Applications of behavioral science to biodiversity management in agricultural landscapes: conceptual mapping and a California case study.

Summary1. Biodiversity conservation and agricultural production have traditionally been viewed as substantially in conflict and recent declines in biodiversity have been linked to intensive agricultural production. An increased use of ecosystem services to benefit agricultural production has been proposed as one strategy to enhance conservation of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes and attenuate this conflict.2. We use examples from the literature to examine the relationship between management of agricultural landscapes for the provision of ecosystem services and management for biodiversity conservation.3. We argue that although there is a relationship between biodiversity conservation and management for ecosystem services, it does not follow that focusing solely on one or the other will provide reciprocal benefits of the kind we should be seeking in land‐use decision‐making.4. We identify a number of asymmetries in the relationship between management for maximizing ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation. Actions that increase or protect biodiversity in an agricultural landscape will often indirectly help preserve ecosystem services, but actions that focus on enhancing ecosystem services will not necessarily provide good outcomes for biodiversity.5. Synthesis and applications. Synergies between agricultural productivity and biodiversity conservation can only be achieved if an understanding of ecosystem services leads to a change in management practice that supports greater biodiversity.

Summary Rocky outcrops are prominent geological features in agricultural landscapes worldwide. Reptiles are a major component of these habitats and some species are restricted to, and more abundant on, rocky outcrops than in remnant vegetation. Rock outcrops are important to reptiles because they provide resources that are often limited in the surrounding landscape (e.g. micro‐gradients in climatic conditions, basking‐ and retreat‐sites). However, there is a knowledge gap in the literature addressing the conservation value of small, rocky outcrops. Management may be necessary to reverse habitat degradation in these systems. We identify four key areas of management that need to be addressed to improve outcrop habitat values and enhance biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes. Specific actions involve: (i) protecting outcrops from processes that cause damage to rock microhabitat, (ii) monitoring and managing changes in vegetation structure to maintain thermally suitable environments, (iii) applying integrated pest animal control and (iv) improving matrix management to enhance inselberg function and landscape connectivity. Further research is required to evaluate the efficacy of different management regimes on outcrop biota. We hope this paper will provide the stimulus for land managers to incorporate rocky outcrops in future biodiversity conservation programmes.

Agricultural ecosystems are increasingly shaped by the introduction of intersectional environmental policies, many of which are designed to address pertinent issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable resource use. However, these policies can come into conflict with one another, creating unintended consequences for biodiversity and land management. This research examines the current policy landscape in European agriculture, focusing on the ways in which directives aimed at environmental improvements, such as nitrogen management and biofuel production, can inadvertently impact biodiversity conservation goals. Drawing on recent case studies, this paper explores how new policies can interact with existing strategies and we examine the outcomes for nature, stakeholders and policymakers. A recurring theme across our case studies is the need for tailored, site‐specific longitudinal research to unravel the complexities of policy conflicts and pave the way for innovative, evidence‐based, synergistic solutions that promote sustainable agricultural productivity, biodiversity conservation and environmental health. This research emphasises the need for comprehensive research programmes to guide future policymaking, such that research is undertaken to support novel policy, ensuring that environmental goals are met without compromising biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes. Practical Implication. Cross‐cutting policies may become increasingly common in the future of agricultural sustainability; therefore, it is crucial for policymakers and stakeholders to fully understand the potential impacts (synergies and trade‐offs) of implemented measures. Through collecting the necessary data, policymakers, scientists and stakeholders can collectively make informed decisions and effectively address potential conflicts in an evidence‐based manner. Adopting evidence‐based decision‐making frameworks is crucial to ensuring that agricultural policies are both effective and adaptable. Without rigorous, empirical assessments of policy impacts, interventions risk producing unintended consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem health.

Insects are abundant and mobile biotic organisms that perform essential functions beneficial to humans. While insects are a vital component to agricultural landscapes, the agricultural systems that require their inputs create stressors to populations through farming practices affecting habitat resources or their health. Farm conservation of wild areas and targeted farm management can promote insect biodiversity, resulting in pollination services to crops that increase yields and improved resources for wildlife, among other benefits. This chapter introduces some contemporary issues related to beneficial insects in agriculture – mostly the insect pollinators and bees – and introduces new concepts linking biodiversity with consumer markets, with an aim to advance insect biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes. Citizen science and educational opportunities involving cultural and natural histories can complement insect conservation in agricultural landscapes.

Agricultural matrices can lead to landscape homogenization, culminating in losses of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Agricultural management is determinant for developing conservation strategies. In this review, we discuss the influence of the agricultural matrix on biodiversity at different scales. Intensive agriculture under agrochemicals and synthetic fertilizers aggravates forest fragmentation processes, compromising conservation habitats. On the other hand, managed matrixes with greater agricultural biodiversity and reduced synthetic inputs tend to favor species? persistence. There is discord regarding the best model to conserve biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, but the land sharing system increases the landscape heterogeneity, ensures food production, and constitutes a safer approach from the socioecological perspective. Future studies should consider the matrix identity and management to assess fragmentation effects and its ability to harbor biodiversit

Agricultural landscapes, while essential for food production, often come at the cost of biodiversity loss. The utilization of conventional farming practices has led to habitat degradation, reduced species diversity, and ecological imbalances. In response, Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) have emerged as a promising approach to reconcile agricultural production with biodiversity conservation. This review examines the pivotal role of IFS in mitigating the adverse impacts of agriculture on biodiversity within the context of five key subheadings: (1) Understanding Integrated Farming Systems, (2) Enhancing Habitat Heterogeneity, (3) Promoting Agroecological Practices, (4) Managing Landscape Connectivity, and (5) Evaluating Socioeconomic Implications. We delve into the theoretical underpinnings, practical applications, and scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of IFS in preserving biodiversity. Furthermore, we explore the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing IFS and the potential for IFS to contribute to sustainable agricultural landscapes. The findings emphasize the need for a holistic approach that integrates ecological, agronomic, and sociocultural dimensions to foster biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes.

Rethinking biodiversity governance in European agricultural landscapes: Acceptability of alternative governance scenarios

The mechanisms shaping biodiversity in agroecosystems and particularly in agroforestry are difficult to understand and predict. The relation between planned biodiversity, the species chosen by the farmer, and associated biodiversity, the species that are able to adapt and thrive in agroforestry systems, is determined by diverse biological, environmental and management variables. Most studies in this area rely on case studies within specific biogeographical zones, species combinations and management options, which hampers drawing general conclusions. This chapter describes a modelling approach to compare associated biodiversity in different agroecosystems. Results show the relevance of alley cropping and intercropping to increase associated biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. The chapter also highlights the importance of further research to guide environmental managers and practitioners in applying the best policies for biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes.

Biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes requires frameworks that move beyond species richness to address compositional dynamics and community structure. In this study, we apply a zeta diversity approach to explore the patterns of bird compositional turnover across five traditional agricultural systems in the Eastern Himalaya-agropastoral system (AP), farm-based agroforestry system (FAS), large cardamom-based agroforestry system (LCAS), terrace rice cultivation (TRC), and tea cultivation system (TCS). Zeta diversity, which quantifies species shared across multiple sites, enables a deeper understanding of the roles of both common and rare species in shaping community composition. Common, widespread species predominantly influenced compositional turnover within sites of FAS and LCAS, as indicated by higher retention rates across increasing zeta orders. In contrast, AP, TRC, and TCS exhibited greater turnover due to rare or site-specific species, reflected in lower retention rates across sites of the same system. Insectivores emerged as the dominant feeding guild across all systems, with turnover patterns varying significantly among landscapes. Key habitat and environmental drivers of turnover included shrub density, NDVI, temperature seasonality, precipitation seasonality, and elevation. Our findings highlight the critical role of traditional agricultural landscapes in maintaining avian biodiversity and underscore the importance of conserving habitat heterogeneity within agricultural matrices. By leveraging the zeta diversity framework, this study offers valuable insights for integrating biodiversity conservation into agricultural planning and land-use policy. As pressures from land-use change and climate variability intensify, such multidimensional biodiversity assessments are essential for designing resilient agroecosystems that support both ecological integrity, spatial connectivity and local livelihoods in mountain biodiversity hotspots.

Complementation/supplementation of resources for butterflies in agricultural landscapes

Conserving biodiversity, especially in agricultural landscapes, is a major societal challenge. Broad scientific evidence exists on the impacts of single drivers on biodiversity, such as the intensification of agriculture. However, halting biodiversity decline requires a systemic understanding of the interactions between multiple drivers, which has hardly been achieved so far. Selecting Germany as a case study, the goal of our analysis is (i) to understand how various socio‐economic drivers of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes interact at the national scale, (ii) to identify plausible pathways that most likely will lead to an improvement of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes and (iii) to discuss guiding principles for policy‐making based on the pathways. We applied the expert‐based Cross‐Impact‐Balance (CIB) methodology to the German agri‐food system (target year 2030). Seven descriptors that represent the most relevant socio‐economic drivers of biodiversity (here, we focus on species richness) in agricultural landscapes in Germany were defined. In three workshops with different groups of experts, we assessed all the interactions and impacts between these descriptors. From the workshops, seven overlapping scenarios were identified and aggregated into four main future pathways for enhancing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. These pathways are: (1) ‘Innovation and stricter legislation’, (2) ‘Major change in protein production and CAP shift’, (3) ‘Major change in protein production and national legislation’ and (4) ‘Major social changes compensate for a lack of innovation in food production’. Socio‐economic drivers interact to varying degrees. Societal values have a strong active influence on the system, e. g. agricultural policy, whereas the orientation and objectives of agriculture, e. g. focus on public goods, are rather passively determined. Conserving biodiversity thus depends upon the evolution of societal values, European and national nature conservation and agricultural policies, innovations in plant and protein production as well as on global commodity markets. A key message for policymakers is that there are generally different, complementary options for achieving the objective of improving biodiversity. This is important when specific drivers such as the CAP cannot be steered in a particular desired direction. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Effects of local-scale management on herbaceous plant communities in Brigalow ( Acacia harpophylla) agroecosystems of southern Queensland, Australia

Farmland heterogeneity benefits bats in agricultural landscapes

Management strategies and floristic diversity in agroforestry practices of northwestern Ethiopia

Developing incentives and economic mechanisms for in situ biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes