THE ROLE OF LANDSCAPE - Using yield monitor data collected from farmers we showed that yield declines at the crop edge can be mitigated by off-crop semi-natural habitats (SNH) e.g. hedgerows. Pollinators were more abundant and pest regulation services higher in crops adjacent to SNH than other crops. Molecular and image-based tools have been developed and tested to help understand species interactions and how they are impacted by SNH. The positive impact of SNH has been widely disseminated.
IN-CROP INTERVENTIONS - Agronomic practices within the crop, e.g. variety mixes, companion crops and the use of organic mulch can significantly improve the provision of ecosystem services within the crop. We have found that certain varietal mixes reduce aphid performance and that companion planting (intercropping, trap cropping, undersowing) and organic mulches reduce pests while supporting beneficial insects. The results of crop trials designed by consulting commercial farmers and other stakeholder groups show how these measures can be successfully implemented in barley, wheat, oilseed rape and potato crops.
BIO-INSPIRED PLANT PROTECTION: Strategies to promote naturally occurring or introduced antagonists of pests and pathogens were tested for efficacy, with results communicated to farmers and crop protection companies. Production of candidate molecules for biopesticides was scaled up, with efficacy trials and biosafety testing conducted. Plant signaling molecules were identified to enhance defense against insect pests and pathogens.
ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT – Data have been collected on the biology and ecology of ESP key species for modelling studies; the sensitivity to selected insecticides and their combinations of major pest control agents and pollinators in different European countries has been assessed. Data collected indicate a high probability of unacceptable effects of the tested insecticides on ESP communities. However, no major synergistic interactions were found between the tested plant protection products.
MODELLING AND UPSCALING –Pursued by developing landscape models to support simulation of ESPs in collaboration with other H2020 projects. Landscape models were completed for nine countries (Belgium Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, and UK). Development of ESP is underway: a new sub-population approach added to ALMaSS to model numerous species (e.g. aphids) and development of northern-European species of beetle solitary bee and a spider. The subpopulation model is complete, all northern European aphid models are calibrated and tested.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT – For the socio-economic evaluation of the EcoStack strategies, cost-benefit calculations were carried out for most of the individual measures at farm level. The implementation of the ‘realistic uptake’ stacking scenario in ALMaSS showed the possible range of changes in impacts on the considered ESPs that could occur if some restrictions were applied to the measures considered in the ‘maximum uptake’ scenario. The assessment of the socio-economic impacts of EcoStack in selected EU countries based on cost-benefit-analyses showed that EcoStack measures generally benefit ecosystem services and in many cases are also economically viable at farm level.
