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Published on: July 26, 2024
Restoring functional farmland biodiversity for biological pest control
Kris A G Wyckhuys1, Kathryn Bushley2, Claudio Gratton3
1Chrysalis Consulting, Danang, Viet Nam; Institute for Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China; School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD, Australia; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Rome, Italy; Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China.
Abstract:
Roughly 40% of global agri-food production is lost to pests during an era when productivity gains are essential to humanity. Restoring farmland biodiversity for conservation biological control offers potential to secure win-win outcomes for yield and the environment. However, achieving this is hindered by gaps in our understanding of agrobiodiversity, including a lack of data on the occurrence, identity, and interactions of farm-dwelling (plant, animal, microbial) biota. Limited interdisciplinary collaboration and weak policy frameworks exacerbate these issues. Comprehensive data capture using standardized metrics, universal protocols, farmer-scientist cooperation, and next-generation tools could consolidate the evidence base on which to reform farming practice. This will involve ecologists stepping outside their comfort zones to promote behavioral change and make ecological intensification a reality.
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