How diversified agriculture affects biodiversity-ecosystem service relationships and resource use, dispersal and persistence of key wildlife species

最近的进展和文学。回顾：生物多样性正在侵蚀，随之而来的是维持人类在这个星球上生存的能力。物种的灭绝率在增加，甚至常见物种的数量也在减少。生物多样性丧失的这两个方面都可能影响物种和生态系统向人类提供的服务的供应。气候变化进一步加剧了生物多样性和农业的状况。野生动物必须在支离破碎的地貌中迁徙，以适应它们的气候生态位，农作物必须在更加多变、极端和不可预测的天气条件下生长。对于人类和自然来说，至关重要的是制定多功能的综合土地管理战略：维持生产和支持生产的生态系统服务，同时创造相互关联的景观，允许物种通过扩散适应气候变化。我以前的工作表明，农业多样化做法(例如，恢复田野边缘的栖息地；发展多元文化)有助于实现这些目标；然而，仍然存在许多差距。目标和HQP：我的长期愿景是确定农业多样化实践是否可以同时改善生物多样性和农业可持续发展成果。这项探索赠款研究计划的短期目标是评估农业多样化实践如何影响：(1)直接影响生产的作物生产、生态系统服务(作物授粉、病虫害防治)，以及提供这些服务的主要物种；(2)野生动物(蜜蜂和鸟类)对资源的利用和持久性；以及(3)选定鸟类的扩散。我打算利用公平和包容的招聘和指导做法，培训一支由约27名高素质人员(HQP)组成的多样化群体。方法：我们将在弗雷泽河谷下游的30个农场工作，这些农场的作物和非作物多样化程度各不相同。我们将对蜜蜂和鸟类群落进行调查，并研究它们作为蓝莓(蜜蜂)传粉者和作为害虫和害虫防治剂(鸟类)的效果。我们将评估授粉和病虫害防治服务对收获产量的贡献。OBJ。2.我们将使用直接观察、花粉分析和元条形码技术，评估蜜蜂和鸟类在多样化梯度上对作物和非作物资源的利用。OBJ。3.我们将利用遥测技术跟踪选定的鸟类物种，并分析与农田多样化相关的运动模式。影响：这项研究对于为农业和保护实践和政策提供信息至关重要。它为HQP提供了接受培训的机会，使他们有竞争力地在政府机构、非营利性保护或农业组织、农业食品行业和学术界工作。它将有助于更好地理解生物多样性在为人类提供生态系统服务方面的作用，以及多样化农业在促进景观连通性方面的作用。

RECENT PROGRESS AND LIT. REVIEW: Biodiversity is eroding, and along with it, the capacity to sustain humanity on this planet. Species extinction rates are increasing and even common species are declining in abundance. Both aspects of biodiversity loss are likely to affect the supply of services that species and ecosystems provide to humans. Climate change further exacerbates conditions for both biodiversity and agriculture. Wildlife must move across fragmented landscapes to follow their climate niches, and crops must grow under more variable, extreme and unpredictable weather conditions. For both people and nature, it is critical to develop comprehensive land management strategies that are multi-functional: that sustain production and the ecosystem services that support it, while creating connected landscapes permitting species to adapt to climate change through dispersal. My prior work suggests that agricultural diversification practices (e.g. restoring habitats along field edges; growing polycultures) help achieve these goals; however many gaps remain. OBJECTIVES AND HQP: My long-term vision is to determine whether agricultural diversification practices can simultaneously improve biodiversity and agricultural sustainability outcomes. The short-term objectives of this Discovery Grant program of research are to assess how agricultural diversification practices affect: (1) crop production, ecosystem services directly affecting production (crop pollination, pest control), and the  species providing those services; (2) resource use and persistence by wildlife (bee and bird species); and (3) dispersal of selected bird species. I intend to train a diverse group of ~27 highly qualified personnel (HQP), using equitable and inclusive recruitment and mentoring practices. METHODOLOGY: We will work on 30 farms in the Lower Fraser Valley varying in crop and non-crop diversification. Obj 1. We will survey bee and bird communities and study their efficacy as pollinators of blueberry (bees), and as pests and pest control agents (birds). We will assess the contributions of pollination and pest control services to harvest yields. Obj. 2. We will assess use of crop and non-crop resources by bees and birds across the diversification gradient, using direct observations, pollen analysis and meta-barcoding techniques. Obj. 3. We will follow selected bird species using telemetry and analyze movement patterns relative to farmland diversification. IMPACT: This research is critical for informing agricultural and conservation practices and policies. It provides opportunities for HQP to receive training that positions them competitively to work in government agencies, non-profit conservation or farming organizations, agri-food industries, and academia. It will contribute to  understanding the role of biodiversity in supplying ecosystem services for humanity, and of diversified agriculture in promoting landscape connectivity.