Soil arthropod biodiversity in plain and hilly olive orchard agroecosystems, in Crete, Greece

Μελετήθηκε η βιοποικιλότητα της εδαφόβιας πανίδας αρθροπόδων σε 24 ελαιώνες, οι οποίοι βρίσκονται σε οκτώ διαφορετικές τοποθεσίες στην περιοχή της Μεσσαράς, Κρήτη, και καλύπτουν τις κύριες αγροοικολογικές ζώνες της ελαιοπαραγωγής, πεδινή και λοφώδη. Οι μετρήσεις της εδαφόβιας πανίδας περιλάμβαναν πέντε εβδομαδιαίες δειγματοληψίες σε κάθε εποχή του έτους, με χρήση παγίδων παρεμβολής εδάφους (pitfall traps). Επίσης, ορίστηκαν ομάδες λειτουργικής πανίδας, που αφορούν την βιολογική καταπολέμηση των εχθρών της ελιάς και την ανακύκλωση των θρεπτικών συστατικών του αγροοικοσυστήματος των ελαιώνων. Έγινε σύγκριση μεταξύ των διαφορετικών αγροοικολογικών ζωνών, όσον αφορά την αφθονία και την ποικιλότητα των εδαφόβιων αρθροπόδων και των λειτουργικών τους ομάδων. Στις ταξινομικές ομάδες με μεγάλη αφθονία απαντώνται τα Coleoptera (39.52%), η οικογένεια Formicidae (27.3%), τα Araneae (8.77%) και τα Collembola (5.32%). Η λοφώδης αγροοικολογική ζώνη παρουσίασε υψηλότερη ολική ποικιλότητα αρθροπόδων, ωστόσο χαμηλότερη αφθονία, λόγω της παρουσίας της οικογένειας Tenebrionidae. Ο πλούτος των ταξινομικών ομάδων δεν διέφερε μεταξύ των αγροοικολογικών ζωνών. Η ολική λειτουργική πανίδα αντιπροσώπευσε ένα μεγάλο ποσοστό της ολικής βιοποικιλότητας (76.7%) ενώ παρουσίασε μια τάση υψηλότερης σχετικής αφθονίας στους λοφώδεις ελαιώνες, με εποχικές στατιστικά σημαντικές διαφορές. Ο δείκτης βιοποικιλότητας Shannon υπέδειξε υψηλότερη βιοποικιλότητα στους λοφώδεις ελαιώνες, με στατιστικά σημαντικές διαφορές την άνοιξη. Γενικά, η λιγότερο εντατική ελαιοπαραγωγή των λοφωδών ελαιώνων φάνηκε να ευνοεί την βιοποικιλότητα της εδαφόβιας πανίδας αρθροπόδων.Soil arthropod biodiversity was monitored in 24 olive orchards located in eight different sites in Messara, Crete, covering the two main agroecological zones of olive oil production, hilly and plain. Monitoring was done weekly for five weeks per season, from autumn 2011 to summer 2012, using pitfall traps. Subgroups of functional taxa were defined with respect to services of biological pest control and of nutrient cycling. Comparison of the different agroecological zones in terms of abundance and diversity of soil arthropods and functional subgroups was performed. Coleoptera (39.52%), Formicidae (27.3%), Araneae (8.77%) and Collembola (5.32%) were the most abundant taxa found in the olive orchards. Hilly orchards presented higher total arthropod diversity, but lower abundance due to family Tenebrionidae. Arthropod richness did not differ between agroecological zones. Functional arthropods were a major part of total abundance (76.7%) and presented a trend of higher catches abundance in the hilly orchards arthropods with seasonally statistically significant differences. Shannon Index of Diversity showed higher arthropod diversity in the hilly orchards, being significantly higher in spring. The less intensive olive production in hilly areas appeared to favour soil arthropod diversity

Controversial topics in agroecology: A European perspective

Seven potential controversial topics in agroecology are presented and discussed from a European perspective comparing the position of Agroecology Europe (AEEU) obtained from an iterative, participatory approach with members and compared with published literature, including views from other parts of the world. The seven controversial topics as follows: i) use of agrochemicals; ii) small-scale and peasant farming versus larger farms; iii) technological innovations in agriculture and precision farming; iv) biotechnology and genetic engineering in agriculture; v) local and short food circuits; vi) social justice; vii) gender perspective. The analysis shows that there are diverse points of view related to geographical area and sociopolitical contexts. However, there are several convergences in the ambition to redesign farming and food systems, as a lever acting on several topics, and in considering agroecology with a holistic, participatory, multiactor approach for the needed transition

Nature-based One Health approaches to urban agriculture can deliver food and nutrition security

The increasing global human population is projected to reach 9.7 billion people by 2050. This population growth is currently linked to the trends of worldwide urbanization, growth of megacities, and shifting dietary patterns. While humankind faces the daunting challenge of feeding and providing healthy lives for its teeming populations, urban agriculture holds promise for improving the quality of life in cities. Fortunately, policymakers and planners are accepting the need to support urban fringe farmers to increase the resilience of food systems while efficiently managing already strained natural resources. We argue that for urban agriculture to significantly increase food yields, it is crucial to adopt a One Health approach to agriculture and environmental stewardship. Here, we propose six nature-based and climate-smart approaches to accelerate the transition towards more sustainable food systems. These approaches include reducing the reliance on synthetic agricultural inputs, increasing biodiversity through producing locally adapted crops and livestock breeds, using probiotics and postbiotics, and adopting portable digital decision-support systems. Such radical approaches to transforming food production will require cross-sectoral stakeholder engagement at international, national, and community levels to protect biodiversity and the environment whilst ensuring sustainable and nutritious diets that are culturally acceptable, accessible, and affordable for all