Altea (Eastern Spain)

Evaluation of ecological infrastructures in the conservation and management
of natural enemies as an alternative to pesticide use in the agricultural
landscape of the Altea municipality (eastern Spain)
Laborda R.1, Bertomeu S.1 , Xamani P. 1 , Sanchez A.1, Tarazona S.1 , Ibáñez J.M.2, García A.1 and Garcia-Mari F.1
1 Universitat Politècnica de València; Camino de Vera s/n 46022 Valencia (SPAIN) [email protected] https://croprotection.webs.upv.es 2 Departamento de Agraria. CIPFP. Cheste. GV
CONCLUSIONS
A municipal initiative was established to reduce the
risk of pesticides used to control the main pests of
citrus, using a more respectful strategy for the
environment, which lead to apply an evaluation of the
functional biodiversity in a significant agricultural area
of Altea. The quality of the present ecological
infrastructures is analyzed, following the methodology
of the O.I.L.B (Ecological Infrastructures. Ideabook on
Functional Biodiversity at the Farm Level). The
landscape that we are looking at is an agricultural
framework - predominantly consisting of citrus spotted with urban areas of low density as a
consequence of the tourism pressure that has suffered
the coastal Mediterranean Spain over the last decades.
We determined the functional biodiversity in a significant area of
the agricultural landscape of the municipality of Altea. Four
parameters are evaluated in the group of selected plots:
sustainability of the crop, biodiversity of trees and cover crops, the
crop connectivity, and the structural diversity of the crop.
The results show that the agrarian typology studied forms a
diversified area, well connected to the landscape and to the
ecological infrastructures present. It is concluded that the study
area has a median level of biodiversity. Even so, the low
diversification of crops, their compromised sustainability, and the
lack of a diversified arboreal structure alternative to the crop, fail to
provide an optimal habitat for the beneficial fauna. Correcting these
aspects could improve the diversity of pest natural enemies, thus
allowing to progress in a strategy of eliminating the use of pesticides
in the area.
Why this
project area?
Proximity to the urban area and to
aquifers or waterways
Project area: 23,57 has
Number of plots: 19
Average plot size: 1,30 has
Practical information
Connectivity of orchard with landscape
The applied methodology to assess functional biodiversity of the territory through the study of ecological
infrastructures has been the one established by the IOBC and reflected in the book Ecological Infrastructures. Ideabook
on Functional Biodiversity at the Farm Level. This methodology is based on the answer to the following questions:
How many additional trees appear within a
radius of 500 m around the cultivated species?
Árboles en un radio de 500 metros
Menos
< 20 20 arboles
Is the sustainability of the crop guaranteed?
Do the crop has connectivity?
The capacity of the territory to permit the movement of
organisms constitutes a very important feature for the
species.
For the evaluation of this factor we take into account the
amount and type of existing trees in the area, the
presence of diversified vegetation and the type of
territory and orientation.
The preservation and productive capacity of the
agricultural system is important to assure the future of
the cultivation.
In this case, the existing age of the represented trees was
evaluated plus the level of production.
Do we have the necessary biodiversity in trees and
cover crop?
Is there a structural diversity on the fields?
Sustainability of orchard
Más
> 50de 50 árboles
Entre
- 100 metros
50 - 50
100
Menos
< 50 de 50 metros
24%
88%
76%
In what distance (metres) occur embankments,
wild flowers
or fallow fields ?
Hábitat natural
> 100
Más
de 100 metros
50 - 50
100
Entre
- 100 metros
< 50 de 50 metros
Menos
In what distance (metres) occur a well structured forest
margin or a hedge?
Bosque
Entre
50 - 50
200- 200 metros
> 200
Más
de 200
6% 6%
< 50 de 50 metros
Menos
12%
12%
76%
88%
Structural diversity of orchard
Relation between young trees not yet in full production (green), full production trees (orange) and
old trees beyond full production age (brown)
How manyNumero
trees are
in the orchard?
de árboles
20
árboles
20- 99
- 99
Some cases observed
100
20
árboles
20- 50
- 50
Ruderales
6%6%
A larger variety of trees, as a larger variety of cover crops,
favors a greater diversity of auxiliary fauna. The
biodiversity favors the formation of new habitats of high
quality and the stability.
The quality of habitats, as well as the importance of the
vegetative cover., are evaluated indirectly .
The structural diversity implies a greater capacity to
shelter a higher variety of plants and animal species,
hence, to improve the internal biodiversity of the
cultivation.
The quantity of trees on the fields was taken into
account, as well as its age of production, physiological
state and the structural types appearing.
In what distance occur large trees that are isolated from
the rest and/or humid areas?
100
- 300
árboles
100
- 300
Más
de 300 árboles
> 300
100
Distribución
Welldistribuidos
distributed
Gaps existed
Bien
Existen
fallos
12%
17%
100
What is the distribution pattern of trees within .the orchard?
18%
65%
0
0
0
cP Case
P 1 fP
cP Case
P 2 fP
cP Case
P 3 fP
Sostenibilidad del cultivo
Producción
completa
Árboles
la producción
completa
Full production
Youngjovenes
trees Domina
Dominate
full production
88%
How many fruits species occur in the plot?
11- -22especies
Especies
5
3 3- 5-especies
> 5de 5 especies
Más
What kind of structures occur in the plot? Trails, vegetable
plots, stone walls, etc.
Ninguna
0
6%
Título del gráfico
11
- 2–tipos
de estructuras
Más
de dos tipos de estructuras
2 types
> 2 types
6%
12%
29%
12%
94%
76%
Young trees “not yet
in full production”
Replanting for the correction of
deficiency in the patron of the
distribution
Trees in full production
Biodiversity of trees and cover crop
What colour has the meadow?
Results
How dense grow the plants in the meadow?
Color
Green,
few
flowers
Green,
range
of colors
Verde,
pocas
flores
Verde,
bajalow
gama
colores
Comunidad
plantas multicolor
Multi-coloured
plant community
Densidad
Verydensa
dense
Spotsoof
bare
soil
Muy
Huecos
suelo
desnudo
41%
41%
65%
Do the crop has connectivity?
Is the sustainability of the crop guaranteed?
The plot is well connected with the landscape
and with the other green infrastructures.
The sustainability of the plots is not assured. Young
healthy trees are lacking. If not planted saplings
growing at the end disappear.
59%
59%
Do we have biodiversity in the cover crop?
Which animal has been observed in the
meadow area?
Animales
Beetles, ants
Escarabajos,
hormigas
Caterpillars,
butterflies
Gusanos,
mariposas
Grasshoppers
Saltamontes
Cicadas
Cigarras
Typical landscape of Altea
Terrasit. GVA
6%
Is there a structural diversity on the fields?
94%
Although colored flowers do not form a complete cover crop in the
field, there are isolated areas with flowers inside the orchard.
The diversity of the structures of the crop is low.
The plot almost does not provide habitat for
wildlife. Is advisable to increase the diversity of
trees and ground cover.
Intermediate Biodiversity. The plants and animals
found indicate a diversified crop area. However,
the structures of the trees do not provide
suitable habitat for birds that nest in them or
insects that colonize decaying wooden structures.
Moss density is probably low. Several rare animal
species, typical of fruit crops, probably will be
installed only if the ecological quality
improvement trees.
IOBC/WPRS Working Group on Integrated Control in Citrus Fruit Crops Adana, Turkey 7-9 May 2013.