Sparse trees and shrubs confers a high biodiversity to pastures: Case study on spiders from Transylvania.

ABSTRACT: The integration of food production and biodiversity conservation represents a key challenge for sustainability. Several studies suggest that even small structural elements in the landscape can make a substantial contribution to the overall biodiversity value of the agricultural landscapes. Pastures can have high biodiversity potential. However, their intensive and monofunctional use typically erodes its natural capital, including biodiversity. Here we address the ecological value of fine scale structural elements represented by sparsely scattered trees and shrubs for the spider communities in a moderately intensively grazed pasture in Transylvania, Eastern Europe. The pasture was grazed with sheep, cattle and buffalo (ca 1 Livestock Unit ha-1) and no chemical fertilizers were applied. Samp

SUBMITTER: Galle R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5590833 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature