Biodiversity focus on functionFelix WckersCentre for Sustainable Agriculture

Biodiversity fbIOocBIBus on functionFelix WckersCentre for Sustainable Agriculture

Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel: Agriculture and nature conservation must find ways to work together hand-in-hand." Biodiversity

Agriculture and the EnvironmentOn the landscape level:Larger fieldsLoss of non-crop elements

On the field level:Fewer crop varietiesIncreased use of agrochemicalsLoss of Biodiversity

Source: RSPB, BTO, DEFRAAgri Environment Schemes

Chart1

100100100

102.8102.9102.8

105.8106.7102.8

108.3108.3100

111.3108.7100.8

113.1108.2105

113103.8107.9

114.7105.1109.5

111.798.7102.6

107.393.396.5

113.2100.895.5

114.1102.391.4

10794.281.8

106.298.380.1

108.498.679.2

106.196.773.6

102.288.568

101.888.664.8

107.694.765

107.796.667.3

107.490.768.2

102.282.964.8

102.180.460.9

101.181.757.8

101.582.658.1

10482.160.3

10481.659.8

101.577.556.8

100.477.155.9

103.380.557.8

106.984.756.9

All species

Woodland species

Farmland species

Index (1970=100)

H13

H13 - Wildlife

All species (105)Woodland species (33)Farmland species (19)

1970100100100

1971102.8102.9102.8

1972105.8106.7102.8

1973108.3108.3100

1974111.3108.7100.8

1975113.1108.2105

1976113103.8107.9

1977114.7105.1109.5

1978111.798.7102.6

1979107.393.396.5

1980113.2100.895.5

1981114.1102.391.4

198210794.281.8

1983106.298.380.1

1984108.498.679.2

1985106.196.773.6

1986102.288.568

1987101.888.664.8

1988107.694.765

1989107.796.667.3

1990107.490.768.2

1991102.282.964.8

1992102.180.460.9

1993101.181.757.8

1994101.582.658.1

199510482.160.3

199610481.659.8

1997101.577.556.8

1998100.477.155.9

1999103.380.557.8

2000106.984.756.9

The numbers in brackets show the number of species included in each category

H13

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

000

All species

Woodland species

Farmland species

Index (1970=100)

Populations of wild birds in the UK, 1970-2000 (Source: RSPB, BTO, DEFRA)

Guardian, Wednesday May 7 2008: The 500,000 hectares of set-aside land and other uncropped land in England has dropped to an estimated 250,000 hectares this year. As a result many plants and animals are at risk.Increasing commodity prices put agri-environment schemes under pressure as the economic return (subsidies) for uncropped land is outweighted by crop value.Wheat price

Functional BiodiversityAgriculture and the Environment

Biodiversity on the scale of agricultural fields or landscapes, which sustains agricultural productionand other ecosystem services. Functional Biodiversity

biological pest control pollination water use efficiency erosion control nutrient cycling

How to optimize services?Pimentel, D. (1961) Diversity-Stability hypothesis: The stability of a community increases with increasing biological diversityTraditional paradigm: Enhance diversity (diversity = services)

BlackboxBiodiversityEcosystemServices

Does it work?

Andow D.A. (Ann. Rev. Entomol. 36: 561-586)Vegetational diversity and arthropod population response

52% of published studies on agroecosystem diversification report reduced pest populations33% had no effect or variable effects15% resulted in increased pest populations.Effects variable and unpredictableDoes it work?

How to optimize services?Traditional paradigm: Enhance diversity Functional biodiversity: Selectively enhance diversity Identify resource requirement of target organisms providing ecosystem services Identify resource bottlenecks in the agro-ecosystem Change the agro-ecosystem to alleviate these constraints

Different organisms have different requirements

Bottleneck: Lack of nectar and pollen in many cropping systems

Winkler et al., (2006)Consumer benefits The impact of nectar sources on biocontrol efficacy

Biological control agents depending on nectar/pollen feeding.

TypePlant-feeding stageArthropod examples can be found within:Type of plant food utilisedReferenceLife-history omnivoryadultNeuroptera:Diptera:

Hymenoptera:

Coleoptera:Chrysopidae (green lacewings)Syrphidae (hoverflies)Cecidomyiidae (gall midges)Tachinidea (parasitoid flies)Ichneumonidae, Braconidae,a.o. (parasitoid wasps)Vespidae (social wasps)Formicidae (ants) Meloidae (blister beetles)nectar, pollennectar, pollennectarnectarnectarnectarnectar, fruitnectarnectar, pollen(Stelzl 1991)(Hickman et al. 1995)(Opit 1997)(Gilbert and Jervis 1998)(Jervis 1998)(Lewis 1998)(Cuautle and Rico-Gray 2003) (Beattie 1985)juvenileHeteroptera:Pentatomidae (predatory bugs)plant-juiceTemporal omnivoryadult Hymenoptera:

Coleoptera: Ichneumonidae, Braconidae, a.o. (host feeding parasitoids)Cicindelidae (tiger beetles)nectar

seeds(Jervis 1998)(Wackers 2003)(Zerm and Adis 2001) juvenileAraneae: Araneidae (orb web spiders)pollen(Smith and Mommsen 1984)Permanent omnivoryadult & juvenile Acari:Mesostigmat

Heteroptera:

Neuroptera:

Thysanoptera:

Coleoptera: Phytoseiidae (predatory mites)Pentatomidae (predatory bugs)Miridae (mirid bugs)Geocorinae (big-eyed bugs)Anthocoridae (flower bugs)Chrysopa, Hemerobiidae (brown lacewings)Aeolothripidae, PhlaeothripidaeCoccinellidae (ladybirds)Carabidae (ground beetles)nectarpollenplant juiceplant juiceplant juicepollennectar, pollen

leaves, pollennectarpollenseeds(van Rijn and Tanigoshi 1999a)(van Rijn and Tanigoshi 1999b)(Ruberson et al. 1986)(Gillespie and McGregor 2000)Eubanks & Styrsky, this vol.Eubanks & Styrsky, this vol.(Stelzl 1991)(McEwen et al. 1993)(Kirk 1997)(Pemberton and Vandenberg 1993) (Cottrell and Yeargan 1998)(Goldschmidt and Toft 1997)

Do diverse bird conservation marginsbenefit biological pest control?Meteorus autographae

ConclusionsHigh diversity field margins for bobwhite quail conservation failed to provide food to a biological control agent and did not enhance biological pest control in the adjacent crop. Parasitoids did clearly benefit from pure stands of cahaba white vetch. Impact on Biocontrol is a function of flower suitability, rather than diversity. ug/wesp

Chart2

9.260.95

8.533

29.65

overall sugar levels in Meteorus autographae

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control9.260.95

bobwhite8.533

cahaba vetch29.65

Sheet1

0.95

3

5

overall sugar levels in Meteorus autographae

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Vicia sativaNot all flowering plants provide suitable food for all insects Select to optimize BC benefits

Potential pitfall:Its not only predators out there!

Without supporting pests? Enhancing biological control

PestBiological control agentKarin Winkler

cotesia longevity

Cotesia glomerata

Food sourcenAdult longevity (days) s.e.Significance

Control (water)302.130.09

Anethum graveolens3012.430.73*

Centaurea cyanus303.500.29*

Centaurea jacae303.400.22*

Daucus carota3011.630.90*

Euphorbia helioscopica302.070.10ns

Fagopyrum esculentum2916.721.42*

Medicago sp.302.300.11ns

Origanum vulgare302.870.26*

Ornithopus sativus301.900.07*

Trifolium pratense302.670.15*

survivalcompared

Control (water)3.52.13

Centaurea jacae18.63.4

Origanum vulgare10.72.87

Ornithopus sativus4.61.9

Medicago sp.5.22.3

Trifolium pratense42.67

Centaurea cyanus4.43.5

Daucus carota3.211.6

Anethum graveolens5.412.4

Fagopyrum esculentum9.116.7

Pieris rapae

Cotesia glomerata

survival (days)

pieris females longevity

Pieris rapae females

Food sourcePieris rapaeCotesia glomerataFood sourcePieris rapaeCotesia glomerata

Control (water)3.52.13Control (water)3.50.222.130.09

Centaurea jacae18.63.4Anethum graveolens5.40.6012.430.73

Origanum vulgare10.72.87Centaurea cyanus4.40.403.500.29

Ornithopus sativus4.61.9Centaurea jacae18.63.993.400.22

Medicago sp.5.22.3Daucus carota3.20.3911.630.90

Trifolium pratense42.67Fagopyrum esculentum9.12.1516.721.42

Centaurea cyanus4.43.5Medicago sp.5.21.232.300.11

Daucus carota3.211.6Origanum vulgare10.71.782.870.26

Anethum graveolens5.412.4Ornithopus sativus4.60.341.900.07

Fagopyrum esculentum9.116.7Trifolium pratense4.00.262.670.15

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MBD0002FB20.bin

Study individual plant species with regard to the resources they provide Based on these studies generate (crop-) specific seed mixtures Focus on benefits to biological control agents and/or pollinators while also considering insect pests, pathogens and weed pressure Summary

Functional agro-biodiversity (FAB).

Perennial field margins with combined agronomical and ecological benefits for vegetable rotation schemes

Thanks