Making EFAs work for farmers and biodiversity Felix Wckers Agri - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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

(Wäckers, 1996, 2004) Accessible Inaccessible nectar nectar Attractive Aegopodium podagraria Vicia sativa Leucanthemum vulgare Galium mollugo Select to optimize BC benefits Non-attractive 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 Choice Longevity (AFLI) Floral Hoverfly Hoverfly Lacewing References parasitoids family species Nectar Parasitoids E. balteatus E. balteatus C. carnea (species) depth + + + - 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) Control (water) 10 12 14 16 18 20 0 2 4 6 8 Centaurea jacae Origanum vulgare Ornithopus sativus Medicago sp. Trifolium pratense Centaurea cyanus Daucus carota Anethum graveolens Fagopyrum esculentum Biological control (Winkler et al., 2009) Cotesia glomerata Pieris rapae agent Pest

Selecting plants that generate multiple ecosystem services

Pollination Biocontrol

(Campbell, Biesmeijer Varma & Wäckers, 2012) Biocontrol mix Pollinator mix Combination

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 Melige Koolluis Veld nabij akkerrand met: Control Control Cabbage aphids (aantal/plant) Vetch Broad bean Tuinboon 60 Mixed flowers Mixed flowers Bloemen 40 20 0 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 week

Three year trends in aphid and natural enemy populations at conventional farms aphids 7 8 farm aphids bladluizen 6 bedrijf A aphids aantal/halm 6 A 5 B no./leaf B 4 C C 4 3 D D 2 2 1 0 0 2005 2006 2007 2005 2006 2007 1.0 0.4 predator/prey Predator/prey rover/luis 0.8 verhouding 0.3 0.6 ratio 0.2 0.4 0.1 0.2 0.0 0.0 2005 2006 2007 2005 2006 2007 Potato Wheat Aphid peak: mid July mid June

Optimizing Ecosystem Services in Terms of Agronomy and Conservation (ECOSTAC.CO.UK) Growing Wild

Beneficial insects in field margins 300 Insects observed in flowering field margin June - Sept 2010 Insects observed in grassy margin 250 Mean insects observed 200 150 100 50 0 Hoverflies Bumble bees Parasitoid w asps Ladybirds Beneficial insect group 250 Insects observed in flowering field margin June-Sept 2011 Insects observed in grassy field margin 200 Mean insects observed 150 100 50 0 Hoverflies Bumble bees Parasitoid w asps Ladybirds Beneficial insect group

Aphids in peas 0.8 70 Aphid % distribution 0.7 % parasitism 60 Proportional aphid distribution 0.6 50 0.5 % parasitism 40 0.4 30 0.3 20 0.2 10 0.1 0 0 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 CF1 - CF2 - CF3 Sample site and date

The positive spiral More beneficials Fewer pests More biodiversity Fewer pesticides

Yield impact?

wheat (yield in tonnes/ha) 10 9 8 7 6 +12% 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3

peas (yield in tonnes/ha) 7 6 5 +26% 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3

carrots (yield in tonnes/ha) 9 8 7 +32% 6 5 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