Biodiversity In Agricultural Areas Research Articles

Digital and smart technologies to enhance biodiversity in agricultural landscapes: An analysis of stakeholders’ perceptions of opportunities and challenges for broader adoption

Digital and smart technologies (DSTs1) for agriculture are currently widely discussed in the literature and increasingly included in common farming practices. However, the main agricultural use of DSTs remains yield-increasing and effort-reducing applications focused on the economic advantages of precision. The potential of DSTs to enhance biodiversity in agricultural landscapes has rarely been examined, especially from the stakeholder perspective. In this study, we examined the barriers to and potential for using DSTs to promote biodiversity in agricultural areas in Germany. For this purpose, we conducted a nationwide stakeholder acceptance analysis based on an online survey and an expert discussion. Our analysis revealed the notable potential of DSTs to strengthen biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, which is, however, accompanied by critical barriers to the broad acceptance and regular use of such technologies by farmers. Only if based on adequate legal and financial political framework, which create incentives for solution-focused cooperation among all relevant stakeholders and allow a user-orientated technology development, can DSTs develop their underlying potential and gain acceptance among farmers.

Towards Sustainable Agriculture: A Critical Analysis of Agrobiodiversity Assessment Methods and Recommendations for Effective Implementation

Agriculture intensification has driven the loss of biodiversity at a global level. The implementation of strategies to conserve and promote biodiversity in agricultural areas can be favoured by adequate assessment methods that foster the awareness of decision makers about the impact of management practices. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of assessment methods of the overall biodiversity in agricultural systems, focusing on the quantitative methods applied, indicators of biodiversity, and functionalities. It was concluded that compensation effects and difficulties in interpretation are associated with currently common methodologies of composite indicator calculation to assess biodiversity performance. This review allowed for the identification and critical analysis of current methodologies for biodiversity assessments in the agricultural sector, and it highlighted the need for more implementation-oriented approaches. By providing recommendations on what should be considered when formulating biodiversity assessment methods, this study can contribute to the formulation of appropriate assessment frameworks for agricultural management policies and strategies.

Review of the Applications of Satellite Remote Sensing in Organic Farming (Part I)

Organic farming is a much more sustainable farming system than conventional farming. It is part of humanity's efforts to preserve biodiversity and provides healthy and safe food to humans. Remote sensing methods are widely used in agriculture. Their use will help the transition from conventional to organic farming. They can help farmers choose the most suitable place to build an organic farm. Remote sensing methods are a very powerful tool for weed control in organic farming. They can be used to determine the level of stress that crops experience. They provide a good opportunity to forecast yields on organic farms. Remote sensing methods can optimize fertilization on organic farms. They can be used to distinguish between organic and conventional agriculture, as well as to monitor biodiversity in agricultural areas. Remote sensing methods can help organic farmers make timely and adequate decisions in managing their farms.

Effect of environmental gradients, habitat continuity and spatial structure on vascular plant species richness in semi-natural grasslands

European semi-natural grasslands host numerous and diverse living organisms within a relatively small area; therefore, conservation of these habitats is crucial to maintain high biodiversity in agricultural areas. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of environment, habitat continuity and spatial structure on semi-natural grassland species richness (SR) at the regional extent. SR and characteristic SR (CHSR) were calculated in 709 georeferenced vegetation plots obtained from the Polish Vegetation Database. For each vegetation plot, (1) environmental variables representing climate, topography, soil characteristics (e.g. pH and physical soil properties), landscape and anthropogenic pressure; (2) habitat continuity in time and (3) variables reflecting the spatial structure of vegetation plots using principal coordinates of neighbour matrices were measured. Environmental data were measured at four different spatial scales (buffers of 0.05-, 0.5-, 2.5- and 5-km radii surrounding each vegetation plot). Boosted regression trees were generated to explore the relationships of SR and CHSR with predictors. Variables associated with anthropogenic pressure, landscape structure and soil characteristics operating in the 0.5- and 5-km buffers significantly improved SR and CHSR model. However, effects of individual predictors on SR and CHSR were not predominant. Habitat continuity and topographic heterogeneity operating in the 0.05-km buffer exclusively improved CHSR model. The results suggest that neutral processes (dispersion limitation, local management history and/or stochastic events) reflected by spatial variables are strongly related to SR and CHSR. Patterns observed herein may also exist in other agriculture-dominated regions in temperate Europe. This knowledge will contribute to effective conservation of valuable habitats over large spatial areas.

Successful restoration of abandoned terraced vineyards and grasslands in Southern Switzerland

Extensively managed semi-natural grasslands represent species-rich habitats and therefore play a key role for the maintenance of biodiversity in agricultural areas. In marginal and poorly accessible areas, the traditional management of grassland is frequently abandoned, which leads to the spread of forest. In Southern Switzerland, terraced vineyards (a special grassland type) and terraced grasslands are part of the cultural heritage and local biodiversity hotspots. Yet, many of them are overgrown by forest. In the past years, several abandoned terraced vineyards and grasslands have been restored by removing the forest, rebuilding the walls and re-introducing the traditional management. We examined restoration success by assessing plant species richness, diversity and species composition in both the aboveground vegetation and soil seed bank in (1) restored, (2) abandoned for 25–50 years, and (3) permanently used areas of six terraced vineyards and six terraced grasslands. Plant species richness and diversity were reduced and species composition altered in the aboveground vegetation of abandoned vineyards and grasslands compared to the permanently used and restored ones. However, species richness, Shannon-diversity and species composition of the aboveground vegetation did not differ between restored and permanently used areas, indicating a successful restoration of the vegetation 10–15 years after restoration. In abandoned vineyards, species richness of plants emerging from the soil seed bank was slightly higher than in permanently used and restored vineyards. No difference in seedling species richness was found between abandoned, permanently used and restored terraced grasslands. Our results showed that the soil seed bank played a minor role for the re-establishment of the above-ground vegetation. We assume that the large species pool in the surroundings and the presence of dispersal vectors are essential for the successful passive restoration of abandoned grassland in this region.

Combining LULC data and agricultural statistics for A better identification and mapping of High nature value farmland: A case study in the veneto Plain, Italy

High Nature Value farmland (HNVf) are characterised by high naturalness of land cover and low intensity of agricultural practices. They are essential for biodiversity conservation in rural environments, and their presence is an important indicator of the effectiveness of different EU policies that aim to support biodiversity in agricultural areas. Consequently, their identification, protection and implementation is of strategic importance. Previous studies have analysed the landscape along an urban-rural-natural gradient, beginning with Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) maps. Building up from this baseline, this paper integrates spatial analysis methods with statistical data related to agricultural practices and their intensity, with the aim of mapping and assessing HNVf in a portion of the Veneto Plain, north-east Italy. In particular, this paper presents a methodology for the identification of HNVf applied to two datasets: (i) the first encompassing only LULC data and (ii) the second encompassing also statistical data on agricultural practices. The aim is to demonstrate how this additional information improves the identification of HNVf.In the first step, a Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) technique is applied to a reclassified LULC map, in order to calculate continuous intensity indicators. A Principal Components Analysis and an ISODATA Cluster Analysis are then performed respectively to remove redundant information and to identify the different landscape structures of the study area. The second analysis follows the same steps, with the difference that LULC intensity indicators are analysed in combination with data on crop rotations, irrigation and livestock from a census survey.The first analysis returns a map of the landscape driven only by different intensities of land use. The second returns a map where the statistics on agricultural practices allow for a better characterisation of the natural value of the landscape. Agricultural statistics improved the results, since they allow the discrimination of lower intensity clusters within the cultivated areas, which are traditionally excluded from HNVf by considering only the land cover. The comparison between the results of the two analyses shows that the combined use of the agricultural statistics determines a more detailed representation of the study area, that allows a better differentiation of the agricultural areas between HNVf and non-HNVf, leading to an improvement of the HNVf identification methodology. The benefit of using additional information can be therefore of interest for territorial planning, with the ultimate aim of promoting biodiversity conservation.

Consequences of pond management for chironomid assemblages and diversity in English farmland ponds

Ponds represent a large potential resource for biodiversity in agricultural areas of lowland Europe though many are lost through natural succession towards damp woodland depressions (terrestrialisation). Managing ponds back towards their former open-water state may result in dramatic increases of biodiversity, even on heavily farmed land. Here, evidence is presented of the effects of terrestrialised farmland pond restoration on chironomid assemblages. Chironomid pupal exuviae were collected from three terrestrialised ponds on intensively-farmed land in North Norfolk, Eastern England. Two of the ponds had trees, scrub and sediment removed, while the third pond remained undisturbed as a control. Pupal exuviae collection resumed after the restoration period. In addition, nine unmanaged farm ponds and two formerly restored ponds were sampled. Nearby, another five restored ponds were also sampled for chironomid pupal exuviae. Water data revealed alkalinity, conductivity and phosphorus decreased while pH and dissolved oxygen increased after pond restoration. Chironomid species diversity, similarity and species compositional change were compared pre- and post-restoration. Assessments were made of chironomid species associated with colonisation of restored ponds as well as ponds without such management. After scrub and sediment removal the earliest colonisation of the ponds was by mud-eating species with rapid colonisation traits such as parthenogenesis, multiple generations in one year and tolerance of low oxygen conditions. Subsequent plant growth due to the opening up of the canopy led to consequent improved oxygenation and habitat structure. Other chironomid species dependent on these conditions were then able to compete with the early colonisers. Restoration also made a significant improvement in the number of chironomid species, as assessed by rarefaction curves.

Home Range and Habitat Selection of Long-Eared Owls (Asio Otus) in Mediterranean Agricultural Landscapes (Crete, Greece)

The Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) in Crete (Greece) is a common agricultural species affected by the recent changes in agro-forestry systems. Concrete studies of habitat selection are needed in order to improve our knowledge of its foraging behaviour in managed rural landscapes. In the present study, we analysed the home range size and habitat selection of 11 Long-eared Owls inside olive groves in the plain of central Crete using radio tracking data and remote sensing images. Six nominal scale and 11 landscape scale predictors were used for habitat selection analysis, using a maximum entropy approach. Home range size ranged between 337 and 969 ha while a 52% of home range overlap was observed suggesting that Long-eared Owls do not defend hunting territories. At the nominal scale, distance to potential roosts (trees) was the most important contributor to model performance, followed by vegetation heterogeneity. Furthermore, local heterogeneity of greenness was a better predictor than simply greenness at the presence location. At the landscape scale the amount of habitat openness significantly improved model performance. Incorporating landscape heterogeneity improved habitat selection prediction compared to using only discrete land cover classification. Results of our study pinpoint that although Long-eared Owls exhibit a wide range of habitat tolerance, they prefer mixed habitat conditions avoiding particularly open areas or dense olive plantations. The research has implications in the face of new reforms of European Common Agricultural policy which emphasised the importance of landscape structure in preserving biodiversity in agricultural areas of Europe.

Kwietne pasy: rzadko stosowane w Polsce narzędzie wzmacniania integrowanej ochrony roślin uprawnych oraz zwiększania różnorodności biologicznej na terenach rolniczych

Intensification of agriculture causes the impoverishment of landscape and biological diversity. This is related to the deterioration of the ability to provide ecosystem services by farmland habitats. Maintaining a diversified agricultural landscape structure is crucial for sustainable agriculture. However, till now agri-environmental measures (AES) address this need to an insufficient extent. For example, in Poland AES omit establishing of flower strips (FS) – an effective and widespread method of attracting and supporting many species of insects and spiders, which are natural enemies of crop pests. This environmentally friendly farming technique is practically unknown and unutilized practice in Poland, despite its easy application. The article discusses the species composition of plants in flower strips, fundamentals of FS functioning, and their importance as animal habitats, effectiveness in the reduction of harmful insects, the effect of FS on yield, and legal and organizational aspects of FS in Europe. Intensyfikacja rolnictwa powoduje zmniejszanie się różnorodności krajobrazowej i biologicznej terenów rolniczych. Z tym wiąże się pogorszenie możliwości świadczenia usług ekosystemowych przez elementy krajobrazu rolniczego. Utrzymanie urozmaiconej struktury krajobrazu rolniczego jest kluczowe dla prowadzenia zrównoważonej gospodarki rolnej. Programy rolno-środowiskowe uwzględniają tę potrzebę w stopniu niewystarczającym. Na przykład do tej pory w Polsce programami wsparcia nie jest objęte zakładanie kwietnych pasów (KP) – skuteczna i możliwa do powszechnego zastosowania metoda przywabiania wielu gatunków owadów i pająków – czyli naturalnych wrogów szkodników upraw. Jest to praktyka prawie nieobecna w Polsce pomimo łatwości jej stosowania. W artykule omówiono skład gatunkowy roślin w KP, mechanizmy działania KP i ich znaczenie jako siedlisk zwierząt, efektywność w redukcji owadów szkodliwych, wpływ KP na plon oraz prawno-organizacyjne aspekty zakładania KP w Europie.

The relationship between the diversity of herbaceous plants and the extent and heterogeneity of croplands in noncrop vegetation in an agricultural landscape of south China

Although agricultural lands hold a small fraction of the biodiversity of natural ecosystems, their sheer size and proximity to remaining natural habitats make them an important target for biodiversity conservation. Non-crop areas, including remnant natural habitats and field margins, often increase biodiversity in agricultural areas, but the importance of cropland heterogeneity (either compositional, the number of crop types, or configurational, their spatial arrangement) is more controversial. Greater knowledge is also needed about agroecosystems in biodiverse areas in the tropics where there are more, smaller-scale farms. We laid out a network of 73 randomly selected 100 m-radius sites in an agricultural area near Nanning, Guangxi Province. Here rice and sugarcane are the major crops, but we encountered a total of 45 less dominant crops. At each site we measured the diversity of herbaceous plants in 10 1-m2 plots placed in uncultivated areas over two summers (2016–2017). The analysis focused on relating plant diversity, for the whole community and for specific categories of species (e.g., native species, animal-dispersed species), with the (a) extent of agricultural land cover, (b) compositional crop heterogeneity (the number and evenness of crop types), (c) length of field margins, a component of configurational crop heterogeneity, all measured at the 100 m-radius local scale, and (d) another measure of agricultural land cover, measured at the 500 m-radius landscape scale. We found that agricultural land cover at the local scale had a strong negative effect. Contrastingly, its effect at the landscape scale was positive and more moderate. The contrast among scales may be due to the quality of our information varying between scales; the dominance of the local scale may be due to the generally low dispersal abilities of herbaceous plants, as reported in other studies. Field margin had a positive effect for native, and especially animal-dispersed species, and may act as an important component of configurational crop heterogeneity, increasing the connectivity among patches of different land-use types, especially for species that disperse using animal movement. Crop compositional heterogeneity had no detectable effect for the whole community or for any species category. Our results confirm that the protection of non-crop areas and configurational crop heterogeneity (i.e., field margins) is as important for herbaceous plant diversity and composition in this tropical landscape, as it is elsewhere.

Temporal trends in arthropod abundances after the transition to organic farming in paddy fields.

Organic farming aims to reduce the effect on the ecosystem and enhance biodiversity in agricultural areas, but the long-term effectiveness of its application is unclear. Assessments have rarely included various taxonomic groups with different ecological and economic roles. In paddy fields with different numbers of years elapsed since the transition from conventional to organic farming, we investigated changes in the abundance of insect pests, generalist predators, and species of conservation concern. The abundance of various arthropods exhibited diverse trends with respect to years elapsed since the transition to organic farming. Larval lepidopterans, Tetragnatha spiders, and some planthoppers and stink bugs showed non-linear increases over time, eventually reaching saturation, such as the abundance increasing for several years and then becoming stable after 10 years. This pattern can be explained by the effects of residual pesticides, the lag time of soil mineralization, and dispersal limitation. A damselfly (Ischnura asiatica) did not show a particular trend over time, probably due to its rapid immigration from source habitats. Unexpectedly, both planthoppers and some leafhoppers exhibited gradual decreases over time. As their abundances were negatively related to the abundance of Tetragnatha spiders, increased predation by natural enemies might gradually decrease these insect populations. These results suggest that the consideration of time-dependent responses of organisms is essential for the evaluation of the costs and benefits of organic farming, and such evaluations could provide a basis for guidelines regarding the length of time for organic farming to restore biodiversity or the economic subsidy needed to compensate for pest damage.

A new mechanism based on landscape diversity for funding farmer subsidies

Agricultural intensification and farm abandonment in Europe have induced dramatic social, economic, and ecological issues. Sustainable management may solve these issues by providing a viable economic margin and preserving biodiversity. Specifically, we propose herein monetary compensation for farmers maintaining or restoring lands as non-agricultural areas. The mechanism for funding this compensation is based upon spatial analysis of two olive-grove landscapes. These exhibited different land-use patterns, a simple landscape and a complex one presenting a 50% higher diversity index and an 80% higher complexity index. We estimated olive-oil production and profitability. Results showed that the complex landscape contains three times more protected habitats. Neither landscape was economically viable, with the simple one showing values of 43% below the threshold, and the complex one 185%. The mechanism proposed to fund farmer subsidies was developed by means of the spatial and economic data estimated. This conservation payment system considers a non-linear relationship between the subsidies paid and the preserved area of agricultural use. The farmers of the simple landscape would receive a subsidy of 299, 394, and 464 €/ha for 10, 20, and 30% of preserved area, respectively. Inversely, the farmers of the complex landscape would be granted a reduction of 38 and 80 €/ha in their monetary incentives for the loss of 10 and 20%, respectively, of natural areas. Using this funding mechanism, conservation of biodiversity in agricultural areas would no longer constitute a factor limiting profitability, but would rather complement earnings.

민통선 둠벙의 수서곤충과 식물 군집에 대한 수환경 특성의 영향

A small irrigation pond for a rice paddy field is a very important refuge for aquatic insects and plants. To reveal environmental factors determining species composition of aquatic insect and plant communities, we analyzed water chemistry and connection between pond and surrounding in five types of irrigation ponds based on water source and connection in CCZ of South Korea: stagnation, exchange-stagnation, spring, stagnation-spring, and exchangespring types. The stagnation type had the most stable water chemistry among the 16 irrigation ponds studied, and the spring type had the most variable water chemistry. Anion content was highest in the stagnation type, and cation content was highest in the exchange-stagnation type. 228 taxa including 63 wetland plants and 95 aquatic insect taxa were recorded. Six rare plant species and four rare aquatic insect species were identified. The stagnation-spring type had the highest species richness. There was no correlation between size and species richness. Multivariate analyses showed distinctive species assemblages among the irrigation pond types. This would indicate that water chemical change at annual cycle and connection influenced on the species assemblages in irrigation pond. In additional, irrigation pond contributes to regional biodiversity in agricultural areas, as irrigation pond provides heterogeneous communities for the freshwater ecosystem.

The Benthic Macrofaunal Community in Agricultural Ditches in Kole Paddy Fields, Vembanad Kole Wetlands, India

Paddy fields are connected by drainage ditches (channels),that are considered as drivers of biodiversity inagricultural areas. The macrobenthic community structure in agricultural ditches of Kole paddy fields, a part ofthe Ramsar site Vembanad kole wetlands during a complete crop season was analyzed. The macrobenthicfauna belonged to phyla Annelida, Arthropoda and Mollusca and classes Oligochaeta (60.39%), Insecta(39.31%), Mollusca (0.15%) and Hirudinae (0.15%). The class Oligochaeta was represented by Tubificidae,Naididae, Lumbriculidae; Insecta by Diptera, Coleoptera, Odonata; Mollusca by Bivalvia, Gastropoda.Composition of macrobenthos resembled to that of fresh water wetlands and paddy fields. The average numberof macrobenthos was 1475±2064 ind./m2. There was an unusually high abundance in May (5155 ind./m2); butthe environmental parameters remained usual. The abundance of good quality food or some specific, localizedcondition acting on a microscale which could not be recorded in the environmental analysis would haveresulted in the unusual distribution of the fauna. Highest diversity (3.17) and species richness (1.95) wasobserved during May 2011, during the unusual abundance. Predominant functional feeding group wascollector gatherers indicating the abundance of fine organic particulate matter (FPOM) in the substrate. Nosignificant correlation emerged between macrobenthic abundance and environmental parameters.

Do the effects of crops on skylark (Alauda arvensis) differ between the field and landscape scales?

The promotion of biodiversity in agricultural areas involves actions at the landscape scale, and the management of cropping patterns is considered an important means of achieving this goal. However, most of the available knowledge about the impact of crops on biodiversity has been obtained at the field scale, and is generally grouped together under the umbrella term “crop suitability.” Can field-scale knowledge be used to predict the impact on populations across landscapes? We studied the impact of maize and rapeseed on the abundance of skylark (Alauda arvensis). Field-scale studies in Western Europe have reported diverse impacts on habitat selection and demography. We assessed the consistency between field-scale knowledge and landscape-scale observations, using high-resolution databases describing crops and other habitats for the 4 km2 grid scales analyzed in the French Breeding Bird Survey. We used generalized linear models to estimate the impact of each studied crop at the landscape scale. We stratified the squares according to the local and geographical contexts, to ensure that the conclusions drawn were valid in a wide range of contexts. Our results were not consistent with field knowledge for rapeseed, and were consistent for maize only in grassland contexts. However, the effect sizes were much smaller than those of structural landscape features. These results suggest that upscaling from the field scale to the landscape scale leads to an integration of new agronomic and ecological processes, making the objects studied more complex than simple “crop ∗ species” pairs. We conclude that the carrying capacity of agricultural landscapes cannot be deduced from the suitability of their components.

Landscape heterogeneity as an ecological filter of species traits

Landscape heterogeneity is a major driver of biodiversity in agricultural areas and represents an important parameter in conservation strategies. However, most landscape ecology studies measure gamma diversity of a single habitat type, despite the assessment of multiple habitats at a landscape scale being more appropriate. This study aimed to determine the effects of landscape composition and spatial configuration on life-history trait distribution in carabid beetle and herbaceous plant communities. Here, we assessed the gamma diversity of carabid beetles and plants by sampling three dominant habitats (woody habitats, grasslands and crops) across 20 landscapes in western France. RLQ and Fourth Corner three-table analyses were used to assess the association of dispersal, phenology, reproduction and trophic level traits with landscape characteristics. Landscape composition and configuration were both significant in explaining functional composition. Carabid beetles and plants showed similar response regarding phenology, i.e. open landscapes were associated with earlier breeding species. Carabid beetle dispersal traits exhibited the strongest relationship with landscape structure; for instance, large and apterous species preferentially inhabited woody landscapes, whereas small and macropterous species preferentially inhabited open landscapes. Heavy seeded plant species dominated in intensified agricultural landscapes (high % crops), possibly due to the removal of weeds (which are usually lightweight seeded species). The results of this study emphasise the roles of landscape composition and configuration as ecological filters and the importance of preserving a range of landscape types to maintain functional biodiversity at regional scales.

곤충류 종다양성을 고려한 농경지 보전가치평가

The agricultural area is a priority to develop than the natural area for land developments. However, the importance of agricultural biodiversity is emphasized recently. The agricultural area does not only provide food for human and habitat for wild life but also contribute to improve biodiversity. It is necessary to preserve the agricultural area with rich biodiversity. The study was conducted to analyze biodiversity of insects for conservation value assessment of agricultural areas. According to the results of field survey, there is higher biodiversity index in agricultural areas surrounding the forest or small size agricultural areas. By contrast, the index is lower in agricultural areas near roads or in the intensive agricultural area. The results show that there is high biodiversity in agricultural areas, especially margin agricultural area such as below 2ha and over slop rate of 15%. Therefore, further studies should be conducted field survey more to generalize for biodiversity in agricultural area, and establish the criteria to protect agricultural area from land developments.

A modelling approach for the assessment of the effects of Common Agricultural Policy measures on farmland biodiversity in the EU27

In this paper we describe a methodology to model the impacts of policy measures within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on farm production, income and prices, and on farmland biodiversity. Two stylised scenarios are used to illustrate how the method works. The effects of CAP measures, such as subsidies and regulations, are calculated and translated into changes in land use and land-use intensity. These factors are then used to model biodiversity with a species-based indicator on a 1 km scale in the EU27. The Common Agricultural Policy Regionalised Impact Modelling System (CAPRI) is used to conduct the economic analysis and Dyna-CLUE (Conversion of Land Use and its Effects) is used to model land use changes. An indicator that expresses the relative species richness was used as the indicator for biodiversity in agricultural areas. The methodology is illustrated with a baseline scenario and two scenarios that include a specific policy. The strength of the methodology is that impacts of economic policy instruments can be linked to changes in agricultural production, prices and incomes, on the one hand, and to biodiversity effects, on the other – with land use and land-use intensity as the connecting drivers. The method provides an overall assessment, but for detailed impact assessment at landscape, farm or field level, additional analysis would be required.

Developing a methodology for a species-based and spatially explicit indicator for biodiversity on agricultural land in the EU

In Europe agricultural areas are of great importance to biodiversity conservation. One of the aims of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after 2013 is to avoid additional loss of agriculture-related biodiversity. Farmland biodiversity is a public good that provides ecosystem services necessary for the sustainability of agriculture itself as well as for a sustainable environment as a whole. To evaluate policies such as the CAP and to monitor the development of biodiversity in agricultural areas, specifically designed indicators are needed. Current EU-level indicators of agricultural biodiversity are often limited to a specific species group, for example the group of farmland birds, and are not designed for evaluation of future policies. This study presents a methodology for a new indicator that is targeted specifically at biodiversity in agricultural areas, considering a large variety of species and focussing on policy. The methodology combines maps of the potential occurrence of 132 relevant species (plants and vertebrates) on a 50km grid, with detailed information (1km grid) on the influence of environmental pressures on these species. A first indicator map on a 1km grid for the EU is provided, based on available data. This map shows great variety in the state of the biodiversity of agricultural areas in the EU. Generally speaking, biodiversity in agricultural areas in the south and east of the EU is in a better state than in the west and north. However, spatial variability is high between and even within regions. The presented indicator may be used to explore the dynamics of biodiversity following policy interventions, using the biodiversity map or by modelling the effect of policies on the environmental pressures that form the basis of the indicator.

High value of short rotation coppice plantations for phytodiversity in rural landscapes

AbstractThe demand for wood from short rotation coppice (SRC) plantations as a renewable energy source is currently increasing and could affect biodiversity in agricultural areas. The objective was to evaluate the contribution of SRC plantations to phytodiversity in agricultural landscapes assessed as species richness, species–area relationships, Shannon indices, detrended correspondence analysis on species composition, Sørensen similarities, habitat preference proportions, and species proportions found in only one land use. Vegetation surveys were conducted on 12 willow (Salix spp.) and three poplar (Populus spp.) coppice sites as well as on surrounding arable lands, grasslands and forests in central Sweden and northern Germany. SRC plantations were richer in plant species (mean: 30 species per 100 m²) than arable land (10), coniferous forests (13) and mixed forests in Germany (12). Comparing SRC plantations with other land uses, we found lowest similarities in species composition with arable lands, coniferous forests and German mixed forests and highest similarities with marginal grassland strips, grasslands and Swedish mixed forests. Similarity depended on the SRC tree cover: at increased tree cover, SRC plantations became less similar to grasslands but more similar to forests. The SRC plantations were composed of a mixture of grassland (33%), ruderal (24%) and woodland (15%) species. Species abundance in SRC plantations was more heterogeneous than in arable lands. We conclude that SRC plantations form novel habitats leading to different plant species composition compared to conventional land uses. Their landscape‐scale value for phytodiversity changes depending on harvest cycles and over time. As a structural landscape element, SRC plantations contribute positively to phytodiversity in rural areas, especially in land use mosaics where these plantations are admixed to other land uses with dissimilar plant species composition such as arable land, coniferous forest and, at the German sites, also mixed forest.