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Agriculture provides food, fibre and other resources for people throughout the world, but clearing of native vegetation for agriculture has led to profound losses of biodiversity and changes to ecosystem function. There is growing recognition of the need to retain and restore (semi)natural vegetation in farmland for biodiversity conservation. However, managing such vegetation is complicated by trade-offs between different objectives, and knowledge to guide management is dispersed across multiple fields. We integrate knowledge on the benefits and disbenefits of (semi)natural vegetation on farms for achieving six objectives, including biodiversity, farm production, carbon stocks, soil health, local water cycle, and amenity/human wellbeing. Drawing on scientific literature from temperate southern Australia as a case study region, we develop a conceptual model of the relationships between these objectives and seven common types of native and restored vegetation on farms. From 224 peer-reviewed empirical studies, we identified 19 'causal pathways' by which (semi)natural vegetation provides benefits or disbenefits for the identified objectives. More pathways result in benefits than disbenefits , and generally there is greater support for the benefits provided by native than restored vegetation. Nonetheless, farm-level restoration (revegetation) contributes towards reversing the negative consequences of vegetation loss but this process takes time. Various 'moderating factors' serve to alter the outcome of most pathways. For example, restoration age affects the benefits that revegetation provides for biodiversity, carbon stores, soil health and water cycling. Many moderating factors are related to management practices (e.g. stock grazing, use of fertilisers), highlighting opportunities to enhance the benefits of (semi)natural vegetation in farmland. Relatively little is known about the value of (semi)natural vegetation for amenity/human wellbeing, or the outcomes resulting from natural regeneration. The conceptual model and causal pathways identified here contribute towards a more comprehensive understanding of the diverse benefits of (semi)natural vegetation on farms, which is essential for effective management and the sustainability of agricultural landscapes worldwide. [Display omitted] • Maintaining native vegetation on farms is crucial and involves trade-offs; knowledge to guide management spans disciplines • We synthesize knowledge of the outcomes of vegetation on farms for six objectives (e.g. biodiversity, production, carbon) • Vegetation provides benefits and disbenefits for objectives via many causal pathways; interactions alter most outcomes • Vegetation benefits all objectives, native vegetation especially: disbenefits are fewer and may be offset by benefits • An integrated understanding of the diverse co-benefits of vegetation on farms underpins sustainable agriculture [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a developing understanding of how landscape level processes moderate biodiversity patterns and ecosystem functioning, key questions remain unresolved, therefore limiting our ability to manage for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem functioning at the most appropriate scales. These questions have remained unanswered because studies in agricultural landscapes generally over-emphasize alpha diversity within managed land uses, and are focused at scales that are irrelevant to species studied. We argue that the key to resolving unanswered questions in landscape-moderated effects on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning lies in establishing the distribution of available species and functions across the landscape and between land uses, and in understanding how this distribution of species varies with changing landscape context. We emphasize the need for studies that empirically test the mechanisms underpinning landscape-moderated effects on biodiversity and ecosystem function and link these with ecosystem service delivery. We facilitate this approach by outlining the empirical investigations that will lead to a better understanding of biodiversity patterns and ecosystem functioning at the landscape scale, and we highlight statistical approaches to support these different approaches to sampling. Our paper is divided in four sections: (A) we identify where and why gaps exist in our mechanistic understanding of landscape level processes, by reviewing current hypotheses; (B) we outline why, and how, landscape level research would benefit from shifting the focus to the distribution and partitioning of species and functions within a landscape; (C) we outline why, and how, larger scale processes, such as dispersal and meta-population dynamics need to be addressed in a more interactive fashion; and finally, (D) we round out by highlighting the experimental settings where landscape effects most urgently need testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural expansion has led to a large-scale loss of natural vegetation and landscape fragmentation, seriously threatening biodiversity. In addition to directly encroaching on natural habitats, agricultural expansion can indirectly affect surrounding natural habitats. However, the indirect effects of agricultural expansion on natural habitats and their responses to landscape fragmentation processes are poorly understood. Taking Lishui city, China, as an example, changes in land use/land cover and habitat quality during 2000–2020 were assessed. Then, an agricultural expansion scenario was designed to separate the direct and indirect effects of agricultural expansion on natural habitats. Regression analysis and geographical detector methods were used to explore the relationships among the four landscape fragmentation processes (area, edge, shape, and isolation) and the direct/indirect impacts. The results showed that agricultural expansion resulted in a forest loss area of 376.04 km2. Agricultural expansion led to a 6.08 % decrease in natural habitats, of which 43.84 % were direct effects and 56.16 % were indirect effects. Agricultural expansion indirectly impacted 14,209.06 km2 of natural habitats, and this value was approximately 32 times larger than the area that was directly impacted (449.51 km2). Different landscape fragmentation processes had linear/nonlinear effects on natural habitats. The interaction effects of landscape fragmentation showed duality and nonlinear enhancement. Changes in area and edge contributed the most to the direct effects, but indirect effects were also affected by the shape of agricultural land and the isolation of forest. The agricultural land system balance policy was the main driver of agricultural expansion and landscape fragmentation. Sustainable agricultural landscape management is necessary to mitigate the impact of agricultural expansion on biodiversity. This study provides new insights for agricultural landscape planning and biodiversity conservation. [Display omitted] • Agricultural expansion has direct and indirect impacts on natural habitats. • Direct and indirect effects were differentiated using a quantitative criterion. • The indirect effects of agricultural expansion were greater than the direct effects. • Landscape fragmentation processes had linear/nonlinear effects on natural habitats. • Indirect effects of agricultural expansion on biodiversity deserve more attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing how much management of agricultural landscapes, in addition to protected areas, can offset biodiversity erosion in the tropics is a central issue for conservation that still requires cross‐taxonomic and landscape‐scale studies. We measured the effects of Amazonia deforestation and subsequent land‐use intensification in 6 agricultural areas (landscape scale), where we sampled plants and 4 animal groups (birds, earthworms, fruit flies, and moths). We assessed land‐use intensification with a synthetic index based on landscape metrics (total area and relative percentages of land uses, edge density, mean patch density and diversity, and fractal structures at 5 dates from 1990 to 2007). Species richness decreased consistently as agricultural intensification increased despite slight differences in the responses of sampled groups. Globally, in moderately deforested landscapes species richness was relatively stable, and there was a clear threshold in biodiversity loss midway along the intensification gradient, mainly linked to a drop in forest cover and quality. Our results suggest anthropogenic landscapes with high‐quality forest covering >40 % of the surface area may prevent biodiversity loss in Amazonia. Article impact statement: Tropical landscapes should retain over 40% of forests and 50% of unaffected patches to efficiently conserve biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within agricultural landscapes, ecological infrastructures like hedges, grass strips or wildflower strips, can be essential for the provision of ecosystem services, and their role in maintaining and promoting functional biodiversity has been widely demonstrated in temperate zones. However, although the Mediterranean basin is considered to be a biodiversity hotspot, there is a lack of information about the role played there by these elements in biodiversity conservation. Spiders are generalist predators that are considered important components of biodiversity in vineyard ecosystems, where they can play a prominent role in the natural control of pest populations. Nevertheless, the influence that ecological infrastructures have on driving spider assemblages in Mediterranean vineyard agroecosystems is practically unknown. In a study conducted in an area exclusively devoted to traditional vineyard crops (La Rioja, northern Spain), we analyzed spider assemblages across four types of linear ecological infrastructures differing in their structural diversity: woodland hedges, rosaceous hedges, grass strips and flower strips. Spider assemblages were examined across three levels of organization (taxon, guild and body-size group). Taxonomic composition was different among infrastructures, as was guild composition and the distribution of body sizes. Abundance and richness of spiders were higher in more structurally diverse infrastructures. The response to habitat type differed among guilds but, overall, higher densities of spiders from different guilds were found in hedges. Body-size groups had a more balanced distribution in strips and hedges with higher levels of structural diversity. Our results suggest that it is crucial to preserve varied typologies of ecological infrastructures, with an optimal level of complexity and heterogeneity, to maintain diversified assemblages of these important biocontrol agents within Mediterranean vineyard agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In agricultural landscapes, the positive role of environmental heterogeneity for biodiversity conservation is often assumed. However, with agricultural intensification, opportunities to maintain or restore semi-natural/natural features that produce environmental heterogeneity may be limited. In such a situation, crop heterogeneity could be a way to balance crop production and biodiversity conservation. Despite growing interest in this possibility, few studies have examined whether crop heterogeneity is a major contributor towards environmental heterogeneity in agricultural landscapes in Asia. We investigated how crop heterogeneity, non-crop heterogeneity, and the amount of non-crop vegetation influenced avian diversity in a tropical agricultural landscape in southern China using a hierarchical multi-species occupancy model. We conducted bird and crop surveys during the winter and summer of 2015–2016. Within a 100 m-radius area, we calculated the total length of edges between fields (configurational heterogeneity of croplands) and two Shannon-Wiener diversity indices representing compositional heterogeneity of crop types and of non-crop features (mostly non-crop vegetation). We calculated the amount (i.e., percent cover) of non-crop vegetation within a 500 m-radius area. Crop and non-crop compositional heterogeneity positively influenced species richness in the winter and in the summer, respectively. The amount of non-crop vegetation within the landscape increased species richness in both seasons. Similarly, the occupancy probability of almost half of the species increased with increasing crop compositional heterogeneity or the amount of non-crop vegetation in the winter, and non-crop compositional heterogeneity in the summer. While crop configurational heterogeneity did not show a consistent effect on species richness in either season, it influenced positively the occupancy probability of several open area species in the winter. Our results suggest that crop compositional heterogeneity can have an impact on avian diversity, although its effect varies seasonally, and that the amount of non-crop vegetation at the landscape scale is important for the conservation of avian diversity in tropical agricultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Over nearly three decades, Suzanne Prober has played a pivotal role in shifting research in Australian agricultural landscapes to include a focus on native woodlands, and to examine ways woodland conservation can co‐exist with production, contributing to new models for conservation within multi‐use landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Land cover change has been identified as a major driver of global environmental change. In agricultural landscapes that are undergoing land cover conversions, there is need to investigate the nature, extent and pattern of these conversions. This helps to assess the resultant forest cover changes and their consequences, as well as to help inform sustainable biodiversity conservation measures. This study tests whether and in what way agricultural expansion drives land cover change in resettled landscapes of Zimbabwe now and in the future. Classified Landsat Thematic Mapper images of 2000, 2009, and Landsat 8 image of 2013 were analyzed, using the widely used Markov modelling framework, to determine land use and land cover changes between the year 2000 and 2013, as well as future land cover dynamics in the area of interest. Specifically, land cover data was used to simulate land cover transitions up to 2050, using Markov chain model. Historic land cover modelling and future spatial predictions revealed increases in cropland accompanied by decreases in plantation and forests. This study concludes that agriculture is a major driver of land cover changes, especially forest cover changes in newly resettled agricultural landscapes. Highlights • Agriculture is a major driver of land cover changes. • Historic land cover modelling and future predictions revealed increases in cropland and a decreases in plantation forests. • Land cover change has been identified as a major driver of global environmental change. • Validation of the Markov transition model showed that the model is able to predict the trend of land cover transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed agro-silvo-pastoral landscapes are typically of significant natural, economic and cultural value. The montado (wood pasture) dominated systems of southern Portugal are a prime example, and experience high rates of land cover change. Tracking these changes is of importance for landscape level conservation and management. Whilst satellite remote sensing is the most realistic approach at large spatial scales, heterogeneous landscapes can present challenges to the accurate classification of land cover and its change. In this investigation we demonstrate a novel approach to the investigation of land cover change over a 25 year period (1984-2009) in an area of importance for the conservation of the Iberian lynx, Black vulture, and other threatened biodiversity in south-east Alentejo, Portugal. We apply a Tasselled Cap Transformation (TCT) to Landsat imagery from these two years, and then Change Vector Analysis (CVA) on the transformed data to highlight areas of vegetation gain and loss during the intervening period. Using a 2009 land cover classification, and a set of rules based on these vegetation changes, we then predict the land change over the 25 year period focussing on predominant classes of vegetation physiognomy. The results are discussed in terms of probable drivers, as well as implications for biodiversity and other landscape values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural intensification has substantially reduced multi-scale habitat heterogeneity, including increased field size and loss of semi-natural structures, thus resulting in large-scale deterioration of farmland biodiversity. Biodiversity conservation in farmland has therefore become a conservation priority on a regional as well as continental scale. The effect of habitat heterogeneity on biodiversity on different trophic and niche levels is poorly understood, particularly in agricultural regions with simple arable patterns, where biodiversity has declined most conspicuously. To investigate the effects of habitat heterogeneity on biodiversity in an intensively managed arable-dominated agricultural landscape, we measured the abundance and species richness of spiders, butterflies, birds and European hares as well as the fine-scale habitat composition on various spatial scales. Additionally, we examined correlations between species richness and abundance among taxonomic groups to investigate if any of the biodiversity parameters provided a good indicator of overall farmland biodiversity. We found that smaller patch sizes and larger areas of non-cropped elements (margins, hedges and grasslands) were related to higher farmland biodiversity of different taxonomic groups but habitat diversity was not. The positive effect of these factors was recorded on both spatial scales and in a separate analysis considering groups with different habitat requirements and dispersal abilities. Biodiversity parameters (i.e. species richness and abundance) of the taxonomic groups were positively correlated with one another. In particular, butterfly species richness correlated with bird, butterfly and spider abundance and with bird species richness, suggesting that it may be a good indicator of general farmland biodiversity in intensively managed arable landscapes. Our results suggest that enhancing the heterogeneity of farmed landscapes by decreasing field size and increasing the availability of non-cropped habitats may be a valuable tool for conserving farmland biodiversity in intensive arable farmlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil palm ( Elaeis guineensis ) is among the fastest expanding crops, due to high global demand for vegetable oils. Large areas of forest are converted into oil palm plantation to meet the market demand in producing countries which causes rapid decline in tropical biodiversity, including arthropods. The alley-cropping system has the potential to promote faunal biodiversity, related ecosystem services and food security in agricultural landscapes. In alley-cropping, a main crop is intercropped with a secondary crop (often a food crop), secondary crops are cultivated in the alleys in between the main crop. We compared arthropod taxonomic richness, arthropod predators and decomposers between five alley-cropping treatments (pineapple, bamboo, black pepper, cacao, bactris), where oil palm is intercropped with another species. In addition, we sampled two control treatments: monoculture oil palm, aged seven and 15 years old. A total of 50,155 arthropod individuals were recorded using pitfall trap sampling, representing 19 orders and 28 families. Fourteen orders belonging to sub-phylum Insecta, three orders from Arachnida (Araneae; Acarinae; Scorpiones) and two orders from Myriapoda (Chordeumatida; Geophilomorpha). We detected an increase in beta-diversity of oil palm production landscape. Specifically, we found that the number of arthropod orders, families and abundance were significantly greater in alley-cropping farming plots than those in monoculture plots. In addition, alley-cropping treatments contained larger numbers of predators and decomposers. Our findings suggest that the alley-cropping system can become a key management strategy to improve biodiversity and ecosystem functions within oil palm production landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Woody networks of hedgerows, tree lines and forest patches can harbour a high biodiversity and may serve as an important species refuge in agricultural landscapes. In order to protect the biodiversity and associated potential ecosystem services of woody networks, we need to understand their drivers. We surveyed the plant diversity and calculated the pollinator resource value and edibility value of 831 woody elements in 47 landscape windows of 1 km 2 in the countryside in northern Belgium. The woody network hosted approximately 45% of the plant diversity in the studied countryside, and forest species, grassland species, tall herbs as well as pioneer species coexisted successfully within the woody elements. The pollination resource value showed the highest correlation with the species richness and abundance of the forest species, whereas for edibility the species richness and abundance of the tall herbs were determinative. The number of forest species mainly depended on the presence of forests in the surrounding landscape and the link was even stronger in historical woody elements. For grassland species, tall herbs and pioneers, we found that structural variables of the woody element itself were the most important driver. We argue that by protecting existing woody elements and thoughtfully designing and locating new ones, intrinsic and functional diversity in the countryside can benefit well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small forest patches embedded in agricultural (and peri-urban) landscapes in Western Europe play a key role for biodiversity conservation with a recognized capacity of delivering a wide suite of ecosystem services. Measures aimed to preserve these patches should be both socially desirable and ecologically effective. This study presents a joint ecologic and economic assessment conducted on small forest patches in Flanders (Belgium) and Picardie (N France). In each study region, two contrasted types of agricultural landscapes were selected. Open field (OF) and Bocage (B) landscapes are distinguished by the intensity of their usage and higher connectivity in the B landscapes. The social demand for enhancing biodiversity and forest structure diversity as well as for increasing the forest area at the expenses of agricultural land is estimated through an economic valuation survey. These results are compared with the outcomes of an ecological survey where the influence of structural features of the forest patches on the associated herbaceous diversity is assessed. The ecological and economic surveys show contrasting results; increasing tree species richness is ecologically more important for herbaceous diversity in the patch, but both tree species richness and herbaceous diversity obtain insignificant willingness to pay estimates. Furthermore, although respondents prefer the proposed changes to take place in the region where they live, we find out that social preferences and ecological effectiveness do differ between landscapes that represent different intensities of land use. Dwellers where the landscape is perceived as more “degraded” attach more value to diversity enhancement, suggesting a prioritization of initiatives in these area. In contrast, the ecological analyses show that prioritizing the protection and enhancement of the relatively better-off areas is more ecologically effective. Our study calls for a balance between ecological effectiveness and welfare benefits, suggesting that cost effectiveness studies should consider these approaches jointly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture, during its millenarian history, had contributed to shape impressive cultural landscapes; however, in recent decades, many of these have been lost or degraded because of widespread intensification or abandonment. Low-intensive agricultural landscapes are of utmost importance for biodiversity conservation and the delivery of cultural ecosystem services. We worked in a cultural landscape shaped by viticulture (in Trentino, Italy), which recently underwent a widespread intensification. We explicitly quantified two cultural services (aesthetic and cultural heritage values), and the biodiversity (bird species richness) associated with this landscape at 24 sampling sites. We then related these variables with the territory density of an indicator/flagship bird species, the common redstart. Finally, we assessed redstart ecological requirements at the territory scale. We aimed to define an appealing strategy combining biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service delivery in the cultural landscapes. Redstart density was positively related with avian species richness and landscape aesthetic value, the latter being related with the cultural heritage value. Redstart occurrence was positively associated with hedge and tree rows, dry-stone walls, marginal habitats, and the compositional diversity of the land-cover. We concluded that managing the agricultural landscape to maintain aesthetic and heritage values, which primarily means conserving and enhancing its key ‘traditional’ traits, would favour an indicator/flagship species and likely the wider bird diversity. It will also promote the heritage and recreational value of the landscape itself, underlining the importance of the synergistic integration of multiple conservation targets into a combined strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure to increase food production poses a challenge for biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscapes. Previous studies suggest that one potential way to enhance biodiversity without taking land out of production is to increase the landscape heterogeneity of farmland by increasing the diversity of crop types in the landscape, and/or the complexity of the spatial pattern of the crop fields (e.g., by decreasing field sizes). Thus we hypothesize that farmland heterogeneity should also increase bat abundance and richness in agricultural landscapes. Here, we use data on bat activity and richness collected using acoustic surveys in rural eastern Ontario, Canada to test the predictions that there should be greater bat activity and greater species richness in agricultural landscapes with higher Shannon diversity of crops and smaller fields, when controlling for the effect of total crop cover. Bat activity increased with farmland heterogeneity, as predicted. Farmland heterogeneity was also positively related to species richness, although the relationship was not statistically supported. Positive effects of farmland heterogeneity on bats will be of interest to farmers and agricultural policy-makers, given the potential economic benefits of pest control by bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many ecosystems globally, large old trees occur as single, spatially isolated individual trees or as small groups of scattered trees and can therefore be considered to be small natural features. Despite being constrained spatially, individual large old trees and small stands of such trees nevertheless play numerous critical ecological roles (e.g. in carbon storage and provision of wildlife habitat). The protection and management of large old trees as small natural features is essential to maintain these roles and will often require targeted fine-scale conservation strategies. Such strategies can include bans on cutting trees above a certain size, micro-fencing to control threats associated with livestock grazing, and buffers comprised of other vegetation to limit the impacts of fire and chemical sprays. Effective conservation to mitigate the effects of factors threatening large old trees will often demand ecosystem-specific responses. This is because the drivers of loss will often manifest in ecosystem-specific ways. Three general principles will likely apply in almost all cases: (1) Protect existing individual large old trees; (2) Reduce rates of adult mortality. This is because adult mortality is a key part of the life cycle of large old trees; increased adult mortality can lead to population crashes; and (3) Ensure there are sufficient recruits of trees of varying ages to replace existing large old trees as they eventually die. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout history traditional land uses have created small natural features (SNFs) that can serve as biodiversity hotspots or remnants in agricultural landscapes that may otherwise support little biodiversity. SNFs in these landscapes include field and pasture margins, forest fringes, hedges, hollow ways (sunken lanes), stone walls, sand and gravel pits, and quarries. Many of these SNFs were established thousands of years ago as humans began to establish agricultural practices in Europe and other parts of the world. In some cases, these SNFs are old enough to have allowed unique ecological communities to develop or even new species to evolve. The consolidation of lands and intensification of agriculture and mining practices, however, have eradicated many of these SNFs; this decline started in the 19th century and has accelerated in recent years. Conservation practices that aim to maintain these anthropogenic SNFs are increasing, largely due to the growing recognition of their conservation value. New government initiatives, agro-environmental schemes, and greenways and ecosystem networks are being implemented with some success. These efforts, however, are far from perfect; much more work on management, restoration, and re-creation of anthropogenic SNFs is required to ensure that they persist and continue to support biodiversity in highly modified landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-mining sites often offer secondary habitats for various amphibians endangered in common agricultural landscapes. On the other hand, there is a general lack of quantitative studies on the effects of the common restoration practices on colonisation of such artificial freshwater habitats by amphibians. Here, we focus on two newts decreasing in Central Europe, Lissotriton vulgaris and Triturus cristatus , in pools within lignite (brown coal) spoil heaps in the western Czech Republic. We compared their abundances in pools established by technical reclamation, spontaneous succession, and their combination. In spring 2016, we sampled 29 freshwater pools in five spoil heaps and 10 fishponds in the surrounding agricultural landscape by funnel trapping. We captured 52 L. vulgaris and 138 T. cristatus in all the studied habitats together. As only two L. vulgaris and no T. cristatus were caught in fishponds, the high potential of pools in post-mining landscapes was confirmed. Both newt species generally avoided the artificially established pools, but the spontaneously established pools were equally suitable for them in both technically reclaimed and spontaneously developed heaps. L. vulgaris preferred more transparent water, higher cover of cattails and the pool placed in the forest, but with fewer trees on the pool banks, whilst T. cristatus preferred narrower zone of littoral vegetation , more trees on the pool banks, smaller water bodies and absence of fish. Such habitat preferences fully corroborate with natural habitats. The technical reclamation still prevails in restoration of post-mining sites in many regions. We reveal it is an unsuitable practice for amphibians, if not combined with natural succession processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use changes have resulted in the loss and isolation of semi-natural habitats worldwide. In intensively used agricultural landscapes the remnants of natural flora only persist in small habitat islands embedded in a hostile matrix. In the steppe zone burial mounds, so-called kurgans, have the potential to preserve the natural flora and act as local biodiversity hotspots. Exploration of the factors driving biodiversity in isolated habitat fragments is crucial for understanding the ecological processes shaping their vegetation and for designing effective strategies for their protection. We sampled the vegetation of 44 isolated kurgans in East-Hungary and studied the effects of habitat area, slope, recent disturbance, past destruction and the level of woody encroachment on the species richness and cover of grassland specialist and problem species (competitor weedy species). We used model selection techniques and linear models for testing relevant factors affecting specialist species in grassland fragments. We found that the biodiversity conservation potential of kurgans is supported by their steep slopes, which provide adequate habitat conditions and micro-climate for steppic specialist plant species. Specialist species are threatened both by recent disturbances and encroachment of alien woody species, especially black locust. Factors supporting specialist species suppressed problem species by providing unfavourable environmental conditions and putting them at a competitive disadvantage. We identified that woody encroachment and current disturbances affect the vast majority of kurgans, posing a serious threat to grassland specialist species. Thus, there is an urgent need to integrate active conservation measures into the current passive protection of kurgans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-stewardship programmes are a major focus of investment by governments for conserving biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. These programmes are generally large-scale (e.g. >1000 km) spanning multiple biogeographic regions but developed using spatially limited (e.g. landscape-scale; <100 km) ecological data interpolated across broad areas for one, or a few, well-studied taxonomic groups. Information about how less-studied taxa respond to regional differences in management and environmental effects has potential to further inform land-stewardship conservation programmes, but suitable data sets are rarely available. In this study, we sought to enhance planning of large-scale conservation programmes by quantifying relationships between reptile assemblages and key environmental attributes at regional scales within a large-scale (>172 000 km2) Australian land-stewardship programme. Using 234 remnant woodland monitoring sites spanning four distinct biogeographic regions, we asked: Do reptile assemblages show different environmental associations across biogeographically distinct regions? We found that environmental features important to reptile diversity differed over each region. Abundance and rare species richness of reptiles responded at regional-scales to elevation, native groundcover and aspect. We identified four implications from our study: (1) large-scale conservation schemes can achieve better outcomes for reptiles using regional-scale knowledge of environmental associations; (2) regional-scale knowledge is particularly valuable for conservation of rare reptile taxa; (3) consideration of abiotic environmental features which cannot be directly managed (e.g. aspect, elevation) is important; (4) programmes can be tailored to better support reptile groups at higher conservation risk. Our study shows that reptile-environment associations differ among biogeographic regions, and this presents opportunity for tailoring stronger policy and management strategies for conserving large-scale agricultural landscapes globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil palm plantation expansion is occurring at a rapid pace. However, substantial yield losses from pest attacks are becoming major threats to the oil palm industry, while the potential role of conservation biological control, a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution for pest control, is still largely unknown. The type of vegetation surrounding oil palm plantations is likely to influence pest predation, and we tested this in Indonesia (Sumatra), the world⿿s largest palm oil producer. We studied six different vegetation types adjacent to oil palm plantations: another oil palm plantation (control), weedy oil palm, weedy rubber, scrub, jungle rubber, and secondary forest. Each border type was replicated eight times. We quantified predation rates and predator occurrences using dummy caterpillars and mealworms 20 m inside of the adjacent vegetation (OUT 20) as well as 20 m (IN 20) and 50 (IN 50) m inside the oil palm plantation. Ants and bush crickets were the most prominent predators in the plantations, whereas birds, bats, monkeys, beetles, and molluscs played a minor role. Mean percentage of ant and cricket predation rate in control border OUT 20 were 16.39% and 7.16% respectively, IN 20 were 16.03% and 6.1%, and IN 50 were 14.47% and 7.48%, while for other borders other than control, mean percentages OUT 20 m were 28.90% and 12.26% respectively, IN 20 m were 26.61% and 12.40%, and IN 50 m were 22.93% and 10.58%. Predation rates were ⿼70% higher in non-oil palm habitat, indicating the need for improved vegetation diversification inside plantations. Overall predation rates in oil palm decreased slightly but significantly with distance to the border. Our results suggest that maintaining non-oil palm vegetation in the areas adjacent to plantations and promoting weedy strips within the plantations are potentially effective management tools for conserving and developing biological control in oil palm in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large carnivores can be found in different scenarios of cohabitation with humans. Behavioral adaptations to minimize risk from humans are expected to be exacerbated where large carnivores are most vulnerable, such as at breeding sites. Using wolves as a model species, along with data from 26 study areas across the species' worldwide range, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the role of humans in breeding site selection by a large carnivore. Some of the patterns previously observed at the local scale become extrapolatable to the entire species range provided that important sources of variation are taken into account. Generally, wolves minimised the risk of exposure at breeding sites by avoiding human-made structures, selecting shelter from vegetation and avoiding agricultural lands. Our results suggest a scaled hierarchical habitat selection process across selection orders by which wolves compensate higher exposure risk to humans within their territories via a stronger selection at breeding sites. Dissimilar patterns between continents suggest that adaptations to cope with human-associated risks are modulated by the history of coexistence and persecution. Although many large carnivores persisting in human-dominated landscapes do not require large-scale habitat preservation, habitat selection at levels below occupancy and territory should be regarded in management and conservation strategies aiming to preserve these species in such contexts. In this case, we recommend providing shelter from human interference at least in small portions of land in order to fulfill the requirements of the species to locate their breeding sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small rodents are common inhabitants of farmlands where they play key ecosystem roles but can also be major pests when overabundant, causing crop damages and significant economic losses. Agricultural landscapes are characterised by high fragmentation with remnant semi-natural habitats being typically restricted to narrow field margins. These linear habitats are key to maintaining local biodiversity, but can also harbour “irruptive pest” species, such as voles. The common vole Microtus arvalis , is a main vertebrate pest in continental European farmlands, and recently invaded the inland Mediterranean agricultural landscapes of NW Spain, where regular crop-damaging outbreaks now occur. Knowing how reliant common voles are on field margins in Mediterranean agricultural landscapes would be an important step forward for more targeted management. Here we report on common vole habitat use in Mediterranean European farmland and compare them with those found in northern latitudes, thus seeking for both general patterns as well as geographical differences. We conducted seasonal trappings over 6-years in the main habitats (cereal and alfalfa crops, fallows, and their margins). We show a strong edge effect, in the form of an exponential decay in vole abundance from the margin towards the inside of fields, and vole abundances 2.3 times higher in margins that inside fields. The magnitude of this edge effect varied depending on crop type, season and vole abundance (density-dependence). Cereal crops were characterised by a stronger edge effect than alfalfas or fallows (with abundance 8–10 times higher in margins than in fields during spring and autumn). Cereals appeared as the least optimal habitat for common voles, with important spill-over of voles inside the fields in summer when densities increased. Field margins, where vegetation characteristics hardly change seasonally, provide a limited (5% of the agricultural surface) but stable habitat and key refuge for common voles in Mediterranean farmlands. Our results suggest that targeting management actions in the field margins of cereal crops during spring and autumn and inside alfalfa fields during population increases should be considered in integrated control schemes of crop-damaging common vole outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatially heterogeneous agricultural landscapes can support high levels of biodiversity. However, our understanding of the biodiversity value of most landscape elements and their role in the farmland mosaic is limited. We assessed the potential of old fields, a common small-scale feature of farmland in the Cape Floristic Region (CFR), for maintaining arthropod natural enemy (NE) diversity. We also assessed how habitable they are to NEs occurring in remnant fynbos vegetation, compared to the dominant surrounding vineyards. Furthermore, we compared habitat preferences of hymenopteran parasitoids, which are mostly habitat and trophic specialists, with those of generalist predatory arthropods. NE abundance and richness was as high in old fields as in natural vegetation, and was significantly higher than in vineyards. Old fields provided high plant diversity and prey abundance which were positively correlated with NE diversity. Ten out of eleven species of conservation significance assessed here occurred in old fields, including Western Cape and South African endemics, rare and uncommon species. Old field assemblages complemented fynbos and vineyard assemblages, and contained many unique species. They also shared many more species with natural assemblages than did vineyards, representing a more habitable transformed landscape element than cultivated areas for most species. Parasitoids showed greater habitat specificity than predators, and are likely to benefit more from the positive effect of increased habitat heterogeneity. Our results show that small-scale non-natural landscape features can provide additional resources, increase compositional heterogeneity and may help soften the overall agricultural mosaic for arthropod NEs in the CFR. Understanding the value of different landscape mosaic elements is an important step towards a broader landscape-scale approach to farmland biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The information on both the catchment land use and catchment area has the potential to be adopted into the conservation and management of ponds. There have been, however, few attempts to describe the effects of land use acting at various spatial scales on ponds and the studies were restricted to specific categories of ponds. This paper presents a study on 92 ponds distributed over a broad range of environmental conditions in Central Europe. We combined an extensive field survey and a detailed analysis of sediment and water chemistry with GIS-derived data to estimate the relationship between the area of the ponds and the area of their catchments, and to assess the relationship between pond physico-chemical conditions and land use across multiple spatial scales. Relating the area of ponds to the area of their catchments, we found a significant positive relationship ( r = 0.72). Considering land use effects on pond conditions, catchment-scale land use was the only significant spatial extent influencing the physico-chemical conditions. Most notably, the proportion of intensively exploited land (arable land, urban areas) in the catchment scale was positively correlated with the deterioration of pond physico-chemical properties. The results of the study suggest that effective conservation of ponds cannot be achieved merely through the management of narrow buffer zones around them but should involve maintenance of less intensive land use within the whole catchment. Moreover, easily accessible catchment-scale GIS data could serve as a decision-support tool for cost-effective management strategies aimed at improving pond physico-chemical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a landscape stewardship classification which distinguishes between farmers' understanding of landscape stewardship, their landscape values, and land management actions. Forty semi-structured interviews were conducted with small-holder (<5 acres), medium-holders (5-100 acres), and large-holders (>100 acres) in South-West Devon, UK. Thematic analysis revealed four types of stewardship understandings: (1) an environmental frame which emphasized the farmers' role in conserving or restoring wildlife; (2) a primary production frame which emphasized the farmers' role in taking care of primary production assets; (3) a holistic frame focusing on farmers' role as a conservationist, primary producer, and manager of a range of landscape values, and; (4) an instrumental frame focusing on the financial benefits associated with compliance with agri-environmental schemes. We compare the landscape values and land management actions that emerged across stewardship types, and discuss the global implications of the landscape stewardship classification for the engagement of farmers in landscape management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent reviews of UK biodiversity conservation have emphasised the need to adopt a landscape-scale approach. This study reports the problems encountered by farmers currently participating in landscape-scale conservation options in a UK agri-environment scheme. Many of these problems were overcome with the assistance of independent organisations working as intermediaries between farmers and between farmers and government agencies. Findings from two surveys of farmers not involved in landscape-scale conservation in agri-environmental schemes reveal the problems they expect to encounter to be similar to those faced by farmers with experience of successful collaboration. It is therefore likely prospective collaborators would also benefit from the assistance of similar independent intermediary organisations. Boundary organisation theory is used to compare organisations' structures and working practices against the characteristics of successful independent intermediary negotiating organisations. It is concluded that the boundary organisation theory framework can be usefully applied to identify organisational strengths and weaknesses, and to assess competences to assume the role of an independent intermediary negotiating organisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cork oak landscapes are considered a model for the integration of sustainable land-use and biodiversity conservation. These traditional cultural landscapes, shaped through centuries, are in sharp decline in the Iberian Peninsula due to the polarization of their usage: from agricultural intensification to land abandonment. This study presents an in-depth analysis of the main drivers affecting cork oak landscapes' management and structure in Berrocal, Huelva Province, Spain since 1940. Results show that the main causes for the decline of these landscapes has been the abandonment of the traditional multi-functionality of the dehesa, largely driven by demographic changes, and the increasing occurrence of major disturbances, such as wildfires, drought and diseases. This case illustrates how the abandonment of obsolete land-uses transforms traditional landscapes, sparking questions about what the goals of traditional landscape conservation should be and about possible alternative management options, their associated conservation benefits and risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture now constitutes 40-50% of terrestrial land use globally. By enhancing habitat suitability and connectivity, restoration within agricultural landscapes could have a major influence on biodiversity conservation. However, habitat management within intensive agricultural landscapes may primarily boost abundances of common, highly mobile generalists, rather than vulnerable or endangered species. We studied pollinator community response to small-scale habitat restoration in the intensively farmed Central Valley of California to determine whether restoration could also promote more specialized, less common and/or less mobile species., Composition of pollinator communities was assessed in five experimental and 10 control (unrestored) sites before and after restoration of native plant hedgerows over an 8-year period, using a before-after control-impact design., We characterized bee and fly species based on functional response traits [floral specialization, habitat specialization, abundance, body size and sociality (bees only)] known to influence the response to habitat change., We modelled how species occurrences changed with habitat restoration over time as modulated by their response traits., We found that hedgerows not only significantly enhanced occurrences of native bee and syrphid fly species, but that as hedgerows matured, they had a greater positive effect on species that were more specialized in floral and nesting resources and smaller (less mobile)., Synthesis and applications. Unlike previous studies that suggest habitat restoration in agricultural landscapes only benefits mobile, generalist species, our results suggest that small-scale habitat restoration can promote species whose traits likely render them particularly vulnerable to habitat degradation. Thus, even within highly intensive agricultural landscapes, small-scale habitat restoration can be a conservation management tool. However, tailoring habitat enhancements to promote certain species or guilds may be critical for their success as a conservation intervention in agricultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal participation in market-based instruments such as PES (payment for ecosystem services) schemes is a necessary precondition for achieving large scale cost-effective conservation goals from agricultural landscapes. However farmers' willingness to participate in voluntary conservation programmes is influenced by psychological, financial and social factors and these need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. In this research farmers' values towards on-farm ecosystem services, motivations and perceived impediments to participation in conservation programmes are identified in two local land services regions in Australia using surveys. Results indicated that irrespective of demographics such as age, gender, years farmed, area owned and annual gross farm income, farmers valued ecosystem services important for future sustainability. Non-financial motivations had significant associations with farmer's perceptions regarding attitudes and values towards the environment and participation in conservation-related programmes. Farmer factors such as lack of awareness and unavailability of adequate information were correlated with non-participation in conservation-based programmes. In the current political context, government uncertainty regarding schemes especially around carbon sequestration and reduction was the most frequently cited impediment that could deter participation. Future research that explores willingness of farmers towards participation in various types of PES programmes developed around carbon reduction, water quality provision and biodiversity conservation, and, duration of the contract and payment levels that are attractive to the farmers will provide insights for developing farmer-friendly PES schemes in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landscape heterogeneity represents two aspects of landscape simplification: (i) compositional heterogeneity (diversity of habitat types); and (ii) configurational heterogeneity (number, size and arrangement of habitat patches), both with different ecological implications for community composition., We examined how independent gradients of compositional and configurational landscape heterogeneity, at eight spatial scales, shape taxonomic and functional composition of butterfly communities in 91 managed grasslands across Germany. We used landscape metrics that were calculated from functional maps based on habitat preferences of individual species during different life stages. The relative effects of compositional and configurational landscape heterogeneity were compared with those of local land-use intensity on butterfly taxonomic diversity, community composition and functional diversity of traits related to body size, feeding breadth and migratory tendency., As expected, compositional heterogeneity had strong positive effects on taxonomic diversity, while configurational heterogeneity had strong positive effects on trait dominance within the community. When landscapes had smaller mean patch size and greater boundary area, communities were dominated by species with more specialized larval feeding, decreased forewing length and limited migratory tendency., The positive effects of increased configurational landscape heterogeneity outweighed the negative effects of local land-use intensity on larval-feeding specialization, at all spatial scales, highlighting its importance for specialists of all dispersal capabilities., Synthesis and applications. We show that landscapes with high compositional heterogeneity support communities with greater taxonomic diversity, while landscapes with high configurational heterogeneity support communities that include vulnerable species (feeding specialists with larger body size, sedentary nature and more negatively affected by local management intensity). A decline in functional community composition can lead to functional homogenization, affecting the viability of the ecosystems by decreasing the variability in their responses to disturbance and altering their functioning. A landscape management for grasslands that promotes the maintenance of small patch sizes and a diversity of land uses in the surrounding landscape (within 250-1000 m) is recommended for the conservation of diverse butterfly communities. These strategies could also benefit government programmes such as the EU 2020 Biodiversity Strategy in their efforts to reduce the loss of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the processes that influence tree species composition in agricultural landscapes is essential for conservation of tropical biodiversity outside of protected areas. We analyzed the effects of landscape composition (amount of surrounding forest cover) and farm management (conventional vs. organic) on the diversity and structure of woody plant species assemblages in Costa Rican coffee agroforestry systems. We utilized information from a GIS land-use database, surveys of 1-ha plots located in 14 coffee farms and 4 forest fragments, and farmer interviews on management practices. The coffee farms harbored over 100 tree species, including 19% of the native tree species found in the surrounding forests. The majority of tree species on the farms were native (82%) to the study area and originated from natural regeneration (73%). Among the tree species that regenerated naturally, 71% were dispersed by animals. On the other hand more than half of the individuals were non-natives (55%) and originated from planting, which resulted in low species similarity between farms and forests and a low density for most native species on the farms. Forest cover within a 1000 m radius around the farms varied between 4 and 38%. Increasing forest cover around the farms had a significant, positive effect on species richness; especially on tree species dispersed by animals, and on species similarity between farms and forests. This suggests that the connection to natural forests increases seed dispersal into adjacent farms. The number of regenerated species was higher on the organic farms, but tree species richness was not affected by management type. Although species assemblages on the coffee farms are strongly determined by natural regeneration, the number of individuals contributed by these processes is low. Tree species conservation in agricultural landscapes would greatly benefit from protecting remnant forests, from facilitating natural regeneration processes and promoting native trees on farms, with particular attention to rare species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scattered trees are an important feature of the matrix of agricultural landscapes, but their role in biodiversity conservation is still controversial and largely unexplored. We aim to investigate the value of scattered trees to maintain the functional and phylogenetic diversity within the matrix of an agricultural landscape dominated by commercial Eucalyptus plantation in southeastern Brazil. For this, we established a grid of 100 × 100 m cells covering the full extent of a farm, conducted an inventory and georeferenced all scattered trees present within each cell in the grid. Further, we modeled the spatial distribution of the taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of trees in the farm. Scattered trees presented lower taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity than the native vegetation nearby, and these diversity indices were strongly related to local species richness. However, the scattered trees held 64% and 85% of the total functional and phylogenetic diversity in agricultural land use, respectively. Further, the scattered trees maintained higher functional and phylogenetic diversity levels in agricultural land use than expected for random assemblages of species. Scattered trees in the landscape are unprotected by Brazilian environmental laws since they are not included in any network of protected areas. Here we demonstrated the importance of conservation of scattered trees to reduce the loss of phylogenetic and functional diversity in agricultural landscapes, counteracting the loss of species that occurs in highly productive agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orchards are typical landscape features with a long history in traditional agricultural landscape management. They are situated from lowlands to mountains, mostly in upland areas, where natural conditions are favorable for fruit tree cultivation. Traditional orchard landscape that represents one class of traditional agricultural landscape (TAL) in Slovakia is created by mosaics of arable-land, grasslands and orchards and provides evidence of former small-scale farming in Slovakia. They are areas with irreplaceable ecological, landscape-aesthetic, social, cultural, historical and production values, and it is imperative that they are preserved for future generations as a memorial of the past. The aim of this research is to investigate distribution of traditional orchard landscapes in Slovakia and to evaluate their current state, the threats they face and their importance in biodiversity conservation and protection in traditionally cultivated farmland. Biodiversity assessment showed that forms of anthropogenic relief (balks) are islands of increased plant species richness with a mixture of species from surrounding grasslands, arable fields and orchards. Although traditional orchard landscapes are decreasing and their plots are threatened by abandonment or intensification, almost half are still regularly managed. Parts of abandoned traditional orchard landscape plots have already been changed to recreational landscape overgrown with shrubs and trees. Nevertheless, in order to preserve traditional orchard landscape structure and their scenery for future generations, we must institute new instruments to preserve traditional orchard landscape and its biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmland biodiversity dramatically declined in Europe during the 20th century. Agri-environment schemes (AES) were introduced in the late 1980s in European Union countries as a solution to combat biodiversity decline. We examined the effectiveness of AES in enhancing biodiversity in a new EU member country (Estonia) over the period of 2010–2012. We compared species numbers and abundance of bumblebees and birds, plus cover of flowers, between three farming systems in two regions of Estonia. Farm types included conventional and two under AES (organic and a less strict environmentally friendly management agreement). Environmentally friendly management practices in Estonia include diversified crop rotations, at least 15% of arable land (including rotational grasslands) under legumes, permanent grassland strips, protection of landscape elements, reduced applications of agrochemicals, etc. The two selected regions (North and South) differed in landscape structure, soil types and crop yields. Flower cover and bird species richness and abundance without the dominant species (skylark) were higher on organic farms. Bumblebee species richness was significantly higher under both types of AES than under conventional farming. Flower cover, abundance and species richness of bumblebees and birds were significantly higher in the more heterogeneous landscapes of Southern Estonia. Environmentally friendly management may be a viable alternative to organic farming for a widely accepted, simple but large-scale greening of agricultural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide conservation goals to protect biodiversity emphasize the need to rethink which objectives are most suitable for different landscapes. Comparing two different Swedish farming landscapes, we used survey data on birds and vascular plants to test whether landscapes with large, intensively managed farms had lower richness and diversity of the two taxa than landscapes with less intensively managed small farms, and if they differed in species composition. Landscapes with large intensively managed farms did not have lower richness than smaller low intensively managed farms. The landscape types were also similar in that they had few red listed species, normally targeted in conservation. Differences in species composition demonstrate that by having both types of agricultural landscapes regional diversity is increased, which is seldom captured in the objectives for agro-environmental policies. Thus we argue that focus on species richness or red listed species would miss the actual diversity found in the two landscape types. Biodiversity conservation, especially in production landscapes, would therefore benefit from a hierarchy of local to regional objectives with explicit targets in terms of which aspects of biodiversity to focus on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Vineyard terraces are artificial, human-made habitats used for growing grapes. [•] Spiders were surveyed on xeric slopes of vineyard terraces in the Czech Republic. [•] Conservation indicators were examined for varying succession and landscape factors. [•] High presence of endangered spiders supports conservation potential of terraces. [•] We suggest maintaining mosaic-like combinations of different microhabitat types. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Mediterranean central Chile is globally recognized as a hotspot for terrestrial biodiversity due to its high endemism and massive habitat loss. However, within the rural landscape of central Chile, significant extents of natural areas remain, especially on less productive, steep slopes, and vegetation strips extending from the surrounding hills to agricultural areas. Accordingly, vegetation strips or corridors, within lowland farms, constitute key elements to support the conservation of biodiversity in rural landscapes. To assess the ecological performance of corridors in 22 commercials vineyards in central Chile, we characterized them in terms of width-, length-, area-, and perimeter-to-area ratios, as well as the number of connections with natural areas. Based on a set of previously defined ecological indicators (species, functional groups, and structural components), we compared their occurrence in corridors within vineyards and in the surrounding natural areas. We evaluated the effects of corridor attributes on the occurrence of the selected ecological indicators, using a generalized linear mixed model with each vineyard as a random factor. The area, width, and length of vegetation corridors varied widely (1.2–86.3 ha, 10.5–95 m, and 380–5000 m, respectively). We found significant differences in the occurrence of indicators between corridors and natural areas. All sampled ecological indicators in corridors showed a negative relationship with the distance to the nearest natural area. Vegetation strips within vineyards represent important opportunities for biodiversity conservation that significantly enhance habitat quality in the agricultural landscape for biodiversity and habitat connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Intensive agricultural landscapes are often considered suboptimal for carnivores. • We tested how human-made habitats affected badgers in Mediterranean farmland. • Tree plantations and hedgerows favoured badgers, while roads had negative effect. • Carnivore conservation in farmland requires due attention to these habitats. There is increasing interest in understanding how to retain wildlife in agricultural landscapes, thereby contributing to global biodiversity conservation efforts. Here we investigate the drivers of European badger (Meles meles) occurrence in Mediterranean farmland. The badger is a generalist mammalian carnivore usually associated to native woodland and shrubland, so we hypothesised that its occurrence in Mediterranean farmland should be favoured by substitute habitats such as forestry plantations, and negatively affected by areas more heavily used by humans such as paved roads. The study was conducted in SW Portugal, where we surveyed for badgers presence signs (latrines, footprints, setts) along transects located at 60 3.14-km2 circles scattered through the landscape, each of which surveyed in spring (March-May), summer (July-August) and autumn (September-October). Occupancy-detection models were used to quantify the effect of environmental variables on badger occupancy probability, while controlling for imperfect detection. Badger detection probability was positively affected by the density of dirt roads, possibly reflecting a preference of badgers to mark along those structures. According to predictions, badger occupancy significantly increased with the amount of forestry plantations and arboreal hedgerows, while decreasing with increasing paved road density. Taken together, our results indicate that badger conservation in Mediterranean farmland under agricultural intensification should require the protection of areas with low paved road density, and the retention of wood cover, even where these are highly-modified habitats such as forest plantations and arboreal hedgerows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the range of approaches available for assessing the impacts of agricultural changes at landscape scale is important when addressing local to global issues. Using a topic modelling approach, we reviewed the literature on impact modelling of agricultural landscapes. A search in Web of Science using the keywords model, agricultural systems and landscape yielded 1,975 hits, of which 514 papers met our selection criteria. The most salient terms fell within six groups: change, scale, pollution, biodiversity, practices and terms on biophysical/regulatory conditions. We identified four main topics: water quality, water quantity/energy crops, biodiversity and Integrated Assessment. Water management issues were more likely to be covered in North American researches, while issues related to Integrated Assessment were mainly covered in European studies. We found no relationship between topic and model type. We conclude that future integrated studies should consider the diversity of agricultural systems in governance of water and biodiversity issues. • We performed a topic analysis on a selected ensemble of 514 publications. • Main topics were water quality, water quantity, biodiversity, Integrated Assessment. • Biodiversity was the most recent topic to emerge. • Biodiversity and water quality/quantity assessments were rarely combined. • Agricultural practices should receive more attention in landscape approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modernization of agricultural land use across Europe is responsible for a substantial decline of linear vegetation elements such as tree lines, hedgerows, riparian vegetation, and green lanes. These linear objects have an important function for biodiversity, e.g., as ecological corridors and local habitats for many animal and plant species. Knowledge on their spatial distribution is therefore essential to support conservation strategies and regional planning in rural landscapes but detailed inventories of such linear objects are often lacking. Here, we propose a method to detect linear vegetation elements in agricultural landscapes using classification and segmentation of high-resolution Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) point data. To quantify the 3D structure of vegetation, we applied point cloud analysis to identify point-based and neighborhood-based features. As a preprocessing step, we removed planar surfaces such as grassland, bare soil, and water bodies from the point cloud using a feature that describes to what extent the points are scattered in the local neighborhood. We then applied a random forest classifier to separate the remaining points into vegetation and other. Subsequently, a rectangularity-based region growing algorithm allowed to segment the vegetation points into 2D rectangular objects, which were then classified into linear objects based on their elongatedness. We evaluated the accuracy of the linear objects against a manually delineated validation set. The results showed high user's (0.80), producer's (0.85), and total accuracies (0.90). These findings are a promising step towards testing our method in other regions and for upscaling it to broad spatial extents. This would allow producing detailed inventories of linear vegetation elements at regional and continental scales in support of biodiversity conservation and regional planning in agricultural and other rural landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the previous issue on New Zealand Special section and the 2016 combined conference in Hamilton, New Zealand in which the terms 'restore' and 'restorative' are given more emphasis. He states that the discussions help in ensuring the definition of restoration in the international restoration standards. He mentions the New South Wales Travelling Stock Routes and Reserves' ecological restoration, agricultural landscaping, biodiversity conservation and recovery of ecosystems.