Farming and wildlife in Mediterranean agroecosystems

Sokos, Christos; Mamolos, Andreas P.; Kalburtji, Kiriaki L.; Birtsas, Periklis

doi:10.1016/j.jnc.2012.11.001

Cited by 59 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 134 publications

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“…Increasing functional diversity in multiple cropping systems (groups A, B, and C) promotes biodiversity in the agroecosystem and increases food web complexity by providing new habitats for a variety of animals and soil organisms that would not be present in a single crop environment (Altieri 1999;Sokos et al 2013). In particular, spatial diversity (group C) can maximize nesting opportunities for birds and create habitats for a range of invertebrates (Vickery et al 2009).…”

Section: Multiple Cropping Systems To Reduce Environmental Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple cropping systems as drivers for providing multiple ecosystem services: from concepts to design

Gaba

Lescourret

Boudsocq

et al. 2014

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

286

190

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Provisioning services, such as the production of food, feed, and fiber, have always been the main focus of agriculture. Since the 1950s, intensive cropping systems based on the cultivation of a single crop or a single cultivar, in simplified rotations or monocultures, and relying on extensive use of agrochemical inputs have been preferred to more diverse, self-sustaining cropping systems, regardless of the environmental consequences. However, there is increasing evidence that such intensive agroecosystems have led to a decline in biodiversity as well as threatening the environment and have damaged a number of ecosystem services such as the biogeochemical nutrient cycles and the regulation of climate and water quality. Consequently, the current challenge facing agriculture is to ensure the future of food production while reducing the use of inputs and limiting environmental impacts and the loss of biodiversity. Here, we review examples of multiple cropping systems that aim to use biotic interactions to reduce chemical inputs and provide more ecosystem services than just provisioning. Our main findings are the identification of underlying ecological processes and management strategies related to the provision of pairs of ecosystem services namely food production and a regulation service. We also found gaps between ecological knowledge and the constraints of agricultural practices in taking account of the interactions and possible trade-offs between multiple ecosystem services as well as socioeconomic constraints. We present guidelines for the design of multiple cropping systems combining ecological, agricultural, and genetic concepts and approaches.

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Section: Multiple Cropping Systems To Reduce Environmental Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple cropping systems as drivers for providing multiple ecosystem services: from concepts to design

Gaba

Lescourret

Boudsocq

et al. 2014

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

286

190

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show abstract

“…The main characteristics of Mediterranean ecosystems that are important for wildlife are the prolonged dry, hot period and high biodiversity (Blondel et al 2010;Sokos et al 2012). Flexibility in foraging is a typical response of herbivores to cope with seasonal differences in food availability and quality in the Mediterranean (Rueda et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet adaptability by a generalist herbivore: the case of brown hare in a Mediterranean agroecosystem

2015

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Background: Brown hares (Lepus europaeus) were collected before and after autumn rains from a mixed farmland and scrubland area. The age and sex of each specimen were determined, and microhistological technique was applied to analyze the stomach contents. Results: Hares consumed a higher number of plant species in comparison with other studies in continental European farmlands. A different pattern in diet of hare was found, where from a partial herbivory, frugivory, and granivory during the dry period, hares turn to primarily herbivory during the wet period. An expansion of diet breadth and an increase in food consumption was found in the dry season. Farming contributes to the enrichment of diet especially during the dry season. Diet composition was differed between ages, but no significant difference was found between the two sexes.

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“…The elevated biodiversity in Mediterranean agro-ecosystems requires special management practices on a local scale (Sokos et al, 2013). In our study we found that land use had a very strong effect on adult survival probability and population growth rate.…”

Section: Effect Of Land Uses On Lesser Kestrel Demographymentioning

confidence: 50%

“…This polarization is promoting wildlife-unfriendly farming systems (Brambilla et al, 2008), with a consequent loss of biodiversity in Europe, especially in regard to farmland birds (Butler et al, 2010;Sokos et al, 2013;Berg et al, 2015). Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) through the agrienvironmental schemes (AES) provides the major mechanisms to support conservation actions in agro-ecosystems and faces the challenges of the expansion of the EU common market (Stoate et al, 2009;Sokos et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Dramatic modifications occurred in Mediterranean pseudo-steppes, a global biodiversity hotspot (Myers et al, 2000), such as the reduction in fallow land and field margins, removal of semi-natural patches, increase in irrigated lands, and abuse of biocides, all of which seem to contribute to the decline of farmland birds and other wildlife (Sirami et al, 2008;Gonzalez-Estebanez et al, 2011;Sokos et al, 2013;Chiatante et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Habitat- and density-dependent demography of a colonial raptor in Mediterranean agro-ecosystems

Maggio

Campobello

Tavecchia

et al. 2016

Biological Conservation

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Farming and wildlife in Mediterranean agroecosystems

Cited by 59 publications

References 134 publications

Multiple cropping systems as drivers for providing multiple ecosystem services: from concepts to design

Multiple cropping systems as drivers for providing multiple ecosystem services: from concepts to design

Diet adaptability by a generalist herbivore: the case of brown hare in a Mediterranean agroecosystem

Habitat- and density-dependent demography of a colonial raptor in Mediterranean agro-ecosystems

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