Federal Department of Economic Affairs,
Education and Research EAER
Agroscope
Factors affecting farmland
biodiversity in European arable fields
Felix Herzog
Pulawy, 27.09.2016
www.agroscope.ch I good food, healthy environment
The „big picture“:
Peak oil – peak child
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Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Laherrère JH http://www.oilcrisis.com/laherrere/supply.htm
Basten et al. 2013, Demogr.Res.
 Produce more with less
… and maintain biodiversity
48 mio. sqkm (1/3 of Global land area)
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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+ climate
change
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Source: FAO
Ecolog. Econom. 2007
+
+
_
_
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Two examples
Flower strips and Agroforestry
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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www.intercrop.dk, www.agroforestry.eu, www.icraf.org
Example 1: Flower strips
Pests &
Plant damage
Natural enemies
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Fitness-experiment (climate chamber)
Higher diversity  higher fitness of natural enemies
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Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Tschumi et al. 2015
Field design: FS + Winter wheat
 10 winter wheat fields with wildflower strip
 10 winter wheat fields without wildflower strip (random crop
as control)
wildflower strip or control crop
Near
(5 m) → CLB number, plant damage
Far
(10 m) → CLB number, plant damage
winter wheat field
 Managed without insecticides
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Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Tschumi et al. 2015
Controlling cereal leaf beetles
- 40%
- 53%
- 61%
CLB density & wheat plant damage reduced in
fields adjacent to flower strips
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Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Tschumi et al. 2015
Flower strips increase
winter wheat yield
Cereal leaf beetle
+ 10%
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Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Tschumi et al. 2015
Biodiversity: Higher species richness
Species richness hoverflies
Positive effects of tailored flower strips on
biodiversity(?)
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Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Tschumi et al. 2015
No landscape impact – really?
Landscape complexity = 1 - crop area
(Schmidt et al. 2005; Chaplin-Kramer et al. 2011)
No impact on
1. Pest density
2. Plant damage
3. Natural enemies (except Coccinellidae
larvae)
? Landscape gradient not strong
enough?
? Real increase of populations of natural
enemies or just attracting them from the
surroundings?
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Example 2: Agroforestry
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Traditional AFS are part of HNV
farmland
Extent of agroforestry EU27
AGFORWARD, 2016
High Nature Value Farmland
JRC, 2004
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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E.g. Dehesa/Montado, Bocage,
Streuobst, Olive orchards, …
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Farmland biodiversity:
Arable < Modern AFS < Traditional AFS
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Efficient resource capture in
agroforestry
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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The human factor: Do farmers believe
in aroforestry?
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Sereke et al. 2016 Agrofor.Syst.
Some fear for their reputation!
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Sereke et al. 2016 Agrofor.Syst.
Ecolog. Econom. 2007
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Conclusions
 Ecoystem services and dis-services to and from agriculture:
still a lot needs to be better understood!
 Deal with trade-offs!
 Be honest about dis-services from and to agriculture
 Farmers are key players and decision makers – and there is
a high diversity of farmers!  no «one-fits-all» solution
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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Thank you for your attention
Agroscope good food, healthy environment
Farmland biodiversity in European arable fields, Pulawy, 27.09.2016
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