Category: Agriculture

Agriculture, Monitoring and methods, Research summaries

Land sparing outperforms land sharing for Amazonian bird communities regardless of surrounding landscape context

Benjamin Birch discusses the role of wildlife-friendly habitat in the wider surrounding landscape in promoting farmland diversity. Alongside colleagues, Birch modelled strategies of land sparing and land sharing under different levels of production. Background The conversion of natural habitats to agriculture is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity globally. Currently, 40% of the Earth’s land is dedicated to farming, and projections show a further … Continue reading Land sparing outperforms land sharing for Amazonian bird communities regardless of surrounding landscape context

Journal of Applied EcologyLeave a comment
Agriculture, Research summaries

The landscape of fear in cattle farms? How the presence of barn swallow influences the activity of pest flies

Authors of a research article recently published in Journal of Applied Ecology talk us through how barn swallows are effective biological control agents for lowering pest fly activity in livestock farms. Preamble: Farmland birds, filth flies and the landscape of fear Birds are key suppliers of crucial ecosystem services worldwide, and insectivorous species can consume up to 400 – 500 million tons of prey each … Continue reading The landscape of fear in cattle farms? How the presence of barn swallow influences the activity of pest flies

Journal of Applied EcologyLeave a comment
Research summaries, Careers, Agriculture, Plant and soil ecology

Iván Raniero Hernández-Salmerón: Native palms and trees mediate drought impacts on dry neotropical pastures

Shortlisted for the 2023 Southwood Prize Iván Raniero Hernández-Salmerón talks us through research, conducted alongside colleagues, which shows that fostering a diversity of native palms and trees has positive effects on the functioning of cattle pastures, especially during dry periods. A larger understanding of the facilitative effects of remnant palms and trees on pastures during seasonal droughts may also help to develop more climate-resilient livestock … Continue reading Iván Raniero Hernández-Salmerón: Native palms and trees mediate drought impacts on dry neotropical pastures

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Agriculture, Careers, Grasslands, Policy, Research summaries

Working hard or hardly working? Modelling success of current grassland agri-environment schemes

Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize 2023 In this blog post, author Bede West describe his team’s study analysing the potential for agri-environment schemes to achieve positive changes in plant biodiversity. Plants and soils are the trophic foundations of most temperate terrestrial ecosystems but they are being progressively impacted by climate change, biodiversity loss and a plethora of other environmental impacts. These issues must be … Continue reading Working hard or hardly working? Modelling success of current grassland agri-environment schemes

AER | ESELeave a comment
Agriculture, Human-wildlife interactions, Plant and soil ecology, Research summaries

Supporting butterflies within smallholding oil palm plantations

Martina Harianja discusses the latest research into butterfly assemblages detailing how, alongside colleagues, they recorded over 1200 butterflies across 27 different oil palm plantations. Findings suggest that replanting oil palm and choice of mono or polyculture had relatively few effects on butterflies. However, management for specific features in plantations could benefit butterfly assemblages. Continue reading Supporting butterflies within smallholding oil palm plantations

Journal of Applied Ecology3 Comments
Agriculture, Human-wildlife interactions, Plant and soil ecology, Research summaries, Translation

Menyokong rama-rama dalam ladang kelapa sawit pekebun kecil

Martina Harianja membincangkan penyelidikan terkini mengenai perhimpunan rama-rama yang memperincikan bagaimana, bersama rakan sekerja, mereka merekodkan lebih 1200 rama-rama di 27 ladang kelapa sawit yang berbeza. Penemuan menunjukkan bahawa penanaman semula kelapa sawit dan pilihan mono atau polikultur mempunyai sedikit kesan pada rama-rama. Walau bagaimanapun, pengurusan untuk ciri-ciri tertentu di ladang boleh memberi manfaat kepada pemasangan rama-rama. Continue reading Menyokong rama-rama dalam ladang kelapa sawit pekebun kecil

Journal of Applied Ecology4 Comments
Agriculture, Human-wildlife interactions, Plant and soil ecology, Research summaries, Translation

Mendukung kupu-kupu di perkebunan kelapa sawit milik petani kecil

Martina Harianja membahas penelitian terbaru tentang kumpulan kupu-kupu yang merinci bagaimana, bersama rekan-rekannya, mereka mencatat lebih dari 1200 kupu-kupu di 27 perkebunan kelapa sawit yang berbeda. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa peremajaan kelapa sawit dan pilihan mono atau polikultur memiliki efek yang relatif kecil pada kupu-kupu. Namun, manajemen untuk fitur spesifik di perkebunan dapat menguntungkan kumpulan kupu-kupu. Continue reading Mendukung kupu-kupu di perkebunan kelapa sawit milik petani kecil

Journal of Applied Ecology2 Comments
Agriculture, Plant and soil ecology, Research summaries

Powerful flowers

In a recent study, Charlotte Howard and her colleagues report that floral strips can be a practical and effective way to encourage natural pest control in commercial apple orchards. Floral margins can deliver a measurable increase in yield of undamaged fruit. We found that by using flower margins in conventional orchards, farmers were able to significantly reduce damage by a problematic global pest: the rosy … Continue reading Powerful flowers

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Agriculture, Plant and soil ecology, Pollinators, Research summaries, Translation

A disposição da plantação de café pode aumentar a produtividade e a sustentabilidade?

Gudryan J. Baronio discute sobre o recente estudo, conduzido em colaboração, que enfatiza o papel fundamental dos polinizadores na produção de café e seu impacto nas características dos frutos e sementes. As conclusões do estudo apoiam a otimização dos cafezais através da preservação da vegetação nativa para aumentar a produção de café e conservar a biodiversidade. Continue reading A disposição da plantação de café pode aumentar a produtividade e a sustentabilidade?

Journal of Applied Ecology2 Comments
Agriculture, Plant and soil ecology, Pollinators, Research summaries

Can coffee plantation design boost both productivity and sustainability?

Gudryan J. Baronio discusses a recent study, conducted alongside colleagues, which emphasises the key role of pollinators in coffee production and their impact on fruit and seed characteristics. Their findings support optimising coffee plantation design by preserving native vegetation to increase coffee yields and conserve biodiversity. Continue reading Can coffee plantation design boost both productivity and sustainability?

Journal of Applied Ecology3 Comments