Crop Pollination
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Habitat management and ecological infrastructures -S. Magagnoli, F. Sgolastra & G. Burgio ( University of Bologna, Italy) This project was funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication is binding only on its author and the Commission is not responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. “No other activity has transformed humanity, and the Earth, as much as agriculture, but Production the environmental effects of high- intensity farming increasingly haunt us”. (Tilman, 1998) Fertilizers Pesticides • Diversified landscapes hold most potential for the conservation of functional biodiversity. • Agriculture intensification can cause a steep drop in biodiversity or alternatively a linear relationship. • Habitat fragmentation and loss of natural areas are the major causes for biodiversity loss. High habitat fragmentation 1. Higher competition among species; 2. Difficulty in moving animals; 3. Simplification of genetic diversity; 4. Edge effect. First step for conservation and valorization of biodiversity: ecological infrastructures Hedgerows Rotational fallows Beetle banks Poor grasslands Agro-ecological service crops Wildflower strips Pro and cons of ecological infrastructures • Pro ✓Increase vegetational complexity; ✓Positive impact on natural enemies by providing food and shelters; ✓Overwintering and reproductive sites for beneficials; ✓Positive impact on soil biota; ✓Prevent soil erosion; ✓In some cases act as wind breaker. • Cons ✓Costs of management; ✓Disservices Scale of application of interventions Landscape scale Farm Global benefits Spatial Field Ecological infrastructures 1) Example in practice • Anthocorids (Anthocoris nemoralis) are effective biocontrol agents of (Simon et al., 1998) the pest Cacopsylla piry; (Souliotis & Moschos, 2008) • Density and distribution of anthocorids are strictly related with the presence of ecological infrastructures (judas trees, elm tree); • Ecological infrastructures provide alternative preys and refugees for natural enemies. Ecological infrastructure Alternative preys Predator Predator Pest Judas tree 2) Example in practice • The majority of trees and shrubs supported reproduction of ladybird (Burgio, 2007) populations; • Some trees, shrubs and weeds may supply shelters for adult ladybirds E when aphids and/or crops are not present. = Oviposition L = Feeding activity P = Cycle completed A = just a shelter • Wildflower strips support higher insect abundance and diversity than 3) Example in practice cropped habitats (pollinators, predators and parasitoids); (Haaland et al., 2011) • Insect groups respond differently to particular characteristics of the strips; Unpubblished data from Barilla project Factors influencing insect abundance and diversity: • Flower abundance; bees Wildflower strips • Seed mixture; of wild • Vegetation structure; Control • Management; Number • Landscape. 1 2 3 4 5 Farms • Carabid activity density was > in roller crimper techniques than in green manure and control; 4) Example in practice • Vetch has a low C/N ratio and microorganisms are able to decompose it (Magagnoli et al., 2018) more efficaciously modifying the trophic web interactions. Synthetic biodegradable Green manure Roller crimper film cover vs ROTATION vetch-tomato Activity density of arthropod groups Synthetic biodegradable film cover Roller crimper Green manure All that glitters is not gold! -Ecosystem disservices- • Plants with extrafloral nectaries may promote ants with negative repercussion on aphids and mealybugs; • Hyalesthes obsoletus, a pest insect living on nettles, may transmit a stolbur phytoplasma to grapevines; • Competition between soybean (cash crop) and alfalfa (agroecological service crops), but better aphid control by enhancing natural enemies • Potential disservices must be analysed case by case considering the scientific knowledge and the practical experiences; • Disservices can be affected by geographic area of the intervention. In conclusion… Making a link to the game…. Natural enemies Key pests in the game enhanced by habitat management strategies Pest control • Crop pollination.