TY - JOUR

T1 - Harnessing the biodiversity value of Central and Eastern European farmland

AU - Sutcliffe, Laura M E

AU - Batáry, Péter

AU - Kormann, Urs

AU - Báldi, András

AU - Dicks, Lynn V.

AU - Herzon, Irina

AU - Kleijn, David

AU - Tryjanowski, Piotr

AU - Apostolova, Iva

AU - Arlettaz, Raphaël

AU - Aunins, Ainars

AU - Aviron, Stéphanie

AU - Baležentiene, Ligita

AU - Fischer, Christina

AU - Halada, Lubos

AU - Hartel, Tibor

AU - Helm, Aveliina

AU - Hristov, Iordan

AU - Jelaska, Sven D.

AU - Kaligarič, Mitja

AU - Kamp, Johannes

AU - Klimek, Sebastian

AU - Koorberg, Pille

AU - Kostiuková, Jarmila

AU - Kovács-Hostyánszki, Anikó

AU - Kuemmerle, Tobias

AU - Leuschner, Christoph

AU - Lindborg, Regina

AU - Loos, Jacqueline

AU - Maccherini, Simona

AU - Marja, Riho

AU - Máthé, Orsolya

AU - Paulini, Inge

AU - Proença, Vânia

AU - Rey-Benayas, José

AU - Sans, F. Xavier

AU - Seifert, Charlotte

AU - Stalenga, Jarosław

AU - Timaeus, Johannes

AU - Török, Péter

AU - van Swaay, Chris

AU - Viik, Eneli

AU - Tscharntke, Teja

N1 - Natural Environment Research Council, Funding number: NE/K015419/1

PY - 2015/6/1

Y1 - 2015/6/1

N2 - A large proportion of European biodiversity today depends on habitat provided by low-intensity farming practices, yet this resource is declining as European agriculture intensifies. Within the European Union, particularly the central and eastern new member states have retained relatively large areas of species-rich farmland, but despite increased investment in nature conservation here in recent years, farmland biodiversity trends appear to be worsening. Although the high biodiversity value of Central and Eastern European farmland has long been reported, the amount of research in the international literature focused on farmland biodiversity in this region remains comparatively tiny, and measures within the EU Common Agricultural Policy are relatively poorly adapted to support it. In this opinion study, we argue that, 10 years after the accession of the first eastern EU new member states, the continued under-representation of the low-intensity farmland in Central and Eastern Europe in the international literature and EU policy is impeding the development of sound, evidence-based conservation interventions. The biodiversity benefits for Europe of existing low-intensity farmland, particularly in the central and eastern states, should be harnessed before they are lost. Instead of waiting for species-rich farmland to further decline, targeted research and monitoring to create locally appropriate conservation strategies for these habitats is needed now.

AB - A large proportion of European biodiversity today depends on habitat provided by low-intensity farming practices, yet this resource is declining as European agriculture intensifies. Within the European Union, particularly the central and eastern new member states have retained relatively large areas of species-rich farmland, but despite increased investment in nature conservation here in recent years, farmland biodiversity trends appear to be worsening. Although the high biodiversity value of Central and Eastern European farmland has long been reported, the amount of research in the international literature focused on farmland biodiversity in this region remains comparatively tiny, and measures within the EU Common Agricultural Policy are relatively poorly adapted to support it. In this opinion study, we argue that, 10 years after the accession of the first eastern EU new member states, the continued under-representation of the low-intensity farmland in Central and Eastern Europe in the international literature and EU policy is impeding the development of sound, evidence-based conservation interventions. The biodiversity benefits for Europe of existing low-intensity farmland, particularly in the central and eastern states, should be harnessed before they are lost. Instead of waiting for species-rich farmland to further decline, targeted research and monitoring to create locally appropriate conservation strategies for these habitats is needed now.

KW - Ecosystems Research

KW - Agri-environment schemes

KW - Agricultural intensification

KW - Common agricultural policy

KW - European union

KW - High nature value farmland

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84929660593&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/b1e0e488-f1b8-31b8-aa23-37acf4cec69a/

U2 - 10.1111/ddi.12288

DO - 10.1111/ddi.12288

M3 - Journal articles

AN - SCOPUS:84929660593

VL - 21

SP - 722

EP - 730

JO - Diversity and Distributions

JF - Diversity and Distributions

SN - 1366-9516

IS - 6

ER -