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Semi-natural habitat creation in Europe is a tool to address habitat loss, caused by agricultural landscape simplification. Research on habitats is mostly conservation-centered, while studies on their delivery of multiple agro-ecosystem services are limited. However, knowledge about these habitats' suitability for production could make them a practical biodiversity mainstreaming tool. This paper identifies potential dually-beneficial (db) habitats for use in cereals, oilseed rape, and sunflowers, the three major EU arable field crops. They are often grown in simplified landscapes, where the need for improved biodiversity connectivity at landscape level is high and their integration expected to be most effective. The paper provides a qualitative survey of the db-habitats effects on agro-ecosystem services and disservices while addressing trade-offs and synergies thereby using an ecology-focused agro-ecosystem services and disservices framework. Four differently suitable db-habitat groups were identified: 1. Uncropped fields/subfield areas, 2. Managed fields/subfield areas, 3. Managed flower areas and 4. Managed margins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preservation of fruit genetic resources is the basis for ensuring a sustainable fruit production. All activities of long-term preservation, utilization, research and development of fruit genetic resources are based on the German National Program for Genetic Resources of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants. The Fruit Gene Bank at the Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI), Institute for Breeding Research on Fruit Crops has been established as a partner for science and practice at the national and international level since its integration into JKI at January 1st, 2003. In addition to the cultivar collections for all fruit species native to Central Europe, it also has comprehensive wild species collections, which are the largest public collections of their type in Europe for the genera Malus and Fragaria. The conservation strategies in the fruit gene bank, especially under the special aspect of wild species, will be summarized in this paper and the combination of different conservation methods will be highlighted as a potential to secure the genetic resources of fruits sustainably and effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]