RELEVANT

Background and Objective

The objective of RELEVANT is to assess the impact of the diversification of cropping systems through field bean and pea on pollinating insects and epigeic predatory arthropods. Changes in the diversity and abundance of those species groups as well as in delivery of ecosystem services (pollination and biocontrol) are quantified and followed by an economic assessment.

In collaboration with the demonstration farm network DemoNetErBo, pathways for transitions of conventional farming towards intelligent crop rotation management including the legumes are elaborated.

Target Group

• agriculture
• farm advisors
• agroecology
• agro-environmental policy
• crop production

Approach

RELEVANT is an interdisciplinary R&D project, which is the first to study and quantify the effects of diversified crop rotations, that consequently include pea (Pisum sativum) and/or faba bean (Vicia faba), on biodiversity, ecosystem services and economic performance.

Pollinators and pollination are studied by the University of Göttingen, epigeic predatory arthropods and pest control are studied by the Thünen Institute of Biodiversity. The FH Südwestfalen is responsible for the economic assessment.

Data and Methods

Diversity and abundance of pollinators and biocontrol agents are assessed at the landscape scale. Land-use stratified sampling is conducted in 1 x 1 km areas with a matched-pair design covering either diversified or conventional cropping systems. 

Our Research Questions

Our field studies and experiments will allow us to test the following hypotheses:

• Faba bean and peas promote pollinators and ground dwelling arthropods such as predators of agricultural pests. This increases the delivery of regulating ecosystem services due to

1. legume specific traits (N-fixation, flowering)
2. adapted management
3. and /or diversified crop rotation

• Pea and faba bean cropping improves the food availability for pollinators and predatory arthropods and their reproduction rate

• Pollination and natural pest control will be significantly enhanced in the succeeding and neighbouring crops

Links and Downloads

www.demoneterbo.agrarpraxisforschung.de

www.dafa.de/fileadmin/dam_uploads/images/Fachforen/ff_leguminosen-kurzfassung-2012.pdf