Landscape Composition and Crop Border Vegetation Diversity Effect on Pollinators, Auxiliary Fauna, and Phytophagous Arthropods of Leguminous Cropland in Araba (Basque Country)

Ainhoa Urkijo (), Ibone Ametzaga-Arregi (), Eneko Elkano and Isabel Albizu
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Ainhoa Urkijo: Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, NEIKER—Basque Institute of Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
Ibone Ametzaga-Arregi: Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain
Eneko Elkano: Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, NEIKER—Basque Institute of Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
Isabel Albizu: Department of Conservation of Natural Resources, NEIKER—Basque Institute of Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-15

Abstract: Many strategies and directives are starting to address the importance of an appropriate landscape for agricultural biodiversity, such as pollinators and auxiliary fauna. Therefore, it is necessary to identify which landscape features are more important for agricultural biodiversity conservation and the ecosystem services they offer, like pollination and pest control. Thus, the main objective of this study was to assess the effect of landscape composition, configuration, connectivity, and crop border vegetation on arthropod diversity. The arthropod community was sampled in eight legume crops located across a gradient of landscape complexity. Additionally, the border vegetation of each plot was characterized, and the surrounding landscape was analyzed at a small and a large scale. For the statistical analysis, Generalized Linear Mix Models and redundancy analyses were applied. Pollinators were positively affected mainly by landscape connectivity. Pest control agents were less influenced by the landscape and only before harvest were they positively affected by riparian forests. Finally, phytophagous arthropod richness increased with border vegetation diversity and cropland in the surroundings. In conclusion, in the leguminous crops of Araba landscape connectivity together with cropland extension in the surroundings should be considered to promote ES-offering fauna diversity.

Keywords: complexity; connectivity; biodiversity; ecosystem services; hedgerow (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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