1,721,133 research outputs found
Fruit quantity and quality of strawberries benefit from enhanced pollinator abundance at hedgerows in agricultural landscapes
No full text
Mixing on- and off-field measures for biodiversity conservation
No full textFunder:
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100011019
Nemzeti Kutatási Fejlesztési és Innovációs HivatalFunder:
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001659
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaf
Biological control of the coffee berry borer: Main natural enemies, control success, and landscape influence
No full textCoffee is one of the most important commodities globally and the Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) is its main pest, causing losses of more than half a billion dollars annually. In this systematic review, we quantify the available evidence of successful biological control in coffee agroforestry. There is a recent research trend of switching from the traditional focus on classical biological control (i.e. introducing parasitic wasps) to conservation biological control, considering a broad range of enemy groups inhabiting the cropping system. We found 19 papers proving CBB biocontrol success in the field and 25 studies suggesting potential biocontrol. Most papers showed effects of fungal infections, followed by papers on ant communities, parasitic Hymenoptera, birds, and nematodes. With respect to local coffee management, arboreal canopy cover providing shade as well as organic practices enhances biocontrol success. Landscape-scale studies are almost missing, although CBB predation by birds can be significant and benefits from the presence of forest patches in the surrounding landscape. Insectivorous birds successfully reduce yield losses by CBB, whereas in many other taxa there is a need for identifying economic impacts of biocontrol. In conclusion, understanding successful coffee management to reduce CBB pest pressure requires more studies on conservation biocontrol, analyzing the relative importance of local and landscape management for fungal infections as well as invertebrate and vertebrate predators
Environmental, Economic, and Social Consequences of the Oil Palm Boom
No full textRising global demand for vegetable oil during the last few decades has led to a drastic increase in the land area under oil palm. Especially in Southeast Asia, the oil palm boom has contributed to economic growth, but it has also spurred criticism about negative environmental and social effects. Here, we discuss palm oil production and consumption trends and review environmental, economic, and social consequences in different parts of the world. The oil palm expansion has contributed to tropical deforestation and associated losses in biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Simultaneously, it has increased incomes, generated employment, and reduced poverty among farm and nonfarm households. Around 50% of the worldwide oil palm land is managed by smallholders. Sustainability trade-offs between preserving global public environmental goods and private economic benefits need to be reduced. We discuss policy implications related to productivity growth, rainforest protection, mosaic landscapes, land property rights, sustainability certification, and smallholder inclusion, among others
Calcareous grassland fragments as sources of bee pollinators for the surrounding agricultural landscape
No full textOpen-Access-Publikationsfonds 202
Critical factors limiting pollination success in oil palm: A systematic review
No full textOil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq) is an economically important crop, yet it plays a major role in tropical deforestation and has significant negative impacts on biodiversity. The ecological drivers of oil palm pollination are still poorly understood, despite pollination being a key ecosystem service for the yield of this multi-billion-dollar industry, with potential links to biodiversity conservation. Here we review biotic and abiotic drivers of pollination and known oil palm pollinators, including local insect species endemic to specific growing regions, and an important, globally-introduced West African weevil (Elaeidobius kamerunicus) whose fluctuating populations have led to concerns about yield and resilience. Future research should clarify pollinator community dynamics to facilitate pollination complementarity, which may strengthen pollination services in regions beyond the oil palm and weevil’s native West African ecosystem. In addition, other interactions such as mutualism, predation, and parasitism are not yet well understood, but could provide further insight into population drivers. Future management research should explore manipulating male palm inflorescence density, a key resource for pollinators, as well as investigate spatial and landscape effects on pollinator populations. Critically, no studies have investigated the effects of climate change on pollination, despite the impacts of rain and temperature on pollination efficiency. A greater understanding of the role of pollinator species and their nonlinear relationships to yield, as well as the complexity of biotic, management, and climate drivers of successful pollination can contribute to a more sustainable oil palm production system that values ecosystem services gained from biodiversity, while also improving producer livelihoods
Wild bees benefit from low urbanization levels and suffer from pesticides in a tropical megacity
No full text
- …
