Room for everyone? Refugia and native biodiversity in New Zealand's agricultural landscapes

• Published in: New Zealand journal of agricultural research Vol. 51; no. 4; pp. 473 - 476
• Main Authors: Blackwell, Grant, Fukuda, Yuki, Maegli, Tanja, MacLeod, Catriona J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 01-12-2008
• Subjects: New Zealand; USA; Europe
• ISSN: 0028-8233; 1175-8775
• DOI: 10.1080/00288230809510478

Agricultural intensification can be defined as "any increase in farm inputs or farm production off-takes per unit area of land" (Moller et al. 2008). In Europe and the United States, agricultural intensification has frequently resulted in the homogenisation of farming landscapes as farm sizes, fertiliser inputs and stocking rates have increased and the area of non-productive habitats (such as woody vegetation) has decreased. These significant changes in land management and composition represent a major environmental concern, as they have driven major declines in farmland biodiversity (e.g., Wilson et al. 1999) as well as reductions in ecosystem function and services (Burel & Baudry 1995; Baudry et al. 2000; Stoate et al. 2001). Thus, understanding and mitigating the adverse effects of agricultural intensification has become the focus of much research and management effort.