Semi-natural Habitats Research Articles

Effects of arsenic and selenium pollution on wild bee communities in the agricultural landscapes

Wild bees play crucial roles in pollinating numerous crops and fruits worldwide. However, these essential insect pollinators are threatened with decline due to a variety of stressors. Among stressors, relatively little work has been done on metalloid pollution. Laboratory experiments have shown that arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) can negatively impact on bees, it is unknown if these effects translate in real-world environments. To address this knowledge gap, wild bee communities were sampled from 18 smallholder farmlands in Kaihua County in Quzhou, Southeast China and As and Se concentrations in three bee species were measured (Xylocopa tranquebarorum, Eucera floralia, and Apis cerana). Analyses revealed that the large carpenter bee, X. tranquebarorum, exhibited significantly lower As and Se concentrations than the other two wild bee species. No significant correlations were found between As and Se concentrations in all three wild bee species. Interestingly, the proportion of semi-natural habitat was found to be significantly related to reduced Se concentration in wild bee bodies, though no such effect was observed for As. As pollution negatively impacted bee diversity but not abundance, whereas Se significantly impacted neither bee diversity nor abundance. Furthermore, both As and Se pollution had no significant effect on the abundance of small-bodied wild bees. Given the essential role of wild bees for pollination services, monitoring of As and Se pollution in wild bee bodies and their food resources (pollen and nectar) is recommended across agricultural and other potentially impacted systems.

Soil community composition in dynamic stages of semi-natural calcareous grassland.

European dry thin-soil calcareous grasslands (alvars) are species-rich semi-natural habitats. Cessation of traditional management, such as mowing and grazing, leads to shrub and tree encroachment and the local extinction of characteristic alvar species. While soil microbes are known to play a critical role in driving vegetation and ecosystem dynamics, more information is needed about their composition and function in grasslands of different dynamic stages. Here we assess the composition of soil fungal, prokaryotic, and plant communities using soil environmental DNA from restored alvar grasslands in Estonia. The study areas included grasslands that had experienced different degrees of woody encroachment prior to restoration (woody plant removal and grazing), as well as unmanaged open grasslands. We found that, in general, different taxonomic groups exhibited correlated patterns of between-community variation. Previous forest sites, which had prior to restoration experienced a high degree of woody encroachment by ectomycorrhizal Scots pine, were compositionally most distinct from managed open grasslands, which had little woody vegetation even prior to restoration. The functional structure of plant and fungal communities varied in ways that were consistent with the representation of mycorrhizal types in the ecosystems prior to restoration. Compositional differences between managed and unmanaged open grasslands reflecting the implementation of grazing without further management interventions were clearer among fungal, and to an extent prokaryotic, communities than among plant communities. While previous studies have shown that during woody encroachment of alvar grassland, plant communities change first and fungal communities follow, our DNA-based results suggest that microbial communities reacted faster than plant communities during the restoration of grazing management in alvar grassland. We conclude that while the plant community responds faster to cessation of management, the fungal community responds faster to restoration of management. This may indicate hysteresis, where the eventual pathway back to the original state (grazed ecosystem) differs from the pathway taken towards the alternative state (abandoned semi-natural grassland ecosystem).

Major field margin vegetation types in France and their relationships with climate, agricultural landscapes and management intensity

ABSTRACT Arable field margins are an important semi-natural habitat providing multiple functions in agroecosystems. Despite three decades of research, analyses of species assemblage and functional traits are lacking. Leveraging a national monitoring network in metropolitan France, we aim to provide a comprehensive taxonomic and functional synthesis of field margin flora, outline main field margin types and explore their associations with management practices, climate, and agricultural landscapes. We analysed data from 532 field margins surveyed between 2013 and 2017, using both uni- and multivariate analyses. Field margins exhibited great diversity with 711 distinct taxa (12% of all flora in mainland France) at the national scale and an average of 16 species per 10 m2 locally. While field margins contained few species of conservation value, they offered a refuge for many declining species as well as rare arable weed species. We identified seven main field margin types, each linked to distinct conditions of climate, soil, landscape and agricultural practices. Mediterranean field margins notably differed from all others. In the main cluster, vineyard margins also stood out as distinct from annual crop margins. Additionally, field margins in landscapes with a high proportion of grassland differed from those within intensively cultivated field crop plains in conventional agriculture. Overall, our study highlights the high botanical diversity of field margins and their interest for plant conservation in agricultural landscapes. Promoting the installation and/or maintenance of field margins through agri-environmental schemes should thus favour biodiversity conservation and associated ecosystem provision.

As green infrastructure, linear semi-natural habitats boost regulating ecosystem services supply in agriculturally-dominated landscapes

Semi-natural linear landscape elements, such as hedgerows, are vital structures within agricultural landscapes that have an impact on ecosystem processes and support biodiversity. However, they are typically omitted from green infrastructure planning, which could lead to significant undervaluing of landscapes and their multifunctionality in terms of ecosystem service supply. Using the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs) model suite, we tested the effects of additionally including semi-natural linear landscape elements on the model outcomes for crop pollination, nutrient regulation, erosion regulation and water flow regulation ecosystem services supply. The results showed that linear semi-natural landscape elements contribute positively to the landscape’s multifunctionality. Small changes have been identified for water flow regulation, whereas, considering both spatial extent and magnitude of the changes, the greatest changes have been found with respect to the supply of pollination and nutrient regulation. Direct proximity of the linear elements had the greatest effect on ecosystem service supply, in particular with regard to pollination. Based on our results, a more pronounced consideration of semi-natural linear landscape elements as an important element of green infrastructure is advisable.

The ecological footprint of outdoor activities: Factors affecting human-vectored seed dispersal on clothing

In the Anthropocene, humans are among the most abundant long-distance seed dispersal vectors globally, due to our increasing mobility and the growing global population. However, there are several knowledge gaps related to the process of human-vectored dispersal (HVD) on clothing. In a multi-site field experiment covering various habitat types in three countries of Central-Europe, we involved 88 volunteer participants and collected 251 HVD samples and 2008 subsamples from their socks and shoes. We analysed the number of diaspores and species in the samples. Specifically, we studied the effects of site characteristics (variables related to habitat types and season), vector characteristics (activity type, gender, clothing type, shoe type) and plant characteristics (species pool of the visited habitats and plant traits) on the number of diaspores and array of species dispersed. We assessed the habits of people that could be relevant for HVD with a questionnaire survey. A total of 35,935 diaspores of 229 plant taxa were identified from the samples, which indicates a huge potential of HVD in dispersing diaspores across habitats and regions. Most diaspores were recorded in grassland habitats, and more diaspores were dispersed during fieldwork than excursions. Clothing type also played a decisive role: there were more diaspores and species when wearing short-top shoes and short trousers than long ones. Even though our study was carried out mainly in natural or semi-natural habitats, a large number of dispersed species were disturbance-tolerants and weeds and only a few were specialists, suggesting the controversial role of HVD in conservation. At the individual level, people can reduce the number of diaspores through their clothing choices and diaspore removal habits, while providing adequate equipment for staff, operating cleaning stations, and increasing awareness of employees are main ways in which unintended diaspore dispersal can be tackled at the institutional level.

Habitat and other environmental correlates of the decline of breeding Whinchats Saxicola rubetra in the UK since the mid-1990s

ABSTRACT Capsule Declines in Whinchat Saxicola rubetra breeding abundance in the UK vary with habitat and other environmental conditions. Aims To test for associations between changes in Whinchat abundance between 1994 and 2018 and measures of habitat and environmental conditions on UK breeding sites. Methods Whinchat counts collected through a national monitoring scheme were tested at coarse 1 km2 square and finer 200 m transect scales against habitat data collected in 2017/2018, plus remotely sensed data to test for long-term change. Results At the 1 km2 square scale, mean change in Whinchat abundance was more negative where woodland occurred more frequently, and at more northerly latitudes. Rates of decline were lower where there was greater cover of Purple Moor-grass Molinia caerulea and non-bracken vegetation height was taller. At the finer 200 m transect scale, more closely resembling Whinchat territory size, rates of decline were greatest in areas dominated by human sites, woodland, and enclosed farmland, compared to unenclosed open semi-natural habitats; however, within the latter category, declines were lower in grass-dominated relative to heather-dominated habitats. Rates of decline were also lower closer to valley bottoms, with greater Bracken Pteridium aquilinum cover and at mid-elevations (300 m), and greatest where there was greater cover of bare ground and trees, and moderate cover of grasses (excluding Molinia and Lolium spp.). The strength of the finer-scale associations varied between dominant habitat types. Whinchat abundance was lower where a remotely sensed index of vegetation productivity (normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI]) was higher, and abundance change more negative where temporal increases in NDVI were greater. Conclusion Unenclosed semi-natural grassland showed the lowest rate of decline and offers the best opportunities to conserve Whinchats. Woodland expansion is likely to have a detrimental impact on breeding Whinchats. Future research should investigate how important habitat and environmental correlates influence key demographic rates affecting recruitment.

Spatio-temporal complementarity of floral resources sustains wild bee pollinators in agricultural landscapes

Targeted conservation and promotion of wild bees in agroecosystems requires understanding of relationships between different groups of bees and available floral resources across land-use types during the season and at the landscape scale. Here, we quantified floral resource amount and diversity across habitat types at different times during the season at the scale of entire landscapes (500 m radius) across 20 different agricultural landscapes. Moreover, we examined whether floral resource metrics obtained from these high-resolution floral resource maps are more suitable to assess and predict abundance and species richness of different bee pollinator groups, including rare species and important crop pollinators, sampled in these agricultural landscapes compared to traditional land-cover metrics. Floral resource availability shifted from flower-rich woody vegetation early in the season to herbaceous vegetation such as grasslands and crops later in the season, which was associated with a ten-fold decline in overall floral resource availability. Forest edges had highest per-area floral contributions in spring, whereas floral diversity of grasslands, in particular if extensively managed, was continuously high. Total wild bee species richness, as well as rare species richness and abundance of important crop pollinators, increased with floral resource availability and/or diversity contributed by forest edges and floral diversity of permanent grasslands. Rare bee richness was also positively related to floral resource amount provided by crops. Total bee richness and important crop pollinator abundance, but not rare bee richness, were positively related to overall floral resource amount, but not floral diversity, in the landscape. Floral resource maps based on floral resource supply by major habitat types early or late in the season predicted wild bee species richness (R2 =0.61) better than traditional descriptors of landscape composition such as proportion of semi-natural habitat. The pronounced temporal shifts in floral resource availability for pollinators from woody towards herbaceous vegetation during the season highlights the importance of taking a landscape-scale perspective on pollinator conservation. Our findings indicate that both rare bees and important crop pollinators benefit from complementary floral resources of forest edges and grasslands in agroecosystems. This reveals a potential synergy between the conservation of endangered species and the landscape scale management to promote pollination services. Our study also highlights that floral resource maps are useful tools in supporting more targeted pollinator conservation and pollination service management at the landscape level.

Land use change rather than surrounding vegetation affects fungal endophyte assemblages in the African wild olive

ContextLand use change can significantly affect plant-fungal interactions.ObjectivesWe assessed how fungal endophytes within African wild olive (Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata) twigs are influenced by different levels of land use change and differences in surrounding vegetation types.MethodsTwigs were sampled in the Western Cape Province (South Africa) and their fungal endophyte assemblages were characterised using culture-independent DNA metabarcoding. We assessed the effects of land use change (natural, semi-natural and planted (completely transformed)) and differences in surrounding vegetation types (grasses/low-growing plants versus shrubs/trees versus other olives) using fungal endophyte alpha and beta diversity measures. Co-occurrence networks were constructed to assess assemblage connectivity under different scenarios and to identify OTUs of potential ecological significance.ResultsOTU richness, but not abundance, was significantly influenced by both land use change and differences in the surrounding vegetation types. Planted African olives and those surrounded by heterospecific trees harboured the highest OTU richness. Only levels of land use change significantly influenced fungal endophyte assemblage composition. Specifically, fungal assemblages from natural habitats were distinct from those in planted and semi-natural habitats, which were similar to each other. Co-occurrence network analyses revealed that cohesive and species rich networks could only be maintained within the natural habitats.ConclusionThese findings suggest that although the African olive is widespread, the identity and composition of their associated fungal assemblages are particularly sensitive to land use change. This study highlights the importance of conserving natural habitats, not just for the plants, but also for the maintenance of their associated fungal endophytes.

Assessment of the viable effects of structural reconstruction of habitats in a mountain stream: A long-term study

The Carpathians are biodiversity hotspots in Europe. However, transformations resulting from human activity have affected stream catchments where forest management is carried out. Numerous anti-rubble weirs and other low-head barriers disrupt the continuity of many streams. New requirements for human interference in stream channels were formulated. Measures are urgently needed to restore the ecological continuity and mosaicism of semi-natural habitats in mountain streams. Recently, small streams have been restored in mountainous areas. To assess the viable effects of stream restoration, analyses of in-stream habitats and fish communities, which are excellent bioindicators, were performed. This study aimed to assess the effects of structural reconstruction of habitats in a mountain stream (Eastern Carpathians, Poland). The analyses were based on a long-term assessment of fish responses to barrier removal and habitat changes following stream restoration measures. The research was conducted from 2009 to 2022. Our study indicates numerous positive and viable effects of using boulder ramps as technical solutions for restoring small mountain streams. Restored ecological continuity and in-stream habitats provide fish with adequate feeding grounds, spawning grounds, and fry-growth places. On the other hand, we indicated that the assessment of the effects of mountain stream restoration should be carried out over a long-term period, in three stages after the completion of work: early, medium, and late. This may allow for the most reliable assessment of the effects of restoration measures and the early detection of the need for corrections. It is also necessary to monitor possible changes that may occur in new hydrotechnical objects, such as boulder ramps, due to natural hydro-morphodynamic processes in the stream bed.

Land-use pattern and landscape structure impact butterfly diversity and abundance in organic agroecosystems

ContextAgricultural intensification and land-use patterns impact biodiversity and reduce ecosystem functions. Organic farming is often seen as a more biodiversity friendly way of farming. However, not all organic farming is equally supportive for biodiversity, structural diversity of the farms has a great impact and the often high intertwinement of organic and conventional farmland causes spill-over problems.ObjectiveOn organic farmland in central Italy, we analysed butterfly diversity and community structures in different land-use categories across a heterogeneous landscape. We aim to analyse the impact of the different land-use structures such as hedges and forest edges on this farmland, as well as the influence of adjoining conventionally farmed areas.MethodsWe studied butterflies on organic farmland including olive and hazelnut plantations, as well as meadows and fallow land, surrounded by hedges and forests. Hereby we considered the effects of land-use on the studied site and the adjoining land, e.g., semi-natural habitats (as hedges or forest edges), organic or conventional farmland. We counted butterflies along line transects and recorded habitat parameters for each transect. All encountered butterflies were classified according their ecological demands, behaviour, and life-history.ResultsWe found highest mean butterfly species richness in fallow land and lowest in hazelnut plantations. Species community structures differed hardly between plantations and meadows, but considerably compared to fallow land. Butterfly abundances are reduced for olive plantations adjacent to agricultural fields treated with pesticides, compared to such surrounded by organic fields. Habitat para-meters such as the number of flowering plant species and shade impact butterfly diversity and abundance. Forest edges producing considerable shadow to the transects had a significantly negative effect on diversity and abundance, while the influence of hedges was positive.ConclusionsBased on our findings, we conclude that also organic farmland has different degrees of biodiversity depending on a variety of land-use pattern. In particular, habitat heterogeneity and a high diversity of flowers positively influence butterfly diversity. The intensive mixing of organic and conventional agriculture must be seen critical for conservation as negative effects might spill over to organic fields, but might be compensable by landscape structures like hedges.

Ecovoltaics - A Truly Ecological and Green Source of Renewable Goods

Abstract The intensive exploitation of natural resources, expansion of human population and degradation of natural and semi-natural habitats, caused among others by agriculture, forestry and urbanisation, enforce special care for the natural resources, especially the disappearing types of vegetation that are refugees of biodiversity. One of the most threatened plant communities are grasslands (pastures and meadows), which has suffered the most in recent decades due to the intensification of agriculture and the transformation of land use. The purpose of this paper is to propose a hybrid approach to clean energy production on photovoltaic (PV) farms, taking into account the needs of grassland conservation and restoration. Nine sets of sciophilous species are proposed, including grasslands rich of pollinator benefits, grasslands with low pollen production to maintain high electrical efficiency of panels, and rich, standard meadows in wet (Molinion, Calthion, Alopecurion, Cnidion), fresh (Arrhenatherion) and dry (Cirsio-Brachypodion) types. The combination of clean energy and grassland conservation has been called ecovoltaics (EV) because it combines the production of renewable electricity with care for the diversity of valuable grassland ecosystems. The research will continue on an experimental ecovoltaic farm with innovative technical solutions to effectively maintain the desired meadow species composition. The purpose of this study was to analyse and select plant species that could be introduced into areas where PV cells are installed under climatic conditions in southern Poland. Using databases, environmental and ecological factors were taken into account. As a result of the study, a list of 206 species was selected that could be introduced to areas where they will coexist with PV panels, taking into account the effect of shading. The developed selection of these plant species provides a starting point for future work by botanists and engineers seeking to increase the biodiversity of sites where PV panels will be placed.

Increase in breeding bird abundance and diversity with semi-natural habitat in vineyard landscapes.

Agricultural expansion and intensification are major threats to biodiversity, and even some once common farmland bird species are now endangered. Wine-growing landscapes are intensively managed but can still be an attractive habitat for a wide range of species. However, only few bird species breed within vineyards and thus, semi-natural habitat types like hedges, woodland patches and grasslands are crucial for bird populations. We investigated how birds breeding in wine-growing areas are influenced by the surrounding landscape at three spatial scales: territories, sampling transects and landscapes. In the German wine growing region Palatinate, sixteen landscapes with a radius of 500 m were chosen spanning a gradient in the cover of semi-natural habitat. Bird territories were mapped along three transects of 500 m length in each landscape. We found 300 territories of 33 bird species. Positive effects of semi-natural habitat cover on birds were strongest at the transect scale, with almost proportional increase of species and territory numbers with the cover of semi-natural habitat. Most bird species selected territories that contained more semi-natural habitat than the landscape-wide average of 13.5%, but e.g. woodlark and linnet showed an opposite preference. In addition, the birds' community composition was influenced by the composition of the surrounding landscape. Most species were associated with semi-natural habitat types or built-up areas while vineyards had hardly any species associated with them. Our results suggest that in wine-growing landscapes, the decline in farmland birds can be reversed by the re-establishment of hedges, trees, woodland patches, traditional orchards and grassland areas. However, as preferences at the territory scale were species-specific, there is no uniform best solution for bird conservation in viticultural landscapes. Thus, landscape development should always be accompanied by experts that take the demands of existing and potential breeding birds into account.

Aggregation of organically managed fields promotes aphid parasitism in cereal crops under Mediterranean conditions

ContextMaintaining a balance between semi-natural habitats and arable land is not always feasible for farmers. The promotion of biological control agents can be addressed through management at farm or field level, and/or by deploying lower intensity, biodiversity-friendly practices which can act either directly or indirectly through their effect of the plant community.ObjectivesWe studied the effects on cereal aphids and their parasitoids of agricultural management at field and landscape levels. We tested the effect of organic and conventional farming, and of the within field characteristics, on the cereal aphid-parasitoid community, across a gradient of organic farming aggregation and of percentage of arable land.MethodsIn spring 2015, we sampled aphid populations in 30 cereal fields in five agricultural areas in Catalonia (Spain) with contrasting levels of organic farming aggregation. In each field, we also assessed weed and crop cover. As landscape variables, we calculated the Percentage of Agricultural Land (PAL) and the Percentage of Organically Managed Land (POML) in a 500-m buffer around each field. We sampled cereal tillers 3 m from the field edges and collected all aphids detected. In addition, we reared mummies (parasitized aphids) until they hatched.ResultsOur results show that management at landscape level has significant effects on parasitism rates: a higher proportion of surrounding fields under organic management increased the amount of parasitism, as did less agricultural land cover. On the other hand, aphid populations were mainly affected by two in-field factors, namely, crop density and crop variety. Differences in weed communities did not seem to have any effects on either aphids or parasitoids.ConclusionsRather than concentrating on the individual management of fields, a coordinated implementation of organic farming at landscape level would seem to be a much better strategy for improving the biological control of aphids.

Landscape configuration modulates the presence of leaf-cutting ants in eucalypt plantations

Pest responses to landscape complexity show variable patterns globally, primarily related to species traits and specific managed habitats. Leaf-cutting ants (LCAs) are native insects and important pests of plantation forests in South America. We evaluated the responses of LCA nests in young Eucalyptus plantations to different spatial contexts: land uses, interfaces (adjacent land use pairs), agroecosystems, and landscapes. We selected 30 sites in the littoral region of Argentina representing three types of land uses neighboring Eucalyptus plantations: adult eucalypt plantations, citrus plantations, and semi-natural habitats. At each site, we quantified and identified LCA nests and characterized landscape composition and configuration in circles of 250 m radius. LCA nest abundance and presence were similar across different land uses, interfaces, and agroecosystems. Nest presence decreased in landscapes with increasing mean perimeter/area ratio and citrus coverage, whereas LCA abundance showed a similar trend. This indicates that heterogeneous landscapes and those with greater citrus plantation coverage were less likely to have LCA nests. Our findings suggest that landscape configuration was the main predictor of the LCA presence. Understanding the dynamics of LCAs populations and their complex associations with landscape components will contribute to developing successful environmental pest management strategies for plantation forests.

A spatiotemporally explicit modeling approach for more realistic exposure and risk assessment of off-field soil organisms.

Natural and seminatural habitats of soil living organisms in cultivated landscapes can be subject to unintended exposure by active substances of plant protection products (PPPs) used in adjacent fields. Spray-drift deposition and runoff are considered major exposure routes into such off-field areas. In this work, we develop a model (xOffFieldSoil) and associated scenarios to estimate exposure of off-field soil habitats. The modular model approach consists of components, each addressing a specific aspect of exposure processes, for example, PPP use, drift deposition, runoff generation and filtering, estimation of soil concentrations. The approach is spatiotemporally explicit and operates at scales ranging from local edge-of-field to large landscapes. The outcome can be aggregated and presented to the risk assessor in a way that addresses the dimensions and scales defined in specific protection goals (SPGs). The approach can be used to assess the effect of mitigation options, for example, field margins, in-field buffers, or drift-reducing technology. The presented provisional scenarios start with a schematic edge-of-field situation and extend to real-world landscapes of up to 5 km × 5 km. A case study was conducted for two active substances of different environmental fate characteristics. Results are presented as a collection of percentiles over time and space, as contour plots, and as maps. The results show that exposure patterns of off-field soil organisms are of a complex nature due to spatial and temporal variabilities combined with landscape structure and event-based processes. Our concepts and analysis demonstrate that more realistic exposure data can be meaningfully consolidated to serve in standard-tier risk assessments. The real-world landscape-scale scenarios indicate risk hot-spots that support the identification of efficient risk mitigation. As a next step, the spatiotemporally explicit exposure data can be directly coupled to ecological effect models (e.g., for earthworms or collembola) to conduct risk assessments at biological entity levels as required by SPGs. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:263-278. © 2023 Applied Analysis Solutions LLC and WSC Scientific GmbH and Bayer AG and The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Success of passive and active restoration of lowland hay meadows with regard to current and historical references

The restoration of hay meadows is one of the major challenges in temperate Europe, to overcome the drastic loss and degradation of these semi-natural habitats. Evaluation of restoration success requires the definition of a relevant reference ecosystem. Historical phytosociological relevés dating from the 1960s–1970s, before large scale agriculture intensification, may be used as the reference framework for such purposes. However, this reference framework may no longer be pertinent in our present-day ecological and socio-economic context. In this study, we assessed the success of three restoration techniques for lowland hay meadows, based on plant species richness and composition and functional traits, by comparing the restoration trajectories to historical and current references. The three restoration techniques, passive restoration mowing, active fresh hay transfer and active sowing of threshing material, were implemented depending on the initial level of degradation and the proximity to well-preserved meadows. The species composition of restored meadows clearly differed from historical references but converged toward current references, for both passive and active restoration techniques. Historical references are characterized by short, stress-tolerant dicotyledonous plant species with small specific leaf area, indicators of nutrient-poor environments. The gap observed between plant communities of historical and current meadows suggests that the historical data are an over-ambitious target for restoration purposes and can hardly be considered relevant to our present-day context. Therefore, creation of a new reference framework of lowland hay meadows is needed for the adequate implementation of restoration projects. Successful outcomes of active and passive techniques must encourage practitioners to adapt the choice of the restoration method depending on the local ecological context, i.e., level of degradation and proximity to well-preserved habitats.

Patterns of effects of land-use structure on lake water quality in coastal lake catchments of the southern Baltic Sea

This study investigated potential relationships between land-use structure in the catchments of six southern Baltic coastal lakes that differ in the level of hydrological connection with the sea and the lakes’ trophic states. Our results indicate that three types of catchments can be distinguished, each of which has a high contribution of agricultural areas, plus: (i) considerable contributions of wetlands and water bodies (C1); (ii) a large contribution of wooded and seminatural habitats (C2); or (iii) a considerable contribution of artificial surfaces (C3). Correlations were analysed between land-use types and single-parameter Carlson's trophic state indices of lakes (TSIChl, TSITP, TSISD, TSITOC). Type C2 clearly differed from the others and was linked with the lowest trophic state index values. The other two catchment types were similarly related to the fertility of the coastal lakes. The results show that the analysed lakes’ levels of connection with the sea do not affect the trophic state of their waters. Catchment structure, analysed using CORINE Land Cover data, is significantly linked with TP and TOC values, but it does not relate to Secchi depth or chlorophyll content of water in the lakes. Wetlands (especially peat bogs) in the catchment area most strongly reduced the phosphorus and organic carbon content of lake water. Furthermore, comparable contributions of natural vs. anthropogenic components (∼1:1) are associated with a lower trophic state of water. The presented results may be important for shaping the proper management of various catchment types in the future, especially when implementing climate change mitigation strategies.

Operationalizing the Nature Futures Framework for ecological infrastructure

AbstractScenarios are useful for considering development pathways under different future conditions. To manage a functioning ecological infrastructure (EI) as a network of natural and semi-natural habitats that can promote biodiversity and provide nature’s contributions to people (NCPs), one needs to understand future biophysical and socio-economic influences on its development. However, scenarios often do not incorporate the reciprocity of biophysical and societal changes. This has prompted new proposals from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) on the importance of creating nature-centered multiscale scenarios that include a normative dimension accounting for diverse human–nature relationships. In this contribution, we operationalize the Nature Futures Framework (NFF), developed under IPBES, into integrated normative and exploratory scenarios framing the development of a functioning EI in Switzerland until 2060. We follow a two-stage participatory approach methodologically aligned with the IPBES development. First, we elaborated positive visions for future EI with stakeholders in four regions of Switzerland. We then collaborated with experts to create integrated normative and exploratory scenarios through a process comprising literature research, workshops and a survey. By positioning status quo and future scenarios within the Nature Futures Framework, we demonstrate the diversity of nature values in a specific context of EI in Switzerland, thus contributing to the global set of Nature Futures scenarios. Integrating both plausible and desirable developments, these scenarios will serve as a valuable tool in the planning of long-term measures to ensure a functioning EI in Switzerland.

Differential responses of Orthoptera in vineyards to organic farming, pesticide reduction, and landscape heterogeneity

Conservation measures such as those under the European Green Deal aim to counteract the biodiversity loss by increasing the share of organic farming and reducing pesticide use, as well as increasing the proportion of semi-natural habitats (SNH) in agricultural landscapes. Given the large environmental impacts of agriculture, it is important to thoroughly understand effects of such measures on organisms to provide evidence-based and effective implications for conservation. In this study, we analysed how vineyard management, pesticide reduction, and landscape composition affect Orthoptera densities and species composition. Therefore, we sampled herb- and vine-dwelling orthopterans in a paired design of classic and fungus-resistant grape (FRG) varieties in conventionally and organically managed vineyards along a landscape heterogeneity gradient. Here, FRG varieties allowed us to study the effect of 44% reduced pesticide applications under real-world conditions. Total densities of herb-dwelling Orthoptera did not differ between grape varieties in conventional vineyards, but were 2.9 times higher in FRG varieties under organic management. In contrast, total densities of vine-dwelling Orthoptera, mainly driven by the dominant species Phaneroptera falcata, were similar between grape varieties in organic vineyards, but tended to be 1.4 times higher in classic grapes under conventional management. Furthermore, the management system and SNH in a radius of 500 m in the surrounding landscape influenced species composition.

Landscape structure influences grassland productivity through plant functional diversity

Agriculture intensification led to the gradual destruction of semi-natural habitats and landscape simplification in the North-Western Europe. All these profound changes affected plant assemblages, especially in semi-natural ecosystems such as grasslands. They could have negative effects on the plant diversity and the related ecosystem functions, such as primary productivity. At the landscape scale this biodiversity-productivity relationship still have to be tested in real-world systems. It could have important economic implications concerning fodder production. We used a large-scale sampling design (30 landscape windows – 1 ×1 km) to quantify landscape structure variables (semi-natural habitat amounts and landscape heterogeneity), grassland plant taxonomic diversity and functional diversity calculated from multidimensional functional spaces (functional richness, evenness, dispersion), and grassland productivity (mean, temporal stability, spatial variability) derived from satellite image time-series. Taxonomic dissimilarity, functional evenness and functional dispersion of grassland plant assemblages were related to semi-natural habitat amount. Functional evenness and dispersion decreased with grassland amount whereas taxonomic dissimilarity and functional evenness increased with hedgerow amount. Only taxonomic and functional richness depended on landscape heterogeneity, and with a positive relationship. Grassland plant assemblages with a higher functional evenness presented a higher and more stable mean productivity. In addition to the direct effect of landscape heterogeneity on plant productivity, we demonstrated plant trait-mediated effect of landscape structure on mean and temporal stability of grassland productivity at the landscape scale. Landscape management, especially through the conservation of hedgerows can help maintain high and resilient production of fodder in the future as a result of their positive effects on plant functional diversity.