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Kirk DA, Martínez-Lanfranco JA, Forsyth DJ, Martin AE. Farm management and landscape context shape plant diversity at wetland edges in the Prairie Pothole Region of Canada. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e2943. [PMID: 38504599 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Evaluating the impacts of farming systems on biodiversity is increasingly important given the need to stem biodiversity loss, decrease fossil fuel dependency, and maintain ecosystem services benefiting farmers. We recorded woody and herbaceous plant species diversity, composition, and abundance in 43 wetland-adjacent prairie remnants beside crop fields managed using conventional, minimum tillage, organic, or perennial cover (wildlife-friendly) land management in the Prairie Pothole Region. We used a hierarchical framework to estimate diversity at regional and local scales (gamma, alpha), and how these are related through species turnover (beta diversity). We tested the expectation that gamma richness/evenness and beta diversity of all plants would be higher in remnants adjacent to perennial cover and organic fields than in conventional and minimum tillage fields. We expected the same findings for plants providing ecosystem services (bee-pollinated species) and disservices (introduced species). We predicted similar relative effects of land management on alpha diversity, but with the expectation that the benefits of organic farming would decrease with increasing grassland in surrounding landscapes. Gamma richness and evenness of all plants were highest for perennial cover, followed by minimum tillage, organic, and conventional sites. Bee-pollinated species followed a similar pattern for richness, but for evenness organic farming came second, after perennial cover sites, followed by minimum tillage and conventional. For introduced species, organic sites had the highest gamma richness and evenness. Grassland amount moderated the effect of land management type on all plants and bee-pollinated plant richness, but not as expected. The richness of organic sites increased with the amount of grassland in the surrounding landscape. Conversely, for conventional sites, richness increased as the amount of grassland in the landscape declined. Our results are consistent with the expectation that adopting wildlife-friendly land management practices can benefit biodiversity at regional and local scales, in particular the use of perennial cover to benefit plant diversity at regional scales. At more local extents, organic farming increased plant richness, but only when sufficient grassland was available in the surrounding landscape; organic farms also had the highest beta diversity for all plants and bee-pollinated plants. Maintaining native cover in agroecosystems, in addition to low-intensity farming practices, could sustain plant biodiversity and facilitate important ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan Andrés Martínez-Lanfranco
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Centennial Center for Interdisciplinary Science Bldg, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Douglas J Forsyth
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Amanda E Martin
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Richter FJ, Suter M, Lüscher A, Buchmann N, El Benni N, Feola Conz R, Hartmann M, Jan P, Klaus VH. Effects of management practices on the ecosystem-service multifunctionality of temperate grasslands. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3829. [PMID: 38714701 PMCID: PMC11076620 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48049-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Human wellbeing depends on ecosystem services, highlighting the need for improving the ecosystem-service multifunctionality of food and feed production systems. We study Swiss agricultural grasslands to assess how employing and combining three widespread aspects of grassland management and their interactions can enhance 22 plot-level ecosystem service indicators, as well as ecosystem-service multifunctionality. The three management aspects we assess are i) organic production system, ii) an eco-scheme prescribing extensive management (without fertilization), and iii) harvest type (pasture vs. meadow). While organic production system and interactions between the three management aspects play a minor role, the main effects of eco-scheme and harvest type considerably shape single services. Moreover, the eco-scheme 'extensive management' and the harvest type 'pasture' enhance plot-scale ecosystem-service multifunctionality, mostly through facilitating cultural services at the expense of provisioning services. These changes in ecosystem-service supply occur mainly via changes in land-use intensity, i.e., reduced fertilizer input and harvest frequency. In conclusion, diversifying grassland management where this is currently homogeneous across farms and landscapes depicts an important first step to improve landscape-scale multifunctionality for sustainable grassland systems. To meet societal ecosystem services demand, the three studied management aspects can be systematically combined to increase ecosystem services that are in short supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska J Richter
- Grassland Sciences, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Matthias Suter
- Forage Production and Grassland Systems, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Lüscher
- Forage Production and Grassland Systems, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nina Buchmann
- Grassland Sciences, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nadja El Benni
- Sustainability Assessment and Agricultural Management, Agroscope, Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | - Rafaela Feola Conz
- Sustainable Agroecosystems, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Hartmann
- Sustainable Agroecosystems, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Pierrick Jan
- Managerial Economics in Agriculture, Agroscope, Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | - Valentin H Klaus
- Grassland Sciences, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Forage Production and Grassland Systems, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland
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3
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Klaus VH, Jehle A, Richter F, Buchmann N, Knop E, Lüscher G. Additive effects of two agri-environmental schemes on plant diversity but not on productivity indicators in permanent grasslands in Switzerland. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 348:119416. [PMID: 37931438 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Different agri-environmental schemes (AES), such as ecological focus areas and organic farming, have been suggested to reduce the impact of intensive agriculture on the environment and to conserve or even restore farmland biodiversity. However, the effectiveness of such schemes, their ability to actually support biodiversity and associated trade-offs with agricultural production are still debated. We analysed a large dataset from the biodiversity monitoring in the Swiss agricultural landscape to assess the effects of two different grassland AES, i.e., extensively managed ecological focus areas (EFAs versus non-EFAs) and organic farming (versus conventional), on plant diversity, plant community composition and productivity indicators, i.e., weed abundance, forage value and nutrient availability. We also considered environmental factors, i.e., topography and soil conditions, which potentially modulate AES effects on biodiversity. We used in total 1170 plots in permanent grasslands, managed as meadows or pastures. Both AES had significant positive effects on plant diversity. However, EFAs increased plant richness considerably stronger (+6.6 species) than organic farming (+1.8 species). Effects of the two schemes were additive with organic EFA grasslands exhibiting highest plant diversity. Differences in topography partly explained AES effects on diversity as both AES were associated with differences in elevation and slope. Thus, future assessments of the effectiveness of AES need to consider the non-random placement of AES across heterogeneous landscapes. EFA grasslands revealed a considerably reduced agricultural productivity as shown by low forage values and low nutrient availability. Yet, the abundance of agricultural weeds, i.e., agriculturally undesired plant species, was lower in EFA compared to non-EFA grasslands. Productivity indicators were only weakly affected by organic farming and other than for plant diversity, productivity did not differ between organic and conventional EFA grasslands. The positive additive diversity effects of EFAs and organic grassland farming underline the potential of both AES to contribute to biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes, though to a different extent. Comparing the effects of the two AES revealed that the lower the reduction in agricultural productivity associated with an AES, the smaller the gains in plant diversity, highlighting the inevitable trade-off between productivity and plant diversity in semi-natural grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin H Klaus
- Forage Production and Grassland Systems, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland; Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Andrew Jehle
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Franziska Richter
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nina Buchmann
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Eva Knop
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; Agricultural Landscape and Biodiversity, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Gisela Lüscher
- Agricultural Landscape and Biodiversity, Agroscope, Zürich, Switzerland
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Fialas PC, Froidevaux JSP, Jones G, Batáry P. Transition to organic farming negatively affects bat activity. J Appl Ecol 2023; 60:2167-2176. [PMID: 38505688 PMCID: PMC10947233 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
The effectiveness of organic farming on biodiversity has been widely documented especially for plants, arthropods and birds; however, the effects of the transition period required to become an organic farm on wildlife remain poorly understood.We assessed the effects of organic farming on insectivorous bats in citrus orchards in the Republic of Cyprus employing two matched designs (conventional vs. 3-year organic-transitional and conventional vs. organic-certified) and a third unmatched design (3-year organic-transitional vs. organic-certified). We specifically investigated whether the transition period prior to full organic certification influenced bat activity with a special focus on any moderation effects from surrounding semi-natural areas.The activity of three (Pipistrellus kuhlii, Hypsugo savii and Miniopterus schreibersii) of four bat species was significantly lower in farms undergoing the transitional period than in conventional farms, and P. kuhlii and H. savii were significantly less active in organic transitional farming systems that in organic-certified ones. Furthermore, the activity of the most dominant species (P. kuhlii) was significantly higher on organic than transitional and conventional citrus orchards, thus suggesting a time-lag effect. Landscape complexity measured as the amount of semi-natural areas did not moderate the effects of farming system for any study species. Synthesis and application. The transition to organic farming had persistent detrimental effects on bats and potentially on the pest suppression services they provide. Future agri-environmental policy should consider the transition period and implement measures to mitigate any negative effects on biodiversity, alongside promoting asynchronous transition of nearby farms. Our findings further highlight the crucial need to consider the time since transition to organic farming when assessing potential benefits of organic management on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penelope C. Fialas
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Bristol, Life Sciences BuildingBristolUK
- College of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Exeter, Hatherly BuildingExeterUK
| | - Jérémy S. P. Froidevaux
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Bristol, Life Sciences BuildingBristolUK
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO, UMR 7204), CNRS, MNHN, Sorbonne‐UniversitéConcarneauFrance
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - Gareth Jones
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Bristol, Life Sciences BuildingBristolUK
| | - Péter Batáry
- ”Lendület” Landscape and Conservation EcologyInstitute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological ResearchVácrátótHungary
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Mannaf M, Zuo A, Wheeler SA. The spatial influences of organic farming and environmental heterogeneity on biodiversity in South Australian landscapes. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 324:116414. [PMID: 36352718 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The potential link between certified organic farming and biodiversity and conservation remains unexplored in Australia, despite the country having the world's largest amount of certified organic farmland and unprecedented biodiversity loss. This study modelled the spatial effects of organic farming (intensity of local farming systems), environmental heterogeneity, and urbanisation on two widely studied environmental taxa - vascular plant and bird species richness (surrogate measures of biodiversity) - in South Australia, using a unique certified organic farming postcode level dataset from 2001 to 2016 (N = 5440). The spatial Durbin error model results confirmed the positive spatial congruence of organic farming with greater vascular plant species richness, whereas only weak to no significant evidence was found for bird species richness. Landscape features (habitat heterogeneity) and green vegetation (a proxy indicator of resource availability) - rather than organic farming - appeared to be most associated with bird species richness. Both plant and bird species richness were positively associated with habitat heterogeneity (land cover diversity and elevation range), plant productivity and proportion of conservation land and water bodies. Whereas, increased anthropogenic land use for cropping and horticultural farming, soil type diversity and proximity to the coast significantly reduced species richness of both taxa. The results suggest that a multi-scale spatially refined biodiversity conservation strategy, with spatial targeting that promotes low intensive farming systems and increases landscape heterogeneity to provide quality habitat (a whole of landscape approach by incorporating private agricultural landholders), could be beneficial for biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maksuda Mannaf
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Policy, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, 3100, Bangladesh.
| | - Alec Zuo
- Centre for Global Food and Resources, School of Economics and Public Policy, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia; School of Economics and Public Policy, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia.
| | - Sarah Ann Wheeler
- School of Economics and Public Policy, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia.
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Carrié R, Ekroos J, Smith HG. Turnover and nestedness drive plant diversity benefits of organic farming from local to landscape scales. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2576. [PMID: 35191107 PMCID: PMC9285809 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity-benefits of organic farming have mostly been documented at the field scale. However, these benefits from organic farming to species diversity may not propagate to larger scales because variation in the management of different crop types and seminatural habitats in conventional farms might allow species to cope with intensive crop management. We studied flowering plant communities using a spatially replicated design in different habitats (cereal, ley and seminatural grasslands) in organic and conventional farms, distributed along a gradient in proportion of seminatural grasslands. We developed a novel method to compare the rates of species turnover within and between habitats, and between the total species pools in the two farming systems. We found that the intrahabitat species turnover did not differ between organic and conventional farms, but that organic farms had a significantly higher interhabitat turnover of flowering plant species compared with conventional ones. This was mainly driven by herbicide-sensitive species in cereal fields in organic farms, as these contained 2.5 times more species exclusive to cereal fields compared with conventional farms. The farm-scale species richness of flowering plants was higher in organic compared with conventional farms, but only in simple landscapes. At the interfarm level, we found that 36% of species were shared between the two farming systems, 37% were specific to organic farms whereas 27% were specific to conventional ones. Therefore, our results suggest that that both community nestedness and species turnover drive changes in species composition between the two farming systems. These large-scale shifts in species composition were driven by both species-specific herbicide and nitrogen sensitivity of plants. Our study demonstrates that organic farming should foster a diversity of flowering plant species from local to landscape scales, by promoting unique sets of arable-adapted species that are scarce in conventional systems. In terms of biodiversity conservation, our results call for promoting organic farming over large spatial extents, especially in simple landscapes, where such transitions would benefit plant diversity most.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Carrié
- Centre for Environmental and Climate ResearchLund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Johan Ekroos
- Centre for Environmental and Climate ResearchLund UniversityLundSweden
- Present address:
Department of Agricultural Sciences, Plant Production SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Henrik G. Smith
- Centre for Environmental and Climate ResearchLund UniversityLundSweden
- Department of BiologyLund UniversityLundSweden
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Abstract
Soils form the basis for agricultural production and other ecosystem services, and soil management should aim at improving their quality and resilience. Within the SoilCare project, the concept of soil-improving cropping systems (SICS) was developed as a holistic approach to facilitate the adoption of soil management that is sustainable and profitable. SICS selected with stakeholders were monitored and evaluated for environmental, sociocultural, and economic effects to determine profitability and sustainability. Monitoring results were upscaled to European level using modelling and Europe-wide data, and a mapping tool was developed to assist in selection of appropriate SICS across Europe. Furthermore, biophysical, sociocultural, economic, and policy reasons for (non)adoption were studied. Results at the plot/farm scale showed a small positive impact of SICS on environment and soil, no effect on sustainability, and small negative impacts on economic and sociocultural dimensions. Modelling showed that different SICS had different impacts across Europe—indicating the importance of understanding local dynamics in Europe-wide assessments. Work on adoption of SICS confirmed the role economic considerations play in the uptake of SICS, but also highlighted social factors such as trust. The project’s results underlined the need for policies that support and enable a transition to more sustainable agricultural practices in a coherent way.
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Tscharntke T, Grass I, Wanger TC, Westphal C, Batáry P. Beyond organic farming - harnessing biodiversity-friendly landscapes. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:919-930. [PMID: 34362590 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We challenge the widespread appraisal that organic farming is the fundamental alternative to conventional farming for harnessing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. Certification of organic production is largely restricted to banning synthetic agrochemicals, resulting in limited benefits for biodiversity but high yield losses despite ongoing intensification and specialisation. In contrast, successful agricultural measures to enhance biodiversity include diversifying cropland and reducing field size, which can multiply biodiversity while sustaining high yields in both conventional and organic systems. Achieving a landscape-level mosaic of natural habitat patches and fine-grained cropland diversification in both conventional and organic agriculture is key for promoting large-scale biodiversity. This needs to be urgently acknowledged by policy makers for an agricultural paradigm shift.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ingo Grass
- Ecology of Tropical Agricultural Systems, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Thomas C Wanger
- Sustainability, Agriculture, & Technology Laboratory, School of Engineering, Westlake University, China; Key Laboratory of Coastal Environment and Resources of Zhejiang Province, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China; GlobalAgroforestryNetwork.org, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Catrin Westphal
- Functional Agrobiodiversity, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Péter Batáry
- "Lendület" Landscape and Conservation Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological Research, Vácrátót, Hungary
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9
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Conflicts between agriculture and biodiversity conservation in Europe: Looking to the future by learning from the past. ADV ECOL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2021.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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10
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Mutual and Opposing Responses of Carabid Beetles and Predatory Wasps to Local and Landscape Factors in Vineyards. INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11110746. [PMID: 33143021 PMCID: PMC7693422 DOI: 10.3390/insects11110746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The aim of this study was to contribute to closing knowledge gaps on managing vineyards and viticultural landscapes in order to support insect diversity and abundance. We studied two different groups of predating insects, carabid beetles and cavity-nesting wasps, in organically and conventionally managed vineyards in Germany. Effects of surrounding landscapes and vegetation structure within vineyards were evaluated. No differences in species richness and abundance of carabid beetles and cavity-nesting wasps were found between organic and conventional management. Enhanced vegetation cover was positively correlated with carabids and negatively with wasps. High covers of annual crops in the surrounding landscape led to fewer species and individuals of both groups. The results underline the importance of insect-friendly management, especially in intensely farmed landscapes. Abstract Preserving agro-biodiversity is one of the main means at the moment to counteract the global biodiversity crisis. Vineyard inter-rows offer vegetation covers which could function as foraging grounds for arthropods. Furthermore, organic management and enhanced landscape complexity often support biodiversity. Here, species richness and abundance of two groups of arthropod predators in vineyards were studied. Fifteen pairs of organically and conventionally managed vineyards were chosen along a gradient of landscape complexity in Rhine-Hesse, Germany. Carabid beetles were sampled using pitfall traps and cavity-nesting wasps with trap nests, respectively. Proportions of different land-use types surrounding the vineyards were calculated and inter-row vegetation cover was characterized. Species richness and abundances of both predator groups were not significantly affected by the management system. Likewise, increased cover of semi-natural habitats in the surrounding landscape did not promote their diversity or abundance. Instead, the increasing cover of annual crops diminished both groups. Cavity-nesting wasps profited from dense inter-row vegetation cover, while carabids were disadvantaged. The results indicate that distinct taxa within the same trophic group can respond oppositely to vineyard management. Thus, inter-row vegetation management with densely and sparsely vegetated elements might be best to support predator diversity. Overall, our results suggest that organic viticulture alone is insufficient to assist the studied insect groups, and that other local and landscape management options are needed for their protection.
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Helfenstein J, Diogo V, Bürgi M, Verburg P, Swart R, Mohr F, Debonne N, Levers C, Herzog F. Conceptualizing pathways to sustainable agricultural intensification. ADV ECOL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2020.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Vanbergen AJ, Aizen MA, Cordeau S, Garibaldi LA, Garratt MP, Kovács-Hostyánszki A, Lecuyer L, Ngo HT, Potts SG, Settele J, Skrimizea E, Young JC. Transformation of agricultural landscapes in the Anthropocene: Nature's contributions to people, agriculture and food security. ADV ECOL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2020.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Piccini I, Palestrini C, Rolando A, Roslin T. Local management actions override farming systems in determining dung beetle species richness, abundance and biomass and associated ecosystem services. Basic Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2019.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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14
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Smith OM, Cohen AL, Rieser CJ, Davis AG, Taylor JM, Adesanya AW, Jones MS, Meier AR, Reganold JP, Orpet RJ, Northfield TD, Crowder DW. Organic Farming Provides Reliable Environmental Benefits but Increases Variability in Crop Yields: A Global Meta-Analysis. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2019.00082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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Vegetable Consumption and Factors Associated with Increased Intake among College Students: A Scoping Review of the Last 10 Years. Nutrients 2019; 11:nu11071634. [PMID: 31319573 PMCID: PMC6682864 DOI: 10.3390/nu11071634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Vegetable consumption is a predictor for improved health outcomes, such as reduced obesity and likelihood of food-related noncommunicable diseases. Young adults are a key population, being in a transitional stage-of-life: Habits gained here are taken through the lifespan. This review establishes insight into the consumption of vegetables among young adults during their college/university years, and factors associated with increased consumption. Seventy-one papers were extracted, published between January 2009 and October 2018. Search terms related to consumption; vegetables; and college/university setting and sample. A diverse range of definitions, guidelines, and study approaches were observed. Findings identify that the majority of students do not consume World Health Organization recommendations. Being female was the most frequent predictor of higher intake of vegetables, and no consumption patterns were identified by countries. Living at family home; body mass index; happiness and stress level; perceived importance of healthy eating; socioeconomic level; breakfast consumption; stage of study; openness to new experiences; sleep pattern; nutrition knowledge; activity level; alcohol usage; and energy intake were identified as influential factors. Public policies and new strategies to encourage vegetable consumption among college students are indispensable, especially targeting subgroups with even lower intakes, such as males and those living outside family home.
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Santangeli A, Lehikoinen A, Lindholm T, Herzon I. Organic animal farms increase farmland bird abundance in the Boreal region. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216009. [PMID: 31091249 PMCID: PMC6519808 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Agriculture is a primary driver of biodiversity loss worldwide, and several expensive schemes have been designed to make modern farming landscapes more hospitable for wildlife. One such market-based mechanisms is the agri-environment-climate schemes (AES) in the European Union (EU). AES compensate farmers for reducing land-use intensity and maintaining or introducing biodiversity-rich habitats. Despite their high costs, impacts of AES vary by measure, region and taxonomic group considered, and have rarely been studied over large areas covering an entire country. Here we assess the country-wide impact of several AES measures on bird abundance using citizen science data on birds and detailed information on AES take up from across Finland. We report a positive impact of organic animal farming on abundance of all farmland associated birds. This effect was particularly strong for insectivorous species, species that are associated to farmyards and long-distance species. None of the other AES measures considered for study did show any relationship with bird abundance. Overall, these findings highlight the potential positive impact that some compensatory measures, such as organic animal farming, may have on wildlife. Traditional animal husbandry is based on grazing of animals and restriction on external inputs, similarly to what is stipulated under organic production contract. As such, traditional animal husbandry may represent an effective landscape management tool for restoring or maintaining threatened species and ecosystems in rural areas of the EU. Ultimately, the apparent lack of a measurable effect of the other AES considered here supports the current move towards evidence-based regional targeting of compensatory measures, so as to concentrate scarce resources to where they can yield the highest ecological benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Santangeli
- The Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, HELSUS, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- * E-mail:
| | - Aleksi Lehikoinen
- The Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tanja Lindholm
- The Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Irina Herzon
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, HELSUS, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Lupatini M, Korthals GW, Roesch LFW, Kuramae EE. Long-term farming systems modulate multi-trophic responses. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 646:480-490. [PMID: 30056235 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Soil microbiome and multi-trophic relationships are essential for the stability and functioning of agroecosystems. However, little is known about how farming systems and alternative methods for controlling plant pathogens modulate microbial communities, soil mesofauna and plant productivity. In this study, we assessed the composition of eukaryotic microbial groups using a high-throughput sequencing approach (18S rRNA gene marker), the populations of parasitic and free-living nematodes, plant productivity and their inter-relationships in long-term conventional and organic farming systems. The diversity of the fungal community increased in the organic farming system compared to the conventional farming system, whereas the diversity of the protist community was similar between the two farming systems. Compared to conventional farming, organic farming increased the population of free-living nematodes and suppressed plant parasitic nematodes belonging to Meloidogynidae and Pratylenchidae. Fungal diversity and community structure appeared to be related to nematode suppression in the system receiving organic fertilizer, which was characterized by component microbial groups known to be involved in the suppression of soil pathogens. Unraveling the microbiome and multi-trophic interactions in different farming systems may permit the management of the soil environment toward more sustainable control of plant pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoeli Lupatini
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Gerard W Korthals
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Luiz F W Roesch
- Centro Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Avenida Antônio Trilha 1847, 97300-000 São Gabriel, Brazil
| | - Eiko E Kuramae
- Department of Microbial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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Tsvetkov I, Atanassov A, Vlahova M, Carlier L, Christov N, Lefort F, Rusanov K, Badjakov I, Dincheva I, Tchamitchian M, Rakleova G, Georgieva L, Tamm L, Iantcheva A, Herforth-Rahmé J, Paplomatas E, Atanassov I. Plant organic farming research – current status and opportunities for future development. BIOTECHNOL BIOTEC EQ 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/13102818.2018.1427509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Tsvetkov
- AgroBioInstitute, Agricultural Academy, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Atanas Atanassov
- Joint Genomic Center, Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Mariana Vlahova
- Joint Genomic Center, Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Lucien Carlier
- Plant Sciences Department, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | | | - Francois Lefort
- University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, Delemont, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Mark Tchamitchian
- INRA French National Institute for Agricultural Research, Avignon, France
| | - Goritsa Rakleova
- Joint Genomic Center, Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | | | - Lucius Tamm
- FiBL Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau, Frick, Switzerland
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Lichtenberg EM, Kennedy CM, Kremen C, Batáry P, Berendse F, Bommarco R, Bosque-Pérez NA, Carvalheiro LG, Snyder WE, Williams NM, Winfree R, Klatt BK, Åström S, Benjamin F, Brittain C, Chaplin-Kramer R, Clough Y, Danforth B, Diekötter T, Eigenbrode SD, Ekroos J, Elle E, Freitas BM, Fukuda Y, Gaines-Day HR, Grab H, Gratton C, Holzschuh A, Isaacs R, Isaia M, Jha S, Jonason D, Jones VP, Klein AM, Krauss J, Letourneau DK, Macfadyen S, Mallinger RE, Martin EA, Martinez E, Memmott J, Morandin L, Neame L, Otieno M, Park MG, Pfiffner L, Pocock MJO, Ponce C, Potts SG, Poveda K, Ramos M, Rosenheim JA, Rundlöf M, Sardiñas H, Saunders ME, Schon NL, Sciligo AR, Sidhu CS, Steffan-Dewenter I, Tscharntke T, Veselý M, Weisser WW, Wilson JK, Crowder DW. A global synthesis of the effects of diversified farming systems on arthropod diversity within fields and across agricultural landscapes. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2017; 23:4946-4957. [PMID: 28488295 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural intensification is a leading cause of global biodiversity loss, which can reduce the provisioning of ecosystem services in managed ecosystems. Organic farming and plant diversification are farm management schemes that may mitigate potential ecological harm by increasing species richness and boosting related ecosystem services to agroecosystems. What remains unclear is the extent to which farm management schemes affect biodiversity components other than species richness, and whether impacts differ across spatial scales and landscape contexts. Using a global metadataset, we quantified the effects of organic farming and plant diversification on abundance, local diversity (communities within fields), and regional diversity (communities across fields) of arthropod pollinators, predators, herbivores, and detritivores. Both organic farming and higher in-field plant diversity enhanced arthropod abundance, particularly for rare taxa. This resulted in increased richness but decreased evenness. While these responses were stronger at local relative to regional scales, richness and abundance increased at both scales, and richness on farms embedded in complex relative to simple landscapes. Overall, both organic farming and in-field plant diversification exerted the strongest effects on pollinators and predators, suggesting these management schemes can facilitate ecosystem service providers without augmenting herbivore (pest) populations. Our results suggest that organic farming and plant diversification promote diverse arthropod metacommunities that may provide temporal and spatial stability of ecosystem service provisioning. Conserving diverse plant and arthropod communities in farming systems therefore requires sustainable practices that operate both within fields and across landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elinor M Lichtenberg
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - Claire Kremen
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Péter Batáry
- Agroecology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Frank Berendse
- Nature Conservation and Plant Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Riccardo Bommarco
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Nilsa A Bosque-Pérez
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Luísa G Carvalheiro
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (CE3C), Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - William E Snyder
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Neal M Williams
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Rachael Winfree
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Björn K Klatt
- Agroecology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Research, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Sandra Åström
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Faye Benjamin
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Claire Brittain
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Yann Clough
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Research, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Bryan Danforth
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Tim Diekötter
- Department of Landscape Ecology, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Sanford D Eigenbrode
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Johan Ekroos
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Research, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Elizabeth Elle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Breno M Freitas
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Yuki Fukuda
- Centres for the Study of Agriculture Food and Environment, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | | | - Heather Grab
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Claudio Gratton
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Andrea Holzschuh
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Rufus Isaacs
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Marco Isaia
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Shalene Jha
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Dennis Jonason
- Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vincent P Jones
- Department of Entomology, Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Wenatchee, WA, USA
| | - Alexandra-Maria Klein
- Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jochen Krauss
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Deborah K Letourneau
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | | | - Rachel E Mallinger
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Emily A Martin
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Jane Memmott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Lisa Neame
- Alberta Environment and Parks, Regional Planning Branch, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Mark Otieno
- Department of Agricultural Resource Management, Embu University College, Embu, Kenya
| | - Mia G Park
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Department of Humanities & Integrated Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Lukas Pfiffner
- Department of Crop Science, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, Frick, Switzerland
| | | | - Carlos Ponce
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Simon G Potts
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - Katja Poveda
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Mariangie Ramos
- Department of Agricultural Technology, University of Puerto Rico at Utuado, Utuado, PR, USA
| | - Jay A Rosenheim
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Maj Rundlöf
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Hillary Sardiñas
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Manu E Saunders
- Institute for Land Water & Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia
| | - Nicole L Schon
- AgResearch, Lincoln Research Centre, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Amber R Sciligo
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - C Sheena Sidhu
- University of California Cooperative Extension, San Mateo & San Francisco Counties, Half Moon Bay, CA, USA
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Milan Veselý
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Wolfgang W Weisser
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Julianna K Wilson
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - David W Crowder
- Department of Entomology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
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Soares P, Caballero P, Davó-Blanes MC. [Purchase of local foods for school meals in Andalusia, the Canary Islands and the Principality of Asturias (Spain)]. GACETA SANITARIA 2017; 31:446-452. [PMID: 28843508 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2017.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Revised: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore and compare the characteristics of Primary Education Centres (PEC) in Andalusia, the Canary Islands and the Principality of Asturias depending on whether or not they make local food purchases (LFP) for school meals and to explore the opinion of cafeteria managers about the benefits and challenges of this type of purchase. METHOD Information on the characteristics of 186 PECs and opinions of cafeteria managers about the benefits/challenges of LFP was collected through an electronic questionnaire. Data were stratified according to how the products were purchased (LFP: yes/no), and the chi square test was applied. RESULTS 38.2% of the PECs studied make LFP. This is more frequent in rural areas (51.0 with self-managed cafeterias (80.0%), and their own kitchen (65.5%). These centres have less expensive menus than their peers (69.8%), participate more frequently in healthy eating programmes (81.5%) and purchase more organic food products (65.8%). According to the majority of the participants whose centres engage in LFP, the benefits include: supporting the local economy (97.2%), the offer of fresh foods (97.2%) and environmental sustainability (93.0%). The challenges include: productive capacity of the region (50.7%), the seasonal variation in food production (71.8%), and the lack of support (42.3%) and information from the government (46.5%). CONCLUSION The location of the centres, the management of the cafeteria and the availability of a kitchen on site can influence the development of LFP in schools. Government support could help to integrate LFP in schools, improving school meals at a lower economic and environmental cost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panmela Soares
- Núcleo de Investigación de Nutrición en los Servicios de Alimentación (NUPPRE), Universidad Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, Florianópolis-SC, Brasil; Grupo de Investigación de Salud Pública, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España.
| | - Pablo Caballero
- Departamento de Enfermería Comunitaria, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Historia de la Ciencia, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España
| | - Mari Carmen Davó-Blanes
- Grupo de Investigación de Salud Pública, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España; Departamento de Enfermería Comunitaria, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Historia de la Ciencia, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España
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Soares P, Martínez-Mián MA, Caballero P, Vives-Cases C, Davó-Blanes MC. [Local food production for school feeding programmes in Spain]. GACETA SANITARIA 2017; 31:466-471. [PMID: 28433404 DOI: 10.1016/j.gaceta.2016.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2016] [Revised: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify and characterize initiatives that promote the purchase of locally-sourced foods to supply schools and the school centres carrying out the initiatives. METHOD Exploratory, descriptive study based on secondary data and key informant reports. A search of governmental and non-governmental initiatives was carried out at the autonomous community level. Government initiatives were located through school feeding programmes in the different autonomous communities, their nutritional guides and representatives of the councils for education and agriculture. Non-governmental initiatives were found through their own websites and the snowball technique. Initiatives were analysed by their geographic distribution, organizational area (government vs. non-government), number of school centres carrying out the initiatives, management style and organic food purchase. A descriptive analysis of the data was carried out. RESULTS 12 initiatives carried out by 318 schools (2.16% of all the schools with food service in Spain) were identified. Among these, 6 are governmental initiatives with a scope of 274 schools (1.86%), and 6 are non-governmental initiatives with a scope of 44 schools (0.30%). Most of these schools have a public management system in place (n=284). All the initiatives provide for the purchase of organic food. CONCLUSION Local food purchase initiatives in Spain have a limited reach. However, the existence of a state directive could support and strengthen the development of such initiatives, given that school commitment is greater when initiatives are driven by the public sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panmela Soares
- Núcleo de Investigación de Nutrición en los Servicios de Alimentación (NUPPRE), Universidad Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, Brasil; Grupo de Investigación de Salud Pública, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España.
| | | | - Pablo Caballero
- Departamento de Enfermería Comunitaria, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Historia de la Ciencia, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España
| | - Carmen Vives-Cases
- Grupo de Investigación de Salud Pública, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España; Departamento de Enfermería Comunitaria, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Historia de la Ciencia, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), España
| | - Mari Carmen Davó-Blanes
- Grupo de Investigación de Salud Pública, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España; Departamento de Enfermería Comunitaria, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Historia de la Ciencia, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España
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Seufert V, Ramankutty N. Many shades of gray-The context-dependent performance of organic agriculture. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1602638. [PMID: 28345054 PMCID: PMC5362009 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1602638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Organic agriculture is often proposed as a more sustainable alternative to current conventional agriculture. We assess the current understanding of the costs and benefits of organic agriculture across multiple production, environmental, producer, and consumer dimensions. Organic agriculture shows many potential benefits (including higher biodiversity and improved soil and water quality per unit area, enhanced profitability, and higher nutritional value) as well as many potential costs including lower yields and higher consumer prices. However, numerous important dimensions have high uncertainty, particularly the environmental performance when controlling for lower organic yields, but also yield stability, soil erosion, water use, and labor conditions. We identify conditions that influence the relative performance of organic systems, highlighting areas for increased research and policy support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Seufert
- Liu Institute for Global Issues, University of British Columbia, 6476 North West Marine Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z2, Canada
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Corresponding author.
| | - Navin Ramankutty
- Liu Institute for Global Issues, University of British Columbia, 6476 North West Marine Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z2, Canada
- Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
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Potts SG, Imperatriz-Fonseca V, Ngo HT, Aizen MA, Biesmeijer JC, Breeze TD, Dicks LV, Garibaldi LA, Hill R, Settele J, Vanbergen AJ. Safeguarding pollinators and their values to human well-being. Nature 2016; 540:220-229. [DOI: 10.1038/nature20588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 811] [Impact Index Per Article: 101.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Soares P, Davó-Blanes MC, Martinelli SS, Melgarejo L, Cavalli SB. The effect of new purchase criteria on food procurement for the Brazilian school feeding program. Appetite 2016; 108:288-294. [PMID: 27756636 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2016.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Revised: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the effect of the school feeding program purchase criteria on the quantity, variety and origin of food products acquired for school meals in a municipality in Brazil. METHOD Analysis of purchase lists for two years prior and two years after implementation of the purchase criteria (2010). The origin (family farms (FF)/other providers (OP)) and nutritional characteristics (recommended/controlled) of food products were studied, registering annual varieties (n) and daily quantities (kg/day); contrast of proportions was applied. RESULTS The acquisition of recommended products increased, and the quantity of controlled products decreased (p = 0.005). Purchase of legumes and vegetables (p < 0.05) increased and high sugar foods decreased (p = 0.02). The majority of food products in 2010 and 2011 were acquired from OP (64% and 61%), although FF provided the greatest proportion of legumes and vegetables. Ten new varieties of recommended products were incorporated, 9 of which were acquired from FF. CONCLUSION The criteria of direct purchase from family farms resulted in an increase in the variety and quantity of healthy foods in the schools in the municipality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panmela Soares
- Public Health Research Group, University of Alicante (Universidad de Alicante), Edificio de Ciencias Sociales, Campus San Vicente del Raspeig, Ap. 99, C.P. 03080, Alicante, Spain; Nutrition in Foodservice Research Centre, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil.
| | - M Carmen Davó-Blanes
- Public Health Research Group, University of Alicante (Universidad de Alicante), Edificio de Ciencias Sociales, Campus San Vicente del Raspeig, Ap. 99, C.P. 03080, Alicante, Spain; Department of Community Nursing, Preventive Medicine and Public Health and History of Science, University of Alicante, Campus San Vicente del Raspeig, Ap. 99, C.P. 03080, Alicante, Spain.
| | - Suellen Secchi Martinelli
- Nutrition in Foodservice Research Centre, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil; Nutrition Post-Graduate Program, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário Trindade, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Nutrição, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brazil.
| | - Leonardo Melgarejo
- Gaúcha Association for the Protection of the Natural Environment (AGAPAN), Av Osvaldo Aranha, 440 sala, 304 - Bairro Bom Fim, Porto Alegre, RS, 90, 035-190, Brazil.
| | - Suzi Barletto Cavalli
- Nutrition in Foodservice Research Centre, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil; Nutrition Department, Nutrition Post-Graduate Program, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário Trindade, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Nutrição, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-900, Brazil.
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Gabel VM, Meier MS, Köpke U, Stolze M. The challenges of including impacts on biodiversity in agricultural life cycle assessments. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2016; 181:249-260. [PMID: 27371917 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2016.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Agriculture is considered to be one of the main drivers for worldwide biodiversity loss but the impacts of agricultural production on biodiversity have not been extensively considered in Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs). Recent realisation that biodiversity impact should be included in comprehensive LCAs has led to attempts to develop and implement methods for biodiversity impact assessment. In this review, twenty-two different biodiversity impact assessment methods have been analysed to identify their strengths and weaknesses in terms of their comprehensiveness in the evaluation of agricultural products. Different criteria, which had to meet the specific requirements of biodiversity research, life cycle assessment methodology, and the evaluation of agricultural products, were selected to investigate the identified methods. Very few of the methods were developed with the specific intention of being used for agricultural LCAs. Furthermore, none of the methods can be applied globally while at the same time being able to differentiate between various agricultural intensities. Global value chains and the increasing awareness of different biodiversity impacts of agricultural production systems demand the development of evaluation methods that are able to overcome these shortcomings. Despite the progress that has already been achieved, there are still unresolved difficulties which need further research and improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa M Gabel
- Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, P.O. Box 219, 5070 Frick, Switzerland; Institute of Organic Agriculture University of Bonn, Katzenburgweg 3, 53115 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Matthias S Meier
- Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, P.O. Box 219, 5070 Frick, Switzerland
| | - Ulrich Köpke
- Institute of Organic Agriculture University of Bonn, Katzenburgweg 3, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Matthias Stolze
- Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstrasse 113, P.O. Box 219, 5070 Frick, Switzerland
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Leifeld J. Current approaches neglect possible agricultural cutback under large-scale organic farming. A comment to Ponisio et al. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:rspb.2015.1623. [PMID: 26842565 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.1623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jens Leifeld
- Climate/Air Pollution Group, Agroscope, Reckenholzstrasse 191, Zurich 8046, Switzerland
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Rolo V, Rivest D, Lorente M, Kattge J, Moreno G. Taxonomic and functional diversity in Mediterranean pastures: insights on the biodiversity-productivity trade-off. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Victor Rolo
- Conservation Ecology Research Unit; University of Pretoria; Hatfield, Pretoria 0028 South Africa
| | - David Rivest
- Département des Sciences Naturelles; Université du Québec en Outaouais; 58 rue Principale Ripon QC J0V 1V0 Canada
- Centre for Forest Research; Université du Québec à Montréal; P.O. Box 8888, Centre-Ville Station Montréal QC H3C 3P8 Canada
| | - Miren Lorente
- Centre for Forest Research; Université du Québec à Montréal; P.O. Box 8888, Centre-Ville Station Montréal QC H3C 3P8 Canada
| | - Jens Kattge
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry; Hans-Knöll-Straβe 10, 07745 Jena Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Gerardo Moreno
- Forestry School; University of Extremadura; Av. Virgen del Puerto 2 Plasencia 10600 Spain
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Ekroos J, Ödman AM, Andersson GKS, Birkhofer K, Herbertsson L, Klatt BK, Olsson O, Olsson PA, Persson AS, Prentice HC, Rundlöf M, Smith HG. Sparing Land for Biodiversity at Multiple Spatial Scales. Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Bredemeier B, Rüter S, von Haaren C, Reich M, Schaarschmidt F. Spatial congruence between organic farming and biodiversity related landscape features in Germany. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIODIVERSITY SCIENCE, ECOSYSTEM SERVICES & MANAGEMENT 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/21513732.2015.1094515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Birte Bredemeier
- Institute of Environmental Planning, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, D 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Stefan Rüter
- Institute of Environmental Planning, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, D 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Christina von Haaren
- Institute of Environmental Planning, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, D 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Reich
- Institute of Environmental Planning, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, D 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Frank Schaarschmidt
- Institute of Biostatistics, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, D 30419 Hannover, Germany
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Geijzendorffer IR, Targetti S, Schneider MK, Brus DJ, Jeanneret P, Jongman RH, Knotters M, Viaggi D, Angelova S, Arndorfer M, Bailey D, Balázs K, Báldi A, Bogers MMB, Bunce RGH, Choisis JP, Dennis P, Eiter S, Fjellstad W, Friedel JK, Gomiero T, Griffioen A, Kainz M, Kovács-Hostyánszki A, Lüscher G, Moreno G, Nascimbene J, Paoletti MG, Pointereau P, Sarthou JP, Siebrecht N, Staritsky I, Stoyanova S, Wolfrum S, Herzog F. EDITOR'S CHOICE: How much would it cost to monitor farmland biodiversity in Europe? J Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Feber RE, Johnson PJ, Bell JR, Chamberlain DE, Firbank LG, Fuller RJ, Manley W, Mathews F, Norton LR, Townsend M, Macdonald DW. Organic Farming: Biodiversity Impacts Can Depend on Dispersal Characteristics and Landscape Context. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135921. [PMID: 26309040 PMCID: PMC4550245 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Organic farming, a low intensity system, may offer benefits for a range of taxa, but what affects the extent of those benefits is imperfectly understood. We explored the effects of organic farming and landscape on the activity density and species density of spiders and carabid beetles, using a large sample of paired organic and conventional farms in the UK. Spider activity density and species density were influenced by both farming system and surrounding landscape. Hunting spiders, which tend to have lower dispersal capabilities, had higher activity density, and more species were captured, on organic compared to conventional farms. There was also evidence for an interaction, as the farming system effect was particularly marked in the cropped area before harvest and was more pronounced in complex landscapes (those with little arable land). There was no evidence for any effect of farming system or landscape on web-building spiders (which include the linyphiids, many of which have high dispersal capabilities). For carabid beetles, the farming system effects were inconsistent. Before harvest, higher activity densities were observed in the crops on organic farms compared with conventional farms. After harvest, no difference was detected in the cropped area, but more carabids were captured on conventional compared to organic boundaries. Carabids were more species-dense in complex landscapes, and farming system did not affect this. There was little evidence that non-cropped habitat differences explained the farming system effects for either spiders or carabid beetles. For spiders, the farming system effects in the cropped area were probably largely attributable to differences in crop management; reduced inputs of pesticides (herbicides and insecticides) and fertilisers are possible influences, and there was some evidence for an effect of non-crop plant species richness on hunting spider activity density. The benefits of organic farming may be greatest for taxa with lower dispersal abilities generally. The evidence for interactions among landscape and farming system in their effects on spiders highlights the importance of developing strategies for managing farmland at the landscape-scale for most effective conservation of biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth E. Feber
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Paul J. Johnson
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney, United Kingdom
| | - James R. Bell
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney, United Kingdom
| | | | - Leslie G. Firbank
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancashire, United Kingdom
| | - Robert J. Fuller
- British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford, Norfolk, United Kingdom
| | - Will Manley
- Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona Mathews
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa R. Norton
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancashire, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Townsend
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney, United Kingdom
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tubney, United Kingdom
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Scheper J, Bommarco R, Holzschuh A, Potts SG, Riedinger V, Roberts SPM, Rundlöf M, Smith HG, Steffan-Dewenter I, Wickens JB, Wickens VJ, Kleijn D. Local and landscape-level floral resources explain effects of wildflower strips on wild bees across four European countries. J Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen Scheper
- Alterra; Animal Ecology Team; 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Riccardo Bommarco
- Department of Ecology; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; 750 07 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Andrea Holzschuh
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology; Biocenter; University of Würzburg; Am Hubland 97074 Würzburg Germany
| | - Simon G. Potts
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development; University of Reading; Reading RG6 6AR UK
| | - Verena Riedinger
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology; Biocenter; University of Würzburg; Am Hubland 97074 Würzburg Germany
| | - Stuart P. M. Roberts
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development; University of Reading; Reading RG6 6AR UK
| | - Maj Rundlöf
- Department of Biology & Centre of Environmental and Climate Research; Lund University; 223 62 Lund Sweden
| | - Henrik G. Smith
- Department of Biology & Centre of Environmental and Climate Research; Lund University; 223 62 Lund Sweden
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology; Biocenter; University of Würzburg; Am Hubland 97074 Würzburg Germany
| | - Jennifer B. Wickens
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development; University of Reading; Reading RG6 6AR UK
| | - Victoria J. Wickens
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development; University of Reading; Reading RG6 6AR UK
| | - David Kleijn
- Alterra; Animal Ecology Team; 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands
- Resource Ecology Group; Wageningen University; 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands
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Lüscher G, Jeanneret P, Schneider MK, Hector A, Arndorfer M, Balázs K, Báldi A, Bailey D, Choisis JP, Dennis P, Eiter S, Elek Z, Fjellstad W, Gillingham PK, Kainz M, Kovács-Hostyánszki A, Hülsbergen KJ, Paoletti MG, Papaja-Hülsbergen S, Sarthou JP, Siebrecht N, Wolfrum S, Herzog F. Strikingly high effect of geographic location on fauna and flora of European agricultural grasslands. Basic Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2015.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Forrest JRK, Thorp RW, Kremen C, Williams NM. Contrasting patterns in species and functional-trait diversity of bees in an agricultural landscape. J Appl Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Robbin W. Thorp
- Department of Entomology and Nematology; University of California; Davis CA USA
| | - Claire Kremen
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management; University of California; Berkeley CA USA
| | - Neal M. Williams
- Department of Entomology and Nematology; University of California; Davis CA USA
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