TY  - JOUR
A1  - Gámez-Virués, Sagrario
A1  - Perović, David J.
A1  - Gossner, Martin M.
A1  - Börschig, Carmen
A1  - Blüthgen, Nico
A1  - de Jong, Heike
A1  - Simons, Nadja K.
A1  - Klein, Alexandra-Maria
A1  - Krauss, Jochen
A1  - Maier, Gwen
A1  - Scherber, Christoph
A1  - Steckel, Juliane
A1  - Rothenwöhrer, Christoph
A1  - Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf
A1  - Weiner, Christiane N.
A1  - Weisser, Wolfgang
A1  - Werner, Michael
A1  - Tscharntke, Teja
A1  - Westphal, Catrin
T1  - Landscape simplification filters species traits and drives biotic homogenization
JF  - Nature Communications
N2  - Biodiversity loss can affect the viability of ecosystems by decreasing the ability of communities to respond to environmental change and disturbances. Agricultural intensification is a major driver of biodiversity loss and has multiple components operating at different spatial scales: from in-field management intensity to landscape-scale simplification. Here we show that landscape-level effects dominate functional community composition and can even buffer the effects of in-field management intensification on functional homogenization, and that animal communities in real-world managed landscapes show a unified response (across orders and guilds) to both landscape-scale simplification and in-field intensification. Adults and larvae with specialized feeding habits, species with shorter activity periods and relatively small body sizes are selected against in simplified landscapes with intense in-field management. Our results demonstrate that the diversity of land cover types at the landscape scale is critical for maintaining communities, which are functionally diverse, even in landscapes where in-field management intensity is high.
KW  - land-use intensity
KW  - community functional-responses
KW  - body-size
KW  - agricultural intensification
KW  - sustainable intensification
KW  - managed grasslands
KW  - biodiversity
KW  - diversity
KW  - heterogenity
KW  - butterflies
Y1  - 2015
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-141925
VL  - 6
IS  - 8568
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Redlich, Sarah
A1  - Martin, Emily A.
A1  - Steffan‐Dewenter, Ingolf
T1  - Sustainable landscape, soil and crop management practices enhance biodiversity and yield in conventional cereal systems
JF  - Journal of Applied Ecology
N2  - Input‐driven, modern agriculture is commonly associated with large‐scale threats to biodiversity, the disruption of ecosystem services and long‐term risks to food security and human health. A switch to more sustainable yet highly productive farming practices seems unavoidable. However, an integrative evaluation of targeted management schemes at field and landscape scales is currently lacking. Furthermore, the often‐disproportionate influence of soil conditions and agrochemicals on yields may mask the benefits of biodiversity‐driven ecosystem services.

Here, we used a real‐world ecosystem approach to identify sustainable management practices for enhanced functional biodiversity and yield on 28 temperate wheat fields. Using path analysis, we assessed direct and indirect links between soil, crop and landscape management with natural enemies and pests, as well as follow‐on effects on yield quantity and quality. A paired‐field design with a crossed insecticide‐fertilizer experiment allowed us to control for the relative influence of soil characteristics and agrochemical inputs.

We demonstrate that biodiversity‐enhancing management options such as reduced tillage, crop rotation diversity and small field size can enhance natural enemies without relying on agrochemical inputs. Similarly, we show that in this system controlling pests and weeds by agrochemical means is less relevant than expected for final crop productivity.

Synthesis and applications. Our study highlights soil, crop and landscape management practices that can enhance beneficial biodiversity while reducing agrochemical usage and negative environmental impacts of conventional agriculture. The diversification of cropping systems and conservation tillage are practical measures most farmers can implement without productivity losses. Combining local measures with improved landscape management may also strengthen the sustainability and resilience of cropping systems in light of future global change.
KW  - crop management
KW  - ecological intensification
KW  - landscape heterogeneity
KW  - natural enemies
KW  - pests
KW  - soil characteristics
KW  - sustainable intensification
KW  - wheat yield
Y1  - 2021
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-228345
VL  - 58
IS  - 3
SP  - 507
EP  - 517
ER  -