Diversity of cereal aphid parasitoids in simple and complex landscapes

• Published in: Agriculture, ecosystems & environment Vol. 126; no. 3; pp. 289 - 292
• Main Authors: Vollhardt, Ines M.G., Tscharntke, Teja, Wäckers, Felix L., Bianchi, Felix J.J.A., Thies, Carsten
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.07.2008; Amsterdam; New York: Elsevier; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: agroecosystems; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Aphididae; Aphidiidae; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Biological control; context; density; fields; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agroecology; General agroecology. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development. Rural area planning. Landscaping; General agronomy. Plant production; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; grain crops; habitats; Hymenoptera; Landscape composition; landscape structural complexity; landscapes; management; Parasitoids; Rhopalosiphum padi; spatial variation; species diversity; Species richness; Triticum aestivum; Winter wheat; Germany; Parasitoids; Landscape composition; Biodiversity; Biological control; Species richness; Winter wheat; Parasitoid; Landscape; Entomophagous
• ISSN: 0167-8809; 1873-2305
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2008.01.024

Structurally complex landscapes may enhance local species richness and interactions, which is possibly due to a higher species pool in complex landscapes. This hypothesis was tested using cereal aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Aphidiidae) by comparing 12 winter wheat fields in structurally complex landscapes (>50% semi-natural habitats; n = 6) and structurally simple landscapes dominated by agricultural lands (>80% arable land; n = 6). Surprisingly, landscape structural complexity had no effect on aphid parasitoid species diversity. In complex landscapes 12 and in simple landscapes 11 species were found; 9 species occurred in both landscape types. Hence, arable fields in high-intensity agricultural landscapes with little non-crop area can support a similar diversity of cereal aphid parasitoids as structurally complex landscapes. This finding suggests that cereal aphid parasitoids may find necessary resources even in simple landscapes, making generalisations concerning the relationship between landscape composition and biodiversity in arable fields difficult.