Trade-off between pollinator-wildflower diversity & grassland yields
Abstract This is a critical moment for land use policy globally, with many countries (e.g. the UK and the European Union) currently undertaking significant green reforms of their agricultural policies. Despite their importance for maintaining agricultural outputs and plant diversity, the effects of...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | npj Biodiversity |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44185-024-00070-6 |
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| author | Nicholas J. Balfour Ciaran Harris Jonathan Storkey Francis L. W. Ratnieks |
| author_facet | Nicholas J. Balfour Ciaran Harris Jonathan Storkey Francis L. W. Ratnieks |
| author_sort | Nicholas J. Balfour |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract This is a critical moment for land use policy globally, with many countries (e.g. the UK and the European Union) currently undertaking significant green reforms of their agricultural policies. Despite their importance for maintaining agricultural outputs and plant diversity, the effects of artificial soil enrichment on pollinators remain poorly understood. Our two-year study at the world’s longest-running ecological experiment, Park Grass, Rothamsted, examines the relationship between soil fertilisation, grassland yield and biodiversity. Our data show a large and significant negative effect of the major plant nutrients (NPK) on the abundance, species richness and functional diversity of both pollinators and flowering plants. The results also indicate a large and significant trade-off between productivity and biodiversity. Our findings are a salutary reminder of the challenge in reconciling conflicting aims in farmland management and strongly suggest that financial incentives are necessary to offset yield reductions to improve biodiversity outcomes in agricultural grasslands. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f5e6a77503fe49808340222a57bbe4db |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2731-4243 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Biodiversity |
| spelling | doaj-art-f5e6a77503fe49808340222a57bbe4db2025-01-26T12:38:31ZengNature Portfolionpj Biodiversity2731-42432025-01-01411810.1038/s44185-024-00070-6Trade-off between pollinator-wildflower diversity & grassland yieldsNicholas J. Balfour0Ciaran Harris1Jonathan Storkey2Francis L. W. Ratnieks3Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, Department of Ecology & Evolution, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexLaboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, Department of Ecology & Evolution, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexProtecting Crops and the Environment, Rothamsted Research, HarpendenLaboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, Department of Ecology & Evolution, School of Life Sciences, University of SussexAbstract This is a critical moment for land use policy globally, with many countries (e.g. the UK and the European Union) currently undertaking significant green reforms of their agricultural policies. Despite their importance for maintaining agricultural outputs and plant diversity, the effects of artificial soil enrichment on pollinators remain poorly understood. Our two-year study at the world’s longest-running ecological experiment, Park Grass, Rothamsted, examines the relationship between soil fertilisation, grassland yield and biodiversity. Our data show a large and significant negative effect of the major plant nutrients (NPK) on the abundance, species richness and functional diversity of both pollinators and flowering plants. The results also indicate a large and significant trade-off between productivity and biodiversity. Our findings are a salutary reminder of the challenge in reconciling conflicting aims in farmland management and strongly suggest that financial incentives are necessary to offset yield reductions to improve biodiversity outcomes in agricultural grasslands.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44185-024-00070-6 |
| spellingShingle | Nicholas J. Balfour Ciaran Harris Jonathan Storkey Francis L. W. Ratnieks Trade-off between pollinator-wildflower diversity & grassland yields npj Biodiversity |
| title | Trade-off between pollinator-wildflower diversity & grassland yields |
| title_full | Trade-off between pollinator-wildflower diversity & grassland yields |
| title_fullStr | Trade-off between pollinator-wildflower diversity & grassland yields |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trade-off between pollinator-wildflower diversity & grassland yields |
| title_short | Trade-off between pollinator-wildflower diversity & grassland yields |
| title_sort | trade off between pollinator wildflower diversity grassland yields |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44185-024-00070-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT nicholasjbalfour tradeoffbetweenpollinatorwildflowerdiversitygrasslandyields AT ciaranharris tradeoffbetweenpollinatorwildflowerdiversitygrasslandyields AT jonathanstorkey tradeoffbetweenpollinatorwildflowerdiversitygrasslandyields AT francislwratnieks tradeoffbetweenpollinatorwildflowerdiversitygrasslandyields |