title: Farmland biodiversity and agricultural management on 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions.
abstract: Farmland is a major land cover type in Europe and Africa and provides habitat for numerous species. The severe decline in farmland biodiversity of the last decades has been attributed to changes in farming practices, and organic and low-input farming are assumed to mitigate detrimental effects of agricultural intensification on biodiversity. Since the farm enterprise is the primary unit of agricultural decision making, management-related effects at the field scale need to be assessed at the farm level. Therefore, in this study, data were collected on habitat characteristics, vascular plant, earthworm, spider, and bee communities and on the corresponding agricultural management in 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions. In 15 environmental and agricultural homogeneous regions, 6-20 farms with the same farm type (e.g., arable crops, grassland, or specific permanent crops) were selected. If available, an equal number of organic and non-organic farms were randomly selected. Alternatively, farms were sampled along a gradient of management intensity. For all selected farms, the entire farmed area was mapped, which resulted in total in the mapping of 11 338 units attributed to 194 standardized habitat types, provided together with additional descriptors. On each farm, one site per available habitat type was randomly selected for species diversity investigations. Species were sampled on 2115 sites and identified to the species level by expert taxonomists. Species lists and abundance estimates are provided for each site and sampling date (one date for plants and earthworms, three dates for spiders and bees). In addition, farmers provided information about their management practices in face-to-face interviews following a standardized questionnaire. Farm management indicators for each farm are available (e.g., nitrogen input, pesticide applications, or energy input). Analyses revealed a positive effect of unproductive areas and a negative effect of intensive management on biodiversity. Communities of the four taxonomic groups strongly differed in their response to habitat characteristics, agricultural management, and regional circumstances. The data has potential for further insights into interactions of farmland biodiversity and agricultural management at site, farm, and regional scale.
authors.forename: Gisela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lüscher
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ammari
authors.forename: Aljona
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Andriets
authors.forename: Siyka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Angelova
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arndorfer
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Balázs
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bogers
authors.forename: Robert G H
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Bunce
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Choisis
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Tetyana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dyman
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eiter
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fjellstad
authors.forename: Mariecia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: Jürgen K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Friedel
authors.forename: Salah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garchi
authors.forename: Ilse R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Geijzendorffer
authors.forename: Tiziano
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gomiero
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: González-Bornay
authors.forename: Yana
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guteva
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Herzog
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jeanneret
authors.forename: Rob H G
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Jongman
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kainz
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kwikiriza
authors.forename: María Lourdes
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: López Díaz
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Pip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nicholas-Davies
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nkwiine
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Opio
authors.forename: Maurizio G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Paoletti
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Podmaniczky
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pointereau
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pulido
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sarthou
authors.forename: Manuel K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Tahar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sghaier
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Siebrecht
authors.forename: Siyka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stoyanova
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wolfrum
authors.forename: Sergiy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yashchenko
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Báldi
authors.forename: Márta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Belényesi
authors.forename: Jacinto
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benhadi-Marin
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blick
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buholzer
authors.forename: Csaba
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Centeri
authors.forename: Norma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Choisis
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cuendet
authors.forename: Hendrika J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: De Lange
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Déjean
authors.forename: Christo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deltshev
authors.forename: Darío J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Díaz Cosín
authors.forename: Wenche
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dramstad
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Elek
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Engan
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Evtushenko
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Falusi
authors.forename: Oliver-D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Finch
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gavinelli
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Genoud
authors.forename: Phillipa K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Gillingham
authors.forename: Viktor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grónás
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Häusler
authors.forename: Xaver
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Heer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hübner
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isaia
authors.forename: Gergely
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jerkovich
authors.forename: Juan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jesus
authors.forename: Esezah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kakudidi
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kelemen
authors.forename: Nóra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koncz
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: Anikó
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kovács-Hostyánszki
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Last
authors.forename: Toshko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ljubomirov
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mandery
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.forename: Atle
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mjelde
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muster
authors.forename: Juri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nascimbene
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neumayer
authors.forename: Frode
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ødegaard
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Ortiz Sánchez
authors.forename: Marie-Louise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Oschatz
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Papaja-Hülsbergen
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Paschetta
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavett
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pelosi
authors.forename: Károly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Penksza
authors.forename: Reidun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pommeresche
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Popov
authors.forename: Volodymyr
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Radchenko
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Richner
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riedel
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scullion
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sommaggio
authors.forename: Ottó
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Szalkovszki
authors.forename: Erich
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Szerencsits
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trigo
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vale
authors.forename: Ruud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Kats
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vasilev
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Whittington
authors.forename: Jerylee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilkes-Allemann
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zanetti
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees; D044822:Biodiversity; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005060:Europe; D000072480:Farms
keywords: BioBio; Tunisia; Uganda; agricultural management; arable crop; bee; earthworm; grassland; habitat diversity; permanent crop; spider; vascular plant