Olive canopy arthropods under organic, integrated, and conventional management. The effect of farming practices, climate and landscape

Abstract

ABSTRACTSeveral beneficial components of biodiversity are hosted in the olive tree canopy, providing significant agroecosystem services. Olive canopy arthropods were studied under different management systems and in regard to variables related to farming practices, climate, and landscape. Arthropods were monitored weekly in 24 olive orchards for 2 years using transparent sticky traps. Farm management parameters, as well as climate conditions and landscape complexity, were recorded. Canopy arthropods and main olive pests were classified and aggregated upon functionality. Comparison between management systems was performed. Multivariate analysis was conducted with farming practices, climate conditions and landscape complexity as explanatory variables. Significant differences were not found between management systems, due to high variability of farming practices applied within the same management system. Factors linked to farm management, climate, and landscape explained arthropod variability better than management systems. The functional group approach appeared to be a meaningful, complementary biodiversity measure. Findings suggest that specific farm management, environmental, and landscape factors should be taken into account in agroecological research.