, fallow land, and extensive grassland were beneficial measures for most species, but cover crops and organic farming had contrasting effects across species. While different measures acted at different spatial scales, our results highlight the importance of land-use management at the landscape level-at which most measures had the strongest effect. We found that the current level of adoption of the measures delivers only modest gains in breeding habitat suitability. However, habitat suitability improved for the majority of species when the implementation of the measures was increased, suggesting that they could be effective conservation tools if higher adoption levels were reached. The heterogeneity of responses across species and spatial scales indicated that a mix of different measures, applied widely across the agricultural landscape, would likely maximize the benefits for biodiversity. This can only be achieved if the measures in the future CAP will be cooperatively designed in a regionally targeted way to improve their attractiveness for farmers and widen their uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Roilo
- Computational Landscape Ecology, Institute of Geography, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jan O Engler
- Computational Landscape Ecology, Institute of Geography, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Tomáš Václavík
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Climate Change Impacts on Agroecosystems, Global Change Research Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Anna F Cord
- Computational Landscape Ecology, Institute of Geography, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Marada P, Cukor J, Kuběnka M, Linda R, Vacek Z, Vacek S. New agri-environmental measures have a direct effect on wildlife and economy on conventional agricultural land. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15000. [PMID: 36967992 PMCID: PMC10038087 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this article is to evaluate economic profits along with return on investment and also the impact of newly designed agri-environmental measures (AEM) on the presence of bioindicator species-European hare and roe deer-in comparison to conventionally cultivated agricultural land. The abundance of European hare was, on average, 4.5-6.7 times higher on AEM compared to the standard agricultural regime and 3.5-6.4 times higher in the case of roe deer in 2020 and 2021. From an economic point of view, the highest incomes were found for extensive orchard alleys and standard conventional crops-wheat and rapeseed rotation. The cash flow from extensive orchard was 4.3 times larger and wheat and rapeseed were 3.5 times larger than from the clover grass mixture. Moreover, the lowest value of operational expenses was found in the case of extensive orchard alleys. The payback period ranged from 16.02 years (wheat and rapeseed rotation) to 53.6 years (clover grass mixture). It is crucial not to assess the economic parameters separately but optimize them with sustainable wildlife management and other benefits that provide ecological and efficient directions of AEM for future generations. However, the performed economic analysis highlights the significantly lower incomes of most components of AEM. We see a principal issue of AEMs usage in the lack of strong incentives for farmers to maximize conservation outcomes. Therefore, the AEMs are often placed in locations with presumed low agriculture profit, which is often related to insignificant conservation effects. Thus, the incomparable AEMs profitability compared to conventional agriculture has to be reflected by the agricultural policy at the European Union level and subsidy policy of particular member states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Marada
- Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Cukor
- Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Prague, Czech Republic
- Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Rostislav Linda
- Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zdeněk Vacek
- Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
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Collas L, Crastes dit Sourd R, Finch T, Green R, Hanley N, Balmford A. The costs of delivering environmental outcomes with land sharing and land sparing. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Collas
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Romain Crastes dit Sourd
- Centre for Decision Research, Management Department Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds Leeds UK
| | - Tom Finch
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Bedfordshire UK
| | - Rhys Green
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Bedfordshire UK
| | - Nick Hanley
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow Glasgow UK
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Jeanneret P, Pozzi S, Martinez Nuñez C. Spiders indicate delivery of an agri-environment scheme at multiple diversity levels. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.866947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Agri-environment schemes (AES) are expected to counteract the negative impacts of intensive agriculture on biodiversity. These schemes were specifically designed to target farmland biodiversity and included, for instance, ecological focus areas (EFAs). In Switzerland, in order to qualify for direct payments, farmers must manage 7% or more of their land as biodiversity promotion areas (BPAs). BPAs encompass extensively managed and low intensity hay meadows, fallows (wildflower strips), traditional orchards with high-stem trees and hedgerows. Evaluation of AES delivery for biodiversity is of crucial importance but must be performed across several years and considering the various components of species diversity to avoid incomplete or wrong conclusions. From a complex study design comprising 478 fields in three regions and sampling over 7 years with four sampling times, spider assemblages of BPA habitats were compared to corresponding conventionally managed fields. A battery of investigations was performed including alpha- and beta-diversity analysis, multivariate dispersion, indicator species and species specificity to understand what BPAs deliver for spiders in the habitat scale and farming landscape. Results showed that alpha-diversity (average number of species) was usually higher in BPA habitats than in conventionally managed fields but the species composition (beta-diversity) had more power to perceive AES impact. Furthermore, the various environmental conditions of BPAs in the farming landscape led to highly diverse spider assemblages (multivariate dispersion) emphasizing that not only the agricultural management plays a role in determining species diversity but the environmental heterogeneity. Indicator (and rare) species were mostly found in woody BPAs (hedges and high-stem tree orchards) revealing the high importance of these BPA habitats for spider conservation. At regional scale, BPA hedges contributed most to the regional diversity of spiders in grassland and mixed regions while BPA meadows and wildflower strip BPAs were first delivering in the region of arable crops. Recommendations highlight the role of the woody habitats and of the environmental heterogeneity in the farming landscape as well as of regional planning to make AES effective.
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Saqib HSA, Sun L, Pozsgai G, Liang P, You M, Gurr GM, You S. DNA metabarcoding of gut contents reveals key habitat and seasonal drivers of trophic networks involving generalist predators in agricultural landscapes. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:5390-5401. [PMID: 36057113 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the networks of trophic interactions into which generalist predators are embedded is key to assessing their ecological role of in trophic networks and the biological control services they provide. The advent of affordable DNA metabarcoding approaches greatly facilitates quantitative understanding of trophic networks and their response to environmental drivers. Here, we examine how key environmental gradients interact to shape predation by Lycosidae in highly dynamic vegetable growing systems in China. RESULTS For the sampled Lycosidae, crop identity, pesticide use and seasons shape the abundance of prey detected in spider guts. For the taxonomic richness of prey, local- and landscape-scale factors gradients were more influential. Multivariate ordinations confirm that these crop-abundant spiders dynamically adjust their diet to reflect environmental constraints and seasonal availability to prey. CONCLUSION Plasticity in diet composition is likely to account for the persistence of spiders in relatively ephemeral brassica crops. Our findings provide further insights into the optimization of habitat management for predator-based biological control practices. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hafiz Sohaib Ahmed Saqib
- State Key Laboratory for Ecological Pest Control of Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biology, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Linyang Sun
- State Key Laboratory for Ecological Pest Control of Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Gabor Pozsgai
- State Key Laboratory for Ecological Pest Control of Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Azorean Biodiversity Group, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, University of Azores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal
| | - Pingping Liang
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, the Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Minsheng You
- State Key Laboratory for Ecological Pest Control of Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Geoff M Gurr
- State Key Laboratory for Ecological Pest Control of Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Graham Centre, Charles Sturt University, Orange, Australia
| | - Shijun You
- State Key Laboratory for Ecological Pest Control of Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou, China
- Ministerial and Provincial Joint Innovation Centre for Safety Production of Cross-Strait Crops, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- BGI-Sanya, Sanya, China
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Lunn K, Frøslev T, Rhodes M, Taylor L, Oliveira HFM, Gresty CEA, Clare EL. Non-target effects of agri-environmental schemes on solitary bees and fungi in the United Kingdom. BULLETIN OF ENTOMOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2022; 112:734-744. [PMID: 36082699 DOI: 10.1017/s0007485322000414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Agri-environmental schemes (AES) are used to enhance pollinator diversity on agricultural farms within the UK. Though the impacts of these schemes on archetypal pollinator species such as the bumblebee (Bombus) and honeybee (Apis) are well-studied, the effects on non-target bee species like solitary bees, in the same environment, are generally lacking. One goal of AES is to alter floral provision and taxonomic composition of plant communities to provide better forage for pollinators, however, this may potentially impact other ecological communities such as fungal diversity associated with plant-bee communities. Fungi are integral in these bee communities as they can impact bee species both beneficially and detrimentally. We test the hypothesis that alteration of the environment through provision of novel plant communities has non-target effects on the fungi associated with solitary bee communities. We analyse fungal diversity and ecological networks formed between fungi and solitary bees present on 15 agricultural farms in the UK using samples from brood cells. The farms were allocated to two categories, low and high management, which differ in the number of agri-environmental measures implemented. Using internal transcribed spacer metabarcoding, we identified 456 fungal taxa that interact with solitary bees. Of these, 202 (approximately 44%) could be assigned to functional groups, the majority being pathotrophic and saprotrophic species. A large proportion was Ascosphaeraceae, a family of bee-specialist fungi. We considered the connectance, nestedness, modularity, nestedness overlap and decreasing fill, linkage density and fungal generality of the farms' bee-fungi ecological networks. We found no difference in the structure of bee-fungi ecological networks between low and high management farms, suggesting floral provision by AES has no significant impact on interactions between these two taxonomic groups. However, bee emergence was lower on the low management farms compared to high management, suggesting some limited non-target effects of AES. This study characterizes the fungal community associated with solitary bees and provides evidence that floral provision through AES does not impact fungal interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Lunn
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Tobias Frøslev
- Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, København, Denmark
| | - Madeleine Rhodes
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Leah Taylor
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | | | | | - Elizabeth L Clare
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Canada
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41
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Sidemo-Holm W. Time to incentivize cost-effective conservation in agricultural landscapes. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.1013867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
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42
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Bird eggs or wheat: Assessing the impact of an overabundant crow species in a landscape mosaic in the Negev desert of Israel. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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43
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Meier ES, Lüscher G, Knop E. Disentangling direct and indirect drivers of farmland biodiversity at landscape scale. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:2422-2434. [PMID: 36134709 PMCID: PMC9826358 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
To stop the ongoing decline of farmland biodiversity there are increasing claims for a paradigm shift in agriculture, namely from conserving and restoring farmland biodiversity at field scale (α-diversity) to doing it at landscape scale (γ-diversity). However, knowledge on factors driving farmland γ-diversity is currently limited. Here, we quantified farmland γ-diversity in 123 landscapes and analysed direct and indirect effects of abiotic and land-use factors shaping it using structural equation models. The direction and strength of effects of factors shaping γ-diversity were only partially consistent with what is known about factors shaping α-diversity, and indirect effects were often stronger than direct effects or even opposite. Thus, relationships between factors shaping α-diversity cannot simply be up-scaled to γ-diversity, and also indirect effects should no longer be neglected. Finally, we show that local mitigation measures benefit farmland γ-diversity at landscape scale and are therefore a useful tool for designing biodiversity-friendly landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gisela Lüscher
- Research Division Agroecology and EnvironmentAgroscopeZürichSwitzerland
| | - Eva Knop
- Research Division Agroecology and EnvironmentAgroscopeZürichSwitzerland,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZürichSwitzerland
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44
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Hussain RI, Brandl M, Maas B, Krautzer B, Frank T, Moser D. Establishing new grasslands on crop fields: short-term development of plant and arthropod communities. Restor Ecol 2022; 30:e13641. [PMID: 36589388 PMCID: PMC9790339 DOI: 10.1111/rec.13641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Establishment of semi-natural grasslands offers a valuable approach to the conservation of threatened grassland biodiversity. We established new grassland strips on former crop fields adjacent to old semi-natural grasslands and monitored the development of plant, carabid, spider, and wild bee communities over 3 years. The studied plant and arthropods communities were significantly different between newly established grassland strips and old grassland. Our results suggest that restoring plant and arthropod communities takes longer than 3 years to become similar to old semi-natural grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raja I. Hussain
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research (DIB)University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Manuela Brandl
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research (DIB)University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Bea Maas
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research (DIB)University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria,Division of Conservation Biology, Vegetation and Landscape Ecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Bernhard Krautzer
- Institute of Plant Production and Cultural LandscapeFederal Research Institute GumpensteinIrdningAustria
| | - Thomas Frank
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research (DIB)University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Dietmar Moser
- Division of Conservation Biology, Vegetation and Landscape Ecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
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45
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Doublet V, Doyle T, Refoy I, Hedges S, Carvell C, Brown MJF, Wilfert L. Increasing flower species richness in agricultural landscapes alters insect pollinator networks: Implications for bee health and competition. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9442. [PMID: 36311409 PMCID: PMC9608809 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological restoration programs are established to reverse land degradation, mitigate biodiversity loss, and reinstate ecosystem services. Following recent agricultural intensification that led to a decrease in flower diversity and density in rural areas and subsequently to the decline of many insects, conservation measures targeted at pollinators have been established, including sown wildflower strips (WFS) along field margins. Historically successful in establishing a high density of generalist bees and increasing pollinator diversity, the impact of enhanced flower provision on wider ecological interactions and the structure of pollinator networks has been rarely investigated. Here, we tested the effects of increasing flower species richness and flower density in agricultural landscapes on bee‐plant interaction networks. We measured plant species richness and flower density and surveyed honeybee and bumblebee visits on flowers across a range of field margins on 10 UK farms that applied different pollinator conservation measures. We found that both flower species richness and flower density significantly increased bee abundance, in early and late summer, respectively. At the network level, we found that higher flower species richness did not significantly alter bee species' generality indices, but significantly reduced network connectance and marginally reduced niche overlap across honeybees and bumblebee species, a proxy for insect competition. While higher connectance and niche overlap is believed to strengthen network robustness and often is the aim for the restoration of pollinator networks, we argue that carefully designed WFS may benefit bees by partitioning their foraging niche, limiting competition for resources and the potential for disease transmission via shared floral use. We also discuss the need to extend WFS and their positive effects into spring when wild bee populations are established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Doublet
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUniversity of UlmUlmGermany
| | - Toby Doyle
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Isobel Refoy
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Sophie Hedges
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK,Department of Comparative Biomedical SciencesThe Royal Veterinary CollegeHatfieldUK
| | | | - Mark J. F. Brown
- Department of Biological SciencesRoyal Holloway University of LondonEghamUK
| | - Lena Wilfert
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation GenomicsUniversity of UlmUlmGermany
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46
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Doran NM, Bădîrcea RM, Doran MD. Financing the Agri-Environmental Policy: Consequences on the Economic Growth and Environmental Quality in Romania. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13908. [PMID: 36360792 PMCID: PMC9658853 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192113908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this research is to point out the impact that the application of the agri-environmental policy has on the economic growth and on the quality of the environment, these being the main aspects targeted by the practice of a sustainable agriculture. The research is conducted based on the agri-environment indicators for Romania for the period of time between 1997 and 2019. In order to answer the objectives of this whole research, we performed stationarity tests, a cointegration test and used the Fully Modified Least Squares (FMOLS) method to estimate the relationships between the variables included in the three proposed models. The obtained results highlighted the positive influence exerted by the area that was arranged for irrigation and the agricultural area that was arranged with drainage works on the GDP, but also the negative influence of the amount of natural fertilizers used in agriculture. The use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides generates an increase in environmental degradation, meaning CO2 emissions, while an increase in the agricultural area arranged with erosion control and land improvement works, leads to reducing environmental degradations. The limitations of this research lie in the fact that the agri-environmental indicators are specific to each country in the European Union and, therefore, it is difficult to make comparisons with other member states or to apply the measures recommended for Romania to other states with similar agricultural and economic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoleta Mihaela Doran
- Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Craiova, 13 A.I. Cuza, 200585 Craiova, Romania
| | - Roxana Maria Bădîrcea
- Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, University of Craiova, 13 A.I. Cuza, 200585 Craiova, Romania
| | - Marius Dalian Doran
- Doctoral School of Economics and Business Administration, West University of Timisoara, 300223 Timisoara, Romania
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47
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Szitár K, Deák B, Halassy M, Steffen C, Batáry P. Combination of organic farming and flower strips in agricultural landscapes – A feasible method to maximise functional diversity of plant traits related to pollination. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
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48
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Schwaiger H, Lenzer B, Essl F. No species loss, but pronounced species turnover in grasslands in the Northern Alps over 25 years. APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE 2022; 25:e12700. [PMID: 37082134 PMCID: PMC10107162 DOI: 10.1111/avsc.12700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The abandonment of marginally productive habitats and the intensification of land use on productive sites have caused transformative changes in vegetation composition in Central Europe. In this study, after 25 years we resurveyed a total of 145 grassland relevés from the mid-1990s in a grassland-dominated valley of the Northern Alps of Upper Austria. We studied changes in richness and composition, and related these to underlying drivers. We found that the average species number in plots increased from 46 in the first survey period to 49 in the second one. Median species richness across sites significantly increased from 1995 to 2020 for Festuco-Brometea (55-61 species) and Galio-Urticetea (24-32 species), but did not show any significant change for the other classes. Further, we recorded substantial species turnover, with winners consisting mostly of species that prefer nutrient-rich sites, while losers were predominantly species of nutrient-poor sites. In particular, using Ellenberg Indicator Values for calculating community indices, we found an indication for ongoing eutrophication in vegetation types of nutrient-poor vegetation classes (Festuco-Brometea and Calluno-Ulicetea), and in wet habitats (Scheuchzerio-Caricetea fuscae). Community indices of wet habitats also showed clear signs of becoming more mesic. Thermophilization of community indices was evident across several vegetation classes. Further, alien species that were very rare in the mid-1990s became more abundant in the resurveyed plots, although the level of invasion is still low. Finally, community values for nutrients of plots that are located in a protected area that has been established in 2014 did not increase significantly, while this was the case in plots outside the protected area, indicating that the management of the protected area has positive effects in halting eutrophication. We conclude that despite overall species richness changing only moderately between both surveys, substantial changes in community composition toward more nitrophilic and thermophilic conditions occurred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Schwaiger
- BioInvasions, Global Change, Macroecology Group, Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Bernd Lenzer
- BioInvasions, Global Change, Macroecology Group, Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Franz Essl
- BioInvasions, Global Change, Macroecology Group, Department of Botany and Biodiversity ResearchUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
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49
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Scherber C. Agroecology – reconciling biodiversity and production in farming systems. Basic Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2022.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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50
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Chapron G. A conservation policy as a conservation threat. Anim Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- G. Chapron
- Department of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Riddarhyttan Sweden
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