TY - GEN A1 - Mader, Viktoria A1 - Diehl, Eva A1 - Wolters, Volkmar A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Agri‐environmental schemes affect the trophic niche size and diet of common carabid species in agricultural landscapes T2 - Ecological Entomology N2 - 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. Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/een.12671 SN - 1365-2311 SN - 0307-6946 VL - 43 IS - 6 SP - 823 EP - 835 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Karp, Daniel S. A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Crop pests and predators exhibit inconsistent responses to surrounding landscape composition T2 - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America N2 - 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. KW - agroecology KW - biodiversity KW - biological control KW - ecosystem services KW - natural enemies Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1800042115 SN - 1091-6490 SN - 0027-8424 N1 - viele weitere Autoren VL - 115 IS - 33 SP - E7863 EP - E7870 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Zaitsev, Andrey S. A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Ekschmitt, Klemens A1 - Wolters, Volkmar T1 - Belowground Tritrophic Food Chain Modulates Soil Respiration in Grasslands T2 - Pedosphere N2 - 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. Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/S1002-0160(18)60008-6 SN - 1002-0160 VL - 28 IS - 1 SP - 114 EP - 123 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Berger, Josef S. A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Hanson, Helena I. A1 - Hedlund, Katarina T1 - Landscape configuration affects herbivore–parasitoid communities in oilseed rape T2 - Journal of Pest Science N2 - 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. Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10340-018-0965-1 SN - 1612-4758 SN - 1612-4766 VL - 91 IS - 3 SP - 1093 EP - 1105 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Tschumi, Matthias A1 - Ekroos, Johan A1 - Hjort, Cecilia A1 - Smith, Henrik G. A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Rodents, not birds, dominate predation-related ecosystem services and disservices in vertebrate communities of agricultural landscapes T2 - Oecologia N2 - 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. KW - Biological control; Predators; Semi-natural grasslands; Weed control; Wildlife cameras Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-018-4242-z SN - 0029-8549 SN - 1432-1939 VL - 188 IS - 3 SP - 863 EP - 873 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Ahlswede, Steve A1 - Fabiano, Ezequiel Chimbioputo A1 - Keeping, Derek A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Using the Formozov–Malyshev–Pereleshin formula to convert mammal spoor counts into density estimates for long‐term community‐level monitoring T2 - African Journal of Ecology Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.12587 SN - 1365-2028 SN - 0141-6707 VL - 57 IS - 2 SP - 177 EP - 189 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Wanner, Manfred A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Fischer, Thomas A1 - Shimizu, Miki A1 - Shimano, Satoshi D. A1 - Puppe, Daniel T1 - Soil Testate Amoebae and Diatoms as Bioindicators of an Old Heavy Metal Contaminated Floodplain in Japan T2 - Microbial Ecology Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-019- 01383-x SN - 1432-184X SN - 0095-3628 VL - 79 IS - 1 SP - 123 EP - 133 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Phillips, Helen R. P. A1 - Guerra, Carlos A. A1 - Bartz, Marie L. C. A1 - Briones, Maria J. I. A1 - Brown, George A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Global distribution of earthworm diversity T2 - Science KW - earthworm diversity Y1 - 2019 UR - https://science.sciencemag.org/content/366/6464/480.abstract U6 - https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aax4851 SN - 1095-9203 N1 - viele weitere Autoren VL - Vol. 366 IS - 6464 SP - 480 EP - 485 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Wanner, Manfred A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Puppe, Daniel A1 - Shimano, Satoshi D. A1 - Shimizu, Miki T1 - Tolerance of testate amoeba species to rising sea levels under laboratory conditions and in the South Pacific T2 - Pedobiologia Y1 - 2020 SN - 0031-4056 VL - 79 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Tschumi, Matthias A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Blasiusson, Sandra A1 - Jörgensen, Martin A1 - Smith, Henrik G. A1 - Ekroos, Johan T1 - Woody elements benefit bird diversity to a larger extent thansemi-natural grasslands in cereal-dominated landscapes T2 - Basic and Applied Ecology N2 - 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. Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2020.03.005 SN - 1439-1791 VL - 46 SP - 15 EP - 23 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Tluste, Claudia A1 - Bröring, Udo A1 - Němec, Tomáš A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Morphometric traits of shells determine utilization marks in the Roman Snail in eastern Germany T2 - Web Ecology N2 - 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 Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/we-20-87-2020 SN - 1399-1183 SN - 2193-3081 VL - 20 IS - 2 SP - 87 EP - 94 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Samways, Michael J. A1 - Barton, Philip S. A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Chichorro, Filipe A1 - Deacon, Charl A1 - Fartmann, Thomas A1 - Fukushima, Caroline S. T1 - Solutions for humanity on how to conserve insects T2 - Biological Conservation N2 - 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. KW - Human well-being KW - Conservation action KW - Conservation strategies KW - Habitat management KW - Climate change KW - Species extinction Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108427 SN - 0006-3207 VL - 242 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Aguilera, Guillermo A1 - Roslin, Tomas A1 - Miller, Kirsten A1 - Tamburini, Giovanni A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Caballero-Lopez, Berta A1 - Lindström, Sandra Ann-Marie A1 - Öckinger, Erik A1 - Rundlöf, Maj A1 - Rusch, Adrien A1 - Smith, Henrik G. A1 - Bommarco, Riccardo T1 - Crop diversity benefits carabid and pollinator communities in landscapes with semi‐natural habitats T2 - Journal of Applied Ecology N2 - 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. KW - ecosystem services KW - predation KW - agricultural intensification KW - arable land KW - crop diversity KW - diversification KW - pollination KW - landscape composition Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13712 SN - 1365-2664 SN - 0021-8901 VL - 57 IS - 11 SP - 2170 EP - 2179 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Cardoso, Pedro A1 - Barton, Philip S. A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Chichorro, Filipe A1 - Deacon, Charl A1 - Fartmann, Thomas A1 - Fukushima, Caroline S. A1 - Gaigher, René A1 - Habel, Jan C. T1 - Scientists' warning to humanity on insect extinctions T2 - Biological Conservation N2 - 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. KW - Arthropods KW - Biodiversity loss KW - Centinelan extinctions KW - Drivers of extinction KW - Ecosystem services KW - Threatened species Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108426 IS - 242 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Arvidsson, Fredrik A1 - Addison, Pia A1 - Addison, Matthew F. A1 - Haddad, C. R. A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Weed species, not mulching, affect web‐building spiders and their prey in organic fruit orchards in South Africa T2 - Ecosphere N2 - 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. Y1 - 2020 VL - 11 IS - 3 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Michalko, Radek A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Habitat niches suggest that non-crop habitat types differ in quality as source habitats for Central European agrobiont spiders T2 - Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment KW - crop KW - functional composition KW - Generalist KW - Landscape KW - Niche filtering KW - Specialist Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2020.107248 SN - 0167-8809 VL - 308 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Lowe, Elizabeth C. A1 - Wolff, Jonas O. A1 - Aceves-Aparicio, Alfonso A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Branco, Vasco V. T1 - Towards establishment of a centralized spider traits database T2 - The Journal of Arachnology N2 - 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. KW - functional diversity KW - Phentotypic traits KW - functional ecology Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1636/0161-8202-48.2.103 SN - 0161-8202 VL - 48 IS - 2 SP - 103 EP - 109 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Kundel, Dominika A1 - Bodenhausen, Natacha A1 - Bracht Jørgensen, Helene A1 - Truu, Jaak A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Hedlund, Katarina A1 - Mäder, Paul A1 - Fliessbach, Andreas T1 - Effects of simulated drought on biological soil quality, microbial diversity and yields under long-term conventional and organic agriculture T2 - FEMS Microbiology Ecology N2 - 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. KW - microbial diversity KW - rainout shelter KW - PLFA KW - amplicon-based sequencing KW - DOK trial KW - soil organic carbon Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/doi: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa205 SN - 1574-6941 VL - 96 IS - 12 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Damptey, Frederick Gyasi A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Nsiah, Paul Kofi A1 - Garcia de la Riva, Enrique T1 - Soil properties and biomass attributes in a former gravel mine area after two decades of forest restoration T2 - Land N2 - 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. KW - carbon sequestration KW - degradation KW - forest management KW - mining KW - restoration success Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/land9060209 SN - 2073-445X VL - 9 IS - 6 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Samways, Michael J. : Insect conservation: a global synthesis JF - Basic and Applied Ecology Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2020.04.001 SN - 1439-1791 VL - 46 PB - Springer ER - TY - GEN A1 - Němec, Tomáš A1 - Líznarová, E. A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus A1 - Horsák, M. T1 - Stable isotope analysis as a method to investigate land-snail food partitioning: a case study from Central European floodplain forest T2 - Journal of Zoology N2 - 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. KW - tropic position KW - snail KW - competition KW - stable isotope analysis KW - oppurtunistic behavior KW - food source Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12859 SN - 1469-7998 VL - 313 IS - 4 SP - 297 EP - 306 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Thomas Wohlgemuth, Anke Jentsch und Rupert Seidl: Störungsökologie, Bern, 2019 N2 - Breiter Überblick zum Stand des Wissens Ökosysteme werden durch Wind, Feuer, Insekten- oder Pilzbefall sowie durch die anthropogene Landnutzung gestört. Störungen können Ökosysteme rasch wandeln, aber langfristig auch zu deren Stabilisierung beitragen. In der Summe aller in einer Landschaft wirkenden Störungen ergibt sich ein Störungsregime, 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 Störungstypen und Störungsregime sowie ihre Bedeutung für Ökosysteme und beschreibt die Anpassungen von Arten und Pflanzengemeinschaften an diese Störungen. Es bietet einen breiten Überblick zum Stand des Wissens in der Störungsökologie. Zahlreiche Beispiele illustrieren dabei die Verhältnisse in Mitteleuropa. T2 - DIE ERDE – Journal of the Geographical Society of Berlin Y1 - 2019 UR - https://www.die-erde.org/index.php/die-erde/article/view/532 SN - 9783825250188 VL - 151 IS - 4 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Damptey, Frederick Gyasi A1 - Garcia de la Riva, Enrique A1 - Birkhofer, Klaus T1 - Trade-offs and synergies between food and fodder production and other ecosystem services in an actively restored forest in Ghana. T2 - Frontiers in Forests and Global Change N2 - 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. Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2021.630959 SN - 2624-893X IS - 4 ER -