Vegetative Strips Research Articles

Environmental Determinants Affecting the Occurrence of Defoliator Caterpillars onEucalyptus(Myrtaceae) plantations in the Brazilian Amazonian Region

Lepidoptera defoliators can be very damaging to eucalyptus plantations in Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate how plant age, the number of rotations, the tree growth rate (m3 of wood per ha per yr), the distance of native vegetation strips from the eucalyptus plantations, and the width of these strips affect the population dynamics of Lepidoptera defoliators in eucalyptus crops. The survey of the lepidopteran species was conducted fortnightly from Sep 1992 to Aug 1994 using light traps in Eucalyptus urophylla S. T. Blake (Myrtaceae) plantations in 4 areas of the Brazilian Amazon region. In total, 1,049, 1,096, 1,020, and 853 Lepidoptera species with 4,413, 3,457, 3,226, and 2,222 individuals and 11, 11, 11, and 10 species of primary pests were recorded. The primary pest species were represented by 272, 772, 963, and 411 individuals, corresponding to 1.1, 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2% of the species and of 6.2, 22.3, 29.8, and 18.5% of the individuals collected in the 4 areas, respectively. Eupseudosoma aberrans Schaus (Arctiidae), Eupseudosoma involuta Sepp (Arctiidae), Nystalea nyseus Cramer (Notodontidae), Oxydia vesulia Cramer (Geometridae), Stenalcidia grosica Schaus (Geometridae), and Thyrinteina arnobia Stoll (Geometridae) were the most abundant and represent 83.2% of primary pests species. The number of individuals of the primary pest species were not correlated with plant age, the number of rotations, the distance of native vegetation strips from the eucalyptus plantations, and the width these strips, but the total number of individuals of defoliating Lepidoptera had an inverse correlation with the growth rate (m3 of wood per ha per yr) of eucalyptus plants. ResumoLepidopteros desfolhadores podem ser muito prejudiciais em cultivos de eucalipto no Brasil. O objetivo desse trabalho foi estudar o efeito da idade das plantas, numero de rotacoes, crescimento das arvores (m3/hectare/ano), distância das faixas de vegetacao nativa das plantacoes de eucalipto e largura dessas faixas sobre a flutuacao populacional de lepidopteros desfolhadores em cultivos de eucalipto. O levantamento das especies de lepidopteros desfolhadores foi realizado, quinzenalmente, com armadilhas luminosas de setembro de 1992 a agosto de 1994 em cultivos de Eucalyptusurophylla S. T. Blake (Myrtaceae) em 4 areas da regiao Amazonica do Brasil. Um total de 1049, 1096, 1020 e 853 especies de lepidopteros com 4413, 3457, 3226 e 2222 individuos, sendo 11, 11, 11 e 10 especies de pragas primarias foi registrado. As especies de pragas primarias foram representadas por 272, 772, 963 e 411 individuos, correspondendo a 1,1; 1,0; 1,1 e 1,2% das especies e a 6,2; 22,3; 29,8 e 18,5% dos individuos coletados, nas 4 areas, respectivamente. Eupseudosoma aberrans Schaus (Arctiidae), Eupseudosoma involuta Sepp (Arctiidae), Nystalea nyseus Cramer (Notodontidae), Oxydia vesulia Cramer (Geometridae), Stenalcidia grosica Schaus (Geometridae) e Thyrinteina arnobia Stoll (Geometridae) foram as mais abundantes, com 83,2% das especies de pragas primarias. O numero de individuos de especies de pragas primarias nao se correlacionaram com a idade das plantas, numero de rotacoes, distância das faixas de vegetacao nativa das plantacoes e a largura dessas faixas, mas o numero total de individuos de lepidopteros desfolhadores teve correlacao inversa com o crescimento (m3/hectare/ano) das plantas de eucalipto.View this article in BioOne

Changes in soil physical health indicators of an eroded land as influenced by integrated use of narrow grass strips and mulch

Soil erosion remains a major threat to sustainable use of soil and water resources, and often leads to degradation of soil physical health. An erosion study was conducted on a sloping (7% slope) Rhodic kandiudult land at Ikenne (6° 51’N, 3° 42’E), Nigeria, to assess changes in soil physical health index (SHphy) following integrated use of vetiver grass strips (VGS) and vetiver mulch (VM). The VGS spaced at 10 m (10VGS) and 20 m (20VGS) intervals were integrated with VM of 2 (VM2) and 4 (VM4) t/ha as: 10VGS + VM2, 10VGS + VM4, 20VGS + VM2 and 20VGS + VM4. The four integrated treatments and 10VGS, 20VGS, VM2, VM4, VM6 and no vetiver (NV) were assessed for their effectiveness in reducing soil loss and improving SHphy with NV served as a control. Soil physical health indicators (particle-size distribution, bulk density, water stable aggregates (WSA), mean-weight-diameter, moisture retention, pore-size distribution, saturated hydraulic conductivity, soil strength and soil organic carbon) were determined and integrated to form data set for SHphy, using the soil management assessment framework. The aggregate-associated carbon (Agg-C) in <2000 μm and 2000–1000 μm classes accounted for 55–73% variation in soil organic carbon stock among the treatments. The transmission and storage pores (0.5–300 μm pore size) together constituted 52.5–63.1% of the total pore space with the largest pores obtained under 10VGS + VM4. The mean SHphy varied significantly (p ≤ 0.05) among the treatments, and it was highest for 10VGS + VM4 (0.79) and least for NV (0.49). Changes in SHphy over 3 years ranged from –10.9% to 33.1%. The highest maize grain yield was obtained under 10VGS + VM4 (1.82 t/ha), closely followed by VM6 (1.79 t/ha), and the least yield recorded under NV (0.89 t/ha). Positive and significant relationship (r = 0.93; p< 0.01) was established between SHphy and maize grain yield. However, the significant beneficial of vetiver mulch alone in improving soil physical health was dwarfed by the potential danger of high soil loss beneath the mulch cover in the absence of vegetative strips.

Influencia de la ganadería en la comunidad de macroinvertebrados acuáticos en microcuencas de los Andes centrales de Colombia

Influence of cattle ranching on the community of aquatic macroinvertebrates in watersheds of central Andes, Colombia. In order to measure the impact of cattle ranching and riparian corridors on the composition and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates in Andean watersheds, nine headwater streams were selected in the municipality of Villamaría (Caldas, Colombia), five of them with riparian corridors and four without protection. In july (2013) in each stream, macroinvertebrate samples were collected using D and Surber nets, and streams were characterized according to water quality, channel metrics and habitat quality score. In total 98 934 individuals were collected, distributed in nine classes, 17 orders, 56 families and 92 genera. Veneroidea was the most abundant order followed by Trichoptera, Diptera, Tubificida and Ephemeroptera. Coleoptera was the order with highest richness with 28 genera, followed by Diptera with 18, Trichoptera with 11, Ephemeroptera with 10 and Odonata with 8. Streams with riparian corridors were deeper, had higher proportion of coarse substrates and Habitat Quality Score and presented higher genus diversity than those unprotected (p&lt;0.05). The genera Ferrisia, Eurygerris, Heleobia and Pisidium, total nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen and silt proportion on the streambed were correlated with unprotected streams, whilst the genus Rhagovelia, the subfamily Chironominae, the Habitat Quality Score and the proportion of coarse substrates were correlated with streams with riparian corridors. This information confirms that riparian corridors help reducing the negative impact generated by cattle ranching practices and improve the provision of environmental services, and therefore it is recommended to maintain the strip of riparian vegetation in streams that possess it and allow the establishment of this in streams devoid of forest on its slopes.Key words: Watersheds, riparian corridors, benthos, water quality.

A methodological Markov-CA projection of the greening agricultural landscape-a case study from 2005 to 2017 in southwestern Finland.

The aim of the reformed EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2014-2020 is to enhance greening via an ecological focus area, arable crop diversification, and the maintenance of permanent grasslands. This study tests the greening process in the case of agricultural landscape in southwestern Finland by projecting land use between 2005 and 2017. The study method integrates the quantitative results of Markov chains and spatial features of a cellular automata model. Initially, land use change was recognized by appropriate metrics. The trend of greening following the CAP policy indicated that permanent grassland patches were more persistent with forest patches than agricultural land that lost its vegetated strips to neighboring land use patches. The modeling approach was demonstrated to provide acceptable performance when used as a spatial assessment tool for observing critical patch level changes reflecting the greening agricultural policy.

The multifunctional roles of vegetated strips around and within agricultural fields

BackgroundAgriculture can have substantial negative impacts on the environment. The establishment and management of vegetated strips adjacent to farmed fields (including various field margins, buffer strips and hedgerows) are commonly advocated mitigation measures for these negative environmental impacts. However, it may be difficult to obtain reliable evidence on the effects of implementation and management of vegetated strips, even though a substantial body of evidence exists. We describe a systematic map of research relating to vegetated strips in boreo-temperate farming systems to answer the question: What evidence exists regarding the effects of field margins on nutrients, pollutants, socioeconomics, biodiversity, and soil retention in boreo-temperate systems?MethodsWe searched 13 bibliographic databases, 1 search engine and 37 websites of stakeholder organisations using a predefined and tested search string focusing on a comprehensive list of English language vegetated strip synonyms. Searches in Danish, Finnish, Spanish, and Swedish were also conducted using web searches. We screened search results at title, abstract and full text levels, recording the number of studies deemed non-relevant (with reasons at full text). A systematic map database of meta-data (i.e. descriptive summary information about the settings and methods) for relevant studies was produced following full text assessment. The systematic map database is provided as an evidence atlas: interactive, web-based geographical information system.ResultsOver 31,000 search results were identified, resulting in a total of 1072 relevant primary research studies and 130 evidence reviews. Articles used a variety of terminology to describe vegetated strips, with ‘field margin’, ‘hedgerow’, ‘shelterbelt’ and ‘riparian buffer’ most common. The volume of primary research is increasing linearly year-by-year, whilst the increase in reviews has tailed off in the last 10 years. The USA and UK were most frequently studied and reviewed. Arable systems were investigated in c. 70% of primary research but 50% of reviews. Some 50% of primary research vegetated strips were field edge and 25% riparian, whilst riparian and field edge strips were roughly equally the focus of around a half of all described strips in reviews. Terrestrial biodiversity, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and soil/water loss or retention were the most commonly measured outcomes in primary studies and reviews, although some other outcomes were more common in reviews than research articles (e.g. pesticides).ConclusionsWe identified substantial bodies of evidence on particular sets of related outcomes and ecosystem services, which constitute important knowledge clusters/synthesis gaps relating to: strip width, terrestrial biodiversity, nutrient retention, hydrological regimes, toxic substances, erosion protection, pests, carbon sequestration, and soil and biodiversity combined. We also identified key knowledge gaps relating to: climate regulation, freshwater biodiversity, strip harvesting, cultural ecosystem services, long-term impacts, the relationship between pest populations and crop yield, fuel and fibre production, specific regions and countries (e.g. Russia and South America), and multi-use vegetated strips. This systematic map is an important step in identifying what research has been done to date, and what primary and secondary research is needed as the next step for this topic.

Territorial system of ecological stability as a part of land consolidations (cadastral territory of Galanta – Hody, Slovak Republic)

Abstract A major worldwide problem, especially from the perspective of preserving biodiversity and ecological stability (ES) of the landscape, is the significant gradual degradation and loss of habitats. In the context of ever-changing global conditions, the preservation of healthy ecosystems and their valuable services as well as the interconnection of patches of existing habitats should be encouraged. In Slovakia, conception of the Territorial System of Ecological Stability (TSES) was developed. Biodiversity conservation can be created by means of an integrated approach to management of the landscape and careful spatial planning respecting TSES. Land Consolidation (LC) projects, of which TSES constitutes a key part, are amongst the real planning and implementation tools in the Slovak Republic. Thus, TSES represents a real tool for implementation of landscape changes in order to strengthen ES and biodiversity of the landscape with regard to the current European trends in biodiversity policy. This article describes a Local Territorial System of Ecological Stability (LTSES) project developed as a part of LCs in the cadastral territory of Hody (Galanta, Slovak Republic). The aim was to create a functional proposal of LTSES with all basic types of proposals to strengthen biodiversity and ES of model territory – proposal for establishing new eco-stabilising elements – groups and strips of non-forest woody vegetation (NFWV), proposal for ecologically optimal land use, proposal for eco-stabilising measures in forest ecosystems and proposal for hydro-ecological measures.

Linear habitats in rural landscapes have complementary roles in bird conservation

Linear strips of vegetation (e.g., hedges, roadsides) are characteristic of rural environments worldwide. Different types of linear features have distinct structure and landscape context, suggesting they each may offer unique opportunities for conservation in modified landscapes. We compared the avifauna of 76 streamside (riparian) sites and 33 sites in roadside vegetation—two distinctive types of linear features of rural landscapes in southern Australia. There was a marked difference in the composition of the avifauna between these linear features, reflecting their individual context within the landscape. For all response groups—woodland bird species, non-woodland species, waterbirds—riparian vegetation supported a greater species richness per site, and greater cumulative richness across multiple sites, than did roadside vegetation. For woodland species, the assemblage of greatest conservation concern, richness in both riparian and roadside sites increased with increasing width, and decreased with increasing abundance of an aggressive avian competitor. The ubiquity of linear features worldwide means that measures that enhance their conservation value will have widespread benefits. Our results demonstrate that: (1) linear features offer habitat for a broad range of species in rural environments; (2) by supporting distinct assemblages, different types of linear features have complementary roles in nature conservation; (3) wider linear features have a positive influence on species that require vegetated cover; and (4) the fauna of linear features are vulnerable to biotic influences, in this case a native avian competitor.

What specific plant traits support ecosystem services such as pollination, bio-control and water quality protection in temperate climates? A systematic map

BackgroundAgricultural intensification has contributed to increased diffuse source pollution within water catchments, reduced heterogeneity within the landscape and caused major declines in farmland wildlife. This decrease in biodiversity has been shown to decrease vital ecosystem services such as pollination, biological pest control (bio-control) and water quality protection. The morphological traits of plant species, such as floral display size and leaf area, provide support to these services and vegetative strips can be established with plants that have these desirable traits to try and restore ecosystem service support to farmland. Vegetative strips are widely used across the world, especially in Europe, however, there is a need to increase their functionality due to issues of land availability and food security. To do this, combinations of plant species that will support specific ecosystem services, have been developed. However, to enable a fully-informed development process, evidence must be collated on which specific plant traits provide the support to the target ecosystem services. The primary objective of this study was to systematically map all evidence for specific plant traits that may provide support for pollinators, bio-control and water quality protection in temperate climates.MethodsBoth published and grey literature were obtained through databases and NGO websites using key search terms. An initial 34,077 articles were identified with a total of 11,705 individual articles, after duplicates were removed. These were screened for inclusion based on criteria such as subject, climate and language. Each article was coded into a Microsoft Access database using generic (e.g. author, publication date, study length) and topic specific (e.g. target system, organism and ecosystem service) keywords.ResultsAfter screening 56 articles were coded into the systematic map. A total of 40 articles identified 37 plant traits for pollinator support, seven identified eight traits for bio-control and nine identified 26 for water quality protection. All articles were published between 1983 and 2017 and they included studies that were undertaken in 22 different countries.DiscussionThis systematic mapping process produced a searchable database of literature available on plant traits and the target ecosystem services. It has highlighted that more research has been conducted on plant traits for pollinator support than for bio-control and water quality protection, identifying potential research gaps in these areas. Evidence presented in this map could inform decisions related to the suitability of plant species for inclusion within multifunctional vegetative strips, providing targeted ecosystem services. This information could be used by policy makers to develop an option that could benefit landowners and farmland wildlife concurrently.

Evaluation of disruption of sediment connectivity and herbicide transport across a slope by grass strips using a magnetic iron oxide tracer

The use of cover crops has been prescribed as a mitigation measure for offsite contamination, as they reduce sediment and agrochemical loads, thus reducing the hydrological connectivity of the land. However, there is the need to quantify its effectiveness for specific agrochemicals in broader range of conditions, to validate management for its safe environmental use. The objectives of the present study were: (1) to explore the use of simulated rainfall and magnetic iron oxide to understand the impact of vegetation strips on runoff and soil losses at the plot scale and, (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of vegetation strips in buffering sediment and herbicides coming from bare soil areas. The study encompasses six sets of rainfall simulations (three replications each) under four different soil management scenarios: dry vegetation cover sowed that year, dry vegetation cover two years after sowing, freshly-tilled soil, and tilled soil with a compacted surface due to rainfall and trampling. The experiments involved the use of a magnetic iron oxide as a sediment tracer to obtain a better understanding of the trapping efficiency of the vegetation strips. Three runoff plots were established on a hillslope under a Fluvisol alluvial terrace. Each of the plots contained three bare areas tagged with magnetic iron oxide and three strips with Lolium multiflorum L. The results indicate that by using cover crop strips, runoff and sediment losses were approximately 20% and 4%, respectively, of the losses measured in the bare compacted soil, while losses on the freshly-tilled surface were similar to that of the cover crop. Herbicide losses were greatly reduced by the cover crops, with losses ranging from approximately 0.1%–0.6% of the doses applied the day before on the bare area. Nevertheless, on the compacted bare soil, terbuthylazine, oxyfluorfen and diflufenican losses were 1.63%, 4.35% and 9.67%, respectively, of the dose applied the previous day. This can be explained because the tilled and compacted soil showed the highest cumulative runoff and soil losses values (28 mm and 248.9 g m−2). The formation of micro-relief steps after the first simulation reduced the hillslope connectivity and, thus, the soil losses and runoff. Tracer selectivity from soil textures with fine particle size (clay) was observed, as there was an enrichment of these particles in the collected sediment. This study quantified the impact of cover crop strips on mitigating offsite herbicide contamination and improved our understanding of sediment redistribution at the hillslope scale.

SURFACE RUNOFF OF RAINFALL IN AN EXPERIMENTAL PLANTATION OF MACAÚBA PALM (Acrocomia aculeata) UNDER DIFFERENT FORMS OF MANAGEMENT

ABSTRACT Several studies have been conducted aiming to explore the commercial potential of the macaúba palm. However, research on the hydrological processes of this crop are scarce. Thus, we aimed to quantify the surface runoff in a macaúba plantation subjected to different crop management techniques, from September 2012 toAugust 2013. We established 10 plots for surface runoff quantification; each plot had a 63-m² area, was delimited by metallic foils and had a gallon to collect runoff water at its outlet. Plots consisted of three treatments and three repetitions, plus one control plot, each having four macaúba plants. Treatments were as follows: treatment one (T1) - with no soil conservation technique being implemented; treatment two (T2) - with a narrow-base terrace 40 cm wide and 30 cm deep; treatment three (T3) - with bean being planted during the rainy months, forming vegetation strips; and control treatment (T0) - with no macaúba plants, with spontaneous vegetation growing throughout the entire plot and with no soil conservation technique being implemented. Surface runoff differed among treatments. T2 was the treatment with lowest runoff and also the one that demanded the highest precipitation volume for surface runoff to occur. Our results indicate that both the cover and the use of soil conservation techniques are closely related to surface runoff, which in turn affects the occurrence of erosion and infiltration.

Structural and functional characteristics of buffer strip vegetation in an agricultural landscape – high potential for nutrient removal but low potential for plant biodiversity

Vegetated buffer strips constitute a transition zone between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and provide several ecosystem services. Buffer strips are often applied as a mitigation measure against diffuse pollution in agricultural areas, primarily because they may retain nutrients and in this way help protect the aquatic environment. Additionally, they can improve biodiversity in an otherwise homogenous landscape and may therefore have a value in their own right. In the present study, we characterized the structural and functional features of the vegetation in Danish buffer strips using a nationwide dataset to explore: i) their floristic quality in terms of species diversity and conservation value and ii) based on their functional characteristics, their potential to retain nutrients. Moreover, we analyzed how the structural and functional characteristics varied along gradients in the environmental features of the catchment. We found that the floristic quality of the buffer vegetation was generally low, exhibiting an average of only 3.3% of the number of species of conservation interest. Instead, Danish buffer strips were dominated by widespread and productive species that are tolerant of anthropogenic impacts in the catchment. The abundance of highly productive plant species was positively related to high intensity land use, whereas the abundance of stress-tolerant plant species was positively related to low intensity land use. The high productivity of the buffer strips implies a large bio-storage potential, and these areas might therefore offer an opportunity to remove nutrients by harvesting the plant biomass. We discuss how Danish buffer strips could be exploited via appropriate management (e.g. harvesting) to maximize nutrient retention and at the same time improve floristic quality.

Efecto de técnicas de agricultura de conservación en la respiración del suelo en plantaciones de almendro en la región mediterránea (SE, España)

The soil-management system in agricultural lands could be affected substantially on dynamics of CO2 fluxes from soil. An experiment was carried out in Lanjaron (SE Spain) to evaluate the effect of three soil-management systems in almond plantations: 1) minimum tillage with spontaneous vegetation strips (MTSV), 2) minimum tillage and thyme ( Thymbra capitata L.) strips (MTT), and 3) minimum tillage without plant strips (MT). The CO2 emission rates from soil presented the following increasing trend MTSV>MT>MTT, showing highly variability in the short term. Also, higher CO2 soil emissions were recorded during the spring, in contrast to autumn. Moreover, the soil- water content was the most influential environmental factor. Consequently, the use of conservation agricultural techniques such as minimum tillage and plant strips to sequester atmospheric carbon are sustainable measures for Mediterranean rainfed agro-ecosystems.

Application of GUSED‐VBS 2 Model for Flow and Sediment Transport in Vegetated Strips to Improve Water Quality

AbstractVegetated buffer strips change flow hydrology and sediment transport by increasing resistance to the flow and intensifying infiltration. GUSED‐VBS 2 is a process‐based mathematical model developed to simulate flow characteristics and the fate and transport of sediment in the backwater region upstream of vegetated strips and within them. The model also predicts the concentration and delivery of different particle sizes leaving the vegetated strips and reaching open water bodies. GUSED‐VBS 2 assumes that entrainment and deposition processes occur simultaneously and uses the Green–Ampt approach to simulate infiltration and gradually varied flow and kinematic wave approximation to simulate the water profile in the backwater region and within the vegetated strip respectively. The modified GUEST model approach was used to model the fate and transport of sediment in vegetated strips. Field data were used to evaluate the model predictions of the efficiency of vegetated strips in reducing runoff, sediment concentration and sediment delivery, and the results showed that GUSED‐VBS 2 performed much better in controlled conditions compared to field conditions. The performance of the GUSED‐VBS 2 and WEPP models in simulating particle size distribution in the outflow was compared with different model evaluation criteria and GUSED‐VBS 2 showed better performance compared to WEPP. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

The influence of farm input subsidies on the adoption of natural resource management technologies

Farm input subsidies are often criticised on economic and ecological grounds. The promotion of natural resource management (NRM) technologies is widely seen as more sustainable to increase agricultural productivity and food security. Relatively little is known about how input subsidies affect farmers’ decisions to adopt NRM technologies. There are concerns of incompatibility, because NRM technologies are one strategy to reduce the use of external inputs in intensive production systems. However, in smallholder systems of Africa, where the average use of external inputs is low, there may possibly be interesting complementarities. Here, we analyse the situation of Malawi's Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP). Using panel data from smallholder farm households, we develop a multivariate probit model and examine how FISP participation affects farmers’ decisions to adopt various NRM technologies, such as intercropping of maize with legumes, use of organic manure, water conservation practices and vegetative strips. As expected, FISP increases the use of inorganic fertilizer and improved maize seeds. Yet, we also observe a positive association between FISP and the adoption of certain NRM technologies. For other NRM technologies, we find no significant effect. We conclude that input subsidies and the promotion of NRM technologies can be compatible strategies.

Methods for Improvement of the Ecosystem Services of Soil by Sustainable Land Management in the Myjava River Basin

AbstractThe main aim of this study is the development of methods for the assessment of the ecosystem services (ESS) of soils within the RECARE project and the participatory identification of measures to combat soil threats caused by floods in the Myjava River basin. The Myjava Hills highlands are known for their rapid runoff response and related muddy floods, which are determined by both the natural and socio-economic conditions. Within the frame of the mentioned project, the ESS framework with detailed relationships between the ecology, societal response, driving forces and also human well-being was identified. Next, to assess the SLM practices in the pilot basin, the stakeholders, who showed an interest in solving the flood protection problems in their areas, took an active part in the process of evaluating, scoring and selecting the best sustainable land management practices (SLM) for the flood protection of soil. From the results which were proposed, the technology of vegetative strips was top rated within the total results among all the SLM measures in all the categories, followed by water-retaining ditches and small wooden dams. Building a polder least meets the proposed SLM criteria.

Effects of bund crops and insecticide treatments on arthropod diversity and herbivore regulation in tropical rice fields

AbstractEcological engineering using vegetable or flower strips is promoted as a potential pest management strategy in irrigated rice. Farmers in the Philippines often plant rice levees (bunds) with vegetables, particularly string beans (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walpers) to supplement income, but without considering the potential for pest management. This study examines the effects of planted bunds on rice herbivores and their natural enemies. We compared arthropods in (a) rice fields that had string beans planted on bunds, (b) fields without string beans and without any insecticide applications and (c) fields without string beans but with insecticide treatments (standard practice). Rice yield was similar across all treatments; however, the vegetation strips produced an extra 3.6 kg of fresh string bean pods per metre of bund. There were no apparent increases in major natural enemy groups in fields with string beans compared to fields with conventional bunds. Fields with insecticide treatments had higher damage from leaffolders (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The sprayed fields also had lower parasitism of planthopper eggs and fewer predatory dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata). Furthermore, the mortality of planthopper (Delphacidae: Hemiptera) and stemborer (Pyralidae) eggs by parasitoids and predators was density dependent only in the unsprayed fields (with and without string beans). Our results demonstrate that planting string beans on rice bunds improves the productivity of rice farms, but our ecological engineering system did not appreciably affect natural enemy or herbivore abundance; however, chemical insecticides adversely affected pest regulatory ecosystem functions leading to higher pest damage.

Reversing land degradation through grasses: a systematic meta-analysis in the Indian tropics

Abstract. Although intensive agriculture is necessary to sustain the world's growing population, accelerated soil erosion contributes to a decrease in the environmental health of ecosystems at local, regional and global scales. Reversing the process of land degradation using vegetative measures is of utmost importance in such ecosystems. The present study critically analyzes the effect of grasses in reversing the process of land degradation using a systematic review. The collected information was segregated under three different land use and land management situations. Meta-analysis was applied to test the hypothesis that the use of grasses reduces runoff and soil erosion. The effect of grasses was deduced for grass strip and in combination with physical structures. Similarly, the effects of grasses were analyzed in degraded pasture lands. The overall result of the meta-analysis showed that infiltration capacity increased approximately 2-fold after planting grasses across the slopes in agricultural fields. Grazing land management through a cut-and-carry system increased conservation efficiencies by 42 and 63 % with respect to reduction in runoff and erosion, respectively. Considering the comprehensive performance index (CPI), it has been observed that hybrid Napier (Pennisetum purpureum) and sambuta (Saccharum munja) grass seem to posses the most desirable attributes as an effective grass barrier for the western Himalayas and Eastern Ghats, while natural grass (Dichanthium annulatum) and broom grass (Thysanolaena maxima) are found to be most promising grass species for the Konkan region of the Western Ghats and the northeastern Himalayan region, respectively. In addition to these benefits, it was also observed that soil carbon loss can be reduced by 83 % with the use of grasses. Overall, efficacy for erosion control of various grasses was more than 60 %; hence, their selection should be based on the production potential of these grasses under given edaphic and agro-ecological conditions. The present analysis also indicated that grass must be used as a vegetative strip to maintain soil quality in sloppy arable areas (8.5 Mha) of Indian hilly regions. Similarly, due attention should be paid for establishing grasses in 3 Mha of degraded pasture lands and 3.5 Mha of shifting cultivation areas in India to reverse the land degradation.

What specific plant traits support ecosystem services such as pollination, bio-control and water quality protection in temperate climates? A systematic map protocol

BackgroundAgricultural intensification has increased diffuse source pollution within water catchments, reduced heterogeneity within the landscape and caused major declines in farmland wildlife, including birds, mammals, invertebrates and wildflowers. This increase in pollution and wildlife decline, has effected three vital ecosystem services, pollination, biological pest control and water quality protection. The morphological traits of plant species, such as floral display size and leaf area, provide support to these services and vegetative strips can be established with plants that have these desirable traits. Vegetative strips are widely used across Europe and integrated into government environmental schemes such as The Common Agricultural Policy and The Water Framework Directive. However, issues of land availability and food security require a sustainable intensification of current agricultural practices. One component of this process is to sow vegetative strips that are designed to support multiple ecosystem services. To do this, combinations of plant species that will support specific ecosystem services, have been designed. However, to enable a fully-informed design process, evidence must be collated on which specific plant traits provide the support to the target ecosystem services. We propose to systematically map all evidence on which specific plant traits provide support for three of the most vital ecosystem services, pollination, bio-control and water quality protection. Information from this map could inform future decisions on which plant species are suitable for inclusion within a multifunctional vegetative strip that aims to provide the target ecosystem services. The aim of this systematic map is to create a searchable database of studies that demonstrate evidence of plant traits and how they support the named ecosystem services.MethodsSeven bibliographic databases, 25 organisational websites and 2 search engines, will be systematically searched with predefined and tested key search terms. All searches will be undertaken in English and only those undertaken in a temperate climate zone will be considered. Studies found will be screened at title, abstract and full text levels, recording the number of excluded articles. Following full text assessment, the meta-data of included studies will be incorporated into a systematic map database in Microsoft Access. A report will summarise the evidence, highlight any knowledge gaps, and provide recommendations for future research.

Zoysiagrass Sod Establishment along Guardrails: Evaluation of Cultivars, Soil Preparation Techniques, and Planting Timings

Appropriately designed and installed guardrails are structures that enhance motorist safety; however, their inherent design requires additional vegetation management inputs to maintain safe, acceptable driving conditions. Establishing low‐growing, perennial vegetation under guardrails may reduce long‐term management inputs. Field research was initiated 17 Dec. 2012 and 3 Dec. 2013 along guardrails in Chatham, Lee, and Yadkin Counties, NC, to evaluate the effect of establishment timing (December, March, April, or May) and soil preparation technique (tillage alone, tillage + bed preparation, or vegetation strip) on ‘El Toro’ (Zoysia japonica Steud.) and ‘Zeon’ [Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr.] zoysiagrass sod establishment and spread along guardrails. Sod establishment in year 1 was successful (&gt;60% cover) across cultivars, locations, and techniques at December and March timings, with cover ranging from 64 to 90% at 90 wk after initial establishment. April and May timings resulted in inconsistent establishment success and are not recommended for North Carolina. Year 2 sodding generally resulted in unsuccessful establishment, which may be due in part to colder winter and dryer spring–summer conditions compared with year 1. Overall, El Toro sod more readily established and spread than Zeon, suggesting that it is a better species for establishment along guardrails. Tillage alone resulted in equivalent or greater sod establishment and spread than tillage + bed preparation and vegetation stripping, and it also requires fewer equipment and personnel inputs. Results suggest that El Toro sod planted in March following soil tillage is the most promising practice for establishment along North Carolina guardrails; however, water inputs may be required during moisture‐deficient periods following planting.

Do Beneficial Insect Habitats Also Provide Quality Brood Habitat for Northern Bobwhite?

Strips of fallow vegetation along cropland borders are an effective strategy for providing northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) habitat. However, a limitation of fallow borders is the lack of nectar-producing vegetation needed to sustain many beneficial insect populations. Planted borders that contain mixes of prairie flowers and grasses may harbor more diverse arthropod communities, but the relative value of these borders as bobwhite brood habitat compared to fallow borders is unknown. Vegetation composition likely has the largest influence on a field border’s structural characteristics, which consequently may impact bobwhite foraging efficiency. Thus, actively planting field borders may not yield the vegetative composition and structure needed to provide quality brood habitat. We used groups of 6 human-imprinted bobwhite chicks as a bioassay for comparing 4 different field border treatments (planted native warm season grasses (NWSG) and prairie flowers, planted prairie flowers only, fallow vegetation, or mowed vegetation) as brood habitat from June to August 2009 and 2010. All field border treatments (0.33 ha each) were established around 9 organic crop fields. Groups of chicks were led through borders for 30-min foraging trials and immediately euthanized at the end of each trial. Their crops and gizzards were dissected in the laboratory, and eaten arthropods were measured, counted, and identified to taxonomic family. We used allometric equations to estimate the live weight of all arthropods consumed, and to calculate a mean foraging rate (grams of arthropods consumed/ chick/30 min) for each field border treatment. We used a modified leaf blower-vacuum to sample arthropod prey availability and diversity in each field border treatment. Sampled arthropods were counted and identified to taxomomic family. We also calculated a Shannon-Weiner diversity index for each field border treatment. Foraging rate did not differ among border treatments in 2009 or 2010. Similarly, mean arthropod densities and diversity calculated from blower-vac samples did not differ among treatments in 2009 or 2010. Chick foraging rate was relatively high and arthropod prey was abundant even in mowed field borders. We suspect the amount of arthropod prey foods is likely not a limiting factor for bobwhite chicks in uncultivated habitats, rather, vegetative structure that facilitates movement, supports a suitable thermal micro-climate, and provides protection from predators is most important for bobwhite broods. Our results suggest that field borders planted for promoting beneficial insects provide bobwhite brood habitat equivalent to fallow borders. However, beneficial insect habitats are expensive, and require additional time and funding to