Semi-natural Elements Research Articles

PERI-URBAN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, A CATALYST FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE URBAN GROWTH IN IBADAN, NIGERIA

This study examines the role of peri-urban green infrastructure (PUGI), as a catalyst for climate resilience and sustainable urban growth in the Eleyele, Adetokun, Alafara, and Ologuneru areas of Ibadan, Nigeria. Rapid urbanization and population growth have aggravated environmental challenges in the city, including flooding, urban heat islands, and loss of biodiversity. PUGI, defined as the strategically integrated natural and semi-natural elements in the peri-urban interface, offers innovative solutions to these pressing climate change related issues. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, we conducted surveys with local residents to assess their perceptions of climate change impacts through three key indicators: heat waves, rainfall, and flooding. A Likert-scale questionnaire was distributed to capture the respondents' experiences and beliefs regarding these indicators, with scores ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Our findings revealed that the mean scores for heat waves and flooding fell below the neutral point of 3, indicating a lack of clear consensus among respondents regarding their effects. However, the rainfall indicator achieved a mean score closer to 4, suggesting a more pronounced recognition of its impact on the environment and health conditions. Despite this, many respondents expressed uncertainty about the extent to which climate change indicators influenced their daily lives and community well-being. The study highlights the critical need for enhancing green infrastructure in these peri-urban areas, which could mitigate climate change effects by improving air quality, reducing urban heat islands, and managing stormwater. By integrating green spaces into urban planning, stakeholders can foster a more resilient urban ecosystem. Ultimately, the findings underscore the importance of community engagement and education to better understand and address climate challenges, positioning peri-urban green infrastructure as a vital strategy for sustainable development in Ibadan.

Condition of linear landscape elements improves with contiguity to protected habitats: Empirical evidence useful for agroecosystem accounting and restoration

In Mediterranean Europe, both intensification and abandonment of traditional cultural practices represent main drivers for the loss of natural and semi-natural elements in agricultural settings. Once common in rural landscapes, these habitats have to be conserved or restored to ensure resilience and resistance of agroecosystems against biodiversity loss and socio-ecological changes. In particular, linear landscape elements (LE) fall among the high-biodiversity landscape features that require to be increased in agricultural lands to facilitate species mobility and provide a wide range of ecosystem services. However, within the framework of environmental accounting procedures, there is still a need for a thorough methodology to assess conditions of LE and, subsequently, of the hosting agroecosystems. The present research is therefore aimed at (i) proposing a method for a thorough assessment of LE conditions, with a special focus on biodiversity support capacity, (ii) investigating the potential effect of extrinsic determinants on LE conditions, such as contiguity to protected habitats and governance framework, and (iii) identifying useful parameters to guide LE ecological restoration actions. Based on different structural, compositional and landscape indicators, the proposed assessment method was tested in eight administrative units of two Mediterranean Europe countries. In the study sites, favorable LE conditions were found to be strongly associated with contiguity to protected habitats, by showing marked structural continuity, dominance of trees, active dynamics, and good quality of the surrounding landscape mosaic. Potential applications of the results have been finally explored in both ecosystem accounting and ecological restoration processes.

Agricultural land-use and landscape composition: Response of wild bee species in relation to their characteristic traits

In the past centuries, farmland has undergone a fundamental transformation through changed farming practices, such as the use of agrochemicals and advanced machine processing. Particularly since the 1970s, agriculturally driven land-use change has caused destruction of natural and semi-natural habitats, and as a consequence, severe loss of biodiversity. Hence, identifying landscape patterns and habitats that enhance species richness, and detecting species and traits that are most vulnerable to intensive land-use are prerequisites for conservation. To evaluate the effects of agricultural land-use and landscape composition on wild bees, we investigated 340 cross-transects in 34 test areas in the main agricultural regions of Austria within the framework of the biodiversity monitoring program BINATS. Using multivariate models (GLM, DCA), wild bees and potential explanatory parameters (e.g. Shannon landscape diversity index, plant diversity, flower cover) were documented, and their interrelationships analyzed. We found strong negative effects of increased agricultural land cover on species richness, abundance and functional richness. Species richness was positively correlated with an increasing area of semi-natural elements (e.g. extensive grassland, hedgerows, fallows) and the number of different habitat types, while wild bee abundance was best explained by the presence of semi-natural habitats and flower cover. Colletidae were significantly associated with the area of semi-natural elements, and were especially sensitive to agricultural intensification. Many species from communities that are present in complex landscapes disappeared in intensively managed farmland, and the majority of species decreased in response to simplified landscapes. A few species, however, even benefited. Our results emphasize the importance of diverse semi-natural elements and high regional flower cover within farmland for maintaining and enhancing species richness and abundance, and for promoting a positive spillover effect of pollinators to the surrounding agricultural landscape. Especially members of the family Colletidae, with a high proportion of specialized species, will benefit from diverse semi-natural habitat types. Given the unique importance of wild bees as pollinators of wildflowers and crops, it is crucial to improve and expand agri-environmental schemes to combat ongoing biodiversity loss in farmland.

Characteristics of Fragments of Woodland and Their Influence on the Distribution of Soil Fauna in Agricultural Landscape

Fragments of woodland represent important natural and semi-natural elements that contribute to ecological stability and biodiversity in a landscape. In the Czech Republic, they are part of the Territorial System of Ecological Stability (TSES), which consists of bio-centers, bio-corridors, and interaction elements. The presence of fragments of woodland is of growing importance in the agricultural landscape, where they provide effective protection against soil erosion and serve as a refuge for many animals, whose presence is crucial in maintaining essential ecosystem functions. A functioning ecosystem is especially important in intensively farmed landscapes, which are exposed to frequent and heavy disturbance. Our aim was to evaluate the influence of certain habitat characteristics of fragments of woodland on the activity-density and species richness of selected groups of soil invertebrates (ground beetles, spiders, harvestmen, centipedes, millipedes, and isopods). The research was conducted in the agricultural landscape of South Moravia (Czech Republic) in the summers of 2016–2017, for which we used pitfall traps to collect soil invertebrates on preselected fragments of woodland. The results highlight a wide range of habitat preferences of individual groups of invertebrates, wherein it is not possible to clearly determine the most favorable environmental conditions for all organisms. Consequently, the priority should be to maintain the highest possible degree of heterogeneity among natural and semi-natural features, including with respect to their surrounding landscape. In addition, we found that due to their small size and width, fragments of woodland that are not included in the concept of bio-centers and bio-corridors can similarly support the activity-density and diversity of soil fauna.

Wild plants in hedgerows and weeds in crop fields are important floral resources for wild flower-visiting insects, independently of the presence of intercrops

The availability of diverse floral resources is crucial for the maintenance of pollinating insects and the pollination service they provide in agricultural landscapes. Ensuring plant diversity is thus essential for the maintenance and even restoration of pollinator communities. Many studies have highlighted the beneficial effects for pollinating insects of the floral resources provided either by uncultivated plants in agroecological infrastructures such as hedgerows and in crop fields, or by the addition of cultivated flowers through intercropping. However, the role of these different co-occurring vegetation types in providing floral resources to wild flower-visiting insects remains unexplored simultaneously, especially regarding their potential interacting effects. Using a paired design sampling approach, we investigated the contribution of floral resources provided by hedgerows, weeds in crop fields, and legumes intercropped with winter cereals, and their interacting effects, to the abundance of different groups of wild flower-visiting insects, plant-insect interactions and insect preferences. Our results show that the abundance of most groups of floral visitors were enhanced by the cover or species richness of floral resources provided by hedgerows or by weeds in crop fields. Interactions between uncultivated plants and insects were driven by the presence of some particular ‘preferred’ plant species offering either abundant, accessible or high-quality floral resources. By contrast, abundance of floral visitors was not enhanced by the addition of legume flowers through intercropping. The positive effects of flowering wild plants in hedgerows and crop fields remained mostly unchanged in the presence of intercrops, because of the limited contribution of legumes in providing attractive floral resources to floral visitors. Our results highlight the critical role of floral resources provided by weeds in crop fields for diverse flower-visiting insects, in addition to the floral resources provided by hedgerows. We recommend that agri-environment schemes should promote a wide diversity of floral resources at field margins through the retention of existing semi-natural elements or the sowing of wildflower mixtures. More importantly, our study encourages the seeking of alternative forms of weed management, which support a trade-off between the maintenance of pollinating insects and pollination service provision on the one hand, and crop yields and incomes for farmers on the other.

Analysis of green infrastructure and nature-based solutions in Warsaw – selected aspects for planning urban space

Abstract Analysis of urban green infrastructure is used to identify the concepts of its planning, implementation, and management at the level of the whole city as well as its individual parts. Green infrastructure, as a planned network of natural and semi-natural elements in cities, delivers a wide range of ecosystem services and improves urban environmental conditions. Planning the network of green infrastructure becomes a standard part of urban and spatial planning. Implementation strategies of green infrastructure in urban environment include applications of new specific elements and nature-based solutions. Green infrastructure research covers a wide range of topics. Our research focuses on the selected aspects of spatial analysis of green infrastructure in the city of Warsaw: distribution of main public green areas at the urban scale – forests and parks in the urban fabric, the forms of their protection, the use of linear elements of green infrastructure along communication routes, and the implementation of new elements of nature-based solutions in the urban environment – green roofs, green facades, and rain gardens. Based on the analysis of the studied selected aspects, recommendations were formulated for strengthening the interconnectivity of the green infrastructure system at an urban scale and implementation of new green infrastructure elements and in the intensively built-up districts where the number and size of green areas are insufficient.

Organic agriculture and field edges uphold endospheric wheat microbiota at field and landscape scale.

Agricultural intensification has been demonstrated to induce a loss of biodiversity. Despite the key role of symbiotic microorganisms in plant nutrition and protection, the impact of agricultural intensification on these microorganisms is not fully understood. Organic farming and field edges (as semi-natural elements) may promote a higher microbial diversity thanks to lower anthropic disturbance and higher plant diversity. We sampled wheat individuals in pairs of wheat fields (one organic and one conventional) along a distance gradient to the edges (hedgerow vs. grassy), in 20 landscape windows selected along an uncorrelated gradient of organic farming and hedgerow density. We demonstrated that organic farming shaped microbial composition and increased fungal and bacterial richness, while hedgerows had a neutral or negative effect on richness depending on the microbial phyla considered. In contrast to bacteria, fungal communities were heterogeneously distributed within fields, having a higher diversity for some phyla close to field edges. Overall we highlighted that fungi responded more to the field scale while bacteria were more affected by landscape scale. The effect of agricultural intensification on plant microbiota and therefore on the functions provided by microorganisms to the plants has to be considered at a multiple spatial scale-from field to landscape.

Expansion of olive orchards and their impact on the cultivation and landscape through a case study in the countryside of Cordoba (Spain)

The sustainability of farming systems has been enhanced by legislation on different scales, but at the same time these policies also promote more productive systems through farming intensification (e.g., use of irrigation or high tree densities). This is the case of olive orchard expansion on cereal cropland in recent decades. This study analyses the impact of this expansion on orchard characteristics and landscape elements in a case study in the ’campiña‘ of Cordoba in Southern Spain based on the evolution of their surface and typologies during the period from 2005 to 2018. Our results show that olive orchards doubled their surface after the 13-year period, from 7997.8 to 16,447.6 ha. On average the new orchards tended to have higher plant density and a more frequent use of irrigation in the study period. Despite this trend towards intensification, the current situation shows a majority of rainfed (76.4%) and medium tree densities, 120–200 trees/ha, (42.7%) of the area. Nevertheless, newly intensified orchards are arising in the region, resulting in a mosaic of orchards of different characteristics (slope, tree density, soil type) and agricultural managements (irrigation, ground cover vegetation).In addition, this characterization was complemented with an inventory of the existing semi-natural elements associated with these orchards to identify the current state of the regional agricultural landscape. A total number of 507 isolated trees and different linear and polygonal landscape elements (343.9 km and 714.0 ha, respectively), mainly segmented, were inventoried. From these polygonal landscape elements, a significant fraction (e.g., slopes, gullies, water banks and non-productive strips/faces) remains unvegetated (57%). Therefore, these elements must be considered in multiscale agricultural policies as potential restoration areas to enhance ecosystem service provisioning.

Perception of the Vegetation Cover Pattern Promoting Biodiversity in Urban Parks by Future Greenery Managers

Urban greening should consider solutions that meet the needs of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, such as enhancing biodiversity. Urban parks can realize these needs. They often have a large area for designing greenery compositions with elements at the population, biocenosis, and landscape biodiversity levels. The research was carried out on plant diversity in parks with different gardening styles. The results were published. The analyses have shown which elements of greenery composition play the role in the conservation of plant biodiversity and which gardening practices they depend on. These results were used to develop a vegetation cover pattern to be applied by the managers of park greenery. The concept of this pattern has been characterized in detail. Its main principle is the coexistence of spontaneously occurring vascular flora and its patches with complexes of ornamental plants. The structure of the pattern is to be controlled by gardening practices varied in terms of the method and intensity of maintenance. A relatively high level of biodiversity should be provided by autogenous (tall tree-cluster, thicket, tall herb fringe community) and anthropogenic seminatural (flower meadow) elements. It was assumed that the applicability of the proposed pattern may depend on its perception by both green infrastructure managers and park users. To investigate this, a questionnaire study was conducted. The respondents were university students, i.e., future managers of greenery. They were also users of parks. The aims of this questionnaire were to investigate: (1) perception of greenery composition in relation to utility functions of urban parks; (2) perception of the proposed vegetation cover pattern; (3) perception of gardening practices to maintain the proposed vegetation cover pattern; and (4) applicability prognosis of the proposed vegetation cover pattern based on the results of research on perception. Most of the respondents accepted the proposed pattern and the gardening measures needed to maintain it. This was concluded as a chance to implement the pattern in parks, and at the same time to meet the needs of the EU Strategy 2030.

Markov random field models for vector-based representations of landscapes

In agricultural landscapes the spatial distribution of cultivated and seminatural elements strongly impacts habitat connectivity and species dynamics. To allow for landscape structural analysis and scenario generation, we here develop statistical tools for real landscapes composed of geometric elements, including 2D patches but also 1D linear elements (e.g., hedges). Utilizing the framework of discrete Markov random fields, we design generative stochastic models that combine a multiplex network representation, based on spatial adjacency, with Gibbs energy terms to capture the distribution of landscape descriptors for land-use categories. We implement simulation of agricultural scenarios with parameter-controlled spatial and temporal patterns (e.g., geometry, connectivity, crop rotation), and we demonstrate through simulation that pseudo-likelihood estimation of parameters works well. To study statistical relevance of model components in real landscapes, we discuss model selection and validation, including cross-validated prediction scores. Model validation with a view toward ecologically relevant landscape summaries is achieved by comparing observed and simulated summaries (network metrics but also metrics and appropriately defined variograms using a raster discretization). Models fitted to subregions of the Lower Durance Valley (France) indicate strong deviation from random allocation and realistically capture landscape patterns. In summary, our approach improves the understanding of agroecosystems and enables simulation-based theoretical analysis of how landscape patterns shape biological and ecological processes.

Physical environmental factors influencing older adults’ park use: A qualitative study

Use of parks is important for the healthy ageing of older adults as it is associated with substantial physical, mental and social health benefits. However, parks are generally underused by older adults, and we know little about which physical environmental factors influence their use of parks. This study uses interviews to qualitatively explore the physical environmental factors of parks that influence older adults’ use of parks. Purposeful convenience sampling was used to recruit 20 older adults (aged 60 years and over) in Belfast, UK. 15 participated in walking interviews with a Go Pro camera mounted on their chest to record both visual and audio data, and the remaining participants were interviewed at their home with audio recorded only. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using an inductive thematic approach. Eight themes emerged as being important: park accessibility, natural elements, park amenities, sports facilities, maintenance and aesthetics, walking and cycling facilities, safety and slope. Policy wise, it is important to keep parks well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing with a variety of natural or semi-natural elements, such as landscaping, wooded areas. In addition, the presence of certain park amenities (i.e. toilets and benches) and sports facilities (i.e. children playgrounds) were found to play a critical role in supporting and encouraging older adults’ use of parks. Finally, the importance of providing good accessibility to different types of parks (i.e. neighbourhood parks and forest parks) across cities and towns was also highlighted, and the design guidelines for them should be developed contextually. It is vital that physical environmental features of parks are designed to maximize the physical and social health benefits for older adults with varied needs and functional ability for the purpose of promoting health and wellbeing.

Effects of natural and seminatural elements on the composition and dispersion of carabid beetles inhabiting an agroecosystem in Northern Italy.

The natural and seminatural components of agricultural landscapes play a key role in maintaining a high level of biodiversity. Being the Po Valley one of the most human‐dominated and intensively cultivated landscapes in Europe, we investigated the effect of no‐crop habitats on carabid richness and composition and evaluated the role of tree row as corridor for forest carabid dispersion. Carabids were sampled with 70 pitfall traps arranged in 35 sampling plots along three parallel transects (80, 100, and 140 m long) and encompassing five different habitats: tree row, tree row edge, grassland, forest edge, and forest. We found 5,615 individuals belonging to 55 species. Despite the similarity in species richness, all the habitats investigated showed a peculiar and distinct species assemblage. The main distinction was between the "open habitat" cluster composed of grassland and tree row edge and the “forest" cluster composed of forest, tree row, and forest edge. We found that forest species are able to penetrate the grassland matrix up to 30 m from the forest edge and that a distance of no more than 60 m between tree row and forest can allow the passage of up to 50% of the forest species. Beyond this distance, the grassland matrix becomes a barrier, preventing them from reaching other suitable habitats. Our findings confirm the importance of maintaining different types of natural habitats to significantly increase biodiversity in an intensively cultivated agroecosystem and demonstrated the role of linear elements as a corridor and “stepping stones” for many forest species.

Monitoring and evaluating the contribution of the rural development program to high nature value farmland dominated by traditional mosaic landscape in Slovakia

This paper focuses on designing an approach to monitor the effects of the Rural Development Program (RDP) on High Nature Value Farmland type 2 – farmland dominated by traditional mosaics of cultivated land and small-scale features (HNV2) – and its application to farmland in Slovakia. Based on the identification of HNV2 on the national level and selection of monitoring sites, we carried out monitoring for two periods: 1st monitoring of RDP 2007–2013 and 2nd monitoring of RDP 2014–2020. We developed a set of indicators for monitoring of HNV2, which were mapped in the field: management intensity, categories of land cover and type of management, share of semi-natural elements, management activities. The most significant changes were observed in the proportion of semi-natural vegetation and management intensity. We defined five categories of changes in management intensity: either positive – 1) improved, or 2) persistent regular management – or negative – 3) continued abandonment, 4) decrease in management intensity, or 5) intensification causing decrease of landscape diversity. The evaluation of land cover changes on the basis of landscape indices shows higher landscape diversity on sites without subsidies. This shows that subsidies are linked to farmland with less diverse landscape structure. Statistical analyses showed semi-natural vegetation to be dominant on both subsidised and unsubsidised sites. The total area of HNV2, which is one of the basic indicators evaluated under the RDP, is decreasing: partly due to updates and refinements of the Land Parcel Identification System (LPIS), and exclusion of HNV2 sites from LPIS due to a presence of woody elements, but also partly due to abandonment. The results of our study showed a slightly positive contribution of RDP to maintenance and sustainable management of HNV2.

Landscape context but not management strategies affects the diversity of native and exotic semi-natural vegetation in Mediterranean agroecosystems of Central Chile

Current knowledge on the effects of farming type and landscape heterogeneity on plant diversity is biased towards temperate ecosystems in Europe and North America, while there is a paucity of information for the Mediterranean agroecosystems. In particular, the Mediterranean region of Central Chile concentrates most of the country's population and have experienced the greatest agricultural changes leading to the replacement of native vegetation remnants by monocultures and livestock ranching. This study aims to analyse the effects of farming type (organic versus conventional) and landscape heterogeneity (composition and configuration), in addition with local habitat type, on semi-natural vegetation. We addressed these effects considering both native and exotic herbs at 14 fruit farms and landscape metrics at three spatial scales (0.5, 1 and 2 km). In total, we recorded 32 native and 103 exotic plant taxa. Farming type and local habitat type did not influence the diversity of native and exotic herbs. We showed that increasing landscape compositional heterogeneity (i.e. percentage of grasslands, of woody elements) increased alpha and beta diversity of native herbs at the scale of 0.5 km and 2 km. Gamma diversity of native plants responded negatively to decreasing landscape configurational heterogeneity (i.e. largest patch index) at the scale of 0.5 km. Exotic specis did not respond to landscape context. Our findings suggest that semi-natural elements in the surrounding landscape of fruit farms particularly benefited native plant species. Therefore, agri-environment schemes designed to preserve native biodiversity in Mediterranean agroecosystems must promote landscape heterogeneity through the conservation of semi-natural elements at multiple spatial scales.

The ValPar.CH project – Assessing the added value of ecological infrastructure in Swiss Parks

Ecological infrastructure (EI), which is a planned network of high-quality natural and semi-natural elements designed and managed to provide ecosystem services, has the potential to ensure rich and resilient biodiversity. Within the Action Plan for the Swiss Biodiversity Strategy of the Swiss Confederation, the pilot project known as “ValPar.CH – Values of the ecological infrastructure in Swiss parks” aims to analyse the values and benefits of EI at two levels: across Switzerland, and in four parks of national importance (Jurapark Aargau, and Gruyère Pays-d’Enhaut, Pfyn-Finges and Beverin nature parks). The aim is to contribute to reducing biodiversity erosion as currently observed. This objective is met by developing outputs for different stakeholders (scientific papers, recommendations, data, policy tools).

The ValPar.CH project – Assessing the added value of ecological infrastructure in Swiss Parks

Ecological infrastructure (EI), which is a planned network of high-quality natural and semi-natural elements designed and managed to provide ecosystem services, has the potential to ensure rich and resilient biodiversity. Within the Action Plan for the Swiss Biodiversity Strategy of the Swiss Confederation, the pilot project known as “ValPar.CH – Values of the ecological infrastructure in Swiss parks” aims to analyse the values and benefits of EI at two levels: across Switzerland, and in four parks of national importance (Jurapark Aargau, and Gruyère Pays-d’Enhaut, Pfyn-Finges and Beverin nature parks). The aim is to contribute to reducing biodiversity erosion as currently observed. This objective is met by developing outputs for different stakeholders (scientific papers, recommendations, data, policy tools).

The role of traditional agricultural landscape structures in changes to green infrastructure connectivity

A reduction and disappearance of traditional agricultural landscape structures (TALSs) has been taking place throughout Europe. TALSs are a mixture of small arable fields with trees, vineyards with and without trees, orchards and field margins, and represent an important component of green infrastructure (GI). This is true especially in intensively used landscapes where GI elements in a true sense (natural or semi-natural elements) are quite rare. Changes of GI and its connectivity in four periods between 1826 and 2017 were studied in the agricultural landscape of South Moravian region, the Czech Republic. Changes of GI were expressed as transitions to different land use categories, with changes of GI connectivity expressed by morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) and equivalent connected area (ECA). Our results showed that the GI was the best connected in the mid-19th century through large core areas of grasslands, forests and water bodies. GI was significantly reduced and its connectivity lowered already in the first half of the 20th century during the first wave of agricultural intensification. During this time, grassland was turned to arable fields and water bodies and wetlands were dried out. The reduction of GI continued during the socialist period (1948–1990), leading to further decreases in connectivity and an overall homogenization of the landscape. During this period and continuing until the present, TALSs and especially small vineyards, started to play a significant role in GI connectivity. Nowadays, GI connectivity has started to again increase also through the introduction of new types of GI. These are bio-centres and bio-corridors (patches of woods that are newly planted in order to create an ecological network) and elements connected with agri-environmental schemes (e.g. erosion control grassed belts).

Establishing the ecological planning principles from empirical studies in agricultural environments of Taiwan

Studies have suggested that the heterogeneity and arrangement of landscape structures are influential to the faunal biodiversity of environments. How does the landscape structure in agricultural landscape arrangements improve the functions of the natural ecosystem? Previous research has uncovered a great amount of information on the relationships between landscape structure and wildlife; however, for landscape designers and planners, such information is site-specific and has limited utilization. Hence, this study aimed to organize and categorize the relationships between environments and biodiversity and transfer this information into design principles in agricultural landscapes. This study attempted to integrate aspects of previous research into a systematic framework. The current study searched literature between 2007 and 2016 from the following journals: Landscape Ecology, Landscape and Urban Planning, and Journal of Applied Ecology. In all, this study collected 58 empirical studies of agricultural environments similar to that of Taiwan and revealed the valuable relationship between wildlife and agricultural environments. The outcomes reviewed from the literature were categorized by semi-natural elements and divided into six sub-categories: forests, hedgerows, grasslands, flowers, water, and heterogeneity of the natural landscape. The landscape attributes that were frequently discussed included patch number, patch area, connectivity, species richness, edge area, distance from semi-natural elements, and complexity. The landscape attributes formed by these elements were organized into a table as a checklist for designers’ convenience. The checklist will help landscape planners and designers to create agricultural landscapes with integral ecosystems.

Diverging Effects of Landscape Factors and Inter-Row Management on the Abundance of Beneficial and Herbivorous Arthropods in Andalusian Vineyards (Spain).

Land use at landscape and field scales can increase the diversity and abundance of natural enemies for pest control. In this study, we investigated interactions between landscape elements (semi-natural vegetation, olive orchards, vineyards, other agricultural areas) and inter-row management (vegetation cover vs. bare soil) in relation to arthropod populations in Andalusian vineyards. Arthropods were collected from grapevine foliage in 15 vineyards using suction sampling. Landscape structure was analyzed within a 750 m radius surrounding the studied vineyards. Arthropods were categorized into functional groups (predators, parasitoids, herbivores), and their responses to the most influencing factors were analyzed by likelihood methods and model selection. Of the total of 650 arthropods collected, 48% were predators, 33% herbivores and 19% parasitoids. Numbers of predatory aeolothrips, parasitoids and herbivorous cicadas in the study vineyards decreased with an increased proportion of vineyards in the surroundings. Spider populations in vineyards increased with increasing proportions of other agricultural fields (non-flowering crops) in the surroundings. Semi-natural elements and olive orchards had no influence on the abundance of collected arthropods. We observed synergistic effects between landscape elements and inter-row management. The total numbers of arthropods, herbivores and parasitoids in vineyards benefitted from inter-row vegetation, while spiders benefitted from bare soil. Our findings underline the importance of both surrounding landscape elements and vineyard ground cover management to promote beneficial arthropods for potential natural pest control.

Breeding prerequisites for Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana in Swedish farmland with special focus on foraging

Ortolan Buntings Emberiza hortulana are rapidly decreasing in Sweden. Changes in agricultural practices are the main reason. Landscape simplification due to the removal of semi-natural elements leads to a lack of breeding habitats. Furthermore, due to intensive artificial fertiliser applications and advanced agricultural equipment and technology, crops grow both taller and denser than 50 years ago. In Kvismaren, south central Sweden, Ortolan Buntings have been studied since 2009. Here, we focus on one question: what defines a good foraging microhabitat? In 2017, nesting areas for five females and four males were identified and we did 271 feeding observations. Average foraging distance at different nests varied between 47 and 114 meters. About 70% of the foraging activities took place within crop fields. Ortolans utilized mainly unsown rows, later to be used by tractors for spraying etc. and patchy parts of standing crops. Invertebrates extracted from those areas looked dark, suggestive of ground-dwelling species. Our key management recommendation to create better microhabitats for feeding can be easily achieved by most farmers: to leave two unsown sowing rows (amounting to 0.38 m in width) for each tractor wheel to follow.