Arthropod removal in wheat fields enhanced yield regardless of natural habitat patch proximity

Abstract

Natural habitat patches can be essential in conserving biodiversity and providing ecosystem services for agroecological systems. However, adopting a land-sharing approach requires a deep understanding of the agricultural costs and benefits associated with the existence of adjacent natural habitat patches. We used 17 paired natural habitat patch-wheat field replicates to test the effects of distance from the natural patches and removal of ground-dwelling arthropods from the field on the wheat yield. Removing ground-dwelling arthropods increased wheat yield. Community compositions of ground-dwelling arthropods in the natural habitat patches and wheat fields varied significantly, irrespective of the distance from the natural patch. In April and May, near the wheat harvest, predator abundance was higher in the natural habitat patches than in the wheat fields, whereas the abundance of potential pests was much higher in the wheat fields. This reduced predator-pest ratio in the wheat fields may explain why removing ground-dwelling arthropods increased wheat yield. Future research should focus on developing effective methods for managing ground-dwelling and vertical wheat pest populations while preserving their natural enemies' integrity within the fields and adjacent natural habitat patches.

Keywords: Agroecology; Arthropod community; Exclusion; Natural patches; Wheat yield.