Changing the understanding of crop production: Integrating ecosystem services into the production function

Ecological Economics, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 230, P. 108526 - 108526

Published: Jan. 23, 2025

Language: Английский

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Flower Strips as an Ecological Tool to Strengthen the Environmental Balance of Fields: Case Study of a National Park Zone in Western Poland

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 16(3), P. 1251 - 1251

Published: Feb. 1, 2024

Maintaining biodiversity in agrocenoses is becoming an important element of sustainable development strategies. Flower strips can perform various functions, and their use the agricultural landscape a form natural mechanism for regulating habitat improving effectiveness biological methods combating crop pests. This manuscript case study Wielkopolska National Park, valuable wildlife area situated temperate zone characteristic climate conditions western Poland. The purpose this was to analyze species composition plants flower strip two years after sowing mixture seeds perennial plants, determine diversity collected arthropods depending on flowering intensity strip. most intense period occurred June, when number highest belonged one species, Trifolium repens (81.52% all plants). In same month, largest share beneficial were specimens from Hymenoptera/Parasitica (29.15%), which may indicate preference T. repens. relation caught higher June (58.74%) than July (35.16%), with Hymenoptera predominating, represented mainly by Parasitica, genus Trifolium.

Language: Английский

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Where have the bumblebees and other wild bees gone? - preliminary results of rapid evaluation in grassland habitats near agricultural fields in Ihtimanska Sredna Gora Mts (Bulgaria)

Historia naturalis bulgarica, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 47(4), P. 69 - 84

Published: April 1, 2025

Ecosystem services from wild bees are related to food production and medicine. However, the global decline of (including bumblebees) is a well-documented fact. The main factors for this phenomenon pesticides, habitat loss, changing climate, pathogen transmission etc. aim pilot study document bees’ flower visitation activity in several grassland habitats close vicinity agricultural fields Ihtimanska Sredna Gora Mts. Four sites were identified with similar plant communities, transects carried out them observe bee activity. In result we found that particular bumblebees had very low Mts during our short study. We could only speculate about possible explanation fact at moment. Discussed presence apiaries nearby intensification agriculture area last decade. This preliminary research demonstrates necessity permanent monitoring areas adjacent territories.

Language: Английский

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Botanical Evaluation of the Two-Year-Old Flower Strip with Analysis of the Local Carabidae Population: Case Study

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 17(7), P. 3223 - 3223

Published: April 4, 2025

Flower strips (FSs) are an effective way to support the sustainable development of agricultural land. Properly managed FS on fields provide stable habitats for local arthropod populations, but over years, it can be colonized by plants from soil seed bank and then become a nuisance surrounding crops. The aim this study was assess botanical composition in one year after establishment analyze population Carabidae, most which predatory. Inventory flowering situ made regularly beginning June end July, while beetles were collected mid-July August. It found that plant species sown commercial mixture continued dominate second year, proportion also noted, ranging 7.41% 39.88%. concluded Trifolium pratense L. Chrysanthemum leucanthemum should particularly recommended strip sowing observed habitats. diversity (H’) Carabidae higher than cultivated fields. However, when comparing Shannon–Wiener index wheat FS, regardless time observation, no significant differences noted. abundant ground beetle Harpalus rupees, universal predator feeds weed seeds. Significantly fewer individuals alfalfa field number significantly August July.

Language: Английский

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Effect of Flowering Strips in Associated Broccoli and Lettuce Crops on Increasing Land Use Efficiency

Sustainability, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 16(11), P. 4436 - 4436

Published: May 23, 2024

Diversifying agroecosystems enhance the sustainability of agricultural production and reduce input dependency during agroecological transitions. To achieve this objective, a study was conducted to assess impact intercropping introduction flowering plant strips on land use efficiency crop damage in lettuce broccoli association. The results indicated that alone led significant increase efficiency, while did not have any such effect. measured using equivalent ratio (LER), which consistently showed values greater than 1, suggesting efficiency. It should be noted presence flower fields were found incidence molluscs Plutella xyllostella. Additionally, competitive analysis revealed more system. Therefore, farmers can profitability by incorporating systems lettuce.

Language: Английский

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People’s appreciation of colorful field margins in intensively used arable landscapes and the conservation of plants and invertebrates

Agronomy for Sustainable Development, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 43(6)

Published: Nov. 27, 2023

Language: Английский

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Biodiverse Management of Perennial Flower Margins in Farmland: Meandering Mowing by ‘Three-Strip Management’ to Boost Pollinators and Beneficial Insects

Insects, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(12), P. 953 - 953

Published: Nov. 30, 2024

Agricultural intensification has led to significant declines in beneficial insect populations, such as pollinators and natural enemies, along with their ecosystem services. The installation of perennial flower margins farmland is a popular agri-environmental scheme mitigate these losses, promoting biodiversity, pollination, pest control. However, outcomes can vary widely, recent insights into an agricultural context suggest that management could be important contributor this variation. This study evaluated two mowing regimes: the new “three-strip management” method uneven, curved lines regular phased control method. During third year application, we effects on alpha diversity indices well plant–pollinator visitation networks. Curved three-strip significantly increased abundance all pollinator groups (+44%) enemies (+50%), taxonomic richness pollinators, especially for rarer solitary bees. Floral was also higher, more unique plants blooming early spring late summer, generating interactions (+54%) positive impact multiple network-level properties. Our findings provide evidence nature-based methods win–win solution, creating high-quality habitats enhance various groups, support associated services, help restore overall biodiversity.

Language: Английский

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Perennial flower strips in agricultural landscapes strongly promote earthworm populations

npj Sustainable Agriculture, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 2(1)

Published: Dec. 31, 2024

Abstract The loss of soil biodiversity through agricultural intensification is a major contributor to the collapse ecosystem services. Despite their wide application promote biodiversity, impact flower strips on organisms largely unknown. Here, we studied effects perennial earthworm communities at 46 sites with paired croplands and strips. Earthworm population densities in were average 231% greater than adjacent croplands. Flower can enable establishment anecic epigeic populations which they are absent Furthermore, likely serve as habitat for reproduction endogeic earthworms. We expect that promotion earthworms improves functions benefits higher trophic taxa. propose optimized seed mixtures, improved spatial configuration, temporal continuity further

Language: Английский

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