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This paper documents an exercise to synthesize and assess the best available scientific knowledge on the effectiveness of different farm practices at enhancing natural pest regulation in agriculture. It demonstrates a novel combination of three approaches to evidence synthesis-systematic literature search, collated synopsis and evidence assessment using an expert panel. These approaches follow a logical sequence moving from a large volume of disparate evidence to a simple, easily understandable answer for use in policy or practice. The example of natural pest regulation in agriculture was selected as a case study within two independent science-policy interface projects, one European and one British. A third funder, a private business, supported the final stage to translate the synthesized findings into a useful, simplified output for agronomists. As a whole, the case Communicated by Stefan Schindler. This is part of the special issue on Networking Biodiversity Knowledge.Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article

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Restore habitat connectivity Change mowing regime Create habitat connectivity 1.12.2 Aquatic habitat Create ponds (amphibians in general) Create ponds (frogs) Create ponds (natterjack toads) Create ponds (salamanders including newts) Create wetlands Deepen, de-silt or re-profile ponds Restore wetlands Create ponds (great crested newts) Create ponds (green toads) Create ponds (toads) Remove specific aquatic plants Restore ponds Remove tree canopy to reduce pond shading Add nutrients to new ponds as larvae food source Add specific plants to aquatic habitats Add woody debris to ponds Create refuge areas in aquatic habitats Sow crops in spring rather than autumn Undersow spring cereals, with clover for example Reduce tillage Implement mosaic management Increase crop diversity to benefit birds Plant more than one crop per field (intercropping) Create beetle banks Plant cereals in wide-spaced rows Revert arable land to permanent grassland Add 1% barley into wheat crop for corn buntings Create corn bunting plots Leave unharvested cereal headlands within arable fields Plant nettle stripsProvide artificial nests (burrow-nesting seabirds) Provide artificial nests (divers/loons) Provide artificial nests (ground-and tree-nesting seabirds) Provide artificial nests (oilbirds) Provide artificial nests (raptors) Provide artificial nests (wildfowl -artificial/floating islands) Artificially incubate eggs or warm nests Guard nests Provide artificial nests (gamebirds) Provide artificial nests (grebes) Provide artificial nests (ibises and flamingos) Provide artificial nests (parrots) Provide artificial nests (pigeons) 200 Provide artificial nests (rails) 200 Provide artificial nests (rollers) 200 Provide artificial nests (swifts) 200 Provide artificial nests (trogons) Provide artificial nests (waders) Provide artificial nests (woodpeckers) Provide nesting habitat for birds that is safe from extreme weather3.15 Captive breeding, rearing and releases (ex situ conservation) 3.15.1 Captive breeding Artificially incubate and hand-rear birds in captivity (raptors) Artificially incubate and hand-rear birds in captivity (seabirds) Artificially incubate and hand-rear birds in captivity (songbirds) Artificially incubate and hand-rear birds in captivity (waders) Use captive breeding to increase or maintain populations (raptors) Artificially incubate and hand-rear birds in captivity (bustards) Artificially incubate and hand-rear birds in captivity (cranes) Artificially incubate and hand-rear birds in captivity (gamebirds) Artificially incubate and hand-rear birds in captivity (parrots) Artificially incubate and hand-rear birds in captivity (penguins) Artificially incubate and hand-rear birds in captivity (rails) Artificially incubate and hand-rear birds in captivity (storks and ibises) Farm more intensively and effectively in selected areas and spare more natural land Install mechanical barriers to deter primates (e.g. fences, ditches) Use of natural hedges to deter primates Use of unpalatable buffer crops Change of crop (i.e. to a crop less pal...

Create ponds (amphibians in general) Create ponds (frogs) Create ponds (natterjack toads) Create ponds (salamanders including newts) Create wetlands Deepen, de-silt or re-profile ponds Restore wetlands Create ponds (great crested newts) Create ponds (green toads) Create ponds (toads) Remove specific aquatic plants Restore ponds Remove tree canopy to reduce pond shading Add nutrients to new ponds as larvae food source Add specific plants to aquatic habitats Add woody debris to ponds Create refuge areas in aquatic habitats2. BAT CONSERVATION 2.1 Threat: Residential and commercial development Change timing of building work Create alternative bat roosts within developments Create or restore bat foraging habitat in urban areas Exclude bats from roosts during building work Legally protect bats during development Protect brownfield or ex-industrial sites Relocate access points to bat roosts within developments Retain existing bat roosts and access points within developments Educate homeowners about building and planning laws relating to bats to reduce disturbance to bat roosts Encourage homeowners to increase semi-natural habitat within gardens Encourage homeowners to plant gardens with night-scented flowers Install sound-proofing insulation between bat roosts and areas occupied by humans within developments Protect greenfield sites or undeveloped land in urban areas2.5 Threat: Biological resource use 2.5.1 Hunting Inform local communities about disease risks from hunting and eating bat meat to reduce killing of bats Inform local communities about the negative impacts of bat hunting to reduce killing of bats Encourage online vendors to remove bat specimens for sale Enforce regulations to prevent trafficking and trade of bats Introduce alternative treatments to reduce the use of bats in traditional medicine Introduce and enforce legislation to control hunting of bats Introduce other food sources to replace bat meat Introduce other income sources to replace bat trade Replace culling of bats with non-lethal methods of preventing vampire bats from spreading rabies to humans Restrict the collection of bat specimens for research Strengthen cultural traditions that discourage bat harvesting2.9.2 Agricultural and forestry effluents Reduce pesticide, herbicide or fertiliser use Change effluent treatments used in agriculture and forestry Introduce legislation to control the use of hazardous substances Plant riparian buffer strips Prevent pollution from agricultural land or forestry from entering watercourses Use organic pest control instead of synthetic pesticides 2.9.3 Light pollution Avoid illumination of bat commuting routes Leave bat roosts and roost entrances unlit Use low intensity lighting Use red lighting rather than other lighting colours Avoid illumination of bat foraging, drinking and swarming sites Restrict timing of lighting Use UV filters on lights Direct lighting away from bat access points or habitats Use 'warm white' rather than 'cool' LED lights Use glazing treatments to reduce light spill from inside lit buildi...