@misc{BirkhoferAnderssonBengtssonetal., author = {Birkhofer, Klaus and Andersson, Georg K. S. and Bengtsson, Janne and Bommarco, Riccardo and D{\"a}nhardt, Juliana and Ekbom, Barbara and Ekroos, Johan and Hahn, Thomas and Hedlund, Katarina and J{\"o}nnson, Annelie M. and Lindborg, Regina and Olsson, Ola and Rader, Romina and Rusch, Adrien and Stjernman, Martin and Williams, Alwyn and Smith, Henrik G.}, title = {Relationships between multiple biodiversity components and ecosystem services along a landscape complexity gradient}, series = {Biological Conservation}, volume = {218}, journal = {Biological Conservation}, issn = {1873-2917}, doi = {10.1016/j.biocon.2017.12.027}, pages = {247 -- 253}, language = {en} } @misc{StaudacherRennstamRubbmarkBirkhoferetal., author = {Staudacher, Karin and Rennstam Rubbmark, Oskar and Birkhofer, Klaus and Malsher, Gerard and Sint, Daniela and Jonsson, Mattias and Traugott, Michael}, title = {Habitat heterogeneity induces rapid changes in the feeding behaviour of generalist arthropod predators}, series = {Functional Ecology}, volume = {32}, journal = {Functional Ecology}, number = {3}, issn = {1365-2435}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2435.13028}, pages = {809 -- 819}, language = {en} } @misc{BirkhoferBylundDalinetal., author = {Birkhofer, Klaus and Bylund, Helena and Dalin, Peter and Ferlian, Olga and Gagic, Vesna and Hamb{\"a}ck, Peter A. and Klapwijk, Maartje and Mestre, Laia and Roubinet, Eve and Schroeder, Martin and Stenberg, Johan A. and Porcel, Mario and Bj{\"o}rkman, Christer and Jonsson, Mattias}, title = {Methods to identify the prey of invertebrate predators in terrestrial field studies}, series = {Ecology and Evolution}, volume = {7}, journal = {Ecology and Evolution}, number = {6}, issn = {2045-7758}, doi = {10.1002/ece3.2791}, pages = {1942 -- 1953}, language = {en} } @misc{BirkhoferGossnerDiekoetteretal., author = {Birkhofer, Klaus and Gossner, Martin M. and Diek{\"o}tter, Tim and Drees, Claudia and Ferlian, Olga and Maraun, Mark and Scheu, Stefan and Weisser, Wolfgang W. and Wolters, Volkmar and Wurst, Susanne and Zaitsev, Andrey S. and Smith, Henrik G.}, title = {Land-use type and intensity differentially filter traits in above- and below-ground arthropod communities}, series = {Journal of Animal Ecology}, volume = {86}, journal = {Journal of Animal Ecology}, number = {3}, issn = {1365-2656}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2656.12641}, pages = {511 -- 520}, language = {en} } @misc{NyffelerBirkhofer, author = {Nyffeler, Martin and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {An estimated 400-800 million tons of prey are annually killed by the global spider community}, series = {The Science of Nature}, volume = {104}, journal = {The Science of Nature}, number = {3-4}, issn = {1432-1904}, doi = {10.1007/s00114-017-1440-1}, pages = {12}, language = {en} } @misc{NyffelerLapinskiSnyderetal., author = {Nyffeler, Martin and Lapinski, Witold and Snyder, Andrew and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Spiders feeding on earthworms revisited: consumption of giant earthworms in the tropics}, series = {Journal of Arachnology}, volume = {45}, journal = {Journal of Arachnology}, number = {2}, issn = {1937-2396}, doi = {10.1636/JoA-17-013.1}, pages = {242 -- 247}, language = {en} } @misc{MaderDiehlFiedleretal., author = {Mader, Viktoria and Diehl, Eva and Fiedler, Daniela and Thorn, Simon and Wolters, Volkmar and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Trade-offs in arthropod conservation between productive and non-productive agri-environmental schemes along a landscape complexity gradient}, series = {Insect Conservation and Diversity}, volume = {10}, journal = {Insect Conservation and Diversity}, number = {3}, issn = {1752-4598}, doi = {10.1111/icad.12220}, pages = {236 -- 247}, language = {en} } @misc{NilssonAnderssonBirkhoferetal., author = {Nilsson, Lovisa and Andersson, Georg K. S. and Birkhofer, Klaus and Smith, Henrik G.}, title = {Ignoring ecosystem-service cascades undermines policy for multifunctional agricultural landscapes}, series = {Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution}, journal = {Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution}, number = {5}, issn = {2296-701X}, doi = {10.3389/fevo.2017.00109}, pages = {6}, language = {en} } @misc{BirkhoferPalmuHansonetal., author = {Birkhofer, Klaus and Palmu, Erkki and Hanson, Helena I. and Hedlund, Katarina}, title = {Can hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios reveal large-scale patterns in dispersal and dietary origin in ground beetles?}, series = {Applied Soil Ecology}, volume = {Vol. 119}, journal = {Applied Soil Ecology}, issn = {0929-1393}, doi = {10.1016/j.apsoil.2017.06.006}, pages = {99 -- 103}, language = {en} } @misc{EisenhauerAntunesBennettetal., author = {Eisenhauer, Nico and Antunes, Pedro M. and Bennett, Alison E. and Birkhofer, Klaus and Bissett, Andrew and Bowker, Matthew A. and Caruso, Tancredi}, title = {Priorities for research in soil ecology}, series = {Pedobiologia}, volume = {63}, journal = {Pedobiologia}, issn = {0031-4056}, doi = {10.1016/j.pedobi.2017.05.003}, pages = {1 -- 7}, language = {en} } @misc{HansenBirkhoferSmithetal., author = {Hansen, Helena I. and Birkhofer, Klaus and Smith, Henrik G. and Palmu, Erkki and Hedlund, Katarina}, title = {Agricultural land use affects abundance and dispersal tendency of predatory arthropods}, series = {Basic and Applied Ecology}, journal = {Basic and Applied Ecology}, number = {18}, issn = {1618-0089}, doi = {10.1016/j.baae.2016.10.004}, pages = {40 -- 49}, abstract = {Predatory arthropods contribute to biological control, but to become an integral part of agricultural management, it is essential to identify drivers of their spatio-temporal distribution at the landscape scale. This study focuses on how agricultural land use affects the community composition, emergence and dispersal tendency of predatory arthropods. The arthropods were collected in emergence traps during the growing season (14 weeks) in a gradient of agricultural land uses from intensively managed sugar beet fields, over winter wheat fields, to less intensively managed grasslands. The emergence traps were equipped with one pitfall trap and a collecting bottle at the top. The distribution of the arthropods between these two collecting methods was assumed to represent their tendency to move out of the habitat. The grasslands had the highest numbers of spiders, while the winter wheat fields had the highest numbers of omnivorous rove beetles and macropterous predaceous ground beetles. The phenology of emergence differed between the land-use types, resulting in seasonal differences in community composition. The overall dispersal tendency of predatory arthropods was higher in crop fields than in grasslands. This study suggests that only a diverse mix of agricultural land uses will provide high levels of predators from different functional groups, throughout the growing season.}, language = {en} } @misc{TschumiEkroosHjortetal., author = {Tschumi, Matthias and Ekroos, Johan and Hjort, Cecilia and Smith, Henrik G. and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Predation-mediated ecosystem services and disservices in agricultural landscapes}, series = {Ecological Applications}, volume = {28}, journal = {Ecological Applications}, number = {8}, issn = {1939-5582}, doi = {10.1002/eap.1799}, pages = {2109 -- 2118}, language = {en} } @misc{BirkhoferRuschAnderssonetal., author = {Birkhofer, Klaus and Rusch, Adrien and Andersson, Georg K. S. and Bommarco, Riccardo and D{\"a}nhardt, Juliana and Ekbom, Barbara and J{\"o}nnson, Annelie M. and Lindborg, Regina and Olsson, Ola and Rader, Romina and Stjernman, Martin and Williams, Alwyn and Hedlund, Katarina and Smith, Henrik G.}, title = {A framework to identify indicator species for ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes}, series = {Ecological Indicators}, volume = {91}, journal = {Ecological Indicators}, issn = {1470-160X}, doi = {10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.04.018}, pages = {278 -- 286}, language = {en} } @misc{MaderDiehlWoltersetal., author = {Mader, Viktoria and Diehl, Eva and Wolters, Volkmar and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Agri-environmental schemes affect the trophic niche size and diet of common carabid species in agricultural landscapes}, series = {Ecological Entomology}, volume = {43}, journal = {Ecological Entomology}, number = {6}, issn = {1365-2311}, doi = {10.1111/een.12671}, pages = {823 -- 835}, abstract = {1. Carabids are abundant in agroecosystems and provide biocontrol services by feeding on weed seeds and pests. We compare the effects of two fundamentally different agri-environmental schemes (AES) on the numeric and trophic responses of four common carabid species: Anchomenus dorsalis, Poecilus cupreus, Pseudoophonus rufipes and Pterostichus melanarius. 2. In six cereal fields under organic farming and six sown flowering fields, 10 290 individuals of the four species were sampled to quantify their numeric response. The activity density of all species was higher in organically managed cereal fields compared to flowering fields. 3. We analysed naturally occurring stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen in 138 carabid individuals to quantify isotopic niches and the diet contribution of soil- versus plant-based resources. Resources from the soil ('brown') energy channel were more important than resources from the plant ('green') energy channel in the diet of all species, particularly in P. melanarius. 4. Isotopic niches were larger for P. rufipes and P. melanarius in flowering fields than in organically managed cereal fields. Moreover, differences between AES types were observed in the diet contribution derived from both energy channels: A. dorsalis and P. cupreus incorporated higher proportions of plant-based resources in organically managed cereal fields compared to flowering fields. 5. Similar numeric, but different trophic responses suggest that AES type may alter arthropod food webs beyond simple changes in carabid densities. Such 'hidden' modifications in the resource utilisation of generalist predators deserve more attention to adequately evaluate the ecological consequences of AES.}, language = {en} } @misc{KarpBirkhofer, author = {Karp, Daniel S. and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Crop pests and predators exhibit inconsistent responses to surrounding landscape composition}, series = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America}, volume = {115}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America}, number = {33}, issn = {1091-6490}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.1800042115}, pages = {E7863 -- E7870}, abstract = {The idea that noncrop habitat enhances pest control and represents a win-win opportunity to conserve biodiversity and bolster yields has emerged as an agroecological paradigm. However, while noncrop habitat in landscapes surrounding farms sometimes benefits pest predators, natural enemy responses remain heterogeneous across studies and effects on pests are inconclusive. The observed heterogeneity in species responses to noncrop habitat may be biological in origin or could result from variation in how habitat and biocontrol are measured. Here, we use a pest-control database encompassing 132 studies and 6,759 sites worldwide to model natural enemy and pest abundances, predation rates, and crop damage as a function of landscape composition. Our results showed that although landscape composition explained significant variation within studies, pest and enemy abundances, predation rates, crop damage, and yields each exhibited different responses across studies, sometimes increasing and sometimes decreasing in landscapes with more noncrop habitat but overall showing no consistent trend. Thus, models that used landscape-composition variables to predict pest-control dynamics demonstrated little potential to explain variation across studies, though prediction did improve when comparing studies with similar crop and landscape features. Overall, our work shows that surrounding noncrop habitat does not consistently improve pest management, meaning habitat conservation may bolster production in some systems and depress yields in others. Future efforts to develop tools that inform farmers when habitat conservation truly represents a win-win would benefit from increased understanding of how landscape effects are modulated by local farm management and the biology of pests and their enemies.}, language = {en} } @misc{ZaitsevBirkhoferEkschmittetal., author = {Zaitsev, Andrey S. and Birkhofer, Klaus and Ekschmitt, Klemens and Wolters, Volkmar}, title = {Belowground Tritrophic Food Chain Modulates Soil Respiration in Grasslands}, series = {Pedosphere}, volume = {28}, journal = {Pedosphere}, number = {1}, issn = {1002-0160}, doi = {10.1016/S1002-0160(18)60008-6}, pages = {114 -- 123}, abstract = {Edaphic biota significantly affects several essential ecological functions such as C-storage, nutrient turnover, and productivity. However, it is not completely understood how belowground animal contribution to these functions changes in grasslands subject to different land use types. A microcosm experiment was carried out to test the effect of a tritrophic food chain on CO2 release from grassland soils. Soil was collected from three differently managed grassland systems (meadow, pasture, and mown pasture) located in three distinct German regions that cover a north-south gradient of approximately 500 km. The tritrophic food chain comprised natural edaphic microflora, nematodes, and predatory gamasid mites. The experimental design involved a full factorial combination of the presence and absence of nematodes and gamasid mites. Nematodes significantly increased the CO2 emissions in most treatments, but the extent of this effect varied with land use type. The fact that grazing by nematodes stimulated the metabolic activity of the edaphic microflora over a wide range of grassland soils highlighted the critical impact of the microfauna on ecosystem services associated with soil organic matter dynamics. Gamasids slightly amplified the effect of nematodes on microbial metabolic activity, but only in the pastures. This effect was most probably due to the control of nematode abundance. The fact that gamasid addition also augmented the impact of environmental conditions on nematode-induced modulation of soil respiration highlighted the need for including land use differences while evaluating soil fauna contribution to soil processes. To conclude, the differential response of the investigated tritrophic food chain to different grassland management systems suggests that adverse effects of land use intensification on important soil processes such as atmospheric C-release could potentially be reduced by using management methods that preserve essential features of the belowground food web.}, language = {en} } @misc{BergerBirkhoferHansonetal., author = {Berger, Josef S. and Birkhofer, Klaus and Hanson, Helena I. and Hedlund, Katarina}, title = {Landscape configuration affects herbivore-parasitoid communities in oilseed rape}, series = {Journal of Pest Science}, volume = {91}, journal = {Journal of Pest Science}, number = {3}, issn = {1612-4758}, doi = {10.1007\%2Fs10340-018-0965-1}, pages = {1093 -- 1105}, abstract = {It is crucial to consider the effects of large-scale drivers on species presences and ecological interactions to understand what structures communities. In our study, we investigated how the species composition and the potential interaction networks of herbivore and parasitoid communities in oilseed rape fields are affected by agricultural landscape characteristics. Insect communities of 26 winter oilseed rape fields in southern Sweden were captured in water traps over a continuous time span of 30 ± 2 days. In total, 31\% of the variation in the composition of herbivore host communities was explained by a combination of the surrounding oilseed rape area in the study year and the previous year and distance to the nearest forest. The oilseed rape area in the study year and distance to forest also explained 14\% of the variation in the composition of parasitoid communities. Distance to the nearest forest together with the area of oilseed rape in the previous year explained 45\% of the variation in asymmetry of interaction webs. These results indicate that several measures of landscape configuration are important both for the composition of host and parasitoid communities and also for the structure of interaction networks. Our results support the view that it is an appropriate strategy to cultivate oilseed rape in landscapes that are far away from forests, in order to minimize recolonization by pest species and at the same time to attract parasitoid species from the open landscape.}, language = {en} } @misc{TschumiEkroosHjortetal., author = {Tschumi, Matthias and Ekroos, Johan and Hjort, Cecilia and Smith, Henrik G. and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Rodents, not birds, dominate predation-related ecosystem services and disservices in vertebrate communities of agricultural landscapes}, series = {Oecologia}, volume = {188}, journal = {Oecologia}, number = {3}, issn = {0029-8549}, doi = {10.1007/s00442-018-4242-z}, pages = {863 -- 873}, abstract = {To understand the relationship between conservation measures and agricultural yields, we need to know the contributions of organisms to both ecosystem services and disservices. We studied the activity and contribution of birds and mammals to intermediate ecosystem services (predation of weed seeds or invertebrate pests) and disservices (predation of crop seeds or beneficial invertebrates) in southern Sweden between June and November 2016. We measured seed and invertebrate predation rates using trays placed in front of 32 wildlife cameras in 16 cereal fields with a local habitat contrast (8 fields adjacent to another crop field and 8 fields adjacent to a semi-natural grassland) and along a landscape heterogeneity gradient (amount of semi-natural grassland). Both activity and predation were dominated by small mammals (mainly rodents), yet only a few species contributed to predation services and disservices according to camera records. Small mammal activity and predation varied considerably over time. Small mammal activity was significantly higher at trays with crop seeds or beneficial invertebrate prey compared to trays with pest prey, and crop seed predation by small mammals was significantly higher than weed seed predation. In contrast, bird activity and predation did not differ significantly between resource types, but varied over time depending on the habitat contrast. Predation of animal prey by birds was highest after cereal harvest, independent of habitat contrast. Our study highlights that birds and in particular rodents provide important intermediate ecosystem services, but also disservices, which fluctuate strongly in intensity over time.}, language = {en} } @misc{AhlswedeFabianoKeepingetal., author = {Ahlswede, Steve and Fabiano, Ezequiel Chimbioputo and Keeping, Derek and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Using the Formozov-Malyshev-Pereleshin formula to convert mammal spoor counts into density estimates for long-term community-level monitoring}, series = {African Journal of Ecology}, volume = {57}, journal = {African Journal of Ecology}, number = {2}, issn = {1365-2028}, doi = {10.1111/aje.12587}, pages = {177 -- 189}, language = {en} } @misc{WannerBirkhoferFischeretal., author = {Wanner, Manfred and Birkhofer, Klaus and Fischer, Thomas and Shimizu, Miki and Shimano, Satoshi D. and Puppe, Daniel}, title = {Soil Testate Amoebae and Diatoms as Bioindicators of an Old Heavy Metal Contaminated Floodplain in Japan}, series = {Microbial Ecology}, volume = {79}, journal = {Microbial Ecology}, number = {1}, issn = {1432-184X}, doi = {10.1007/s00248-019- 01383-x}, pages = {123 -- 133}, language = {en} } @misc{PhillipsGuerraBartzetal., author = {Phillips, Helen R. P. and Guerra, Carlos A. and Bartz, Marie L. C. and Briones, Maria J. I. and Brown, George and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Global distribution of earthworm diversity}, series = {Science}, volume = {Vol. 366}, journal = {Science}, number = {6464}, issn = {1095-9203}, doi = {10.1126/science.aax4851}, pages = {480 -- 485}, language = {en} } @misc{WannerBirkhoferPuppeetal., author = {Wanner, Manfred and Birkhofer, Klaus and Puppe, Daniel and Shimano, Satoshi D. and Shimizu, Miki}, title = {Tolerance of testate amoeba species to rising sea levels under laboratory conditions and in the South Pacific}, series = {Pedobiologia}, volume = {79}, journal = {Pedobiologia}, issn = {0031-4056}, pages = {8}, language = {en} } @misc{TschumiBirkhoferBlasiussonetal., author = {Tschumi, Matthias and Birkhofer, Klaus and Blasiusson, Sandra and J{\"o}rgensen, Martin and Smith, Henrik G. and Ekroos, Johan}, title = {Woody elements benefit bird diversity to a larger extent thansemi-natural grasslands in cereal-dominated landscapes}, series = {Basic and Applied Ecology}, volume = {46}, journal = {Basic and Applied Ecology}, issn = {1439-1791}, doi = {10.1016/j.baae.2020.03.005}, pages = {15 -- 23}, abstract = {Increasing landscape complexity can mitigate negative effects of agricultural intensification on biodiversity by offeringresources complementary to those provided in arablefields. In particular, grazed semi-natural grasslands and woody elementssupport farmland birds, but little is known about their relative effects on bird diversity and community composition. In addition,the relative importance of local habitat versus landscape composition remains unclear. We investigated how the presence ofsemi-natural grasslands, the number of woody elements and the composition of the wider agricultural landscape affect bird spe-cies richness, true diversity (exponential Shannon diversity) and species composition. Bird communities were surveyed fourtimes on 16 paired transects of 250 m each with 8 transects placed between a cropfield and a semi-natural grassland and 8transects between two cropfields with no semi-natural grasslands in the vicinity. The number of woody elements around trans-ects was selected as an important predictor in all models, having a positive effect on species richness and true diversity, whilethe local presence of semi-natural grasslands was not selected in the best models. However, species richness and true diversityincreased with increasing cover of ley and semi-natural grasslands, whereas species composition was modified by the coverageof winter wheat at the landscape scale. Furthermore, bird species richness, true diversity and species composition differedbetween sampling dates. As bird diversity benefited from woody elements, rather than from the local presence of semi-naturalgrasslands as such, it is important to maintain woody structures in farmland. However, the positive effect of grassland at thelandscape scale highlights the importance of habitat variability at multiple scales. Because species richness and true diversitywere affected by different landscape components compared to species composition, a mosaic of land-use types is needed toachieve multiple conservation goals across agricultural landscapes.}, language = {en} } @misc{TlusteBroeringNěmecetal., author = {Tluste, Claudia and Br{\"o}ring, Udo and Němec, Tom{\´a}š and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Morphometric traits of shells determine utilization marks in the Roman Snail in eastern Germany}, series = {Web Ecology}, volume = {20}, journal = {Web Ecology}, number = {2}, issn = {1399-1183}, doi = {10.5194/we-20-87-2020}, pages = {87 -- 94}, abstract = {Overexploitation, habitat destruction and a changing climate threaten populations of the Roman snail(Helix pomatiaLinnaeus, 1758), which has led to a high protection status in Germany. Vertebrate and inver-tebrate predators, including parasites and facultative parasitoids, further cause pressure on populations. Giventhe conservation concern forH. pomatiaand its rarity in the study region (Cottbus, Germany), we studied howpredators and facultative parasitoids utilizeH. pomatiashells with a focus on non-invasive field methods. As pre-vious studies indicated that shell size may affect prey selection by predators, morphometric traits were measuredin eight subpopulations. We identified the total number and percentage ofH. pomatiashells that showed externalattack marks by predators and internal utilization marks by Diptera pupae and related those utilization patternsto the morphometric traits of shells. A large proportion of the shells in local subpopulations showed signs ofexternal attack and internal utilization, and both utilization forms were positively correlated. External attacks bypredators were more frequent in larger shells and internal utilization by Diptera was more common in shells withhigher body density. These results suggest a considerable pressure by predators and potential facultative para-sitoids onH. pomatiapopulations in the study area. Future research should focus on the relationship betweensnails from the family Helicidae and flies from the genusDiscomyza. Conservation programmes should considerabiotic habitat conditions together with potential trophic interactions to maximize the success of conservationstrategies}, language = {en} } @misc{SamwaysBartonBirkhoferetal., author = {Samways, Michael J. and Barton, Philip S. and Birkhofer, Klaus and Chichorro, Filipe and Deacon, Charl and Fartmann, Thomas and Fukushima, Caroline S.}, title = {Solutions for humanity on how to conserve insects}, series = {Biological Conservation}, volume = {242}, journal = {Biological Conservation}, issn = {0006-3207}, doi = {10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108427}, pages = {15}, abstract = {The fate of humans and insects intertwine, especially through the medium of plants. Global environmentalchange, including land transformation and contamination, is causing concerning insect diversity loss, articulatedin the companion reviewScientists'warning to humanity on insect extinctions. Yet, despite a sound philosophical foundation, recognized ethical values, and scientific evidence, globally we are performing poorly at instigatingeffective insect conservation. As insects are a major component of the tapestry of life, insect conservation woulddo well to integrate better with overall biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. This also in-volves popularizing insects, especially through use of iconic species, through more media coverage, and moreinclusive education. Insect conservationists need to liaise better with decision makers, stakeholders, and landmanagers, especially at the conceptually familiar scale of the landscape. Enough evidence is now available, andsynthesized here, which illustrates that multiple strategies work at local levels towards saving insects. We nowneed to expand these locally-crafted strategies globally. Tangible actions include ensuring maintenance of bioticcomplexity, especially through improving temporal and spatial heterogeneity, functional connectivity, andmetapopulation dynamics, while maintaining unique habitats, across landscape mosaics, as well as instigatingbetter communication. Key is to have more expansive sustainable agriculture and forestry, improved regulationand prevention of environmental risks, and greater recognition of protected areas alongside agro-ecology innovel landscapes. Future-proofing insect diversity is now critical, with the benefits far reaching, includingcontinued provision of valuable ecosystem services and the conservation of a rich and impressive component ofEarth's biodiversity.}, language = {en} } @misc{AguileraRoslinMilleretal., author = {Aguilera, Guillermo and Roslin, Tomas and Miller, Kirsten and Tamburini, Giovanni and Birkhofer, Klaus and Caballero-Lopez, Berta and Lindstr{\"o}m, Sandra Ann-Marie and {\"O}ckinger, Erik and Rundl{\"o}f, Maj and Rusch, Adrien and Smith, Henrik G. and Bommarco, Riccardo}, title = {Crop diversity benefits carabid and pollinator communities in landscapes with semi-natural habitats}, series = {Journal of Applied Ecology}, volume = {57}, journal = {Journal of Applied Ecology}, number = {11}, issn = {1365-2664}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2664.13712}, pages = {2170 -- 2179}, abstract = {1.In agricultural landscapes, arthropods provide essential ecosystem services such as biological pest control and pollination. Intensified crop management practices and homogenization of landscapes have led to declines among such organisms. Semi-natural habitats, associated with high numbers of these organisms, are increasingly lost from agricultural landscapes but diversification by increasing crop diversity has been proposed as a way to reverse observed arthropod declines and thus restore ecosystem services. However, whether or not an increase in the diversity of crop types within a landscape promotes diversity and abundances of pollinating and predaceous arthropods, and how semi-natural habitats might modify this relationship, are not well understood. 2. To test how crop diversity and the proportion of semi-natural habitats within a landscape are related to the diversity and abundance of beneficial arthropod communities, we collected primary data from seven studies focusing on natural enemies (carabids and spiders) and pollinators (bees and hoverflies) from 154 crop fields in Southern Sweden between 2007 and 2017. 3. Crop diversity within a 1-km radius around each field was positively related to the Shannon diversity index of carabid and pollinator communities in landscapes rich in semi-natural habitats. Abundances were mainly affected by the proportion of semi-natural habitats in the landscape, with decreasing carabid and increasing pollinator numbers as the proportion of this habitat type increased. Spiders showed no response to either crop diversity or the proportion of semi-natural habitats. 4. Synthesis and applications. We show that the joint effort of preserving semi-natural habitats and promoting crop diversity in agricultural landscapes is necessary to enhance communities of natural enemies and pollinators. Our results suggest that increasing the diversity of crop types can contribute to the conservation of service-providing arthropod communities, particularly if the diversification of crops targets complex landscapes with a high proportion of semi-natural habitats.}, language = {en} } @misc{CardosoBartonBirkhoferetal., author = {Cardoso, Pedro and Barton, Philip S. and Birkhofer, Klaus and Chichorro, Filipe and Deacon, Charl and Fartmann, Thomas and Fukushima, Caroline S. and Gaigher, Ren{\´e} and Habel, Jan C.}, title = {Scientists' warning to humanity on insect extinctions}, series = {Biological Conservation}, journal = {Biological Conservation}, number = {242}, doi = {10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108426}, pages = {12}, abstract = {Here we build on the manifesto'World Scientists'Warning to Humanity, issued by the Alliance of WorldScientists. As a group of conservation biologists deeply concerned about the decline of insect populations, wehere review what we know about the drivers of insect extinctions, their consequences, and how extinctions cannegatively impact humanity.We are causing insect extinctions by driving habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation, use of polluting andharmful substances, the spread of invasive species, global climate change, direct overexploitation, and co-ex-tinction of species dependent on other species.With insect extinctions, we lose much more than species. We lose abundance and biomass of insects, diversityacross space and time with consequent homogenization, large parts of the tree of life, unique ecological functionsand traits, and fundamental parts of extensive networks of biotic interactions. Such losses lead to the decline ofkey ecosystem services on which humanity depends. From pollination and decomposition, to being resources fornew medicines, habitat quality indication and many others, insects provide essential and irreplaceable services.We appeal for urgent action to close key knowledge gaps and curb insect extinctions. An investment in research programs that generate local, regional and global strategies that counter this trend is essential. Solutions areavailable and implementable, but urgent action is needed now to match our intentions.}, language = {en} } @misc{ArvidssonAddisonAddisonetal., author = {Arvidsson, Fredrik and Addison, Pia and Addison, Matthew F. and Haddad, C. R. and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Weed species, not mulching, affect web-building spiders and their prey in organic fruit orchards in South Africa}, series = {Ecosphere}, volume = {11}, journal = {Ecosphere}, number = {3}, pages = {14}, abstract = {Weed infestation affects economically relevant orchard properties, including tree performance, yield, and fruit quality negatively, and weeds are therefore often controlled by herbicide application in con- ventional farming. The addition of organic mulch below tree canopies has been proposed as an alternative reliable practice to suppress weeds and preserve soil moisture in organic farming. Mulching, however, may also affect arthropod pest and natural enemy populations, which highlights the need for simultane- ously assessing weed, natural enemy, and animal pest communities in mulch experiments. This study addresses the limited knowledge about nonchemical ground cover management strategies for the control of plant and animal pests in orchards as a major constraint for organic growers. Here, we hypothesize that decisions about ground cover management practices in organic temperate fruit orchards affect the composition of web-building spider communities and their functional role as natural enemies of pest arthropods through effects on weed and insect pest communities. We studied weed, prey, and spider communities, as well as spider diet composition, in four temperate fruit types (apricot, peach, plum, and quince) on a single farm in the Western Cape, South Africa. We established experimental plots with and without addition of dead organic mulch under fruit tree canopies. Addition of organic mulch did not signicantly affect weed cover under trees or the taxonomic composition of weed or spider communities over the eight-month study period. However, independent of mulching, the taxonomic composition of weed communities was signicantly related to the composition of potential prey and spider communities. These relationships indirectly affected the prey composition of web-building spiders. These results suggest that the identity of weed species in the study orchards had a pronounced effect on the diet composition and functional role of web-building spiders. Future research should focus on the value of individual plant species for the promotion of pest control services provided by spiders across larger spatial scales and with higher levels of replication to allow for wider generalizations. The expected results would not only be relevant for weed control but could also be considered during the development of future fower strips in orchards.}, language = {en} } @misc{MichalkoBirkhofer, author = {Michalko, Radek and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Habitat niches suggest that non-crop habitat types differ in quality as source habitats for Central European agrobiont spiders}, series = {Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment}, volume = {308}, journal = {Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment}, issn = {0167-8809}, doi = {10.1016/j.agee.2020.107248}, pages = {9}, language = {en} } @misc{LoweWolffAcevesAparicioetal., author = {Lowe, Elizabeth C. and Wolff, Jonas O. and Aceves-Aparicio, Alfonso and Birkhofer, Klaus and Branco, Vasco V.}, title = {Towards establishment of a centralized spider traits database}, series = {The Journal of Arachnology}, volume = {48}, journal = {The Journal of Arachnology}, number = {2}, issn = {0161-8202}, doi = {10.1636/0161-8202-48.2.103}, pages = {103 -- 109}, abstract = {A main goal of ecological and evolutionary biology is understanding and predicting interactions between populations and both abiotic and biotic environments, the spatial and temporal variation of these interactions, and the effects on population dynamics and performance. Trait-based approaches can help to model these interactions and generate a comprehensive understanding of ecosystem functioning. A central tool is the collation of databases that include species trait information. Such centralized databases have been set up for a number of organismal groups but is lacking for one of the most important groups of predators in terrestrial ecosystems - spiders. Here we promote the collation of an open spider traits database, integrated into the global Open Traits Network. We explore the current collation of spider data and cover the logistics of setting up a global database, including which traits to include, the source of data, how to input data, database governance, geographic cover, accessibility, quality control and how to make the database sustainable long-term. Finally, we explore the scope of research questions that could be investigated using a global spider traits database.}, language = {en} } @misc{KundelBodenhausenBrachtJorgensenetal., author = {Kundel, Dominika and Bodenhausen, Natacha and Bracht J{\o}rgensen, Helene and Truu, Jaak and Birkhofer, Klaus and Hedlund, Katarina and M{\"a}der, Paul and Fliessbach, Andreas}, title = {Effects of simulated drought on biological soil quality, microbial diversity and yields under long-term conventional and organic agriculture}, series = {FEMS Microbiology Ecology}, volume = {96}, journal = {FEMS Microbiology Ecology}, number = {12}, issn = {1574-6941}, doi = {doi: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa205}, pages = {12}, abstract = {Drought and agricultural management influence soil microorganisms with unknown consequences for the functioning ofagroecosystems. We simulated drought periods in organic (biodynamic) and conventional wheat fields and monitoredeffects on soil water content, microorganisms and crops. Above the wilting point, water content and microbial respirationwere higher under biodynamic than conventional farming. Highest bacterial and fungal abundances were found inbiodynamically managed soils, and distinct microbial communities characterised the farming systems. Most biological soilquality parameters and crop yields were only marginally affected by the experimental drought, except for arbuscularmycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which increased in abundance under the experimental drought in both farming systems. AMFwere further strongly promoted by biodynamic farming resulting in almost three times higher AMF abundance underexperimental drought in the biodynamic compared with the conventional farming system. Our data suggest an improvedwater storage capacity under biodynamic farming and confirms positive effects of biodynamic farming on biological soilquality. The interactive effects of the farming system and drought may further be investigated under more substantialdroughts. Given the importance of AMF for the plant's water supply, more in-depth studies on AMF may help to clarify theirrole for yields under conditions predicted by future climate scenarios.}, language = {en} } @misc{DampteyBirkhoferNsiahetal., author = {Damptey, Frederick Gyasi and Birkhofer, Klaus and Nsiah, Paul Kofi and Garcia de la Riva, Enrique}, title = {Soil properties and biomass attributes in a former gravel mine area after two decades of forest restoration}, series = {Land}, volume = {9}, journal = {Land}, number = {6}, issn = {2073-445X}, doi = {10.3390/land9060209}, pages = {18}, abstract = {The ongoing global deforestation resulting from anthropogenic activities such as unsustainable agriculture and surface mining threatens biodiversity and decreases both soil carbon and above-ground biomass stocks. In this study, we assessed soil properties and below- and above-ground biomass attributes in a restored former gravel mine area in Ghana two decades after active restoration with potted plants and fresh topsoil. We compared conditions to four alternative land-use types (unrestored abandoned gravel mine, arable land, semi-natural forest, and natural forest) representing pre- and post-disturbance as well as natural reference states. We hypothesized that soil properties and related levels of below- and above-ground biomass in the restored area share similarities with the natural reference systems and thereby are indicative of a trajectory towards successful restoration. Eight replicated subareas in each land-use type were assessed for a set of soil parameters as well as below- and above-ground biomass attributes. The soil properties characteristic for the restored area differed significantly from pre-restoration stages, such as the abandoned gravel site, but did not differ significantly from properties in the natural forest (except for bulk density and base saturation). Above-ground biomass was lower in the restored area in comparison to the reference natural forests, while differences were not significant for below-ground biomass. Silt and effective cation exchange capacity were closely related to above-ground biomass, while below-ground biomass was related to soil organic carbon, bulk density, and potassium concentration in soils. Our results suggest that major steps towards successful restoration can be accomplished within a relatively short period, without the wholesale application of topsoil. Improving soil conditions is a vital tool for the successful development of extensive vegetation cover after surface mining, which also affects carbon sequestration by both above- and below-ground biomass. We emphasize that the use of reference systems provides critical information for the monitoring of ecosystem development towards an expected future state of the restored area.}, language = {en} } @misc{Birkhofer, author = {Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Samways, Michael J. : Insect conservation: a global synthesis}, series = {Basic and Applied Ecology}, volume = {46}, journal = {Basic and Applied Ecology}, publisher = {Springer}, issn = {1439-1791}, doi = {10.1016/j.baae.2020.04.001}, pages = {1}, language = {en} } @misc{NěmecLiznarovaBirkhoferetal., author = {Němec, Tom{\´a}š and L{\´i}znarov{\´a}, E. and Birkhofer, Klaus and Hors{\´a}k, M.}, title = {Stable isotope analysis as a method to investigate land-snail food partitioning: a case study from Central European floodplain forest}, series = {Journal of Zoology}, volume = {313}, journal = {Journal of Zoology}, number = {4}, issn = {1469-7998}, doi = {10.1111/jzo.12859}, pages = {297 -- 306}, abstract = {Land snails are abundant invertebrates in many terrestrial ecosystems, playing an essential role in food webs and nutrient cycling. Although snails are commonly considered general grazers with a strong tendency to omnivory, their foraging strategy is well documented only for a few species. Virtually no data exist on trophic niche partitioning within snail assemblages. To fill this gap, we analyzed naturally occurring stable isotope (δ13C, δ15N), an approach widely applied in ecological research, but only rarely in terrestrial snail studies. We collected ten individuals of the dominant co-occurring land snails (i.e., Aegopinella nitidula, Fruticicola fruticum, Oxyloma elegans, Succinea putris, Trochulus villosulus and Zonitoides nitidus) in a floodplain forest floor, along with their potential food sources and other invertebrates. All species, except for A. nitidula, showed high intraspecific variation in isotope signatures, indicating their opportunistic feeding behavior. Such a high intraspecific variation combined with the active movement range of all the species allows switching between food sources based on their accessibility. We observed that the trophic niches of the studied species highly overlapped, except for Z. nitidus. This suggests that trophic niche compartmentalization among co-occurring species does not seem to be the mechanism to avoid competition for food. Virtually unlimited resources for snail food are assumed to explain the coexistence of many species in high-density populations. Our results add to this concept of assembly rules in snail species by the finding of highly variable and overlapping trophic niches among the majority of the studied species.}, language = {en} } @misc{Birkhofer, author = {Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Thomas Wohlgemuth, Anke Jentsch und Rupert Seidl: St{\"o}rungs{\"o}kologie, Bern, 2019}, volume = {151}, number = {4}, isbn = {9783825250188}, pages = {1}, abstract = {Breiter {\"U}berblick zum Stand des Wissens {\"O}kosysteme werden durch Wind, Feuer, Insekten- oder Pilzbefall sowie durch die anthropogene Landnutzung gest{\"o}rt. St{\"o}rungen k{\"o}nnen {\"O}kosysteme rasch wandeln, aber langfristig auch zu deren Stabilisierung beitragen. In der Summe aller in einer Landschaft wirkenden St{\"o}rungen ergibt sich ein St{\"o}rungsregime, welches durch typische Rhythmen und Interaktionen gekennzeichnet ist. Das vorliegende Lehrbuch ist das erste in deutscher Sprache zu dieser Thematik. In 18 Kapiteln charakterisiert es St{\"o}rungstypen und St{\"o}rungsregime sowie ihre Bedeutung f{\"u}r {\"O}kosysteme und beschreibt die Anpassungen von Arten und Pflanzengemeinschaften an diese St{\"o}rungen. Es bietet einen breiten {\"U}berblick zum Stand des Wissens in der St{\"o}rungs{\"o}kologie. Zahlreiche Beispiele illustrieren dabei die Verh{\"a}ltnisse in Mitteleuropa.}, language = {de} } @misc{DampteyGarciadelaRivaBirkhofer, author = {Damptey, Frederick Gyasi and Garcia de la Riva, Enrique and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Trade-offs and synergies between food and fodder production and other ecosystem services in an actively restored forest in Ghana.}, series = {Frontiers in Forests and Global Change}, journal = {Frontiers in Forests and Global Change}, number = {4}, issn = {2624-893X}, doi = {10.3389/ffgc.2021.630959}, pages = {13}, abstract = {Active restoration of degraded areas with multi-purpose tree species has been proposed as a measure to counter the losses from deforestation and mitigate consequences for local human communities. In a restoration project at a former mining site in Ghana, ecosystem services (ES) proxies in an actively restored forest were compared to a local agroforestry system and a natural forest. The results provide information about trade-offs and synergies between proxies of multiple ES(s). ES proxies were assessed according to the following categories: (a) food-tree ES: biomass of food and fodder trees, (b) other trees ES: biomass of fuelwood, medicine or mulch trees, (c) ES-providing arthropods: the number of detritivorous and predaceous arthropods, (d) carbon storage, and (e) tree diversity. Eight replicated plots with sizes of 20 m × 20 m were established in each forest type, and the following ES proxies were quantified: tree diversity was estimated as taxonomic richness of all trees with a diameter at breast height ≥ 10 cm in each plot. Tree species were then classified into ES categories (food, fodder, fuelwood, medicine, or mulch). Ground-dwelling arthropods were sampled for 10 weeks with five pitfall traps in each plot and categorized as decomposers and predators. Tree above-ground biomass was estimated based on the measured tree diameter, height, and specific wood density using an improved allometric equation. The above-ground biomass was later converted into carbon storage by assuming 50\% of the above-ground biomass of each tree. ES proxies based on tree biomass were highest in the natural forest. Fodder, medicine, fuelwood, and mulch ES proxies were significantly higher in the restored forest than the agroforestry system. Decomposer arthropods were most dominant in the natural forest, followed by the restored forest and the agroforestry system. Predacious arthropods were more dominant in the restored forest than in the other forest types. Carbon storage was highest in the natural forest, followed by the agroforestry system and the restored forest. The actively restored forest took an intermediate position between the agroforestry system and the natural forest regarding values for all nine ES proxies. Out of the 14 possible relationships between food or fodder and other ES proxies, five were significantly positive (synergies) with no observed trade-offs (significant negative relationships). High fodder production in the restored and natural forests went along with higher values of other biomass ES proxies and numbers of beneficial arthropods, while higher food biomass also correlated positively with numbers of decomposing arthropods. Our results document that active restoration of degraded sites provides a valuable framework to promote ES provision to local communities compared to agroforestry system, but at the cost of lower food and fuelwood biomass and carbon storage compared to natural forests.}, language = {en} } @misc{LeProvostThieleManningetal., author = {Le Provost, Ga{\"e}tane and Thiele, Jan and Manning, Peter and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Contrasting responses of above- and belowground diversity to multiple components of land-use intensity}, series = {Nature Communications}, journal = {Nature Communications}, number = {12}, issn = {2041-1723}, doi = {10.1038/s41467-021-23931-1}, pages = {13}, abstract = {Land-use intensification is a major driver of biodiversity loss. However, understanding how different components of land use drive biodiversity loss requires the investigation of multiple trophic levels across spatial scales. Using data from 150 agricultural grasslands in central Europe, we assess the influence of multiple components of local- and landscape-level land use on more than 4,000 above- and belowground taxa, spanning 20 trophic groups. Plot-level land-use intensity is strongly and negatively associated with aboveground trophic groups, but positively or not associated with belowground trophic groups. Meanwhile, both above- and belowground trophic groups respond to landscape-level land use, but to different drivers: aboveground diversity of grasslands is promoted by diverse surrounding land-cover, while belowground diversity is positively related to a high permanent forest cover in the surrounding landscape. These results highlight a role of landscape-level land use in shaping belowground communities, and suggest that revised agroecosystem management strategies are needed to conserve whole-ecosystem biodiversity.}, language = {en} } @misc{LeimerBernerBirkhoferetal., author = {Leimer, Sophia and Berner, Doreen and Birkhofer, Klaus and Boeddinghaus, Runa S.}, title = {Land-use intensity and biodiversity effects on infiltration rates and hydraulic conductivity of grassland soils in southern Germany}, series = {Ecohydrology}, volume = {14}, journal = {Ecohydrology}, number = {6}, issn = {1936-0584}, doi = {10.1002/eco.2301}, abstract = {Evidence from experimental and established grasslands indicates that plant biodiversity can modify the water cycle. One suspected mechanism behind this is a higher infiltration capacity (νB) and hydraulic conductivity (K) of the soil on species-rich grasslands. However, in established and agriculturally managed grasslands, biodiversity effects cannot be studied independent of land-use effects. Therefore, we investigated in established grassland systems how land-use intensity and associated biodiversity of plants and soil animals affect νB and K at and close to saturation. On 50 grassland plots along a land-use intensity gradient in the Biodiversity Exploratory Schw{\"a}bische Alb, Germany, we measured νB with a hood infiltrometer at several matrix potentials and calculated the saturated and unsaturated K. We statistically analysed the relationship between νB or K and land-use information (e.g., fertilising intensity), abiotic (e.g., soil texture) and biotic data (e.g., plant species richness, earthworm abundance). Land-use intensity decreased and plant species richness increased νB and K, while the direction of the effects of soil animals was inconsistent. The effect of land-use intensity on νB and K was mainly attributable to its negative effect on plant species richness. Our results demonstrate that plant species richness was a better predictor of νB and K at and close to saturation than land-use intensity or soil physical properties in the established grassland systems of the Schw{\"a}bische Alb.}, language = {en} } @misc{MichalkoKošuličMartineketal., author = {Michalko, Radek and Košulič, Ondřej and Martinek, Petr and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Disturbance by invasive pathogenic fungus alters arthropod predator - prey food webs in ash plantations}, series = {Journal of Animal Ecology}, volume = {90}, journal = {Journal of Animal Ecology}, number = {9}, issn = {1365-2656}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2656.13537}, pages = {2213 -- 2226}, abstract = {1. According to the disturbance-succession theory, natural disturbances support biodiversity and are expected to increase the complexity of food-webs in for-est ecosystems by opening canopies and creating a heterogeneous environment. However, a limited number of studies have investigated the impact of disturbance by invasive pathogenic species and succession on arthropod predator-prey food-webs in forest ecosystems.2. Hymenoscyphus fraxineus is a pathogenic fungus of ash trees that is invasive in Europe and causes massive dieback, mainly of the common ash Fraxinus excelsioracross its native range. Here we investigated how this pathogenic fungus affects food- webs of web- building spiders and their prey in understorey vegetation of ash plantations.3. In 23 young and middle-aged ash plantations that were distributed along a gradi-ent of infestation by H. fraxineus (29\%- 86\% infestation), we measured the vegeta-tion structure (canopy openness, shrub coverage, herb/grass coverage), the trait composition of local spider communities (web type, body size), the prey availabil-ity and the prey intercepted by spider webs. We then evaluated the multivariate prey composition (prey type, body size) and network properties.4. Hymenoscyphus fraxineus opened the ash tree canopy, which resulted in denser shrub coverage. The dense shrub vegetation changed the composition of web types in local spider communities and increasing fungus infestation resulted in reduced mean body size of spiders. Infestation by H. fraxineus reduced the avail-ability of predaceous Coleoptera and increased the availability of herbivorous Coleoptera as potential prey. The mean body size of captured prey and the per capita capture rates of most prey groups decreased with increasing fungus in-festation. Hymenoscyphus fraxineus infestation indirectly reduced the complexity in bipartite networks and the trophic functional complementarity in local web- building spider communities. The plantation age affected the vegetation structure but did not affect the studied food-webs.5. Forest disturbance by the invasive pathogen affected four trophic levels (plant- herbivore-coleopteran intermediate predator-top predator web- building spiders) and, contrary to the disturbance-succession theory, disturbance by the fungus simplified the web- building spider- prey food-webs. The results support the view that H. fraxineus represents a threat to the biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in the simplified ecosystems of ash plantations.}, language = {en} } @misc{MeyerKundelBirkhoferetal., author = {Meyer, Svenja and Kundel, Dominika and Birkhofer, Klaus and Fliessbach, Andreas and Scheu, Stefan}, title = {Soil microarthropods respond differently to simulated drought in organic and conventional farming systems}, series = {Ecology and Evolution}, volume = {11}, journal = {Ecology and Evolution}, number = {15}, issn = {2045-7758}, doi = {10.1002/ece3.7839}, pages = {10369 -- 10380}, abstract = {In Central Europe, summer droughts are increasing in frequency which threatens production and biodiversity in agroecosystems. The potential of different farming systems to mitigate detrimental drought effects on soil animals is largely unknown. We investigated the effects of simulated drought on the abundance and community composition of soil microarthropods (Collembola and Oribatida and Meso-, Pro-, and Astigmata) in winter wheat fields under long-term conventional and organic farming in the DOK trial, Switzerland. We simulated drought by excluding 65\% of the ambient precipitation during the wheat-growing season from March to June 2017. The abundance of Collembola and Oribatida declined more consistently in conventionally managed fields compared to organically managed fields under simulated drought. The abundance of Collembola as well as Meso-, Pro- and Astigmata, but not the abundance of Oribatida, increased in deeper soil layers due to simulated drought, suggesting vertical migration as a drought avoidance strategy. The species composition of Oribatida communities, but not of Collembola communities, differed significantly between drought treatments and between farming systems. Soil carbon content was a major factor structuring Oribatida communities. Our results suggest that organic farming buffers negative effects of drought on soil microarthropods, presumably due to higher soil carbon content and associated higher soil moisture and improved soil structure. This potential of organic farming systems to mitigate consequences of future droughts on soil biodiversity is promising and needs further exploration across larger climatic and spatial scales and should be extended to other groups of soil biota.}, language = {en} } @misc{MichalkoBirkhoferPekar, author = {Michalko, Radek and Birkhofer, Klaus and Pek{\´a}r, Stano}, title = {Interaction between hunting strategy, habitat type and stratum drive intraguild predation and cannibalism}, series = {Oikos}, journal = {Oikos}, number = {3}, issn = {1600-0706}, doi = {10.1111/oik.08355}, pages = {12}, abstract = {Intraguild predation (IGP) is a common interaction between generalist predators when they competitively exploit similar resources and prey on each other. Theoretical models predict limitations for intraguild predator coexistence unless some mechanisms, such as the utilization of alternative prey (i.e. trophic niche partitioning) and cannibalism, increase the relative intraspecific clustering and interspecific segregation. As hunting strategies determine trophic niches of predators and their own vulnerability to predation, the hunting strategies may also determine the relative importance of cannibalism, predation, and exploitative competition and consequently the intensity of IGP. The importance of hunting strategies on the potential outcome of IGP and how habitat properties modify the interaction between hunting strategies remain poorly understood. Using published data on spider prey of spider predators, we first investigated how predation of a top-predator on a mesopredator is determined by the functional distance between both predators to understand how predation and exploitation are distributed in spider communities. Subsequently, we investigated the predation among spiders with particular hunting strategies to understand which strategies interact most frequently. We also investigated whether the interaction between hunting strategies was influenced by habitat type (forest, open (semi)natural habitat, agroecosystem) or by habitat stratum (ground versus vegetation). The hunting strategies of top-predators and mesopredators interacted to determine the relative capture proportions of conspecifics and hetero-specifics. This interaction was further modified by habitat type and stratum. Two mechanisms can reinforce coexistence in highly diverse spider communities. First, top-predators preyed most frequently on functionally distinct mesopredators, which indicates the overall intensity of IGP may be relaxed by a balanced distribution between exploitative competition and predation. Second, cannibalism was common for top-predators with a hunting strategy of frequently preying on functionally similar mesopredators. Cannibalism may lead to self-limitation of top-predator populations and may thereby facilitate coexistence between two predator species.}, language = {en} } @misc{FotangBroeringRoosetal., author = {Fotang, Chefor and Br{\"o}ring, Udo and Roos, Christian and Enoguanbhor, Evidence Chinedu and Dutton, Paul and T{\´e}donzong, Luc R. D. and Willie, Jacob and Yuh, Yisa Ginath and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Environmental and anthropogenic effects on the nesting patterns of Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees in North-West Cameroon}, series = {American Journal of Primatology}, volume = {83}, journal = {American Journal of Primatology}, number = {9}, issn = {1098-2345}, doi = {10.1002/ajp.23312}, pages = {12}, abstract = {Environmental conditions and human activity influence the selection of nest sites by chimpanzees and may have serious conservation implications. We examined the characteristics of nesting trees preferred by chimpanzees, investigated the effect of vegetation composition and topography on nest site locations and seasonality on nesting heights of chimpanzees, and verified the effect of predator occurrence and human activity on the nesting behavior of the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) in Kom-Wum Forest Reserve (KWFR) and surrounding unprotected forest in Cameroon. We recorded 923 nests, 502 signs of human activity, and 646 nesting trees along line transects and recces (reconnaissance) for two seasons. We found that chimpanzees constructed more arboreal nests on tall primary trees with high lowest branch height and large diameter at breast height. Moreover, they oriented their nests within trees in the slope direction when the nesting trees were located on slopes. Additionally, the occurrence of chimpanzee nests was positively related to increasing elevation and slope and decreased with distance to primary forest. In contrast, the number of nests increased with distance to secondary forest, open land, and villages, and nesting height was not influenced by seasons. While we recorded no signs of large nocturnal chimpanzee predators at nesting trees, we found signs of hunting activity at nesting locations. Nesting high in trees is likely a way of avoiding hunting, while nest orientation within trees in slope direction shortens escape routes from human hunters. Our findings suggest that chimpanzees select safe trees (tall trees with high lowest branch height) located in nesting areas (primary forest, high elevation, and steep slopes) that are not easily accessible by humans. Therefore, conservation efforts should focus on protecting primary forests at high elevation and steep slopes and reducing human impact.}, language = {en} } @misc{FengArvidssonSmithetal., author = {Feng, Lanya and Arvidsson, Fredrik and Smith, Henrik G. and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Fallows and permanent grasslands conserve the species composition and functional diversity of carabid beetles and linyphiid spiders in agricultural landscapes}, series = {Insect Conservation \& Diversity}, volume = {14}, journal = {Insect Conservation \& Diversity}, number = {6}, issn = {1752-4598}, doi = {10.1111/icad.12520}, pages = {825 -- 836}, abstract = {The European Union reformed the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP 2013) to include greening measures with the aim to decrease negative impacts of farming on the environment and biodiversity. The degree to which greening measures such as permanent grassland or fallows of different ages enhance biodiversity is still debated. We investigate the effect of fallows in two different age classes and permanent grassland in the surrounding landscape on the taxonomic and functional diversity of two numerically dominant groups of natural enemies in cereal fields: soil-emerging carabid beetles (Family Carabidae, Order Coleoptera) and ground-active linyphiid spiders (Family Linyphiidae, Order Araneae). The species richness, abundance and Hill-Shannon diversity of carabids and linyphiids did not differ significantly between fallows and cereal fields and was not significantly related to the proportion of permanent grassland in the surrounding landscape. The species composition of both communities differed significantly between cereal fields and fallows. The functional distinctness, as an index reflecting the similarity among species in terms of functional traits, of linyphiids was significantly higher in fallows than in cereal fields. The trait composition of carabids was significantly related to the proportion of permanent grassland depending on field type (cereal or fallow). Our results document considerable species turnover in natural enemy communities of adjacent cereal fields and fallows, and support the assumption that older fallows (>8 years) produce functionally more diverse natural enemy communities. Maintaining fallows for a long period is an important measure to promote the functional diversity in predaceous arthropod communities.}, language = {en} } @misc{BirkhoferFliessbachGavin‐Centoletal., author = {Birkhofer, Klaus and Fliessbach, Andreas and Gav{\´i}n-Centol, Mar{\´i}a Pilar and Hedlund, Katarina and Ingimarsd{\´o}ttir, Mar{\´i}a and Bracht J{\o}rgensen, Helene and Kozjek, Katja and Meyer, Svenja and Montserrat, Marta and S{\´a}nchez-Moreno, Sara and Moya-Lara{\~n}o, Jordi and Scheu, Stefan and Serrano-Carnero, Diego and Truu, Jaak and Kundel, Dominika}, title = {Conventional agriculture and not drought alters relationships between soil biota and functions}, series = {Scientific Reports}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, number = {11}, issn = {2045-2322}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-021-03276-x}, abstract = {Soil biodiversity constitutes the biological pillars of ecosystem services provided by soils worldwide. Soil life is threatened by intense agricultural management and shifts in climatic conditions as two important global change drivers which are not often jointly studied under field conditions. We addressed the effects of experimental short-term drought over the wheat growing season on soil organisms and ecosystem functions under organic and conventional farming in a Swiss long term trial. Our results suggest that activity and community metrics are suitable indicators for drought stress while microbial communities primarily responded to agricultural practices. Importantly, we found a significant loss of multiple pairwise positive and negative relationships between soil biota and process-related variables in response to conventional farming, but not in response to experimental drought. These results suggest a considerable weakening of the contribution of soil biota to ecosystem functions under long-term conventional agriculture. Independent of the farming system, experimental and seasonal (ambient) drought conditions directly affected soil biota and activity. A higher soil water content during early and intermediate stages of the growing season and a high number of significant relationships between soil biota to ecosystem functions suggest that organic farming provides a buffer against drought effects.}, language = {en} } @misc{TlusteBirkhofer, author = {Tluste, Claudia and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Shells of the Roman snail are important microhabitats for soil invertebrates}, series = {Soil organisms}, volume = {93}, journal = {Soil organisms}, number = {3}, issn = {2509-9523}, doi = {10.25674/so93iss3id167}, pages = {141 -- 152}, abstract = {Shells of molluscs from snail farms (heliciculture) are used as food additives or construction material and ecological engineering approaches utilize their potential to assist with ecosystem restoration. Previous studies, for example, highlighted the importance of snail shells as microhabitat for threatened arthropod species with particular focus on wild bees nesting in empty shells. This study focuses on shells of the Roman snail (Helix pomatia Linnaeus, 1758) and their value as microhabitat for shell adopters in different dominant vegetation forms and sample periods. In total, 1408 empty shells were placed in areas dominated by one of two vegetation forms (herbaceous vegetation or trees) from February to November 2019 (autumn) or from February to June/ July 2020 (summer). All collected shells (N = 618) were sealed at the time of collection, frozen and all content was then analysed with a digital microscope. In total, 91.4\% of all collected shells were occupied and the average number of shell adopters was 1.5 time higher in shells collected in summer compared to shells collected in autumn. The number of shell adopters per shell was 1.5 times higher in study areas dominated by herbaceous vegetation compared to study areas dominated by trees. Shell width, but not shell height significantly affected the composition of shell adopter communities. Shells with a larger width were more frequently colonized by another gastropod species [Discus rotundatus (O. F. M{\"u}ller, 1774)] than less wide shells. Shells of the Roman snail provide important multipurpose benefits for a wide range of soil organisms, particularly in habitats that were dominated by herbaceous vegetation and in summer. In autumn, shell adopters included isopods, gastropods and spiders in one subset of shells or Collembola in another subset. The future use of commercially available, empty shells from heliciculture in local restoration projects of open, tree-free areas, holds the potential to support a diverse invertebrate fauna with additional refuge habitats.}, language = {en} } @misc{MathulweJacobsMalanetal., author = {Mathulwe, Letodi L. and Jacobs, Karin and Malan, Antoinette P. and Birkhofer, Klaus and Addison, Matthew F. and Addison, Pia}, title = {Characterisation of Metarhizium majus (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) isolated from the Western Cape Province, South Africa.}, series = {PloS one}, journal = {PloS one}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0240955}, pages = {11}, abstract = {Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are important soil-dwelling entomopathogens, which can be used as biological control agents against pest insects. EPF are capable of causing lethal epizootics in pest insect populations in agroecosystems. During a survey of the orchard soil at an organic farm, different EPF species were collected and identified to species level, using both morphological and molecular techniques. The EPF were trapped from soil samples taken from an apricot orchard. The traps, which were baited in the laboratory, used susceptible host insects, including the last-instar larvae of Galleria mellonella (wax moth larvae) and Tenebrio molitor (mealworm larvae). The potential pathogenicity of the local Metarhizium majus isolate was tested and verified using susceptible laboratory-reared last-instar T. molitor larvae. The identification of the M. majus isolated from South African soil was verified using both morphological and molecular techniques. The occurrence of M. majus in the South African soil environment had not previously been reported.}, language = {en} } @misc{FotangBroeringRoosetal., author = {Fotang, Chefor and Br{\"o}ring, Udo and Roos, Christian and Enoguanbhor, Evidence Chinedu and E. Abwe, Ekwoge and Dutton, Paul and Schierack, Peter and Angwafo, Tsi Evaristus and Birkhofer, Klaus}, title = {Human activity and forest fragmentation threaten populations of the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) in Western Cameroon}, series = {International Journal of Primatology}, volume = {42}, journal = {International Journal of Primatology}, number = {1}, issn = {1573-8604}, doi = {10.1007/s10764-020-00191-2}, pages = {105 -- 129}, abstract = {Increased human activities such as commodity-led deforestation, extension of agriculture, urbanization, and wildfires are major drivers of forest loss worldwide. In Cameroon, these activities cause a loss of suitable primate habitat and could ultimately threaten the survival of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). We derived independent estimates of the population size of the Endangered Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) in Kom-Wum Forest Reserve, Cameroon, and surrounding unprotected forest areas through 1) direct observations, 2) camera trapping, 3) distance sampling, 4) marked nest counts, and 5) standing crop nest counts. In addition, we georeferenced signs of chimpanzee and human activity along line transects. We used a generalized linear mixed model to predict the occurrence of chimpanzees in response to edge length (measured as the perimeter of core forest patches), core area of forest patches (measured as area of forest patches beyond an edge width of 100 m), habitat perforation (measured as the perimeter of nonforested landscape within core forest patches), patch size(measured as area of forest patches), and forest cover. Chimpanzee density estimates ranged from 0.1 (direct observation) to 0.9 (distance sampling) individuals km-2 depending on estimation method with a mean nest group size of 7 ± 5.4 (SD). The mean encounter rate for signs of chimpanzee activity was significantly higher in mature forests (2.3 signs km-1) than in secondary forests (0.3 signs km-1) and above 1000 m elevation (4.0 signs km-1) than below 1000 m (1.0 signs km-1). The mean encounter rate for signs of human activity was significantly higher in secondary (8.0 signs km-1) than in mature forests (0.9 signs km-1). Secondary forests, habitat perforation, and edge length had a significant negative effect on the occurrence of chimpanzee signs. Overall, human activity and forest degradation affected the number of observed chimpanzee signs negatively. Regular antipoaching patrols and reforestation programs in degraded areas could potentially reduce threats to populations of endangered species and may increase suitable habitat area.}, language = {en} } @misc{PhillipsBachEisenhaueretal., author = {Phillips, Helen R. P. and Bach, Elizabeth M. and Eisenhauer, Nico and Birkhofer, Klaus and Bartz, Marie L. C.}, title = {Global data on earthworm abundance, biomass, diversity and corresponding environmental properties}, series = {Scientific Data}, journal = {Scientific Data}, number = {8}, issn = {2052-4463}, doi = {10.1038/s41597-021-00912-z}, abstract = {Earthworms are an important soil taxon as ecosystem engineers, providing a variety of crucial ecosystem functions and services. Little is known about their diversity and distribution at large spatial scales, despite the availability of considerable amounts of local-scale data. Earthworm diversity data, obtained from the primary literature or provided directly by authors, were collated with information on site locations, including coordinates, habitat cover, and soil properties. Datasets were required, at a minimum, to include abundance or biomass of earthworms at a site. Where possible, site-level species lists were included, as well as the abundance and biomass of individual species and ecological groups. This global dataset contains 10,840 sites, with 184 species, from 60 countries and all continents except Antarctica. The data were obtained from 182 published articles, published between 1973 and 2017, and 17 unpublished datasets. Amalgamating data into a single global database will assist researchers in investigating and answering a wide variety of pressing questions, for example, jointly assessing aboveground and belowground biodiversity distributions and drivers of biodiversity change.}, language = {en} } @misc{PekarWolffČerneckaetal., author = {Pek{\´a}r, Stano and Wolff, Jonas O. and Černeck{\´a}, Ľudmila and Birkhofer, Klaus and Mammola, Stefano and Lowe, Elizabeth C. and Fukushima, Caroline S. and Herberstein, Marie E. and Kučera, Adam and Buzatto, Bruno A.}, title = {The World Spider Trait database: a centralized global open repository for curated data on spider traits}, series = {Database}, journal = {Database}, number = {2021}, issn = {1758-0463}, doi = {10.1093/database/baab064}, pages = {10}, abstract = {Spiders are a highly diversified group of arthropods and play an important role in terrestrial ecosystems as ubiquitous predators, which makes them a suitable group to test a variety of eco-evolutionary hypotheses. For this purpose, knowledge of a diverse range of species traits is required. Until now, data on spider traits have been scattered across thousands of publications produced for over two centuries and written in diverse languages. To facilitate access to such data, we developed an online database for archiving and accessing spider traits at a global scale. The database has been designed to accommodate a great variety of traits (e.g. ecological, behavioural and morphological) measured at individual, species or higher taxonomic levels. Records are accompanied by extensive metadata (e.g. location and method). The database is curated by an expert team, regularly updated and open to any user. A future goal of the growing database is to include all published and unpublished data on spider traits provided by experts worldwide and to facilitate broad cross-taxon assays in functional ecology and comparative biology.}, language = {en} } @misc{KozjekKundelKKushwahaetal., author = {Kozjek, Katja and Kundel, Dominika and K. Kushwaha, Sandeep and Olsson, P{\aa}l Axel and Ahr{\´e}n, Dag and Fliessbach, Andreas and Birkhofer, Klaus and Hedlund, Katarina}, title = {Long-term agricultural management impacts arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi more than short-term experimental drought}, series = {Applied Soil Ecology}, journal = {Applied Soil Ecology}, number = {168}, issn = {0929-1393}, doi = {10.1016/j.apsoil.2021.104140}, abstract = {Agricultural management practices and extreme weather events associated with climate change can influence the diversity and abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) with potential consequences for crop production. However, the importance of the interactive effects of long-term agricultural management and extreme weather events on AMF communities in agricultural soils is not yet fully explored. A short-term drought experiment with rainout-shelters was performed in winter wheat fields in a long-term agricultural trial with organic (biodynamic) and conventional management practices. During four months of the winter wheat growing period (March-June 2017), the rainout-shelters reduced the ambient precipitation by 65\% on average. At two sampling dates, the AMF diversity and community composition were assessed using a single-molecule real-time (SMRT) DNA sequencing. A total of 955 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), belonging to twelve genera were identified. The long-term farming systems and the short-term experimental drought did not affect AMF ASV diversity levels. The AMF community composition at the genus level differed between the organic and the conventional farming systems, but no distinctive communities were found in response to the experimental drought. The three most abundant genera Acaulospora, Paraglomus and Funneliformis were correlated to the two farming practices. Our study demonstrates that AMF communities in agricultural soils are responsive to long-term farming systems, and are resistant to one short-term summer drought event.}, language = {en} }