Cultivate Well to Grow Biodiversity

How to conserve biodiversity when we need almost half of the terrestrial area to cultivate our food ?

The increase use of chemicals such as fertilizer and pesticides pollute the environment and therefore kill animals and plants. Moreover, the use of only one crop on large areas simplify the agricultural landscape which means less diversity of resources and habitats for the wild biodiversity.

Even the species which coevolved hand-in-hand with agriculture are threatened by stronger intensification. Since the birth of agriculture in the fertile crescent 8000 years ago, some plant species have played their cards right. They developed large seeds and synchronized their life cycle with human activities, for example they ripened just before crop harvest time. Unfortunately, those plants do not resist either to the high tillage and intensive use of herbicide.

Poppy flower in a wheat field — © ulleo

Good agricultural practices which conserve biodiversity on arable lands are rewarded by european or national funding. These good practices are :

• low tillage to not disturb the soil organisms such as earthworms and fungi.
• increase use of winter crops to provide soil protection and habitat even in winter.
• decrease use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides because they pollute and kill blindly
• crop rotation to diversify habitat and food resources
• increase in non cultivated areas such as hedgerows or grass strips to provide habitat to animals

Thanks to this compensation, farmers are willing to better manage their fields and protect biodiversity. Nonetheless, this system is not sustainable since the farmer may stop to protect biodiversity if he is not paid anymore. That is why, it’s important to educate farmers. It’s important to show them the value of biodiversity and convince them to preserve it. It is also possible to educate the public and convince them to buy products which were grown in a biodiversity friendly farm.

Organic agiculture seems to be an ally of biodiversity since the certification requires farmers to use less pesticides and non organic fertilizers. Several studies showed the increase of biodiversity on organic field : birds, earthworms, butterflies, herbs etc.

The landscape complexity and variety is a key element to keep biodiversity in the area. It means that a region needs smaller fields with a higher diversity of crops to support a higher number of wild species.

Agricultural landscape Normandy 1940 — © Wikimedia Commons

We must learn how to share the few spare space we have on this one planet. The complexification of the agricultural landscape and farm management should enable us to achieve this goal : keeping biodiversity and eating well.