Bridging the gaps between agricultural policy, land-use and biodiversity.
The fate of biodiversity is intimately linked to agricultural development. Policy reform is an important driver of changes in agricultural land-use, but there is considerable spatial variation in response to policy and its potential impact on biodiversity. We review the links between policy, land-use and biodiversity and advocate a more integrated approach. Ecologists need to recognize that wildlife-friendly farming is not the only land-use strategy that can be used to conserve biodiversity and to research alternative options such as land sparing. There is also a need for social scientists and ecologists to bring their approaches together, so that land-use change and its consequences can be investigated in a more holistic way.
Mattison
Elizabeth H A
EH
Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, The University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 237, Reading, UK, RG6 6AR. e.mattison@reading.ac.uk
Norris
Ken
K