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Mejora de la Biodiversidad en Tierras Cultivadas dentro de Terrenos de Reserva
Author(s) -
VAN BUSKIRK JOSH,
WILLI YVONNE
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
conservation biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.2
H-Index - 222
eISSN - 1523-1739
pISSN - 0888-8892
DOI - 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2004.00359.x
Subject(s) - set aside , biodiversity , aside , agriculture , agricultural land , agroforestry , population , incentive , taxon , land use , geography , land use, land use change and forestry , land area , natural resource economics , ecology , agricultural economics , environmental science , biology , economics , agricultural science , art , literature , demography , sociology , microeconomics
Abstract: The efficacy of agricultural set‐aside policies for protecting farmland biodiversity is widely debated. Based on a meta‐analysis of 127 published studies, we found that land withdrawn from conventional production unequivocally enhances biodiversity in North America and Europe. The number of species of birds, insects, spiders, and plants is 1–1.5 standard deviation units higher on set‐aside land, and population densities increase by 0.5–1 standard deviation units. Set‐aside land may be especially beneficial for desirable taxa because North American bird species that have exhibited population declines react most positively to set‐aside agricultural land. Larger and older plots protect more species and higher densities, and set‐aside land is more effective in countries with less‐intensive agricultural practices and higher fractions of land removed from production. Although policies specifically designed to protect biodiversity might work even better, current incentives clearly improve the standing of plants and animals in farmland.