Making EFAs work for farmers and biodiversity Felix Wäckers
Agri Environment Schemes Agriculture Environment Focus on conservation
Perceived Conflict
Agri Environment Schemes Agriculture Environment Focus on ecosystem services 320 billion/year 90 billion/year (Constanza 1997)
How to optimize services? Traditional paradigm: Enhance diversity (diversity = stability = services) Pimentel, D. (1961) Diversity-Stability hypothesis: The stability of a community increases with increasing biological diversity
Does it work? Example biological pest control Andow D.A. (Ann. Rev. Entomol. 36: 561-586) Vegetational diversity and pest control Effects variable 52% of published studies on agroecosystem diversification report reduced pest populations 33% had no effect or variable effects 15% resulted in increased pest populations.
How to optimize services? Traditional paradigm: Enhance diversity Functional biodiversity: Selectively enhance diversity Focus on functional groups that provide ecosystem services
Targeted landscape management Informed selection of non-crop plants as a multifunctional tool to optimize ecosystem services - Select plants that optimize biological pest control or pollination - Select plants that avoid stimulation of pests - Select plants that generate multiple ecosystem services
Non-attractive Attractive (Wäckers, 1996, 2004) Accessible nectar Inaccessible nectar Aegopodium podagraria Vicia sativa Leucanthemum vulgare Galium mollugo Select to optimize BC benefits Daucus carota Trifolium pratense Medicago lupulina Trifolium repens Origanum vulgare Erigeron annuus Achillea millefolium
(Wäckers and van Rijn, 2012) Select plants that optimize biological pest control family species Floral Nectar depth Choice Hoverfly E. balteatus Hoverfly E. balteatus Longevity (AFLI) Lacewing C. carnea Parasitoids References parasitoids (species) Apiaceae Ammi majus 0 + + + - Geneau et al., unpubl. (Microplitis mediator) Apiaceae Coriandrum sativum 0 + + +/- Vattala et al., 2006 (Microtonus hyperodae) Apiaceae Daucus carota 0 +/- + ++ + Winkler et al., 2009 (Cotesia glomerata) Apiaceae Foeniculum vulgare 0 + + + Winkler et al., 2009 (Cotesia glomerata) Apiaceae Heracleum spondylium 0 +/- + +/- Winkler et al., 2009 (Cotesia glomerata) Apiaceae Pastinaca sativa 0 + + ++ +/- Foster & Ruessink, 1984 (Meteorus rubens) Polygonaceae Fagopyrum esculentum 0 + + + + Winkler et al., 2009 (Cotesia glomerata) Boraginaceae Borago officinalis 0 - + ++ - Nilsson et al., unpubl. (Trybliographa rapae) Ranunculaceae Ranunculus acris 0 + + - Kehrli & Bacher, 2008 (Minotetrastichus frontalis) Caryophyllaceae Gypsophila elegans 1 +/- + ++ Asteraceae Matricaria chamomilla 1 +/- + + - Nilsson et al., unpubl. (Trybliographa rapae) Asteraceae Achillea millefolium 1 +/- + +/- - Wäckers 2004 (Cotesia glomerata) Asteraceae L Cichorium intybus 1 - - + Asteraceae Chrysanthemum segetum 2 +/- + + Asteraceae Anthemis tinctoria 2 - +/- +/- Asteraceae Leucanthemum vulgare 2 +/- + - Wäckers 2004 (Cotesia glomerata) Asteraceae Tanacetum vulgare 2 - - +/- Asteraceae Calendula officinalis 3 - - Rahat et al., 2005 (Trissolcus basalis) Asteraceae Centaurea cyanus (+EFN) 3 +/- + ++ +/- Winkler et al., 2009 (Cotesia glomerata) Asteraceae Helianthus annuus (+EFN) 3 + + Asteraceae Cosmos bipinnatus 4 - - +/- + Rahat et al., 2005 (Trissolcus basalis) Malvaceae Malva sylvestris 4 - - - Boraginaceae Phacelia tanacetifolia 4 +/- +/- +/- - Irvin et al., 2007 (Gonatocerus spp.) Fabaceae Medicago sativa 4 - - - Kehrli & Bacher, 2008 (Minotetrastichus frontalis) Fabaceae Vicia sativa (+EFN) 4 - + ++ Geneau et al., unpubl. (Microplitis mediator) Fabaceae Lotus corniculatus 4 - -
Selecting plants that avoid stimulation of pests
survival (days) (Winkler et al., 2009) 20 18 Pest 16 14 12 10 8 Pieris rapae Cotesia glomerata 6 4 2 Biological control agent 0 Control (water) Centaurea jacae Origanum vulgare Ornithopus sativus Medicago sp. Trifolium pratense Centaurea cyanus Daucus carota Anethum graveolens Fagopyrum esculentum
Selecting plants that generate multiple ecosystem services
Pollination Biocontrol
Pollinator mix Biocontrol mix Combination (Campbell, Biesmeijer Varma & Wäckers, 2012)
Taking it to the Farmer FAB (Functional Agrobiodiversity) Large scale biodiversity project in the Hoekse Waard working with conventional growers. Addition of annual and perennial field margins to existing landscape features (polders, dikes, creeks, canal borders).
Leguminous Plants: Insect Magnets
Brussels Sprouts Cabbage aphids 80 60 40 20 Melige Koolluis Cabbage aphids (aantal/plant) Veld nabij akkerrand Control met: Vetch Broad bean Tuinboon Mixed Mixed flowers flowers Bloemen 0 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 week
ratio verhouding no./leaf aantal/halm Three year trends in aphid and natural enemy populations at conventional farms 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0 Aphid peak: aphids aphids 2005 2006 2007 predator/prey Potato mid July farm A B C D 2005 2006 2007 8 6 4 2 0 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 aphids bladluizen 2005 2006 2007 Predator/prey rover/luis Wheat mid June bedrijf 2005 2006 2007 A B C D
Optimizing Ecosystem Services in Terms of Agronomy and Conservation (ECOSTAC.CO.UK) Growing Wild
Mean insects observed Mean insects observed Beneficial insects in field margins 300 250 June - Sept 2010 Insects observed in flowering field margin Insects observed in grassy margin 200 150 100 50 0 Hoverflies Bumble bees Parasitoid w asps Ladybirds Beneficial insect group 250 200 June-Sept 2011 Insects observed in flowering field margin Insects observed in grassy field margin 150 100 50 0 Hoverflies Bumble bees Parasitoid w asps Ladybirds Beneficial insect group
08.06 15.06 22.06 29.06 06.07 08.06 15.06 22.06 29.06 06.07 08.06 15.06 22.06 29.06 06.07 Proportional aphid distribution % parasitism Aphids in peas 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 Aphid % distribution % parasitism 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 CF1 - CF2 - CF3 Sample site and date
The positive spiral More biodiversity More beneficials Fewer pests Fewer pesticides
Yield impact?
wheat (yield in tonnes/ha) 10 9 8 7 6 5 +12% 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3
peas (yield in tonnes/ha) 7 6 5 4 +26% 3 2 1 0 1 2 3
carrots (yield in tonnes/ha) 9 8 7 6 5 +32% 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3
Functional Biodiversity Shows that yield and conservation are not conflicting objectives Helps growers cope with ongoing decline in pollinators and reduced availability of registered agrochemicals Compatible with current practices Creates additional economic incentives for farmers to engage in Agri-Environment Schemes Makes CAP greening a win-win for farmers and nature
Thanks