Summary
This study examined how different components of land-use intensity affect above- and belowground biodiversity differently in European agricultural grasslands. Plot-level intensification strongly suppressed aboveground diversity but had minimal negative effects on belowground communities, whilst landscape-level factors drove responses in both compartments through distinct mechanisms: landscape diversity benefited aboveground taxa, whilst permanent forest cover promoted belowground diversity. The findings suggest that whole-ecosystem conservation requires integrated management strategies addressing both local and landscape-scale land use.
UK applicability
The findings are directly applicable to UK grassland management, where intensive farming predominates. The results support revising agri-environment schemes to combine reduced plot-level intensification with landscape-scale habitat diversity and woodland retention, particularly to protect belowground ecosystem functions often overlooked in current UK policy.
Key measures
Abundance and diversity of above- and belowground taxa (>4,000 species) across 20 trophic groups; plot-level land-use intensity; landscape-level land cover and forest coverage
Outcomes reported
The study assessed responses of over 4,000 above- and belowground taxa across 20 trophic groups to local and landscape-level land-use components in 150 agricultural grasslands. It measured how plot-level land-use intensity and landscape-level land cover influence biodiversity across multiple trophic levels.
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