Beetle bank-positioning on sloped farmland to promote water retention and biodiversity in farm management information systems for agri-environmental schemes

Beetle banks are raised vegetative barriers created within farmland to promote beneficial insects, surface runoff mitigation, and erosion control. High requirements on planning and inefficient advice in agri-environmental schemes (AES) have been identified as obstacles to the implementation of beetle banks on sloped farmland. This study presents a novel digital and automated method to identify potential sites for such beetle banks and discusses implications for practical implementation as well as concepts to integrate the method into farm management information systems (FMIS) for AES. First, suitable in-field routes of tractors (waylines) are selected in a multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) considering management costs and erosion control under practical conditions. Elevation profiles of selected waylines are then analyzed to identify sections for beetle banks that build basins for water retention, demonstrated by a flow accumulation model. The method may be integrated into FMIS to improve the implementation of AES by supporting farmers in i) decision making by providing potential locations for beetle banks evaluated regarding ecological benefits and subsidy payments ii) implementing beetle banks on suitable sites using precision farming technologies and iii) managing AES applications. This may increase the ecological benefits and cost-effectiveness of measures and reduces financial risks and bureaucratic efforts for farmers. Advisors, landowners, and private investors may further benefit from a public FMIS version to promote beetle banks in collaborative schemes. • Beetle banks promote beneficial insects, water retention and erosion control. • Planning requirements, bureaucracy, low payments and inefficient advice discourage farmers from implementing beetle banks. • Potential beetle bank locations are identified by path planning in complex terrain and elevation profile analysis. • Locations can be provided to farmers via farm management information systems linked to agri-environmental schemes. • Schemes would improve regarding ecological benefits, financial risks for farmers and monitoring costs.