Farmland Biodiversity Research Articles

Vineyard modernization drives changes in bird and mammal occurrence in vineyard plots in dry farmland

The fast intensification of agriculture affects many systems. In recent decades, traditional vineyards have been rapidly converted to trellis vineyards in Spain (the country with the largest vineyard surface worldwide) in an attempt to reduce harvesting costs and increase vine productivity. The implications of this modernization of vineyards on farmland biodiversity are still largely unknown. We studied 52 vineyards (26 traditional and 26 trellis) from June to September in south-western Spain, aiming to describe the effect of the modernization of goblet-shape traditional vineyards on vine structure and their management, as well as its effect on species' occurrence in vineyard plots. We applied hierarchical occurrence models to assess the occurrence probability of 10 bird species and two mammal species in traditional and trellis vineyard plots. Vineyard modernization involved taller vines (connected by metallic guide wires and poles by rows), greater distance between vine rows, bigger plot sizes, the systematic implementation of irrigation, and an application of fertilizers through the watering system (fertirrigation) in a third of studied vineyards. Other agrochemical treatments seemed to be equally used in both vineyard types. Due to the use of herbicides and frequent tilling, both types of vineyards showed low natural vegetation groundcover. Vineyard modernization had clear effects on fauna biodiversity in vineyard plots, with a higher occurrence in trellis vineyards of some species (rufous-tailed scrub-robin, European goldfinch, red-legged partridge, and house sparrow) and a higher occurrence of other species (European rabbit and European greenfinch) in traditional ones. Thus, vineyard modernization can drive a change in the community of birds and mammals that inhabit them. In addition, vineyard use by some species (particularly ground-dwelling ones) was strongly determined by the presence of arable land adjacent to the vineyard. These species may therefore use vineyards during summer because they provide water and/or better cover than harvested crops. Animals attracted to vineyards for water could be exposed to toxic doses of nitrates that are routinely applied through the watering system in a third of these. To maximize benefits for biodiversity, it would be advisable to manage modernization schemes in order to maintain landscape heterogeneity, with vineyards of both types combined with other agricultural systems, as well as higher proportions of natural vegetation surface cover.

Proportion of Grassland at Landscape Scale Drives Natural Pest Control Services in Agricultural Landscapes

Managing regulating ecosystem services delivered by biodiversity in farmland is a way to maintain crop yields while reducing the use of agrochemicals. Because semi-natural habitats provide shelter and food for pest enemies, a higher proportion of semi-natural habitats in the landscape or their proximity to crops may enhance pest control in arable fields. However, the ways in which the spatial arrangement of these habitats affects the delivery of this beneficial ecosystem service to crops remains poorly known. Here, we investigated the relative effects of the amount of grassland in the landscape versus the distance to the nearest grassland on the predation rates of weed seeds and aphids into 52 cereal fields. We found that both seed and aphid predation levels increased with the proportion of grassland in a 500 m radius buffer while the distance to the nearest grassland displayed no effect. We show that increasing from 0 to 50% the proportion of grasslands in a 500 m radius, respectively, increased seed and aphid predation by 38 and 20%. In addition to the strong effect of the proportion of grassland, we found that seed predation increased with the proportion of forest fragments while aphid predation increased with the proportion of organic farming in the landscape. Overall, our results reveal that natural pest control in cereal crops is not related to the distance to the nearest grassland, suggesting that natural enemies are not limited by their dispersal ability. Our study indicates that maintaining key semi-natural habitats, such as grasslands, is needed to ensure natural pest control and support food production in agricultural landscapes.

Drivers of songbird territory density in the boundaries of a lowland arable farm

Conventional farming in the UK has had adverse effects on farmland biodiversity, particularly during post-war intensification of agriculture. Efforts have been made in the reversal of these effects, with much of the literature reporting a mixture of findings. At a localised scale, these efforts have been noticeable with RSPB Hope Farm observing a 200% increase in bird territory numbers from 2000 to 2012, achieved with the wide implementation of agri-environment schemes (AES) on the farm. We aimed to investigate the spatio-temporal drivers of territory density in four hedgerow specialist bird species using a thirteen year (2000–2012) dataset of hedgerow management, in-field cropping and field boundary habitat records. Territory maps were used to calculate territory counts for each hedgerow across the time period. Generalised Linear Mixed Models were used to model territory counts for each habitat variable. These findings demonstrate that for Emberiza citrinella, Carduelis cannabina and Sylvia communis, presence of oilseed rape (OSR) is a strong predictor of higher territory numbers, leading to a doubling in territory density compared to absence of OSR. However, tree presence in hedgerows was a negative predictor of territory numbers for these species. Opposing trends were observed for Carduelis chloris, which exhibited significantly greater territory numbers in roadside hedgerows, hedges with trees and when adjacent fields were not sown with a main crop. Management of hedges was a weak predictor of S. communis territories. This demonstrates that crop type, AES features, tree presence and location of hedgerows are drivers of farmland bird territory numbers. These findings validate the usefulness of more sustainable, wildlife-friendly farming under previous CAP rules and have important implications for post-Brexit farming policy, such as the Agriculture Bill.

Investigating the impacts of climate change on ecosystem services in UK agro-ecosystems: An application of the DPSIR framework

Understanding how climate change will affect agro-ecosystems and the ecosystem services they provide is a significant global challenge. Investigating this topic requires a holistic approach that can capture the complexity of agro-ecosystems and assess impacts on the physical, biological, and socio-economic aspects of the system. The Drivers-Pressures-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework is a problem structuring method commonly used in environmental policy and management to collate and synthesise multidisciplinary evidence. By reviewing relevant literature and policy documents, we created a DPSIR framework characterising the impacts of climate change on some key ecosystem services directly generated by farmland biodiversity, using UK agriculture as a case study. We focussed on three groups of service providers: pollinators, pest regulators and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. We used the standard DPSIR framework to establish broad-scale relationships, before developing two extensions to the initial DPSIR, which together formed a novel three-step approach. The second step allowed detailed exploration of the cause-effect relationships between different features of the agro-ecosystem, including cascading impacts on ecosystem services. This process highlighted knowledge gaps relating to the impacts of climate change on species interactions and cultural services. The third step provided a visual summary of the expected directional trends for the different features of UK agro-ecosystems, based upon current evidence. This demonstrated negative impacts on biodiversity, soil quality, crop yields and a wide variety of ecosystem services and goods, which can only be addressed effectively with targeted policies. The novel three-step DPSIR approach developed here would be useful for modelling other complex systems where management is impeded by knowledge gaps and the availability of accessible syntheses of current evidence.

A Rapid Method for Monitoring Landscape Structure and Ecological Value in European Farmlands: the LISA approach

Farmland biodiversity has dramatically declined in European agricultural landscapes over the past century. The key driver of this decline is the intensification of farming practices. In response, various policies have been developed to protect and promote farmland biodiversity, including so-called greening measures under the Common Agricultural Policy(CAP). However, there is currently very little systematically collected data on the ecological quality of European farmland. Therefore, we developed a survey method to provide repeatable and comparable data. This method comprises the mapping of land use and ecological quality of parcels in sample plots of 500 m x 500 m, vegetation transects on up to four predefined parcels in each sample plot and a photo documentation of the transects and the whole plot. Using this LISA method (Landscape Infrastructure and Sustainable Agriculture), we investigated about 25plots in each of 35 regions in 2014 and 13 regions in 2016, altogether in 10 EU countries. The methodology provides a time- and cost-efficient possibility to collect standardised data on the ecological quality of farmland habitats. We show that biodiversity in arable fields is at an extremely low level. The survey methodology proved to be applicable in all parts of Europe and thus being applied widely it could deliver a representative view on the ecological situation of all agricultural landscapes in Europe.

Small things are important: the value of singular point elements for birds in agricultural landscapes.

Farmland birds belong to the most endangered group of vertebrates in Europe. They are an important component of farmland biodiversity considering the numerous functions they perform (e.g. seed dispersal, improving germination, increasing gene flow, nutrient recycling, and pest control). Therefore, their decline imposes substantial risks on agricultural ecosystems. In general, farmland bird conservation includes land-use and management alterations leading to less-intensive farming and land-sparing for breeding habitats (e.g. agri-environment-climate schemes, and organic farming). However, theoretical concepts describing farmland biodiversity maintenance and applied conservation measures usually ignore the role of singular, often very small, natural or man-made elements in an agricultural landscape. These elements play a role in the populations of certain species, their biology and in the general species richness of farmland. Furthermore, the importance of these elements has never been empirically tested, which means that conservationists and practitioners are not aware of their measurable value for birds. Herein, we define and identify singular point elements in the agricultural landscape (SPELs) which are potentially important for breeding farmland birds. We also describe each SPEL and evaluate its importance for birds in farmland based on a systematic review of the available literature. Using a horizon-scanning technique, we then polled field ornithologists about their personal observations of birds in relation to SPELs and the evaluation of the potential roles of such structures for birds. We identified 17 SPELs that vary in naturalness and age: singular trees, singular shrubs, erratic boulders, puddles, electricity pylons, wind turbines, spiritual sites, hunting platforms, fence and border posts, wells, road signs, scarecrows, piles of manure, piles of brushwood/branches, piles of stones/debris, piles of lime, and haystacks. Analysis of the literature revealed knowledge gaps, because some SPELs are frequently mentioned in ecological studies (e.g. trees, shrubs, pylons), but others such as spiritual sites, stones, hunting platforms, wells, road signs, or piles of lime are ignored. Despite the fact that some authors incorporate the effects of some SPELs in their studies, little research to date has aimed to assess the impact of various SPELs on farmland bird species numbers and distribution. Horizon scanning revealed that ornithologists often observe birds on various SPELs and thus, attribute to SPELs many functions that are important for maintaining bird populations. Horizon scanning also highlighted the importance of SPELs for many declining bird species and suggested possible mitigation of negative changes in the agricultural landscape by retaining SPELs within fields. We suggest that a better understanding of the role of SPELs for farmland birds is required. We also recommend that SPELs are considered as a potential tool for the conservation of birds, and existing conservation programs such as agri-environment-climate schemes and organic farming should be updated accordingly. Finally, we suggest that SPELs are included in predictive models that evaluate habitat suitability for farmland biodiversity.

Three decades of field surveys reveal a decline of arable bryophytes in the Swiss lowlands despite agri-environment schemes

Agricultural intensification represents one of the major drivers for the dramatic loss of biodiversity worldwide. To halt the decline of farmland biodiversity, Switzerland adopted agri-environment schemes (AES) in 1998. Here, we monitored the occurrence, abundance and habitats of two species of arable bryophyte specialists, the Field hornwort (Anthoceros agrestis) and the Carolina hornwort (Phaeoceros carolinianus), in 28 crop fields in the intensively cultivated Swiss Plateau from 1991–2018, to investigate the effects of arable management, AES directives, and weather conditions on their performance. The target species are characteristic of the specialized short-lived arable bryophyte flora of Central Europe that depend on bare substrate in low-intensively cultivated and regularly ploughed fields. Trends in their occurrence thus reflect in many respects the status of the arable bryophytes in cultivated fields. Hornwort occurrence significantly declined between 1991 and 2018. A strong decrease in stubble fields that remain unmanaged after harvest, the favourite habitat for many arable specialists in the study area, largely accounted for the decline. Stubble fields nearly disappeared in the study area because of a gradual reduction in the cultivation area of cereals and the increasing practice of immediate post-harvest tillage. The latter is common in intensive arable farming and was accentuated by AES directives amended in 2005. Hornwort occurrences were positively affected by high air humidity during summer, but weather effects were subordinate to management effects. We propose tailored amendments of AES regulations, that are implemented at selected sites, to maintain the characteristic arable specialist bryophytes in the Swiss Plateau: crop rotation with adequate proportions of cereals that are regularly ploughed but not before the end of October, no post-harvest processing of stubble fields, and optimization of the existing instrument ‘Biodiversity Promoting Areas’, e.g., short-term fallows in crop fields. Late-autumn or overwintering stubbles and short-term fallows will benefit many other organisms that depend on extensively managed open habitats, for example arable wildflowers, farmland breeding birds and specialized arthropods.

A real-world implementation of a nationwide, long-term monitoring program to assess the impact of agrochemicals and agricultural practices on biodiversity.

Biodiversity has undergone a major decline throughout recent decades, particularly in farmland. Agricultural practices are recognized to be an important pressure on farmland biodiversity, and pesticides are suspected to be one of the main causes of this decline in biodiversity. As part of the national plan for reduction of pesticides use (Ecophyto), the French ministry of agriculture launched the 500 ENI (nonintended effects) monitoring program in 2012 in order to assess the unintended effects of agricultural practices, including pesticide use, on biodiversity represented by several taxonomic groups of interest for farmers. This long‐term program monitors the biodiversity of nontargeted species (earthworms, plants, coleoptera, and birds), together with a wide range of annual data on agricultural practices (crop rotation, soil tillage, weed control, fertilizers, chemical treatments, etc.). Other parameters (e.g., landscape and climatic characteristics) are also integrated as covariates during the analyses. This monitoring program is expected to improve our understanding of the relative contribution of the different drivers of population and community trends. Here, we present the experience of setting up the 500 ENI network for this ambitious and highly complex monitoring program, as well as the type of data it collects. The issue of data quality control and some first results are discussed. With the aim of being useful to readers who would like to set up similar monitoring schemes, we also address some questions that have arisen following the first five years of the implementation phase of the program.

Effects of three flower field types on bumblebees and their pollen diets

Agri-environment schemes, like flower fields, have been implemented in the EU to counteract the dramatic decline of farmland biodiversity. Farmers in Lower Saxony, Germany, may receive payments for three flower field types: annual, perennial (five years old), and mixed flower fields composed of yearly alternating annual and biannual parts. We assessed the effectiveness of these flower field types in providing bumblebee foraging habitat compared to control cereal fields. We sampled bumblebees with transect walks and assessed the richness of exploited pollen plants using DNA meta-barcoding and direct observations.All flower field types enhanced bumblebee abundance and species richness compared to control fields but attracted mostly three generalist species. Although we expected highest benefits from the more heterogeneous mixed flower fields, abundance was highest in annual, only intermediate in mixed, and lowest in perennial flower fields. Bumblebee species richness did not differ between flower field types.Overall, the proportion of sown plants in pollen loads was surprisingly low (< 50%). Bombus pascuorum, but not B. terrestris agg., exploited 10% of the sown plant species in perennial, 36% in annual and 45% in mixed flower fields, respectively. Compared to direct observations, pollen samples revealed 4.5 times more visited plant species and thus assessed floral resource use more reliably. Plant species richness in pollen loads decreased with local flowering plant species richness and increased with proportion of annual crops in the landscape, potentially due to the exploitation of more diverse and scattered resources, including flowering crops, in homogenized landscapes to fulfil dietary requirements.Our results indicate that under the current management, both annual and mixed flower fields provide the most attractive food resources, while perennial flower fields offered the poorest foraging habitats. Conclusively, flower fields seem important but resources from the surrounding landscape are still needed to sustain bumblebees in agricultural landscapes.

Collect and analysis of agro-biodiversity data in a participative context: A business intelligence framework

In France and Europe, farmland represents a large fraction of land cover. The study and assessment of biodiversity in farmland is therefore a major challenge. To monitor biodiversity across wide areas, citizen science programs have demonstrated their effectiveness and relevance. The involvement of citizens in data collection offers a great opportunity to deploy extensive networks for biodiversity monitoring. But citizen science programs come with two issues: large amounts of data to manage and large numbers of participants with heterogeneous skills, needs and expectations about these data. In this article, we offer a solution to these issues, concretized by an information system. The study is based on a real life citizen science program tailored for farmers. This information system provides data and tools at several levels of complexity, to fit the needs and the skills of several users, from citizens with basic IT knowledge to scientists with strong statistical background. The proposed system is designed as follows. First, a data warehouse stores the data collected by citizens. This data warehouse is modelled depending on future data analysis. Secondly, associated with the data warehouse, a standard OLAP tool enables citizens and scientists to explore data. To complete the OLAP tool, we implement and compare four feature selection methods, in order to rank explanatory factors according to their relevance. Finally, for users with extended statistical skills, we use Generalized Linear Mixed Models to explore the temporal dynamics of invertebrate diversity in farmland ecosystems. The proposed system, a combination of business intelligence tools, data mining methods and advanced statistics, offers an example of complete exploitation of data by several user profiles. The proposition is supported by a real life citizen science program, and can be used as a guideline to design information systems in the same field.

Family graveyards form underappreciated local plant diversity hotspots in China's agricultural landscapes

In the intensively farmed, homogenous agricultural landscape of the North China Plain, family graveyards form distinct cultural landscape features. In addition to their cultural value, these graveyards represent semi-natural habitat islands whose potential roles in biodiversity conservation and ecological functioning has remained poorly understood. In this study, we investigated plant species richness on 199 family graveyards of different ages and sizes. In accordance with biogeography theory, both overall and insect-pollinated plant species richness increased with area and age of graveyards. Even small graveyards show a strong potential for conserving local plant richness, and a mosaic of both large and small family graveyards could play an important role in the conservation of farmland biodiversity and related ecosystem functions. The launch of agri-environmental measures that conserve and create semi-natural habitats, in turn benefitting agricultural biodiversity and ecological functioning, has proven difficult in China due to the shortage of dispensable arable land. Given the great value of family graveyards as semi-natural habitats reflected in our study, we propose to focus preliminary efforts on conserving these landscape features as existing, widespread and culturally important semi-natural habitat islands. This would represent an effective, complementary policy to a subsequent re-establishment of other semi-natural habitats for the conservation of biodiversity and ecological functioning in agricultural landscapes.

Reaction of Camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz) to Different Foliar Fertilization

Camelina (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz) is an oil plant that can increase farmland biodiversity in many parts of the world. In addition to food importance, it is a good alternative in biofuel production. The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the response of camelina, the variety Śmiłowska (spring form), to various foliar fertilization. The combined application of three fertilizers had the most positive effect on the tested features and economic result: urea (46% N), magnesium sulfate (16% MgO + 32% SO3), and Plonvit R (multi-component fertilizer). The obtained increase in seed yield after the application of the above variant was 0.54 t ha−1, i.e., 37.5% compared to the control. The remaining fertilization combinations did not have a significant effect on seed yield, which amounted on average to 1.66 t ha−1. The yield of fat and protein amounted to 0.68 t·ha−1 and 0.42 t ha−1, respectively, and was strongly correlated with seed yield. The yielding of the variety Śmiłowska was stable over the years of the study. The combined use of three foliar fertilizers (variant H) increased the SPAD (soil plant analysis development) and LAI (leaf area index) values compared to the control. The application of urea alone reduced crude fat content in the seeds.

A farming systems approach to linking agricultural policies with biodiversity and ecosystem services

Many countries are reshaping their agricultural policies to better enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES) in farmlands, but measuring the effectiveness of policy instruments in BES delivery is challenging. Using the European Agricultural Policy as an example, we propose the application of a farming systems (FS) approach as a cost‐effective tool for linking policy design and expected BES outcomes. On the basis of available data from subsidy payment agencies, such an approach can identify groups of farms that share similar management practices as well as the associations between FS and corresponding BES potential, and improve modeled outputs of farm management responses to policies and other drivers of change. We describe how this relatively unexplored source of information can help to support applied ecological research and relevant policy, and call for these data to be made available across Europe and elsewhere.

Research Into Practice: Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix) Restoration in Southern England

The gray partridgePerdix perdixwas once a common breeding bird in Britain and a traditional quarry species. Its numbers have declined by over 90% over the last 50 years, and there have been similar declines across Europe. Since 1968 the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) has undertaken research on this decline and identified three main reasons for it in Britain: disappearance of nesting habitat, reduction in area of brood-rearing habitat and increased pressure from predators. A nature-sparing mindset is not compatible with the conservation of a once-widespread species of farmed land such as the gray partridge, which requires a nature-sharing viewpoint. A gray partridge recovery program had to be tailored toward farmers and their advisors, requiring scientifically proven, costed, pragmatic and simple solutions. The difficulty is in convincing farmers and land managers to take up the challenge, adopt the conservation package and reverse the decline of this species. An important means of addressing this is providing demonstration sites where farmers can go to see how appropriate and practical management leads to successful restoration of gray partridge numbers. We provide two detailed examples of demonstrations in the United Kingdom, concentrating on gray partridge abundance and demography, but also considering the consequences for wider farmland biodiversity. At both demonstration sites the abundance of gray partridges was restored to abundances approaching those of 50 years ago (an average, over 10 years, of 11.3 spring pairs/km2on one site and 13.2 pairs/km2on the other). Obstacles to a more widespread adoption of the package among United Kingdom farmers are discussed as are signposts on how these are being addressed, both in United Kingdom and in Europe.

Do the EU’s Common agricultural policy funds negatively affect the diversity of farmland birds? Evidence from Slovenia

The paper investigates the relative influence of landscape characteristics, production intensity and the EU’s Common agricultural policy interventions on the diversity of farmland birds. For this purpose, data from the Farmland Bird Monitoring Scheme in Slovenia and high spatial resolution data from the national agricultural databases in the period 2008–2019 were analysed with the Boosted Regression Trees (BRT). The diversity of farmland birds was found to be highest in open, diversely cropped and extensively to moderately intensively managed landscapes in Natura 2000 sites where farm holdings were allocated a low average amount of both direct payments and payments for agri-environmental measures (AEM) and organic farming (OF). Furthermore, the highest diversity of the subgroup of grassland specialists was associated with very open and extensively managed grassland landscapes with low stocking density (<0.7 LU/ha). By contrast, the diversity of habitat generalists was highest in heterogeneous landscapes with a high diversity of land-use types, measured at the broader spatial scale. Areas with a higher allocation of direct payments and payments for AEM and OF were associated with lower farmland bird diversity, whereas high diversity was found in Natura 2000 sites and in some areas with natural constraints (LFA). Agri-environmental measures and the “Greening” measures had a negligible relative influence on bird diversity, possibly due to ineffective implementation and low uptake by beneficiaries.The intensification of production, particularly in the beef and dairy sectors, which has been supported by the Common agricultural policy direct payments, and forest succession in marginal areas were identified as the potential key drivers of the recent farmland biodiversity loss in Slovenia. The future CAP income support schemes should be redesigned to ensure at least neutral if not positive overall effects on farmland biodiversity by gradual phasing-out of references to (historic) production levels, increased conditionality and more effective voluntary agri-environmental measures.

Diverse herbaceous cover crops promote vineyard arthropod diversity across different management regimes

Agricultural intensification threatens biodiversity, requiring a shift to agroecological farming. Identifying locally-specific management practices that can effectively enhance biodiversity can help guide farmland conservation efforts. We assess the effect of management practices and environmental variables on arthropod diversity under varying vineyard management regimes in a South African biosphere reserve. We also determine whether the implementation of these practices and their combined effect on arthropods differ between integrated and organic vineyards. Arthropod morphospecies richness and evenness were assessed for different taxonomic groups (spiders, beetles, and true bugs), in different positions in the crop (ground level, on cover crops, and on vine foliage) and for different feeding guilds (herbivores, detritivores, and predators). Percentage herbaceous vegetation cover had a consistent positive effect on morphospecies richness across taxa, microhabitats, and guilds. Other vegetation-related variables, such as volume of plant litter, plant species richness, and plant height positively influenced several of the biodiversity responses. We did not detect any negative effect of agrochemicals used in an integrated approach, or a strong effect of overall farming approach (organic vs. integrated) on the species richness or evenness of any of the focal taxa, sampled positions, or guilds. These results indicate that the maintenance of dense and diverse cover crops is a strategic way to enhance vineyard arthropod diversity where other management practices are already implemented sensitively. This highlights that minimal adjustment of management practices can greatly benefit farmland biodiversity conservation and is in keeping with the ethos of the concept of a biosphere reserve.

Modeling the effects of grassland management intensity on biodiversity.

A growing food demand and advanced agricultural techniques increasingly affect farmland ecosystems, threatening invertebrate populations with cascading effects along the food chain upon insectivorous vertebrates. Supporting farmland biodiversity thus optimally requires the delineation of species hotspots at multiple trophic levels to prioritize conservation management. The goal of this study was to investigate the links between grassland management intensity and orthopteran density at the field scale and to upscale this information to the landscape in order to guide management action at landscape scale. More specifically, we investigated the relationships between grassland management intensity, floral indicator species, and orthopteran abundance in grasslands with different land use in the SW Swiss Alps. Field vegetation surveys of indicator plant species were used to generate a management intensity proxy, to which field assessments of orthopterans were related. Orthopteran abundance showed a hump‐shaped response to management intensity, with low values in intensified, nutrient‐rich grasslands and in nutrient‐poor, xeric grasslands, while it peaked in middle‐intensity grasslands. Combined with remote‐sensed data about grassland gross primary productivity, the above proxy was used to build landscape‐wide, spatially explicit projections of the potential distribution of orthopteran‐rich grasslands as possible foraging grounds for insectivorous vertebrates. This spatially explicit multitrophic approach enables the delineation of focal farmland areas in order to prioritize conservation action.

Simplistic understandings of farmer motivations could undermine the environmental potential of the common agricultural policy

The European Union Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has failed to achieve its aim of preserving European farmland biodiversity, despite massive investment in subsidies to incentivise environmentally-beneficial farming practices. This failure calls into question the design of the subsidy schemes, which are intended to either function as a safety net and make farming profitable or compensate farmers for costs and loss of income while undertaking environmental management. In this study, we assess whether the design of environmental payments in the CAP reflects current knowledge about farmers’ decision-making as found in the research literature. We do so on the basis of a comprehensive literature review on farmers’ uptake of agri-environmental management practices over the past 10 years and interviews specifically focused on Ecological Focus Areas with policy-makers, advisors and farmers in seven European countries. We find that economic and structural factors are the most commonly-identified determinants of farmers’ adoption of environmental management practices in the literature and in interviews. However, the literature suggests that these are complemented by – and partially dependent on – a broad range of social, attitudinal and other contextual factors that are not recognised in interview responses or, potentially, in policy design. The relatively simplistic conceptualisation of farmer behaviour that underlies some aspects of policy design may hamper the effectiveness of environmental payments in the CAP by over-emphasising economic considerations, potentially corroding farmer attitudes to policy and environmental objectives. We conclude that an urgent redesign of agricultural subsidies is needed to better align them with the economic, social and environmental factors affecting farmer decision-making in a complex production climate, and therefore to maximise potential environmental benefits.

Linear habitats across a range of farming intensities contribute differently to dipteran abundance and diversity

Abstract While the value of linear farm habitats for the protection and enhancement of farmland biodiversity in general is known, less is understood about their contribution to Diptera, especially those with different ecological requirements. In this study, we examined the impact of a range of linear farm habitats in agricultural grassland on Syrphidae and Sciomyzidae (Diptera) both of which provide important ecosystem services. Species richness and abundance for each family were measured across five different linear habitat types (dense and open hedgerows with/without adjacent watercourses and watercourses only). While dense hedgerows with adjacent watercourses showed the greatest numbers of Syrphidae species and individuals, open hedgerows with adjacent watercourses had significantly more Sciomyzidae species and individuals than dense hedgerows without watercourses or open hedgerows only. Syrphidae species richness was significantly correlated with the flowering plant species richness of linear habitats, while Sciomyzidae species richness was correlated with a habitat quality score for grasslands adjacent to the linear habitats. Overall, Syrphidae and Sciomyzidae species richness and community composition are shown to reflect a farming intensity gradient with significantly greater species richness for both families on extensive farms. Our results suggest that different dipteran taxa which utilise linear habitats may have different requirements. This has implications for future agri‐environmental schemes in the context of how we assess the conservation value of linear habitats on farmlands.

Is biodiversity linked with farm management options in vineyard landscapes? A case study combining ecological indicators within a hybrid modelling framework

Sustainable management of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes is a European Union objective supported on multifunctional agri-environment measures. The effectiveness of specific practices implemented to reverse declines in farmland biodiversity should be monitored using straightforward methodologies and indicators. This work outlines an innovative hybrid framework to predict the response of biodiversity indicators to farm management options. We exemplify the framework application, integrating monitoring, statistics and spatio-temporal modelling procedures with a case study using flying vertebrates’ patterns for indicating biodiversity trends. The indicators considered depict significant divergences within contrasting on-farm implemented environmental management options. In fact, while birds’ abundance was expected to increase within environmentally friendly options, bats passes showed fluctuating patterns. Overall, the framework and indicators selected were considered relevant for biodiversity assessments in vineyard landscapes. This approach also provides a promising baseline to support sustainable management practices and options for other agroecosystems, derived from ecological models with increased predictive power and intuitiveness to decision makers and environmental managers.