Bayerisches Vertragsnaturschutzprogramm erhöht die Insektenvielfalt auf Äckern

Agri-environmental scheme management practices promote insect richness on arable fields // Bavaria’s cultural landscape is strongly shaped by arable farming and its management affects the insects and arachnids (arthropods) inhabiting the landscape. Agri-environmental schemes provide a nature-friendly way of farming to support native and endangered species, to provide more habitat, and to improve ecosystem services. We compared insect and arachnid species richness and insect biomass between arable fields with and without management practices under the Contract-Based Conservation Program (Vertragsnaturschutzprogramm; VNP). Our results consistently showed statistically significant positive effects on insect species richness and biomass. Further, red listed insect and arachnid species were more abundant on arable fields with VNP. Consequently, agri-environmental schemes on arable land are an important element to support arthropod communities in an agricultural landscape and its expansion can help to address insect decline.