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In climatically suitable regions across Europe, vineyards can be the dominant perennial crop type. While many wine-growing landscapes are intensively managed, they may still be an attractive habitat for a wide range of bird species. In this study we investigated how breeding birds in three wine-growing regions in Europe (Germany: Palatinate, France: Bordeaux, Austria: Leithaberg) are influenced by the composition of the landscape, focussing on woody semi-natural vegetation. We recorded bird vocalizations with autonomous sound recorders in 93 landscapes across Europe. Bird species were identified according to their songs and calls. The landscape in a 200-m buffer around the recording points was mapped. In total, we recorded 72 bird species, including species typical for vineyard landscapes such as cirl bunting (Emberiza cirlus), hoopoe (Upupa epops) and turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur). For all three countries we found that an increase in overall woody vegetation in the landscape led to an increase in species richness and altered community composition. Most species were recorded in landscapes with abundant hedges, small woods and tree rows rather than in vineyard-dominated landscapes but e.g. woodlark (Lullula arborea) and linnet (Linaria cannabina) showed an opposite preference. We conclude that in intensively used wine-growing landscapes the ongoing decline in farmland birds and the ecosystem services they provide can be reversed by the reintroduction of semi-natural woody vegetation between vineyards. These in frequently many cases linear structural elements can be established included in the landscape with only small losses in production area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land‐use intensification is often associated with a decline in functional diversity, potentially undermining the provision of ecosystem services. However, how changes in traits affect ecosystem processes remains poorly understood. Variation in trait values among species in a community may drive ecosystem processes. Alternatively, the mass ratio hypothesis proposes that trait values of the dominant species in a local community are related to ecosystem processes. Using data from 159 farms in six European countries, we quantified the impact of local and landscape‐level land‐use intensity on ground beetles as pest control agents. We then assessed the extent to which functional diversity and community‐weighted mean trait values relate to pest control and cereal yield. In addition, we assessed how the responses to land use and the effects of different species on pest control and yield varied with their traits to compare the relative impact of the traits studied. Functional diversity of ground beetles improved aphid removal, but did not translate into higher crop yields. Pest control of aphids was enhanced by a higher proportion of smaller, mobile ground beetles with a preference for the vegetation layer. Smaller, predatory ground beetles in communities improved crop yield. The magnitude of responses to land‐use intensification and the effects on pest control and yield were more strongly influenced by body size than other traits. Our study provides evidence that reduced management intensity can improve pest control by supporting small‐sized, macropterous ground beetles. In contrast to the claims of ecological intensification, our joint analysis of the direct effects of land use on yield and indirect effects via functional diversity of ground beetles and pest control suggests that ecosystem services by ground beetles cannot compensate for the yield gap due to a reduction in land‐use intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Runoff research serves as the foundation for watershed management, and the relationship between runoff and landscape pattern represents a crucial basis for decision-making in the context of watershed ecological protection and restoration. However, there is a paucity of research investigating the multi-scale spatial relationship between runoff and landscape patterns. This study employs the Poyang Lake Basin (PLB) as a case study for illustrative purposes. The construction of the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model is the initial step in the process of carrying out runoff simulation, which in turn allows for the analysis of the spatial–temporal characteristics of runoff. Subsequently, Pearson's correlation analysis, global linear regression and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models are employed to examine the impact of landscape composition on runoff. Finally, the spatial relationship between runoff and landscape pattern is investigated at the landscape and class scales. The results of the study demonstrate the following: (1) runoff in the PLB exhibited considerable spatial–temporal heterogeneity from 2011 to 2020. (2) Forest was the most prevalent landscape type within the PLB. Landscape composition's impact on runoff exhibited non-linear characteristics, with forest, cropland, barren, and grassland influencing runoff in decreasing order. (3) A spatial relationship between runoff and landscape pattern was observed. At the landscape scale, patch diversity significantly influenced runoff, and reducing patch diversity primarily increased runoff. At the class scale, forest and cropland patch areas had the greatest impact on runoff, potentially enhanced by improving patch edge density. (4) Nine sub-basins needing ecological restoration were identified, with restoration pathways developed based on spatial relationships between runoff and landscape patterns. This study elucidates the impact of landscape composition and pattern on runoff, thereby providing a basis for informed decision-making and technical support for the ecological restoration and management of the watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In urban green space (UGS), diverse acoustic resources are essential for enhancing the public's well-being, as different sound sources can bring distinct auditory experiences. However, there is a lack of research on the sources-based soundscapes diversity (SSD). In this study, we fill this gap by exploring the characteristics of SSD in different recreational areas of UGSs across three urban gradients in Fuzhou City, China. Additionally, we investigated the relationship between SSD, landscape elements (LEs), and landscape patterns (LPs) at various spatial scales. Our findings identified 53 types of sound sources, predominantly biological sound and anthrophony. The alpha and beta diversity indices effectively characterized SSD in UGSs and captured the differences in three levels of urbanization. Our results showed that urbanization gradients significantly impact soundscape diversity, especially in terms of animal sounds and mechanical sounds. For LEs, we found that trees play a crucial role in enhancing the diversity of animal and recreation sounds, whereas the proportion of buildings negatively correlates with animal sounds. Our analysis between LPs and SSDs revealed a strong correlation between the built environment (mainly roads) and lawn with traffic sound. In contrast, a higher percentage of forest land was associated with more animal sounds and fewer recreational and mechanical sounds. Characterizing urbanization gradients and the factors affecting SSD can be used to guide the development and enhancement of soundscapes in UGS. Highlights: The urban green space in different urban gradients and green space types have varying soundscape diversity characteristics. Urbanization mainly affects animal sounds and mechanical sounds. Trees play a crucial role in enhancing the diversity of animal and recreational sounds. Built environment (mainly roads) and lawn ratio significantly correlates with traffic sounds, while the percentage of forest land attracts more animal sounds and weakens recreational and mechanical sounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Implementing heterogeneous rural landscapes with high agricultural diversity and a substantial proportion of natural habitats has been proposed to ensure food production while reducing negative impacts on ecosystem services. However, evidence of an increased supply of ecosystem services (ES) in more heterogeneous landscapes remains limited, with no consensus. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of the spatial cropland system’s diversity and landscape configuration on indicators of the supply of ES in agricultural landscapes of the Rio de la Plata Grasslands region. Methods: We analyzed the relationship between indicators of ES supply and the heterogeneity of 1121 microwatersheds. We assessed the Ecosystem Services Supply Index (ESSI), the Hydrological Yield (HY), and the Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (APAR) in agricultural areas. We calculated the average grassland patch area, the structural and functional cropland diversity, the cropland percentage, and the grasslands’ juxtaposition to assess landscape heterogeneity. Results: Microwatersheds with higher cropland functional diversity showed higher values for indicators of ES supply. They were positively related to the ESSI and APAR, and negatively with HY, indicating positive effects on Carbon gains and water regulation processes. In contrast, grasslands’ juxtaposition had opposite effects to those of cropland functional diversity, so the spatial segregation of grasslands favored the ES supply. Conclusions: Functional cropland diversification and the segregation of natural grasslands improved proxies of ES and counteracted the negative effects of cropland amount. These findings contribute to the design of multifunctional landscapes and suggest that cropland functional diversity and grassland configuration should be considered in food production systems aimed at preserving ES supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable pest management requires growers and regional land managers to consider the relationships among pest management practices, pest and natural enemy communities, crop loss, and multi-scalar habitat complexity. However, the causal links among these variables, in particular potential interactions between landscape and local-scale habitat complexity, remain underexplored. In the context of organically managed strawberry crops in California's Central Coast, we tested the independent effects of landscape and local habitat complexity gradients on arthropod communities and crop loss using a piecewise structural equation model (PSEM). We found that landscape-scale woody habitat proportion indirectly decreased crop loss through its positive effect on natural enemy abundance, while grassland proportion had the opposite effect due to its association with an important strawberry pest (Lygus spp.). We detected a pattern suggesting that on-farm diversification practices are most effective at reducing crop loss at an intermediate level (26%) of woody habitat proportion. Both organic-compliant insecticide application and tractor vacuuming negatively impacted natural enemies, and therefore had qualified effects on crop loss. Our study shows the key roles of native woodlands and natural enemy communities in reducing crop loss and highlights the importance of managing habitat complexity at both landscape and local scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pest‐regulating natural enemies often require crop and non‐crop habitats to persist and be effective. These habitats offer hibernation sites, alternative prey or floral resources but can also be complementary in when they provide resources. The relative contribution of these different habitats to the performance of pest‐regulating insects is largely unknown, since it is difficult to study empirically. Landscape‐based population‐dynamical modelling can fill this research gap.In this study, we modelled the dynamics of predatory hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphinae) and their aphid prey in a collection of habitats. These hoverflies are dependent on different habitats for different reasons. While their larvae predate on aphids, adult hoverflies require floral resources. Resources are often segregated in different habitats. In addition, they are only temporarily available in any habitat type. In our model, hoverflies move between different habitats and select where to feed and where to produce off‐spring based on optimal foraging considerations. The model represents habitats common in arable landscapes and their temporal availability of resources is parameterized based on field observations.The model shows that effective pest suppression will only occur in the presence of at least three different habitats, including two crops that provide prey resources at different times of the year. A woody habitat with shrubs and trees provide aphid prey very early and late in the season, whereas an early crop and a late crop cover the period in between. In addition, these habitats need to provide floral resources in the same period as aphids, for example by flower strips in the margins of crop fields or blossoming trees or shrubs in the woody habitat. Under the model assumptions, the best pest suppression is obtained when the woody habitats take up 6% to 10% of the landscape. In addition to yearly population fluctuations, also bi‐ or multi‐yearly cycles may occur, depending on the composition of the landscape.Synthesis and applications. Our model shows when an agricultural landscape is 'complete' for natural enemies (and for effective pest control). For this, it needs to contain multiple habitats that supply floral and prey resources in different periods of the year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alfalfa virome has been understudied. Existing research dealing with viral incidences within the crop primarily concentrate on local factors, rather than considering a broader perspective. In this comprehensive 2‐year study, we define the alfalfa virome and the main local and landscape factors affecting the incidence and annual increase of the Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), the most prevalent virus in alfalfa. The study was conducted in commercial alfalfa fields located along the highly productive northeast region of the Iberian Peninsula. For the first time in Europe, next‐generation sequencing revealed the presence of 14 different viruses representing the genera Cytorhabdovirus, Alphapartitivirus, Amalgavirus, Alfamovirus, Luteovirus, Enamovirus and Flavivirus. AMV was the most prevalent species, accounting for 89% of the identified viral contigs. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays showed that the incidence of AMV varied between fields, with the average incidence doubling from 34% in 2019 to 65% in 2020. To assess the effect of local and landscape characteristics on the incidence of AMV and the observed annual increase, we selected different local variables and recorded landscape structure at three different buffer radii (250, 500 and 1000 m) from the centre of each field. Both the incidence and annual increase in AMV were driven mainly by local characteristics. The incidence of AMV showed a significant relationship with crop age and field area, whereas the annual increase was mainly influenced by crop age and the cumulative number of alate morphs of the aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. Only one landscape composition variable, the percentage of alfalfa, showed a significant relationship with AMV incidence at the 250‐m scale. These results confirm the effect of local variables on the population structure of generalist viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a year-long research study, we delved into the thermoregulation and performance of twenty-one honey bee colonies situated in three distinct landscape settings: 1- Urban, 2- Agricultural (AG), and 3- Non-agricultural (Non-AG) environments. All colonies, consistent in size, were equipped with sensors designed to record inner hive temperature and humidity. Additionally, colonies were placed on precision electronic scales for weight monitoring. Varroa mite infestations were documented at seven different time points throughout the experiment. Colonies were genetically analyzed for subspecies and haplotype identification using the in silico DraI mtDNA COI-COII test. Our results unveiled an overall significant (p < 0.001) weight gain (5.76 kg) in colonies located within the urban setting, in stark contrast to both AG and Non-AG locations. Notably, colonies situated in the natural refuge center (Non-AG) experienced a weight loss of −0.05 kg, signaling a lack of sustainable forage resources in such a setting. Similarly, the inner hive temperature was significantly (p < 0.001) higher in the urban area (33.65 °C) with a significantly lower relative humidity (61.2%) compared to both other locations. Among the locations, the temperature variable displayed the strongest significant correlation (p < 0.001) with a positive correlation coefficient (r = 0.95). Two distinct mtDNA haplotypes were identified: C1 and C2j, characterizing the ligustica and carnica maternal origin, respectively. These haplotypes consistently demonstrated significant differences in their thermoregulation and weight gain, irrespective of the landscape compositions. The C1 haplotype displayed significantly higher weight gain alongside lower inner hive temperature and humidity levels compared to the C2j haplotype. No differences in mite infestation were observed between the various locations or haplotypes. Our data underscores the substantial impact of landscape composition on honey bee performance. It also unveils significant variations in thermoregulation and adaptation between haplotypes, shedding light on the multifaceted relationship between environmental factors, genetics, and bee colony dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Space & Form / Przestrzeń i FORMA is the property of West Pomeranian University of Technology, Department of Architecture & Urban Planning and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In climatically suitable regions across Europe, vineyards can be the dominant perennial crop type. While many wine-growing landscapes are intensively managed, they may still be an attractive habitat for a wide range of bird species. In this study we investigated how breeding birds in three wine-growing regions in Europe (Germany: Palatinate, France: Bordeaux, Austria: Leithaberg) are influenced by the composition of the landscape, focussing on woody semi-natural vegetation.We recorded bird vocalizations with autonomous sound recorders in 93 landscapes across Europe. Bird species were identified according to their songs and calls. The landscape in a 200-m buffer around the recording points was mapped. In total, we recorded 72 bird species, including species typical for vineyard landscapes such as cirl bunting (Emberiza cirlus), hoopoe (Upupa epops) and turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur). For all three countries we found that an increase in overall woody vegetation in the landscape led to an increase in species richness and altered community composition. Most species were recorded in landscapes with abundant hedges, small woods and tree rows rather than in vineyard-dominated landscapes but e.g. woodlark (Lullula arborea) and linnet (Linaria cannabina) showed an opposite preference.We conclude that in intensively used wine-growing landscapes the ongoing decline in farmland birds and the ecosystem services they provide can be reversed by the reintroduction of semi-natural woody vegetation between vineyards. These in frequently many cases linear structural elements can be established included in the landscape with only small losses in production area.

Understanding the impact of herbivores on croplands is critical to developing sustainable agricultural landscapes. Here, we test the hypothesis that field size and landscape structure modulate the levels of herbivory in cowpea and maize subsistence croplands in Brazilian drylands. We conducted the study in nine small-scale farms with varying levels of landscape structure and field sizes (0.10–1.67 ha). In each farm, we haphazardly sampled 20 plants of maize and cowpea. The frequency of foliar herbivory was high for both crops (0.45–0.72), but the average magnitude of damage was low (<3% of leaf surface in both crops), indicating that herbivory is not an ecosystem disservice. Nonetheless, the field size and level of human impact on the landscape matrix were positively related to the frequency and magnitude of damage on maize foliage and cowpea foliage and pods. Landscape composition (proportion of woodland/forest surrounding the field) and configuration (number of surrounding woodland/forest patches) had weaker effects on herbivory levels, mixing positive and negative effects on both crops. Our findings indicate that herbivory attack is not concerning in the agricultural fields studied, but suggest that maize and cowpea should be preferably grown in small fields surrounded by an environmental-friendly matrix and patches of conserved ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road mortality can be a serious threat to different animals, including snakes. However, mortality patterns can vary between species, intraspecific groups, locations and time. We compared the number of road-killed individuals (carcasses) of two semiaquatic water snakes (Natrix natrix and N. tessellata) on 58 km of road sections bordered by an active floodplain and a flood-protected former floodplain on one side and mountainous areas on the other in NE Hungary based on surveys conducted once every two weeks in three non-consecutive years. The results showed high road mortality of snakes, with a spring and an autumn peak corresponding to the times when snakes emerge from and return to hibernating sites. The results show that small-scale spatial differences in road mortality were mediated by landscape structure along the road, while the effects of traffic volume, flood regime and the age and sex of the individuals were negligible. For conservation, the study suggests that establishing culvert passages under the road and/or artificial hibernating sites on the floodplain-side of the roads in critical sections can be promising in reducing road-related mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in land use and landscape patterns significantly influence watershed water quality by affecting non-point source (NPS) pollution processes. Understanding the characteristics of water quality and the relationships between landscape patterns and water quality is crucial to informing land-use planning aimed at ensuring water security. In this study, we employed landscape index methods, correlation analysis, and redundancy analysis based on monitored water quality data and land-use types relative to the Yanshan River Basin, Guilin, China. The results show the following features: (1) Water quality in the small watershed exceeded the values of class III during the study period, and total nitrogen (TN) was the main pollutant, with a pollution load ratio reaching 67.9%. (2) Water quality was significantly impacted by the landscape patterns of the small watershed river. The monitored concentrations of TN, ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N), and total phosphorus (TP) were negatively correlated with the proportion of forest area, and the concentrations of NH4+-N and TP were positively correlated with the proportions of building, orchard, and cultivated land areas. Moreover, the influences of landscape patterns during the wet seasons on water quality were stronger than those during the dry seasons. (3) The total interpretation rates of the landscape indices for the water quality indices in the dry and wet seasons were 96.7% and 94.4%, respectively. Moreover, the largest patch and aggregation indices of the building area were the most effective variables in explaining the water quality indices, with contribution rates of 30.8% and 23.2% in the dry seasons and 34.3% and 23.8% in the wet seasons, respectively. By analyzing these relationships, in this study, we obtained insights into how different landscape patterns contribute to variations in water quality. The findings contribute to sustainable land-use planning strategies that aim to mitigate the impacts of land-use changes on water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The alfalfa weevil Hypera postica Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is one of the most destructive pests of alfalfa worldwide. Both local and landscape-scale factors can significantly influence crop pests, natural enemies, and the effectiveness of biological control services, but the relative influence of these factors is unclear. Objectives: We investigated the influence of the local variables and surrounding landscape composition and configuration on the abundance of alfalfa weevil, and on the abundance and parasitism rates of its larval parasitoids, Bathyplectes spp. Methods: We sampled 65 commercial alfalfa fields along the Ebro Basin, Spain, over a period of 3 years, recording the field characteristics and landscape structure at three buffer radii of 250, 500 and 1000 m from the center of each field. Results: The abundance of weevil larvae was positively associated with the field perimeter and with the uncut alfalfa surrounding the pipes of the sprinkler irrigation system, but only one configuration variable was positively correlated: the alfalfa edge density. No local characteristics or landscape structures were associated with the abundance of adult weevils. The abundance of Bathyplectes spp. adults was positively associated to local factors such as the densities of alfalfa weevils and aphids. Few landscape structure variables, such as alfalfa edge density and Simpson’s Diversity Index, had explanatory value only at 250 m buffer radius. The rate of larval parasitism was affected by local variables, such as alfalfa weevil abundance and field age. Conclusion: Our results provide, for the first time in the Mediterranean region and Europe, evidence of the relative importance of landscape structure and local factors on the abundance of the alfalfa weevil and its larval parasitoids, Bathyplectes spp. The strongest influences were based on local characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Landscape change affects biological diversity and the distribution of species traits related to spiritual, educational, and recreational benefits people derive from nature. These traits are associated with color, song and behavioral characteristics that influence people's perceptions of how attractive an assemblage is. However, the environmental variables that affect the spatial distribution of traits related to the attractiveness of biological diversity remain unexplored. Objectives: We tested how landscape structure influences patterns of perceived bird attractiveness (trait diversity associated with colorfulness, behavioral and song categories) across an urbanization gradient. Methods: We used data from standardized surveys of birds and landscapes within 42 landscape units of 1km2 across the city of Brisbane in eastern Australia. We used structural equation modeling to test effects of landscape composition (built infrastructure, percentage of tree cover) and landscape configuration (fragmentation of tree cover) on mean bird community attractiveness. Relationships between individual traits and landscape structure were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression models. Results: Our analysis across 82 bird species shows that the relative amount of built infrastructure in a landscape interacts with fragmentation to reduce the overall attractiveness of the landscape’s bird assemblage. However, built areas can exhibit high overall bird attractiveness where there is (1) reduced fragmentation and (2) increased diversity of vegetation structure that provides key habitats for many colorful species with a high diversity of calls. Relationships between bird attractiveness and landscape structure change when they are analyzed at the guild level (insectivores vs frugivores/nectarivores). In addition, body size moderates the effects of landscape structure on song complexity, personality, and color. Conclusions: Small bodied, colorful and melodious species are negatively affected by built infrastructure and fragmentation. By learning how habitat loss and fragmentation affect the distribution of species-rich, attractive bird assemblages, our findings can inform how urban landscapes might be structured to increase people’s connection with nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatially isolated plant populations in agricultural landscapes exhibit genetic responses not only to habitat fragmentation per se but also to the composition of the landscape matrix between habitat patches. These responses can only be understood by examining how the landscape matrix influences among‐habitat movements of pollinators and seed vectors, which act as genetic linkers among populations. We studied the forest herb Polygonatum multiflorum and its associated pollinator and genetic linker, the bumblebee Bombus pascuorum, in three European agricultural landscapes. We aimed to identify which landscape features affect the movement activity of B. pascuorum between forest patches and to assess the relative importance of these features in explaining the forest herb's population genetic structure. We applied microsatellite markers to estimate the movement activity of the bumblebee as well as the population genetic structure of the forest herb. We modelled the movement activity as a function of various landscape metrics. Those metrics found to explain the movement activity best were then used to explain the population genetic structure of the forest herb. The bumblebee movement activity was affected by the cover of maize fields and semi‐natural grasslands on a larger spatial scale and by landscape heterogeneity on a smaller spatial scale. For some measures of the forest herb's population genetic structure, that is, allelic richness, observed heterozygosity and the F‐value, the combinations of landscape metrics, which explained the linker movement activity best, yielded lower AICc values than 95% of the models including all possible combinations of landscape metrics. Synthesis: The genetic linker, B. pascuorum, mediates landscape effects on the population genetic structure of the forest herb P. multiflorum. Our study indicates, that the movement of the genetic linker among forest patches, and thus the pollen driven gene flow of the herb, depends on the relative value of floral resources in the specific landscape setting. Noteworthy, the population genetic structure of the long‐lived, clonal forest herb species correlated with recent land‐use types such as maize, which have been existing for not more than a few decades within these landscapes. This underscores the short time in which land‐use changes can influence the evolutionary potential of long‐lived wild plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic pressures on the environment are increasingly evident, characterized by uncontrolled changes in land use that adversely affect water quality. This study aims to assess how land use and land cover contribute to water quality and to evaluate the influence of spatial landscape metrics on water quality variability in eight tributary sub-basins of the Paraopeba River. The analysis considers two seasonal periods reflective of the region's tropical climate. The dataset includes spatial data on land use and land cover, digital elevation models, soil types, geology, geomorphology, spatial-temporal data, and landscape fragmentation metrics. First, spatial differences in water quality data collected at each sampling site were tested, and the significance of seasonal variations was assessed. Correlation analyses were then conducted to determine the relationships between landscape metrics and water quality parameters across the eight sub-basins, considering both seasonal periods. Key findings include the identification of mixed pollution sources, such as pasture, urban areas, and mining, which significantly affect water quality, particularly during the rainy period. Conversely, forest plantations were found to be the land use category that most positively contributed to the preservation of water quality. The relationships between landscape patterns and water quality, analyzed using redundancy analysis, revealed that the influence of landscape metrics on the variation of water quality parameters was significantly more pronounced during the dry period, explaining 75 % of the variation, compared to 49 % during the rainy period.

The impact of landscape change on biodiversity is well established, and the introduction of the concept of ecosystem services has added clarity to the global trend towards reversing biodiversity loss. However, for this to happen, the relationship between landscape and ecosystem services (ESs) and biodiversity must first be clearly understood. We explored the scale heterogeneity of interactions among the three based on a landscape perspective. We analyzed the individual and joint effects of landscape composition/configuration and ecosystem service on epigaeic arthropods, and used SEM models to depict pathways of influence in ecological processes. Results suggest that 25% to 30% of non-crop habitats with landscape connectivity in the 65–70 range can sustain richer biodiversity community structure. Ecosystem service supply and synergistic development have a positive effect on biodiversity. In addition, landscape composition heterogeneity can indirectly affect biodiversity by influencing ecosystem services. Therefore, we believe that combining landscape planning and ecosystem service regulation at the landscape level is a new pathway to conserve regional biodiversity.

Sustainable pest management requires growers and regional land managers to consider the relationships among pest management practices, pest and natural enemy communities, crop loss, and multi-scalar habitat complexity. However, the causal links among these variables, in particular potential interactions between landscape and local-scale habitat complexity, remain underexplored. In the context of organically managed strawberry crops in California’s Central Coast, we tested the independent effects of landscape and local habitat complexity gradients on arthropod communities and crop loss using a piecewise structural equation model (PSEM). We found that landscape-scale woody habitat proportion indirectly decreased crop loss through its positive effect on natural enemy abundance, while grassland proportion had the opposite effect due to its association with an important strawberry pest (Lygus spp.). We detected a pattern suggesting that on-farm diversification practices are most effective at reducing crop loss at an intermediate level (26%) of woody habitat proportion. Both organic-compliant insecticide application and tractor vacuuming negatively impacted natural enemies, and therefore had qualified effects on crop loss. Our study shows the key roles of native woodlands and natural enemy communities in reducing crop loss and highlights the importance of managing habitat complexity at both landscape and local scales.

Bumble bees are integral pollinators of native and cultivated plant communities, but species are undergoing significant changes in range and abundance on a global scale. Climate change and land cover alteration are key drivers in pollinator declines; however, limited research has evaluated the cumulative effects of these factors on bumble bee assemblages. This study tests bumble bee assemblage (calculated as richness and abundance) responses to climate and land use by modeling species‐specific habitat requirements, and assemblage‐level responses across geographic regions. We integrated species richness, abundance, and distribution data for 18 bumble bee species with site‐specific bioclimatic, landscape composition, and landscape configuration data to evaluate the effects of multiple environmental stressors on bumble bee assemblages throughout 433 agricultural fields in Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia from 2018 to 2020. Distinct east versus west groupings emerged when evaluating species‐specific habitat associations, prompting a detailed evaluation of bumble bee assemblages by geographic region. Maximum temperature of warmest month and precipitation of driest month had a positive impact on bumble bee assemblages in the Corn Belt/Appalachian/northeast, southeast, and northern plains regions, but a negative impact on the mountain region. Further, forest land cover surrounding agricultural fields was highlighted as supporting more rich and abundant bumble bee assemblages. Overall, climate and land use combine to drive bumble bee assemblages, but how those processes operate is idiosyncratic and spatially contingent across regions. From these findings, we suggested regionally specific management practices to best support rich and abundant bumble bee assemblages in agroecosystems. Results from this study contribute to a better understanding of climate and landscape factors affecting bumble bees and their habitats throughout the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective conservation schemes are needed to advance the dual objectives of biodiversity conservation and agronomic production in agricultural landscapes. Understanding how plant and arthropod taxa respond to both local habitat patch characteristics and landscape complexity is crucial for planning effective agri‐environment schemes. This study investigated the relative effects of local variables (plant and insect diversity ≤100 m from patch habitat center) and landscape variables (landscape composition and configuration metrics ≤5 km from patch habitat center) on the diversity of plants and arthropods within noncrop habitat patches (1) at different spatial extents ranging from 0.1 to 5 km, while (2) quantifying differential effects of local and landscape variables on particular components of diversity (i.e., species richness and abundance), and accounting for (3) particular components of landscape extent (0.1‐, 0.5‐, 1‐, 2‐, and 5‐km radii) and complexity (i.e., landscape composition and configuration). Landscape variables were significantly correlated with local plant and arthropod species richness and abundance at all spatial extents. Biodiversity responses to landscape variables were largely scale‐dependent, as pairwise comparisons were significantly different between all spatial extents except between 1‐ and 2‐km extents, and correlations were lowest at the 5‐km extent. Partial R2 values for predicting local biodiversity were highest when both local and landscape variables were included as predictors of species richness and abundance, increasing from 0.163 to 0.469 when landscape variables were included, underscoring the importance of considering both local and landscape effects on local diversity. Landscape configuration variables accounted for more variation in plant and arthropod species richness than composition variables. However, models performed best when composition and configuration were considered together rather than alone, suggesting that both components of landscape complexity should be considered for identifying and managing conservation areas in crop fields. Existing conservation schemes that incentivize farmers to create or conserve seminatural patch habitat within crop fields may be more effective when combined with landscape‐scale designs that enhance landscape complexity across the Northern Great Plains. Local conservation efforts should be coordinated with landscape‐level efforts to ultimately enhance biodiversity and desired ecosystem service outcomes across agricultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fallen fruits provide important feeding and breeding substrates for insects such as Drosophilidae and can be a potential trophic reservoir when usual host fruits become scarce.Recently, two invasive fruit fly species, Drosophila suzukii and Chymomyza amoena, have become established in Europe and are expected to alter existing Drosophilidae communities.In this study, carried out between September 2021 and April 2022 in northern France, we aimed to disentangle the relative roles of microclimatic, landscape and local factors driving the diversity of the Drosophilidae community in decaying fruit across seasons.Minimum site temperature during the week preceding sampling and the proportion of rotten fruit tissue had the strongest positive influence on Drosophilidae abundance and species richness. Drosophilidae abundance also increased with urbanisation (portion of building cover) around the sampled trees.Decaying apples were important breeding sites for C. amoena across seasons, but provided a suboptimal substrate for D. suzukii, which was only present in late summer.This study sheds light on the important role of unharvested fallen crop fruit in maintaining the diversity of an insect family that is generally overlooked in field studies. It also emphasises the importance of considering multiple scales and factors when studying the interactions between invasive species, native species and their shared trophic resources. Finally, our data highlight the importance of the Drosophilidae community in recycling agricultural waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of South Architecture / Nanfang Jianzhu is the property of South Architecture Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Road mortality can be a serious threat to different animals, including snakes. However, mortality patterns can vary between species, intraspecific groups, locations and time. We compared the number of road-killed individuals (carcasses) of two semiaquatic water snakes (Natrix natrix and N. tessellata) on 58 km of road sections bordered by an active floodplain and a flood-protected former floodplain on one side and mountainous areas on the other in NE Hungary based on surveys conducted once every two weeks in three non-consecutive years. The results showed high road mortality of snakes, with a spring and an autumn peak corresponding to the times when snakes emerge from and return to hibernating sites. The results show that small-scale spatial differences in road mortality were mediated by landscape structure along the road, while the effects of traffic volume, flood regime and the age and sex of the individuals were negligible. For conservation, the study suggests that establishing culvert passages under the road and/or artificial hibernating sites on the floodplain-side of the roads in critical sections can be promising in reducing road-related mortality.

Abstract Spatially isolated plant populations in agricultural landscapes exhibit genetic responses not only to habitat fragmentation per se but also to the composition of the landscape matrix between habitat patches. These responses can only be understood by examining how the landscape matrix influences among‐habitat movements of pollinators and seed vectors, which act as genetic linkers among populations. We studied the forest herb Polygonatum multiflorum and its associated pollinator and genetic linker, the bumblebee Bombus pascuorum, in three European agricultural landscapes. We aimed to identify which landscape features affect the movement activity of B. pascuorum between forest patches and to assess the relative importance of these features in explaining the forest herb's population genetic structure. We applied microsatellite markers to estimate the movement activity of the bumblebee as well as the population genetic structure of the forest herb. We modelled the movement activity as a function of various landscape metrics. Those metrics found to explain the movement activity best were then used to explain the population genetic structure of the forest herb. The bumblebee movement activity was affected by the cover of maize fields and semi‐natural grasslands on a larger spatial scale and by landscape heterogeneity on a smaller spatial scale. For some measures of the forest herb's population genetic structure, that is, allelic richness, observed heterozygosity and the F‐value, the combinations of landscape metrics, which explained the linker movement activity best, yielded lower AICc values than 95% of the models including all possible combinations of landscape metrics. Synthesis: The genetic linker, B. pascuorum, mediates landscape effects on the population genetic structure of the forest herb P. multiflorum. Our study indicates, that the movement of the genetic linker among forest patches, and thus the pollen driven gene flow of the herb, depends on the relative value of floral resources in the specific landscape setting. Noteworthy, the population genetic structure of the long‐lived, clonal forest herb species correlated with recent land‐use types such as maize, which have been existing for not more than a few decades within these landscapes. This underscores the short time in which land‐use changes can influence the evolutionary potential of long‐lived wild plants.

The deterioration of the urban thermal environment has seriously affected the quality of life of urban residents, and studying the optimal cooling landscape combination and configuration based on local climate zones (LCZs) is crucial for mitigating the thermal environment. In this study, the LCZ system was combined to analyze the spatial and temporal changes to the thermal environment in the central area of Fuzhou, and the 159 blocks in the core area were selected to derive the optimal LCZ combination and configuration. The conclusions are as follows: (1) From 2013 to 2021, the building layout of the study area became more open and the building height gradually increased. The high-temperature areas were mainly clustered in the core area; (2) The LSTs for low-rise buildings (LCZ 3 (41.67 °C), LCZ 7 (40.10 °C), LCZ 8 (42.61 °C), and LCZ 10 (41.85 °C)) were higher than the LSTs for high-rise buildings (LCZ 1 (38.58 °C) and LCZ 4 (38.50 °C)); (3) The thermal contribution index for low building types was higher for dense buildings (LCZ 3 (0.4331), LCZ 8 (0.3149), and LCZ 10 (0.2325)) than for open buildings (LCZ 6 (0.0247) and LCZ 9 (0.0317)); (4) Blocks with an average LST of 36 °C had the most cost-effective cooling, and the combination and configuration of LCZs within such blocks were optimal. Our results can be used to better guide urban planners in managing LCZ combinations and configurations within blocks (the smallest planning unit) at an earlier phase of thermal environment design, and for appropriately adapting existing block layouts, providing a new perspective on urban thermal environment research with important implications for climate-friendly city and neighborhood planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollinators benefit from increasing floral resources in agricultural landscapes, which could be an underexplored co‐benefit of mass‐flowering crop cultivation. However, the impacts of mass‐flowering crops on pollinator communities are complex and appear to be context‐dependent, mediated by factors such as crop flowering time and the availability of other flower resources in the landscape. A synthesis of research is needed to develop management recommendations for effective pollinator conservation in agroecosystems.By combining 22 datasets from 13 publications conducted in nine temperate countries (20 European, 2 North American), we investigated if mass‐flowering crop flowering time (early or late season), bloom state (during or after crop flowering) and extent of non‐crop habitat cover in the landscape moderated the effect of mass‐flowering crop cover on wild pollinator abundance and species richness in mass‐flowering crop and non‐crop habitats.During bloom, wild bee abundance and richness are negatively related to mass‐flowering crop cover. Dilution effects were predominant in crop habitats and early in the season, except for bumblebees, which declined with mass‐flowering crop cover irrespective of habitat or season. Late in the season and in non‐crop habitats, several of these negative relationships were either absent or reversed. Late‐season mass‐flowering crop cover is positively related to honeybee abundance in crop habitats and to other bee abundance in non‐crop habitats. These results indicate that crop‐adapted species, like honeybees, move to forage and concentrate on late‐season mass‐flowering crops at a time when flower availability in the landscape is limited, potentially alleviating competition for flower resources in non‐crop habitats. We found no evidence of pollinators moving from mass‐flowering crop to non‐crop habitats after crop bloom.Synthesis and applications: Our results confirm that increasing early‐season mass‐flowering crop cover dilutes wild pollinators in crop habitats during bloom. We find that dilution effects were absent late in the season. While mass‐flowering crop cultivation alone is unlikely to be sufficient for maintaining pollinators, as part of carefully designed diverse crop rotations or mixtures combined with the preservation of permanent non‐crop habitats, it might provide valuable supplementary food resources for pollinators in temperate agroecosystems, particularly later in the season when alternative flower resources are scarce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conversion of land for agricultural use is a leading driver of global biodiversity loss. Natural and semi‐natural lands within agricultural landscapes are targeted for protection because they provide habitat for many organisms.Pothole (or kettle) wetlands occur across the Northern Hemisphere and are a focus for conservation both because of their location within agriculturally intensive landscapes and their importance to vertebrates, especially migratory birds.Recent evidence suggests that wetlands may also be an important habitat for arthropods, including insects that provide ecosystem services. To understand how insects associate with wetlands and landscape features, we examine the relationship between bumblebees (Bombus), and wetland area, cropland area and wetland perimeter‐area ratio.We found that wetland area is significantly positively associated with the occurrence and abundance of the species studied. We also found that the relationship between bumblebees and wetland perimeter‐area ratio varied across the growing season. This suggests that the importance of wetland edge as a foraging habitat varies across the season.These results show the utility of wetlands to bees, though their resources are likely not being used uniformly by all bumblebee species or across the entire growing season. Our results also suggest that pothole wetlands in agricultural landscapes are likely to support biodiversity, and their conservation contributes to overall ecosystem health and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Effective conservation schemes are needed to advance the dual objectives of biodiversity conservation and agronomic production in agricultural landscapes. Understanding how plant and arthropod taxa respond to both local habitat patch characteristics and landscape complexity is crucial for planning effective agri‐environment schemes. This study investigated the relative effects of local variables (plant and insect diversity ≤100 m from patch habitat center) and landscape variables (landscape composition and configuration metrics ≤5 km from patch habitat center) on the diversity of plants and arthropods within noncrop habitat patches (1) at different spatial extents ranging from 0.1 to 5 km, while (2) quantifying differential effects of local and landscape variables on particular components of diversity (i.e., species richness and abundance), and accounting for (3) particular components of landscape extent (0.1‐, 0.5‐, 1‐, 2‐, and 5‐km radii) and complexity (i.e., landscape composition and configuration). Landscape variables were significantly correlated with local plant and arthropod species richness and abundance at all spatial extents. Biodiversity responses to landscape variables were largely scale‐dependent, as pairwise comparisons were significantly different between all spatial extents except between 1‐ and 2‐km extents, and correlations were lowest at the 5‐km extent. Partial R2 values for predicting local biodiversity were highest when both local and landscape variables were included as predictors of species richness and abundance, increasing from 0.163 to 0.469 when landscape variables were included, underscoring the importance of considering both local and landscape effects on local diversity. Landscape configuration variables accounted for more variation in plant and arthropod species richness than composition variables. However, models performed best when composition and configuration were considered together rather than alone, suggesting that both components of landscape complexity should be considered for identifying and managing conservation areas in crop fields. Existing conservation schemes that incentivize farmers to create or conserve seminatural patch habitat within crop fields may be more effective when combined with landscape‐scale designs that enhance landscape complexity across the Northern Great Plains. Local conservation efforts should be coordinated with landscape‐level efforts to ultimately enhance biodiversity and desired ecosystem service outcomes across agricultural landscapes.

Context: The Mediterranean basin is characterized by a heterogeneous landscape historically shaped by human activities. Land abandonment and extensive monocultures, however, have led to increasing homogeneity of Mediterranean habitats. Albeit the effects of habitat heterogeneity on wildlife have been widely studied, the available information on how habitat homogenization impacts the organization of mesocarnivore communities is still scant. Objectives: We investigated the relationship of environmental characteristics with occupancy, activity, community organization, and co-occurrence of mesocarnivore species in space and time. We focused on five key species (Vulpes vulpes, Genetta genetta, Meles meles, Herpestes ichneumon, and Martes foina) widely distributed throughout Mediterranean ecosystems. Methods: The study was conducted in north-central Portugal between June 2019 and June 2020. We used 300 camera trap sampling points coupled with occupancy, activity, and co-occurrence analysis to assess how different environmental characteristics influence mesocarnivores community. Results: We found that the occupancy of mesocarnivores is influenced by topography, landscape composition and structure, and human activity. We observed that landscape homogeneity limits the co-occurrence of mesocarnivores. In heterogeneous landscapes we recorded a greater overlap in activity (seven of ten species pairs) and spatial co-occurrence (six of the seven species pairs analyzed) of mesocarnivores species. Conclusions: We demonstrated the importance of landscape characteristics in the composition of the mesocarnivores community. Our findings support the adoption of management measures able to mitigate the impacts of landscape homogenization. Maximizing the heterogeneity is an important step to benefit the mesocarnivore community in altered Iberian landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biological Invasions is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Habitat quality heterogeneity is one of the concrete manifestations of landscape pattern changes caused by human activities, which is of great significance to improve habitat quality by optimizing landscape pattern, thus scientifically protecting biodiversity and promoting ecological civilization construction. The coupling of rapid urbanization and ecological restoration measures has had a significant influence on the habitat quality of fragile and fragmented karst mountainous cities in recent years. In this study, spatiotemporal dynamics and heterogeneity of habitat quality and the impact of landscape patterns on habitat quality are analyzed in Guiyang, a typical karst mountain city in southwest China, mainly using the key methodologies such as the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model, Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA), and hierarchical partitioning (HP). We found that the habitat quality index of Guiyang City improved from 0.6643 to 0.6988 during 2000–2019; the distribution of habitat quality has significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity and spatial aggregation effect with the low values or the decreased areas concentrated in and around the built-up areas or urbanization expansion areas. Landscape composition had greater contribution than landscape configuration to habitat quality. The increased areas of natural habitat have had a positive effect on habitat quality. Moreover, each landscape configuration had a significant positive or negative correlation with the habitat quality. Therefore, implementing ecological protection and restoration measures in karst mountainous cities might be an effective strategy to improve habitat quality during rapid urbanization. Furthermore, optimizing habitat patterns, reducing the habitats loss, and protecting the natural habitat integrity are crucial to improving and maintaining biodiversity in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demography of, and factors that influence these metrics, are largely unknown for most vultures in the Americas. Survivorship of Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) may be influenced by landscape heterogeneity and human disturbance. We quantified the effects of landscape composition (Shannon's diversity index) and configuration (contagion, edge density, and largest patch index), and human disturbance (road density) on the annual and seasonal survival probabilities of the three North American breeding populations (western, central, and eastern) of Turkey Vultures that spend the nonbreeding season in the southeastern portion of the Nearctic and the northern Neotropics during a 17-year period. We used Cox's proportional hazards models with time-varying covariates to estimate spatial and temporal changes in survival rates of adult Turkey Vultures. Road density, but not landscape composition or configuration, influenced survival rates in space and time. Overall annual survival averaged 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74-0.98). Mortality risk was low in western and central populations (hazard ratio < 1) but was 3.7 times greater for vultures in the eastern population. Survival during the breeding (0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.98) and outbound migration (1.0, 95% CI: 1-1) seasons was significantly higher than the other seasons. Average survival tended to be higher for nonbreeding (0.81, 95% CI: 0.71-0.88) compared to return migration (0.69, 95% CI: 0.56-0.81) seasons. The risk of mortality for all vulture populations increased with road density, and this was greater during the nonbreeding and return migration seasons. The spatial variation in road density across the Americas may generate a network of ecological traps for Turkey Vultures induced to stop in areas of greater road-kill abundance. Road-killed animals acting as an attractant for vultures can increase the occurrence of vulture-vehicle collisions and potentially aggravate human-wildlife conflicts. Further analyses are needed to address survivorship and mortality factors for young birds. Our results may help the implementation of specific mitigation efforts to reduce human-vulture conflicts and vulture mortality. For instance, concentrating efforts to remove road-killed animals in areas where road density is highest can likely reduce vulture-vehicle collisions and associated mortalities of these birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loss and fragmentation of natural habitats due to agricultural intensification have a strong negative impact on farmland biodiversity. The concomitant isolation of essential resources may exert selection pressures toward increased dispersal performance in flying insects, possibly resulting in differences in flight morphology and dispersal propensity across landscapes. Here, we compared condition, flight morphology, dispersal capacity, and propensity of the common butterfly Pieris rapae among four pairs of highly fragmented "modern" and less fragmented "traditional" agricultural landscapes. We did not find differences between landscape types, but between locations and sexes. These results are not entirely unexpected, as P. rapae is a highly mobile generalist species, able to exploit temporarily available resources such as rapeseed in modern agricultural landscapes. In addition, our negative results may suggest a lack of time for evolutionary change such that differences may appear in the future. However, more specialized species with low dispersal ability may show clearer patterns and may well suffer from habitat fragmentation, and investigating such interrelation is an important task for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-natural habitats provide refuge for pollinating insects such as wild bees. Different types of semi-natural habitat can provide complementary floral resources throughout the year, but it is uncertain to what extent different semi-natural habitat types provide nesting habitat for wild bees. In this study, nesting resources for wild bees and nest-searching bees were surveyed visually in three different types of semi-natural habitat (i.e., hollow roads, tree rows, and forest edges). The composition of nesting resources for wild bees varied across the three types of semi-natural habitat. We also identified clear indicators of nesting resources within the different habitat types. We conclude that different types of semi-natural habitat provide varying and complementary nesting resources for wild bees. This study further highlights the importance of semi-natural habitat for pollinator conservation and emphasizes the need for further research to increase our understanding how different wild bee species use different habitat types for nesting.

Some nocturnal migrant forest-breeding songbirds have suffered large population declines in recent decades. Declining availability of high-quality habitat where birds refuel during migration may be contributing to these declines. Our objective was to identify landscape attributes, including the relevant scales of effect, that make sites likely to be used as stopover sites during fall migration. We used autonomous recording units (ARUs) to sample birds between August and October 2018 at 37 fall migration potential stopover sites in southeastern Ontario, Canada. We placed ARUs in forest patches that varied in the amount and type of forest cover within the surrounding landscape. We interpreted recordings at intervals throughout the season to estimate the average numbers of calling birds per minute at each site. We found that bird density was highest at sites with an intermediate amount of forest within 2 km, while density decreased as the proportion of coniferous forest within 6 km increased. We infer that migrating birds avoid forest sites in landscapes with low amounts of forest cover and high proportions of conifer. The lower densities at high forest amounts may result from a dilution effect (birds spread across more forest), avoidance of conifers, which tended to be more abundant at the highest forest amounts, or reduced densities of edges at high forest amounts, if birds use forest edges for foraging. Our study highlights the importance of retaining landscapes with at least 50% forest cover, particularly deciduous forest, as stopover habitat for migrating songbirds.

Agricultural intensification and abandonment have led to a dramatic decrease of semi-natural grasslands such as low-intensity pastures and hay meadows. The Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) is a ground-nesting raptor of open grasslands that has severely suffered from these changes. We studied the habitat preferences of this umbrella species of open grasslands in its last permanent breeding area in Germany (East Frisian Islands, southern North Sea). We analysed the breeding-territory preferences based on 576 territories on six of the islands. Moreover, we assessed nest-site preferences of 13 breeding pairs on the German abundance hot spot, the island of Spiekeroog. Our investigation revealed that the Short-eared owl strongly preferred open dunes for breeding, especially dune grasslands. By contrast, built-up areas and small stands of trees were avoided. For nest-building, microhabitats with a high cover of the herb layer and litter resulting in tall vegetation were favoured. By contrast, the vegetation in the wider surrounding of the nest was characterised by more bare ground and shorter vegetation but still a high cover of the herb layer and litter. In conclusion, our study highlights the prime importance of extensive open grasslands with a pronounced litter layer and largely lacking human disturbance as breeding habitats for the Short-eared owl. At the nesting site, we suggest that tall and dense vegetation with a high cover of litter (i) might enhance concealment and (ii) causes a favourable microclimate by protecting fledglings against adverse weather conditions. In the wider surrounding of the nest, shorter vegetation with a pronounced litter layer (i) improves fledgling mobility, (ii) fosters vole abundance and (iii) increases prey accessibility.

Abstract The loss and fragmentation of natural habitats due to agricultural intensification have a strong negative impact on farmland biodiversity. The concomitant isolation of essential resources may exert selection pressures toward increased dispersal performance in flying insects, possibly resulting in differences in flight morphology and dispersal propensity across landscapes. Here, we compared condition, flight morphology, dispersal capacity, and propensity of the common butterfly Pieris rapae among four pairs of highly fragmented “modern” and less fragmented “traditional” agricultural landscapes. We did not find differences between landscape types, but between locations and sexes. These results are not entirely unexpected, as P. rapae is a highly mobile generalist species, able to exploit temporarily available resources such as rapeseed in modern agricultural landscapes. In addition, our negative results may suggest a lack of time for evolutionary change such that differences may appear in the future. However, more specialized species with low dispersal ability may show clearer patterns and may well suffer from habitat fragmentation, and investigating such interrelation is an important task for future research.

Biological control is a key ecosystem service in arable lands, but its effectiveness varies according to environmental and biotic contexts. Cascading interactions between several trophic levels can affect natural enemies and their efficacy.Here, we analysed how multitrophic interactions drive weed seed control under contrasting farming systems and landscapes. In particular, we analyse how the presence of higher‐order predators and alternative prey affects the weed seed consumption by seed predators. We monitored 30 cereal fields organised into 15 pairs, each comprising one conventional and one conservation agriculture field, sampled along a gradient of proportion of conservation agriculture in the landscape.We found that local and landscape management under conservation agriculture favours the presence of seed predators like carabids and rodents, higher‐order predators like shrews and alternative animal prey. Weed seed predation is promoted by conservation agriculture through an increase in the number of seed predators. However, alternative animal prey reduces the efficacy of carabids to consume seeds, probably due to a prey‐switching behaviour. Similarly, shrews negatively affect the activity‐density of carabids, resulting in an indirect negative effect on seed predation.Synthesis and applications: Our study highlights that the implementation of conservation agriculture can improve the provision of biological control but the resulting effect may be partially limited by the increased complexity of trophic interactions. The different trophic levels respond to local management and/or the surrounding landscape with cascading effects on the delivery of weed control. Our study highlights the importance of considering not only the direct effects of seed predators, but also the indirect effects of higher‐order predators and alternative prey when predicting the level of weed biological control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Mediterranean landscapes from Europe have undergone recent biodiversity changes. The intensification of human activities and the fragmentation of open habitats now affect many taxonomic groups, such as dung beetles, which have benefited from centuries of extensive herding. Nevertheless, dung beetles' responses to landscape composition have been rarely investigated in this context. Objectives: We explored how dung beetle communities (species occurrences, abundances and traits) were influenced by temperature and by soil and landscape characteristics and examined residual co-occurrence patterns that may reflect interspecific interactions. Methods: We used an extensive dataset on Scarabaeinae dung beetles from southern France (31 species, 117 sites) to evaluate how landscape composition and fragmentation, climate and soil characteristics jointly influence dung beetle communities across this region. We used hierarchical joint species distribution models to characterize (co)variation in the responses of species and to connect such responses to species-specific traits. Results: Temperature, soil and landscape characteristics shape dung beetle communities and species' thermal tolerance was connected to their soil preferences. Fragmentation was negatively associated with beetle abundance while forest cover was positively associated with species richness and with abundance. There was little evidence of residual associations among dung beetle species, suggesting that species interactions do not play a major role in community assembly. Conclusion: K-selected species were over-represented among the rarest species. The effects of fragmentation and forest cover indicate that a conservation plan based on connected, heterogeneous habitats with low-density grazing should be promoted to preserve ecological functions linked to these insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the pollinator global crisis and its relation to human activities, it is important to understand how regional landscapes affects pollinators, especially those of ecological, cultural, and economic importance. In the tropics, managed stingless bees (Meliponini) depend on plant resources surrounding hives, in what can be regarded as the bee landscape. As socioecological processes converge shaping landscapes regionally, human-modified landscapes affect resources at the bee landscape level. Through geospatial analyses, we assessed how variables like ecosystem integrity, landscape composition, and land use type affect ecosystem services such as pot-honey production. Based on the case study of Veracruz, Mexico, a state with a long history of land use and land cover change, we found that stingless beekeeping thrives in diverse landscape configurations. In this study, bee landscapes of Scaptotrigona mexicana, an important managed stingless bee species, are mostly agricultural landscapes with patches of tropical forests. The patchy distribution of natural vegetation mixed with the extensive distribution of agriculture related to cattle management and agroforestry systems, result in non-linear relationships between land use composition, land use type, and ecosystem integrity. Multivariate analysis showed that pot-honey harvest benefits from heterogeneous landscapes, although ecosystem integrity and proportion of land use cover were not found to be good predictors of pot-honey production. On the other hand, regional characteristics in interaction with beehive density affect positively the average harvest rate. These findings suggest that beekeeping with S. mexicana is affected by socioecological contexts of complex agricultural landscapes. Given the relevance of stingless bees in tropical areas and the ecological services they provide, this study alleges for integrating bee requirements with development plans in tropical landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We documented occurrence and relative abundance (henceforth abundance) of five woodpecker species in 36 forested green spaces in Portland, Oregon (USA), to estimate minimum area requirements (MAR; 0.5 probability of occurrence) and to test for potential influences of green space area and type (heavily treed manicured green spaces vs. undeveloped natural forests), habitat features, and landscape composition on the abundance of woodpeckers. Abundances of all species increased with green space area. Manicured and natural green spaces did not differ in canopy cover or total basal area, but woodpecker abundances were greater in natural than manicured green spaces for all species except Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus). Flickers and Downy Woodpeckers (Picoides pubescens) were most abundant, MAR of both were under 1.5 ha, and both were found in essentially all green spaces. Hairy (P. villosus) and Pileated (Dryocopus pileatus) woodpeckers were least abundant, and with MAR of 34 and 51 ha, respectively, exhibited pronounced area sensitivity. Red-breasted Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus ruber) were intermediate in abundance and MAR to the 2 former and 2 latter species. The most important habitat variables associated with variation in abundance among green spaces were the contribution of deciduous trees to the canopy (Downy Woodpecker [+], Pileated Woodpecker [+], and Northern Flicker [-]), canopy cover (Hairy Woodpecker [+] and Northern Flicker [+]), and log density (Hairy Woodpecker [+], Red-breasted Sapsucker [-]). At the landscape level, lower woodpecker abundance was associated with increased urbanization (Red-breasted Sapsucker and Northern Flicker), while increasing forest cover influenced abundance of Northern Flicker (-) and Pileated Woodpecker (+). Highest woodpecker abundances were thus found in large green spaces with complex understories that were embedded in relatively undeveloped treed landscapes. Management of forested urban green spaces should prioritize needs of the area-sensitive species because ensuring their continued presence benefits the entire avian community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the widespread threat of habitat loss, managers of imperiled species commonly focus on restoring habitat to encourage species establishment (i.e., the field of dreams hypothesis). Habitat management strategies for the rare New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis) have largely followed the field of dreams hypothesis, focusing on increasing the area of young and regenerating forest throughout the species' range to increase populations of the species. Recently researchers indicated that these practices may not be as effective when the introduced eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) co‐occupies patches with the New England cottontail. Using data from the New England Cottontail Regional Monitoring Program collected in Connecticut, USA, from 2016–2020 and geospatial data to create dynamic occupancy models, we determined how both patch and landscape characteristics influence New England cottontail and eastern cottontail occupancy patterns. We ran 4 dynamic occupancy models: 1 at the patch scale and 1 at the landscape scale for each species. Large patches and short interpatch distances increased both species' occupancy patterns more than vegetation height <2.5 m. New England cottontail occupancy and colonization positively responded to the amount of shrublands within the landscape and weakly responded to forest regeneration, the vegetation type most commonly created by management actions for the species. New England cottontail colonization probability was low at both the patch and landscape scale, and lower than extinction probabilities, suggesting the current landscape may not be sufficient to allow metapopulations to persist. Overall, our results indicate that solely focusing on habitat restoration, or applying the field of dreams hypothesis, to conserve New England cottontail, a species that is area dependent, dispersal limited, and threatened by an introduced competitor, does not promote species persistence on the landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat loss is considered a major threat for biodiversity. However, the scales on which its effects occur are still insufficiently understood, namely, is the amount of available habitat important for species richness on both local and landscape scales? We studied the effects of local and landscape‐scale habitat amount on local‐scale species density of deadwood‐dependent lichens in Swedish boreal forests. Creation and retention of deadwood are common practices to benefit forest biodiversity, and recognizing the relevant scale is critical for them to be successful.We surveyed deadwood‐dependent lichens in 90 unmanaged forest stands that differed in the local and landscape habitat amount. The local habitat amount was measured as the amount of deadwood in the sampled stands (m2 deadwood ha−1), while six alternative proxies were used to estimate the landscape habitat amount, that is, the amount of deadwood in the surrounding landscapes. Lichen species density (number of species per standardized deadwood area of 3.7 m2) was modelled as a function of local and landscape habitat amount at multiple scales (300 m–5 km from the stands).Lichen species density increased with the landscape habitat amount. The proportion of old forests (>100 years, including newly clear‐cut stands that until recently were old forests) within 5 km from the stands explained species density better than the other proxies of landscape habitat amount. Local deadwood amount did not affect species density, and there was no interaction between the local and landscape habitat amount.Synthesis and applications: To promote the conservation of deadwood‐dependent lichens, the amount of old forests in managed forest landscapes should be maintained or increased. A certain amount of deadwood hosted more lichen species when situated in a landscape with more old forest, while there was no effect of the local deadwood amount. This suggests that management aimed at increasing the local species density of deadwood‐dwelling lichens should focus on creating and maintaining habitat in the surrounding landscape rather than only adding deadwood to that local site. In other words, effective management for deadwood‐dependent lichen diversity requires landscape‐scale habitat protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensively managed agricultural landscapes often lack suitable habitats to support diverse wildlife, particularly harming pollinator communities. Besides mass flowering crops, remnant patches of natural and semi‐natural vegetation may play a key role in maintaining and conserving biodiversity. Yet, the effects of different natural habitats, including forests and grasslands, on different pollinator communities are poorly understood at the landscape scale.We examined the abundance, richness, and diversity of wild bees and hoverflies, two key pollinator groups, across a land‐use gradient spanning forest edges, grassland, wildflower strips, and sunflower monoculture. We also examined the distribution of hoverfly larvae trophic guilds and wild bee nesting traits across the above‐mentioned land‐use gradient. Finally, we evaluated the impact of landscape structure (forest, grassland, and water cover in the surrounding landscape) on pollinator community composition.Our results indicate that forest and grassland habitats supported a higher abundance and greater richness of pollinators than wildflower strips and sunflower monocultures. Furthermore, hoverflies were more sensitive to habitat and floristic homogenization than wild bees. Sunflower and wildflower habitats also hosted a lower diversity of larvae trophic guilds and wild bee nesting guilds as compared to forests and grasslands.Our study suggests that conserving and restoring forest and grassland habitats within agricultural mosaics may serve as the main 'refuge' for wild pollinators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild honeybees (Apis mellifera) are considered extinct in most parts of Europe. The likely causes of their decline include increased parasite burden, lack of high-quality nesting sites and associated depredation pressure, and food scarcity. In Germany, feral honeybees still colonize managed forests, but their survival rate is too low to maintain viable populations. Based on colony observations collected during a monitoring study, data on parasite prevalence, experiments on nest depredation, and analyses of land cover maps, we explored whether parasite pressure, depredation or expected landscape-level food availability explain feral colony winter mortality. Considering the colony-level occurrence of 18 microparasites in the previous summer, colonies that died did not have a higher parasite burden than colonies that survived. Camera traps installed at cavity trees revealed that four woodpecker species, great tits, and pine martens act as nest depredators. In a depredator exclusion experiment, the winter survival rate of colonies in cavities with protected entrances was 50% higher than that of colonies with unmanipulated entrances. Landscapes surrounding surviving colonies contained on average 6.4 percentage points more cropland than landscapes surrounding dying colonies, with cropland being known to disproportionately provide forage for bees in our study system. We conclude that the lack of spacious but well-protected nesting cavities and the shortage of food are currently more important than parasites in limiting populations of wild-living honeybees in German forests. Increasing the density and diversity of large tree cavities and promoting bee forage plants in forests will probably promote wild-living honeybees despite parasite pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural intensification and expansion has been suggested to be a major driver of the loss of biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. Recent studies have shown that landscape‐level effects in addition to on‐site management are of significant importance for insect declines.We here compared carabid beetle (Coleoptera, Carabidae) assemblages of wet meadows among three pairs of highly fragmented 'modern' and less fragmented 'traditional' agricultural landscapes, using pitfall trapping.Taxonomic diversity and abundance of Carabidae did not differ between modern and traditional landscapes, whereas the proportions of brachypterous, large‐bodied, and habitat specialist species were lower in modern compared to traditional landscapes.These results suggest that landscape type affects functional rather than taxonomic carabid beetle diversity, based on species turnover.To preserve functional diversity in agricultural landscapes, conservation strategies should consider the landscape level in addition to on‐site management, by securing connectivity between remnants of semi‐natural habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]