Collaborative Exploration and Collection of Forage Legume Genetic Resources in the Mountainous Areas of Bulgaria in 2006.

A program for the exploration and collection of forage legume genetic resources was carried out in Bulgaria by a collaborative team from two Japanese institutes, the National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region (NARCH) and the Konsen Agricultural Experiment Station (KAES), and two Bulgarian institutes, the Research Institute of Mountain Stockbreeding and Agriculture (RIMSA) and the Research Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (RIPGR), from 21 July to 2 August 2006. Bulgaria is rich in the genetic resources of forage crops since it lies close to their genetic center, the Mediterranean region, and has diverse climate conditions. The aim of this program was to increase the genetic variation of forage crops, especially Trifolium species, due to their adaptability to severe environmental conditions including low temperature and acidic soil, by collecting them in mountainous regions. We collected the seeds of forage species, mainly Trifolium species, in the Balkan, Strandza, Sakar, Rodopi, and Rila-Pirin mountain areas. A total of 148 seed accessions of forage legume and grass species were collected at 64 sites. In the accessions, 52 of T. pratense and 53 of T. repens were included.ブルガリアでは有史以前から牧畜が営まれ，多種多様な牧草種が利用されてきている．また標高1500 ｍを超える山間地でも牧草が利用されており，多様性に富んだ牧草遺伝資源を有するとされている．そこで，（独）農業生物資源研究所のジ－ンバンク事業の一環として，不良環境耐性等に優れる遺伝資源の集積を目的に，山岳地帯を中心にマメ科牧草，とくにクローバ類を中心に探索収集を実施した．探索収集は2006 年７月21 日から８月２日まで，ブルガリアの植物遺伝資源研究所(RIPGR)ならびに山地家畜育種・農業研究所(RIMSA) の両機関と共同で探索収集を実施した．収集地域は大きく分けて，標高500～800m程度の中標高で気候が穏やかなバルカン山脈中央部，地中海性気候で夏期には高温干ばつとなるサカールおよびストランジャ山地など南東部，ならびに標高1000mを超える高標高のロドピおよびピリン・リラ山地などトルコ・ギリシア国境に近い南部の4地域である．収集地は草地を対象として，地点毎に可能な限り広い面積から種子を採集した．また，緯度，経度，標高，植生，開花登熟のステージ，利用法などの情報を合わせて記録した．今回の収集時期は，南東部では夏期の干ばつで既に多くの牧草は枯れ上がってやや遅く，一方，南部高標高地では開花盛期でやや早すぎたものの，多くの地点で採種が実施できた．収集場所の多くは現在も利用されている採草地や放牧地および耕作放棄地であり，全て造成播種を行っていない自生の草地であった．収集点数は，マメ科牧草ではアカクローバ52点，シロクローバ53点，その他のTrifolium属を含むマメ科牧草14種21点，（未同定種を除く），イネ科牧草ではペレニアルライグラス10点，オーチャードグラスやフェスク類など計8点であった．ブルガリアの土壌の特徴はpHが5以下の強酸性で生産性が低く，緯度は北海道と同程度であるが標高や気象条件は変異に富み，多様なエコタイプを形成している可能性がある．そこで，今後これらの収集材料を活用するために，北海道における特性評価試験を2007 年より開始する

Farmland biodiversity and agricultural management on 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions

Farmland is a major land cover type in Europe and Africa and provides habitat for numerous species. The severe decline in farmland biodiversity of the last decades has been attributed to changes in farming practices, and organic and low-input farming are assumed to mitigate detrimental effects of agricultural intensification on biodiversity. Since the farm enterprise is the primary unit of agricultural decision making, management-related effects at the field scale need to be assessed at the farm level. Therefore, in this study, data were collected on habitat characteristics, vascular plant, earthworm, spider, and bee communities and on the corresponding agricultural management in 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions. In 15 environmental and agricultural homogeneous regions, 6–20 farms with the same farm type (e.g., arable crops, grassland, or specific permanent crops) were selected. If available, an equal number of organic and non-organic farms were randomly selected. Alternatively, farms were sampled along a gradient of management intensity. For all selected farms, the entire farmed area was mapped, which resulted in total in the mapping of 11 338 units attributed to 194 standardized habitat types, provided together with additional descriptors. On each farm, one site per available habitat type was randomly selected for species diversity investigations. Species were sampled on 2115 sites and identified to the species level by expert taxonomists. Species lists and abundance estimates are provided for each site and sampling date (one date for plants and earthworms, three dates for spiders and bees). In addition, farmers provided information about their management practices in face-to-face interviews following a standardized questionnaire. Farm management indicators for each farm are available (e.g., nitrogen input, pesticide applications, or energy input). Analyses revealed a positive effect of unproductive areas and a negative effect of intensive management on biodiversity. Communities of the four taxonomic groups strongly differed in their response to habitat characteristics, agricultural management, and regional circumstances. The data has potential for further insights into interactions of farmland biodiversity and agricultural management at site, farm, and regional scale

Farmland biodiversity and agricultural management on 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions

Farmland is a major land cover type in Europe and Africa and provides habitat for numerous species. The severe decline in farmland biodiversity of the last decades has been attributed to changes in farming practices, and organic and low-input farming are assumed to mitigate detrimental effects of agricultural intensification on biodiversity. Since the farm enterprise is the primary unit of agricultural decision making, management-related effects at the field scale need to be assessed at the farm level. Therefore, in this study, data were collected on habitat characteristics, vascular plant, earthworm, spider, and bee communities and on the corresponding agricultural management in 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions. In 15 environmental and agricultural homogeneous regions, 6–20 farms with the same farm type (e.g., arable crops, grassland, or specific permanent crops) were selected. If available, an equal number of organic and non-organic farms were randomly selected. Alternatively, farms were sampled along a gradient of management intensity. For all selected farms, the entire farmed area was mapped, which resulted in total in the mapping of 11 338 units attributed to 194 standardized habitat types, provided together with additional descriptors. On each farm, one site per available habitat type was randomly selected for species diversity investigations. Species were sampled on 2115 sites and identified to the species level by expert taxonomists. Species lists and abundance estimates are provided for each site and sampling date (one date for plants and earthworms, three dates for spiders and bees). In addition, farmers provided information about their management practices in face-to-face interviews following a standardized questionnaire. Farm management indicators for each farm are available (e.g., nitrogen input, pesticide applications, or energy input). Analyses revealed a positive effect of unproductive areas and a negative effect of intensive management on biodiversity. Communities of the four taxonomic groups strongly differed in their response to habitat characteristics, agricultural management, and regional circumstances. The data has potential for further insights into interactions of farmland biodiversity and agricultural management at site, farm, and regional scale.Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y EvoluciónFac. de Ciencias BiológicasTRUEpu