title: Gains to species diversity in organically farmed fields are not propagated at the farm level.
abstract: Organic farming is promoted to reduce environmental impacts of agriculture, but surprisingly little is known about its effects at the farm level, the primary unit of decision making. Here we report the effects of organic farming on species diversity at the field, farm and regional levels by sampling plants, earthworms, spiders and bees in 1470 fields of 205 randomly selected organic and nonorganic farms in twelve European and African regions. Species richness is, on average, 10.5% higher in organic than nonorganic production fields, with highest gains in intensive arable fields (around +45%). Gains to species richness are partly caused by higher organism abundance and are common in plants and bees but intermittent in earthworms and spiders. Average gains are marginal +4.6% at the farm and +3.1% at the regional level, even in intensive arable regions. Additional, targeted measures are therefore needed to fulfil the commitment of organic farming to benefit farmland biodiversity.
authors: Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Manuel K
authors: MK
authors: Schneider
authors: 1] Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zurich, Switzerland [2] Institute of Evolutionary Biology & Environmental Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Gisela
authors: G
authors: Lüscher
authors: Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Jeanneret
authors: University of Natural Resources & Life Sciences, Gregor Mendel Strasse 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria.
authors: Michaela
authors: M
authors: Arndorfer
authors: Institut National de Recherche en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forêts, Rue Hédi Karray, BP 10, Ariana 2080, Tunisie.
authors: Youssef
authors: Y
authors: Ammari
authors: Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Debra
authors: D
authors: Bailey
authors: Institute of Environmental & Landscape Management, Szent Istvan University, Páter Károly u. 1, 2100 Gödöllö, Hungary.
authors: Katalin
authors: K
authors: Balázs
authors: Lendület Ecosystem Services Research Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Alkotmány u. 2-4, 2163 Vácrátót, Hungary.
authors: András
authors: A
authors: Báldi
authors: INRA, UMR 1201 Dynafor, Chemin de Borde-Rouge, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France.
authors: Jean-Philippe
authors: JP
authors: Choisis
authors: Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth SY23 3DD, UK.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Dennis
authors: Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, PO Box 115, 1431 Ås, Norway.
authors: Sebastian
authors: S
authors: Eiter
authors: Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, PO Box 115, 1431 Ås, Norway.
authors: Wendy
authors: W
authors: Fjellstad
authors: Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth SY23 3DD, UK.
authors: Mariecia D
authors: MD
authors: Fraser
authors: University of Natural Resources & Life Sciences, Gregor Mendel Strasse 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Frank
authors: University of Natural Resources & Life Sciences, Gregor Mendel Strasse 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria.
authors: Jürgen K
authors: JK
authors: Friedel
authors: Institut National de Recherche en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forêts, Rue Hédi Karray, BP 10, Ariana 2080, Tunisie.
authors: Salah
authors: S
authors: Garchi
authors: 1] Alterra, Wageningen UR, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands [2] Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Technopôle Arbois-Méditerranée, Bât. Villemin-BP 80, 13545 Aix-en-Provence, France.
authors: Ilse R
authors: IR
authors: Geijzendorffer
authors: 1] Department of Biology, Padova University, via U. Bassi 58/b, 35121 Padova, Italy [2] Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, ICTA ICTA-ICP, Edifici Z Carrer de les columnes, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès - Barcelona), Spain.
authors: Tiziano
authors: T
authors: Gomiero
authors: Forestry School, University of Extremadura, Av. Virgen del Puerto 2, 10600 Plasencia, Spain.
authors: Guillermo
authors: G
authors: Gonzalez-Bornay
authors: 1] Institute of Evolutionary Biology & Environmental Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland [2] Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK.
authors: Andy
authors: A
authors: Hector
authors: Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth SY23 3DD, UK.
authors: Gergely
authors: G
authors: Jerkovich
authors: Alterra, Wageningen UR, Droevendaalsesteeg 3, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Rob H G
authors: RH
authors: Jongman
authors: Department of Soil Science, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
authors: Esezah
authors: E
authors: Kakudidi
authors: Centre of Life and Food Science, Technical University of Munich, Alte Akademie 12, 85354 Freising, Germany.
authors: Max
authors: M
authors: Kainz
authors: Lendület Ecosystem Services Research Group, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Alkotmány u. 2-4, 2163 Vácrátót, Hungary.
authors: Anikó
authors: A
authors: Kovács-Hostyánszki
authors: Forestry School, University of Extremadura, Av. Virgen del Puerto 2, 10600 Plasencia, Spain.
authors: Gerardo
authors: G
authors: Moreno
authors: Department of Soil Science, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
authors: Charles
authors: C
authors: Nkwiine
authors: Department of Soil Science, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
authors: Julius
authors: J
authors: Opio
authors: University of Natural Resources & Life Sciences, Gregor Mendel Strasse 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria.
authors: Marie-Louise
authors: ML
authors: Oschatz
authors: Department of Biology, Padova University, via U. Bassi 58/b, 35121 Padova, Italy.
authors: Maurizio G
authors: MG
authors: Paoletti
authors: SOLAGRO, Initiatives and Innovations for Energy, Agriculture and Environment, 75 Voie du TOEC, 31076 Toulouse, France.
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Pointereau
authors: Forestry School, University of Extremadura, Av. Virgen del Puerto 2, 10600 Plasencia, Spain.
authors: Fernando J
authors: FJ
authors: Pulido
authors: 1] Toulouse University; ENSAT; UMR 1248 AGIR, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France [2] INRA, UMR 1248 AGIR, Chemin de Borde-Rouge, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan, France.
authors: Jean-Pierre
authors: JP
authors: Sarthou
authors: Centre of Life and Food Science, Technical University of Munich, Alte Akademie 12, 85354 Freising, Germany.
authors: Norman
authors: N
authors: Siebrecht
authors: Department of Biology, Padova University, via U. Bassi 58/b, 35121 Padova, Italy.
authors: Daniele
authors: D
authors: Sommaggio
authors: 1] Institute of Evolutionary Biology & Environmental Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland [2] Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK.
authors: Lindsay A
authors: LA
authors: Turnbull
authors: Centre of Life and Food Science, Technical University of Munich, Alte Akademie 12, 85354 Freising, Germany.
authors: Sebastian
authors: S
authors: Wolfrum
authors: Agroscope, Institute for Sustainability Sciences, Reckenholzstrasse 191, 8046 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Felix
authors: F
authors: Herzog
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D044822:Biodiversity; D004777:Environment; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D058871:Organic Agriculture; D010944:Plants / Q000145:classification; D013112:Spiders / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development