Levels of predator movement between crop and neighboring habitats explain pest suppression in soybean across a gradient of agricultural landscape complexity

2018 ◽  
Vol 259 ◽  
pp. 135-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kandanpita Galaddalage Lahiru Ishan Samaranayake ◽  
Alejandro C. Costamagna
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Landscape Complexity ◽  
Pest Suppression

scholarly journals More pests but less treatments: ambivalent effect of landscape complexity on Conservation Biological Control

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrizia Zamberletti ◽  
Khadija Sabir ◽  
Thomas Opitz ◽  
Olivier Bonnefon ◽  
Edith Gabriel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Landscape Structure ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Multiple Scales ◽  
Conservation Biological Control ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Predator Population ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Landscape Complexity ◽  
Spatio Temporal

AbstractIn agricultural landscapes, the amount and organization of crops and semi-natural habitats (SNH) have the potential to promote a bundle of ecosystem services due to their influence on ecological community at multiple spatio-temporal scales. SNH are relatively undisturbed and are often source of complementary resources and refuges, supporting more diverse and abundant natural pest enemies. However, the nexus of SNH proportion and organization with pest suppression is not trivial. It is thus crucial to understand how the behavior of pest and auxiliary species, the underlying landscape structure, and their interaction may influence conservation biological control (CBC). Here, we develop a generative stochastic landscape model to simulate realistic agricultural landscape compositions and configurations of fields and linear elements. Generated landscapes are used as spatial support over which we simulate a spatially explicit predator-prey dynamic model. We find that SNH boost predator population, but predator movement from hedges to fields is fundamental for an efficient pest regulation by auxiliaries and to decrease pesticide treatments. Moreover landscape elements may lead to different effects on pest reduction depending on the considered scale. Integration of species behaviors and traits with landscape structure at multiple scales are needed to provide useful insights for CBC.

scholarly journals Regional pest suppression associated with widespread Bt maize adoption benefits vegetable growers

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (13) ◽  
pp. 3320-3325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Galen P. Dively ◽  
P. Dilip Venugopal ◽  
Dick Bean ◽  
Joanne Whalen ◽  
Kristian Holmstrom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
European Corn Borer ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Corn Earworm ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Vegetable Crops ◽  
Bt Maize ◽  
Corn Borer ◽  
Bt Crops ◽  
Pest Suppression

Transgenic crops containing the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genes reduce pests and insecticide usage, promote biocontrol services, and economically benefit growers. Area-wide Bt adoption suppresses pests regionally, with declines expanding beyond the planted Bt crops into other non-Bt crop fields. However, the offsite benefits to growers of other crops from such regional suppression remain uncertain. With data spanning 1976–2016, we demonstrate that vegetable growers benefit via decreased crop damage and insecticide applications in relation to pest suppression in the Mid-Atlantic United States. We provide evidence for the regional suppression of Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), European corn borer, and Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), corn earworm, populations in association with widespread Bt maize adoption (1996–2016) and decreased economic levels for injury in vegetable crops [peppers (Capsicum annuum L.), green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), and sweet corn (Zea mays L., convar. saccharata)] compared with the pre-Bt period (1976–1995). Moth populations of both species significantly declined in association with widespread Bt maize (field corn) adoption, even as increased temperatures buffered the population reduction. We show marked decreases in the number of recommended insecticidal applications, insecticides applied, and O. nubilalis damage in vegetable crops in association with widespread Bt maize adoption. These offsite benefits to vegetable growers in the agricultural landscape have not been previously documented, and the positive impacts identified here expand on the reported ecological effects of Bt adoption. Our results also underscore the need to account for offsite economic benefits of pest suppression, in addition to the direct economic benefits of Bt crops.

scholarly journals The benefits of organic farming to spontaneous vascular flora biodiversity, West Pomerania, Poland

2015 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janina Borysiak
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Taxonomic Diversity ◽  
Plant Species Richness ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Landscape Complexity ◽  
Vascular Flora

Research was carried out on the importance of organic farming practices for maintaining agricultural landscape complexity with consequent benefits for spontaneous vascular flora biodiversity. An agricultural landscape unit (75 ha) composed of extensively used arable lands and grasslands and small remnant natural habitats, occurring among fields or in field verges in the West Pomerania region, Poland, was investigated. Spontaneous vascular flora of extensively farmed landscape was mapped using the topographic method. The examined flora was analyzed in terms of plant species richness and diversity. The following attributes of flora were considered: taxonomic and syntaxonomic diversity, and the share of geographical and geographical–historical elements, Raunkiaer’s life forms, archaeophytes, kenophytes, plants with conservation status and threatened in the Polish regions or countries of the European Union, and ancient woodland plant species indicators. Spontaneous vascular flora included 338 species / 75 ha and represented rich taxonomic diversity: 213 genera, 71 families and 48 orders. The phytocoenoses included 52 plant associations from 17 classes, 23 orders, and 32 alliances of the phytosociological system, including 6 segetal synanthropic communities.

Landscape complexity in space and time

2001 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.J. Walker ◽  
N. C. Kenkel
Keyword(s):  
Landscape Complexity ◽  
Space And Time

Transforming the Rural Agricultural Landscape Through Groundwater Optimisation: Exploring A Chinese-South African Partnership

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nirmala Dorasamy ◽  
Olayemi Bakre
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Subsistence Farming ◽  
Water Shortages ◽  
Subsistence Farmers ◽  
Farming Communities ◽  
Standards Of Living ◽  
Kwazulu Natal

The majority of the South African rural populace is directly or indirectly engaged in agricultural practices to earn a livelihood. However, impediments such as climate change, water shortages, and inadequacy of institutional support have undermined these once thriving subsistence farming communities. Furthermore, poor leadership in hydrology, coupled with a lack of depth in skills at all government levels to facilitate the understanding of the importance of groundwater, has made it near impossible for subsistence farmers to benefit optimally from groundwater. The 2012 drought experienced in South Africa paralysed several subsistence farming communities in KwaZulu-Natal. To revamp subsistence farming and assist these farmers across South Africa, the Department of Water and Sanitation launched interventions, but despite the enormous resources expended, indicators (e.g. unsustainable farming practices, poor crop yield, pitiable living conditions, and poor standards of living) provide evidence that these interventions have not yielded the desired results. This paper seeks to suggest practicable interventions aimed at reducing the vulnerability of subsistence farmers in KwaZulu-Natal. The study pursued a qualitative approach in that it solicited the views of experts on groundwater and in related fields to gain an in-depth perspective. Some of the core challenges undermining the sustainability and growth of subsistence farming in the study area were found to be the inadequacy of experts on groundwater, water shortages, institutional deficiencies, lack of political will, and lack of coordination among stakeholders. Pragmatic recommendations are made to address these challenges, among other things to encourage a South African-Chinese partnership in the hydrology sector.

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