Agriculture, Research summaries

On the benefits of organic farming: Japanese rice fields in spring

Based on their research in Japan, Naoki Katayama and colleagues highlight how organic rice farming supports more plants, spiders, dragonflies, frogs and waterbirds than conventional farming. A version of this post in Japanese is available here. The intensification of agriculture since the mid-20th century, and the more recent abandonment of farmlands, have presented major threats to farmland biodiversity. Organic farming and less strict low-input farming … Continue reading On the benefits of organic farming: Japanese rice fields in spring

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Forests

The importance of forest remnants in human-modified landscapes

In a recently published study, Karp et al. explore the role of working landscapes in the conservation of species diversity. Here, Associate Editor, Ricardo Solar, discusses what their research means for today’s ecologists and conservation scientists. A Spanish version of this post is available here. We are witnessing a novel moment in our planet’s history, in which human-driven changes in the Earth’s system are among … Continue reading The importance of forest remnants in human-modified landscapes

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Forests, Translation

La importancia de los remanentes de bosque en paisajes modificados

An English version of this post is available here. Nuestra generación está presenciando un nuevo momento en la historia de nuestro planeta, en el que los cambios impulsados por los humanos en el sistema de la Tierra se encuentran entre las amenazas más incontrolables para la conservación de la biodiversidad, así como la persistencia humana en sí misma. Aunque es un desafío para la biodiversidad … Continue reading La importancia de los remanentes de bosque en paisajes modificados

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Agriculture, Grasslands

Vegetation change in the uplands is slow, slow, slow

Using results from a long-term experiment at Glen Finglas in Scotland, Robin Pakeman and colleagues show that even substantial changes in grazing management take many years to play out, so forecasting change in the uplands is difficult. Here Robin explains more about their work. We set up the Glen Finglas experiment in 2002 to look at how changes to the European Common Agricultural Policy, specifically … Continue reading Vegetation change in the uplands is slow, slow, slow

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Pathogens and disease, Research summaries

The amorphous, heterogeneous spatial spread of Wolbachia

Penelope A. Hancock presents recently published work on ‘Predicting the spatial dynamics of Wolbachia infections in Aedes aegypti arbovirus vector populations in heterogeneous landscapes‘. Uncertainty surrounding density-dependent mosquito population growth rates prevents us from predicting the outcome of mosquito control interventions. A timely example is the introduction of Wolbachia bacterial infections into wild Aedes aegypti populations, the major vector of the dengue, Zika and chikungunya … Continue reading The amorphous, heterogeneous spatial spread of Wolbachia

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Human-wildlife interactions, Research summaries

Anyone’s game: do gamebird releases lead to increases in generalist predators?

In their new research, published this week, Henrietta Pringle and colleagues recommend the recording of gamebird releases and predator numbers. Every year, 40-50 million non-native gamebirds (ring-necked pheasant Phasianus colchius and red-legged partridge Alectoris rufa) are released in the UK, equivalent to around 46000 tonnes of biomass. Fewer than half these birds are shot, with the remaining birds predated, scavenged or surviving to breed or … Continue reading Anyone’s game: do gamebird releases lead to increases in generalist predators?

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Agriculture, Editor's Choice

Editor’s Choice 56:7: Can agri-environment be successful in a pesticide world?

Executive Editor, Marc Cadotte, provides an insight into the important research of Humann-Guilleminot et al. Their recent article, A nation‐wide survey of neonicotinoid insecticides in agricultural land with implications for agri‐environment schemes, is our July Editor’s Choice. In response to general concerns about the impacts of agricultural activities on native biodiversity and ecosystem health, European jurisdictions have implemented agri-environment schemes that regulate and mitigate agricultural … Continue reading Editor’s Choice 56:7: Can agri-environment be successful in a pesticide world?

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Agriculture, Forests, Research summaries

Forest patches in working landscapes offer surprising opportunities to conserve neotropical birds

A Spanish version of this post is available here. After years of research into the biodiversity value of agricultural countrysides, it has become clear that, while there is great potential to conserve wildlife alongside humanity in ‘working landscapes’, wildlife communities remain distinct from those in nature reserves. But can working landscapes ever support vulnerable, reserve-affiliated species? New research from Costa Rica by Karp et al. … Continue reading Forest patches in working landscapes offer surprising opportunities to conserve neotropical birds

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Agriculture, Forests, Research summaries, Translation

Parches boscosos en paisajes agrícolas: la estrategia para conservar las aves Neotropicales

An English version of this post is also available here. Tras investigar la biodiversidad en zonas agrícolas y ganaderas por varios años, se ha encontrado que las fincas, haciendas y jardines tienen mucho potencial para conservar la biodiversidad. Sin embargo, dichas áreas no son reemplazos de las áreas protegidas ya que hay algunas especies que solamente habitan en áreas protegidas. Un nuevo artículo de investigación … Continue reading Parches boscosos en paisajes agrícolas: la estrategia para conservar las aves Neotropicales

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Agriculture

Is it possible to manage pests and pesticide resistance in heterogeneous landscapes?

Associate Editor Juan Corley explores the challenge of creating environmentally friendly pest management solutions. Does the recent work of Zhou et al. on self-limiting transgenic insects point us in the right direction? Food production is strongly dependent on successful pest management. Since the 1970s, and partly as a consequence of increasing problems with the mass use of pesticides, Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has become the … Continue reading Is it possible to manage pests and pesticide resistance in heterogeneous landscapes?

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