Influence of Commercially Available Wildflower Mixes on Beneficial Arthropod Abundance and Predation in Turfgrass

Habitat structure: A fundamental concept and framework for urban soil ecology

“…Habitat structure can also influence urban arthropod communities through top-down and bottom-up trophic mechanisms (Bramen et al 2002;Shochat et al 2004;Faeth et al 2005). For example, Byrne and Bruns (2004) found that certain collembolans were more abundant in lawns (managed without chemicals) than unmowed fields perhaps due to greater availability of mowed-clipping detritus in lawns, a bottom-up provision of resources.…”

“…Alternatively, microclimate conditions mediated by habitat structure could promote topdown control of certain arthropods when predator numbers (e.g., spiders, beetles) increase in preferred habitats (Shochat et al 2004;Faeth et al 2005). Increased understanding of how above-and belowground food-webs (and linkages between them) are affected by urban habitat structures is needed to inform the design and management of urbanized landscapes in which beneficial predators are conserved and provide the ecosystem service of consuming pests (e.g., Bramen et al 2002; see landscape patterns section below). Another important issue related to arthropods, soils and habitat structure in urbanized ecosystems is the distribution and abundance of human disease vectors.…”

“…Manipulating patterns of habitat structure provides a way to conserve natural enemies that can help keep pest numbers in check (i.e., the goal of conservation biological control). For example, increasing the diversity of flowering plants in urbanized landscapes might provide favorable habitats and resources for predators and parasitoids and increase their abundances (Bramen et al 2002;Shrewsbury et al 2004;Rebek et al 2005). Alternatively, small patches (e.g., 3×3 m) of unmowed vegetation or mulch that have dense and complex detritus layers can provide refugia for predatory arthropods (e.g., spiders, ants) in highly managed lawns and, in turn, increase their overall activity levels across urbanized landscapes (Byrne 2006).…”

Germination and performance of seven native wildflowers in the Mediterranean landscape plantings

“…The growing need to improve the quality of life in urban and marginal areas and to reduce the impact of cultural practices, is the driving force behind the researcher to focus on any form of sustainable greening, including wildflower meadows (Braman et al, 2002;Hitchmough, 2000;Keller and Kollmann, 1999).. From this perspective, native species can represent valuable resources when considering their role in environmental sustainability, management cost reductionandlocal character preservation of urban and rural landscape (Bretzel et al, 2016(Bretzel et al, , 2012Florgård, 2000;Jongepierová et al, 2007;Thomas and Schrock, 2004). Native plants are generally well adapted to the local pedo-climatic conditions, since they have evolved over hundreds of years to thrive in the soil and in the climate of their original area and are expected to better adapt when used in landscaping projects (Jones and Evans, 1994;Ruggeri et al, 2016;Worrell, 1992).…”

“…Native plants are generally well adapted to the local pedo-climatic conditions, since they have evolved over hundreds of years to thrive in the soil and in the climate of their original area and are expected to better adapt when used in landscaping projects (Jones and Evans, 1994;Ruggeri et al, 2016;Worrell, 1992). It is well known that some herbaceous native plants can quickly colonize poor soils, reduce erosion risk and the establishment of species with low ornamental value, as well as provide a natural pest control and an attractive roadside view (Braman et al, 2002;Bretzel et al, 2009;Forman and Alexander, 1998;Karim and Mallik, 2008). Moreover, they provide food and shelter to native wildlife, enhancing the local biodiversity and preserving the landscape identity (Coleman et al, 2002;Kennedy and Southwood, 1984;Lindemann-Matthies and Bose, 2007;Slattery et al, 2003).…”