Prophylactic use of broad-spectrum insecticides is a common feature of broad-acre grain production systems around the world. Efforts to reduce pesticide-use in these systems have the potential to deliver environmental and productivity benefits to large areas of agricultural land. Nevertheless, the use of broad-spectrum insecticides remains high for a number of reasons. Especially challenging is an understanding of when and where an insecticide application can be withheld, to the benefit of maintaining ecosystem services from insects, but without risking yield loss. More recently an ecological debate has centred on the role of landscape complexity (especially the amount of native vegetation in an area), in facilitating pest outbreaks, either by increasing populations of pests, or decreasing populations of natural enemies. We know there are a range of ecosystems services provided by species in native vegetation patches (e.g., pollination, pest control, carbon sequestration, shelter for livestock) that can improve sustainability at the farm-level. However, less attention has been paid to the functional connectivity of native vegetation patches to crop fields, and the timing of movement of species that deliver some of these services. Using examples from research conducted in Australian broad-acre grain production landscapes, I will argue that there are small management changes that are feasible in intensive production landscapes that would provide benefits to a range of stakeholders by supporting ecosystem services, reducing biodiversity losses, and reducing input costs.

Maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services in intensive broad-acre production landscapes: The role of landscape and pesticide management

248th National Meeting (2014)

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