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1.1 Agricultural changes and effects on biodiversity Biodiversity in agricultural areas in Europe has been in constant decline (European Environment Agency [EEA], 2010). Agricultural land is a habitat for many species, both plants and animals, which have adapted to the special conditions of these human-influenced ecosystems. The decline in diversity is due to the intensification of agricultural production and the abandonment of marginalised agricultural areas that are no longer profitable. Intensive agricultural production involves increased application of herbicides, pesticides and fertiliser, which has a profound effect on many plant and animal communities (Stoate et al., 2001, 2009). Often emphasised examples are fertilisation or aerial deposition of nitrogen on semi-natural grassland, which leads to a decline in many herbal plants adapted to less nitrogenous conditions (e.g. Dupre et al., 2010). The application of insecticides has been shown to affect whole food webs, for example a decline in bird species due to the lack of insect prey (Vickery et al., 2009). The intensification of agricultural production has not only changed the quality of habitats, but also their quantity, with areas of low production, for example semi-natural grasslands, being in dramatic decline. The removal of certain biotopes to enlarge arable field size and its consequences for biodiversity have been discussed for several decades, for example the removal of hedges and field margins (Robinson & Sutherland, 2002). These measures have caused profound changes to the landscape pattern of agricultural landscapes, resulting in fragmentation of semi-natural areas and homogenisation (Jongman, 2002). The decline in many species groups with habitats on farmland has been widely acknowledged. Birds have been one of the most studied groups and loss of bird species is well documented (e.g. Chamberlain et al., 2000; Donald et al., 2001; Newton, 2004; Wretenberg et al., 2010). The decline in birds is related to agricultural intensification practices, such as increased in herbicide use, change in sowing regimes (from spring to autumn sowing), land drainage and changes in landscape pattern. Kragten et al. (2011) emphasise the importance of farming system (organic versus conventional) for the

Sown Wildflower Strips – A Strategy to Enhance Biodiversity and Amenity in Intensively Used Agricultural Areas