Flower strips attract butterflies - but that's not enough for biodiversity!

Flower strips attract butterflies - but that's not enough for biodiversity!

Flower strips between arable land are very popular as an agri-environmental measure, such as University of Göttingen reported. These measures attract numerous flower visitors such as butterflies and wild bees and help to beautify the landscape. However, the overarching goal of a species-rich agricultural landscape will not be achieved if flower strips are simply created. University researchers have emphasized in the journal Biological Conservation that effective conservation of biodiversity also requires habitats outside of cultivated areas.

Agriculture and its expansion are among the main causes of global species loss. In order to sustainably promote biodiversity, it is crucial to create diverse habitat types. Annual flower strips are quite common in the European Union, but their impact is limited as they only support a limited range of species. In this context, the need to take action at the landscape level is emphasized rather than just focusing on temporary solutions.

Diversity of habitats is key

To achieve the goal of biodiverse agriculture, habitats such as arable land containing diverse crops, as well as annual and perennial habitats, should be promoted. Other important elements include both flowing and standing water. By reducing the size of arable land, more edge structures can be created for different animal species. Differently structured habitats complement each other in the availability of resources and are indispensable for promoting ecosystem services such as pollination and biological pest control.

In order to achieve these goals, close cooperation between farmers and other actors is necessary. Prof. Dr. Teja Tscharntke highlights the importance of joint efforts in designing biodiversity-friendly agricultural landscapes. The original publication of these findings in the specialist literature is in the work by Teja Tscharntke et al. found in Biological Conservation.

Strategies for securing landscape elements

Comprehensive protection and preservation of biodiversity on agricultural land characterizes the efforts of NABU, which, in collaboration with the Leibniz Center for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), commissioned a study to increase landscape elements in Brandenburg. This study shows that using at least 10% of the agricultural landscape for elements such as hedges, flower strips and small bodies of water is crucial.

The scientists' strategy is intended to ensure that more landscape elements are integrated into agricultural production without these having a negative impact on yields. The introduction of terms such as “coldspots” for structurally weak communities makes it clear where landscape elements can have the greatest positive effects. NABU also calls for a uniform definition of landscape elements as well as a coordinated relationship between regulatory and funding law in order to ensure the sustainable application of these elements.

Finally, it should be mentioned that German development cooperation makes a vital contribution to maintaining agricultural diversity. By promoting agroecological principles and regional cycles, it is possible to use and conserve natural resources sustainably. Supporting the rural population in the partner countries with traditional farming and livestock breeding methods is an important step towards strengthening the rights of farmers regarding local seeds.

The role of small farmers in plant breeding and seed production is highlighted, as is equal access to land, especially for women and indigenous communities. Secured land rights are therefore a prerequisite for sustainable development in rural areas, which ultimately also promotes the preservation of biodiversity. For more information about these initiatives, see BMZ.