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Abstract. Effects of agricultural intensification (AI) on biodiversity are often assessed on the plot scale, although processes determining diversity also operate on larger spatial scales. Here, we analyzed the diversity of vascular plants, carabid beetles, and birds in agricultural landscapes in cereal crop fields at the field (n ¼ 1350), farm (n ¼ 270), and European-region (n ¼ 9) scale. We partitioned diversity into its additive components a, b, and c, and assessed the relative contribution of b diversity to total species richness at each spatial scale. AI was determined using pesticide and fertilizer inputs, as well as tillage operations and categorized into low, medium, and high levels. As AI was not significantly related to landscape complexity, we could disentangle potential AI effects on local vs. landscape community homogenization. AI negatively affected the species richness of plants and birds, but not carabid beetles, at all spatial scales. Hence, local AI was closely correlated to b diversity on larger scales up to the farm and region level, and thereby was an indicator of farm-and region-wide biodiversity losses. At the scale of farms (12.83-20.52%) and regions (68.34-80.18%), b diversity accounted for the major part of the total species richness for all three taxa, indicating great dissimilarity in environmental conditions on larger spatial scales. For plants, relative importance of a diversity decreased with AI, while relative importance of b diversity on the farm scale increased with AI for carabids and birds. Hence, and in contrast to our expectations, AI does not necessarily homogenize local communities, presumably due to the heterogeneity of farming practices. In conclusion, a more detailed understanding of AI effects on diversity patterns of various taxa and at multiple spatial scales would contribute to more efficient agrienvironmental schemes in agroecosystems.

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This study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of four complementary and combined strategies to minimize the presence of the invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus, firmly established in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain. A quasi-experimental design including six neighbourhoods was performed in 2008-2009. The abundance of mosquitoes was monitored through ovitraps. The multiple intervention strategy consisted of four actions: source reduction; larvicide treatments (Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis and diflubenzuron); adulticide treatments (alfacipermetrin); and cleaning up uncontrolled landfills. The results showed the number of eggs significantly reduced in the areas with intervention. In 2008, the accumulate median of eggs was 175 and 272 in the intervention and control areas, respectively. In 2009, these medians were 884 and 1668 eggs. In total, 3104 households were visited and 683 people were interviewed. During inspections inside the houses, the cooperation of citizens in 2009 was 16% higher than that in 2008 (95% CI 13-19%). These findings suggest that the strategy was effective in reducing the number of eggs. Citizen cooperation, an essential factor for success, was observed through a high level of collaboration by the home owners, who allowed entry into their private dwellings. This study could be a model for controlling the populations of Ae. albopictus in the Mediterranean region.