A significant study carried out at 30 different locations in the southwest UK has emphasized the necessity of integrating various habitats into larger landscapes.
A significant study carried out at 30 different locations in the southwest UK has emphasized the necessity of integrating various habitats into larger landscapes.
This research, which was published today in Nature and led by ecologists from the University of Bristol, tackles important issues in conservation and land management, providing fresh insights into how species interact and how food chains function across different habitats.
The findings highlighted notable variations in food web structures depending on whether landscapes contained one, two, or three types of habitats, with a more balanced species abundance observed. Landscapes with multiple habitats support a greater variety of species, including those that are specialized for specific environments, thus fostering greater overall biodiversity.
Dr. Talya Hackett, the main author who conducted this research at Bristol’s School of Biological Sciences and is now affiliated with the University of Oxford, stated: “Projects focused on conservation and restoration are increasingly geared toward broad landscape efforts, yet information about species interactions tends to be limited to particular habitats like woodlands, agricultural areas, or urban setups.”
The research team discovered that areas with multiple habitats showed better resistance to the loss of species, providing surprising insights into the stability of ecosystems. Additionally, they identified enhanced ecological functions, as multi-habitat landscapes were linked to improved pollination services, likely resulting from the complementary roles played by various pollinator species.
Professor Jane Memmott, the project leader and co-author, noted: “Landscapes possess attributes that go beyond just the combination of their individual parts; they provide increased resilience against species decline and enhanced pollination that can’t be anticipated just by looking at the separate habitats.”
The results suggest a necessary change in conservation approaches. Conventional management methods often target specific habitats, like restoring prairies, creating wetlands, or connecting similar environments. However, these findings highlight the importance of preserving multi-habitat landscapes to bolster biodiversity conservation. The interconnectivity of habitats, aided by mobile species that rely on different environments, leads to a more resilient and effective ecosystem.
Dr. Alix Sauve, a co-author and research associate on the project, added: “Understanding how various habitats interact is crucial, particularly when it comes to acquiring new nature reserves. The landscape context of potential sites should be factored in to optimize ecosystem function and stability over time.”
The researchers analyzed the structure and functionality of food webs across landscapes with different habitat numbers. This involved sampling plants, herbivorous insects, their parasitoids, and pollinators across six distinct habitat types, documenting over 11,000 species interactions. A field experiment also evaluated pollination effectiveness using wild strawberries as a sample plant, finding that habitat diversity positively influenced pollination.
The team intends to investigate how specific habitat combinations work together and their compatibility. Future research may also focus on other ecological processes, such as seed dispersal and decomposition, within multi-habitat landscapes. These studies could greatly impact agricultural practices by enhancing food production, pest management, and ecosystem health.
This study underlines the complex and interconnected nature of ecosystems on a landscape scale.
Professor Memmott concluded: “Mobile species serve as the crucial links between various habitats, emphasizing the intricate relationships that support biodiversity and ecosystem services.”
