Farmland Biodiversity: What is it?
We are beginning a new chapter with the launch of our informative blog posts in our Newsroom.
Our first blog lays the groundwork, by exploring a fundamental question: What is biodiversity, and why is it important for farmland?
While the term might seem straightforward and simple at first, biodiversity underpins many processes in agricultural ecosystems – from maintaining soil health and pollination to enhancing resilience against pests and climate change. And it connects directly to all of us – from the food we eat to the health of the environment around us. Let’s take a closer look!
Simply: What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity can be explained as a web of life: animals eat plants, plants need healthy soil to grow, and fungi help fertilize that soil. Bees and other insects carry pollen from one plant to another, ensuring reproduction. This interconnected cycle is the secret of life, demonstrating how different species interact and depend on one another.
Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety of all life on Earth and broadly speaking it includes three key components:
- Genetic diversity: Different varieties of crops and breeds of livestock that help farms stay resilient against diseases, pests, and climate change.
- Species richness: The range of wild and domesticated species – from birds and insects to mammals and soil microbes. For example, there are 77 bee genera and 2,138 bee species known to occur in Europe.
- Ecosystem complexity (including the diversity, integrity, and resilience of ecosystems) is reflected in systems such as grasslands, sand dunes, or rainforests. This complexity is often supported by a mosaic of habitats – including hedgerows, wetlands, ponds, and woodlands – which provide shelter and resources for a wide range of species.
Understanding biodiversity is difficult to grasp on a personal level, especially when thinking about how a single farm can support it. Yet many farmers have a natural understanding of the land and a deep connection to the birds, insects, mammals, and plants that live alongside them.
Understanding Farmland Biodiversity
“Agricultural biodiversity encompasses all wild and domesticated forms of life found on farms, from plant varieties and breeds of animals to soil organisms, pests, and pollinators.” (European Commission, 2023).
Farmland biodiversity refers not only to the variety of life within farms but also around them – in the surrounding landscapes and habitats.
Also, it is not just about protecting nature. Biodiversity on farmland is essential for agricultural productivity, soil health, and climate resilience. Without it, farming becomes more vulnerable to threats like drought, pests, and disease.
How does it support sustainable agriculture? The answer is simple: maintaining a diverse range of plants, animals, and microorganisms offers multiple critical benefits. Below, we list some of them:
1. Pollination Services
Over 75% of global food crops depend, at least in part, on pollination (World Economic Forum, 2019). Bees, butterflies, birds, and even bats play a crucial role in helping crops reproduce. A decline in pollinator populations could lead to lower yields, reduced crop quality, and increased food prices.
2. Soil Health and Fertility
Beneath our feet, billions of microorganisms and larger creatures like earthworms work tirelessly. They break down organic matter, recycle nutrients, and improve soil structure. An interesting fact is that soils are home to 25% of the planet’s biodiversity (FAO, 2020). Without these hidden heroes, soil would quickly lose fertility, affecting everything from crop health to carbon storage.
3. Pest and Disease Control
Nature has its own pest management system. By encouraging beneficial predators like birds, ladybirds, and spiders, farms can naturally control pest populations. Diverse landscapes also help by interrupting the life cycles of pests and pathogens.
4. Climate Resilience
A diverse farm landscape is like a natural insurance policy. Wetlands buffer against floods, woodlands reduce soil erosion, and varied vegetation helps retain moisture during droughts. Enhancing farmland biodiversity can help to enhance carbon sequestration, mitigating against climate change.
Is Farmland Biodiversity Under Threat?
Unfortunately, yes. Despite the importance and benefits mentioned above, farmland biodiversity is declining at an alarming rate, and we can characterise it as one of the biggest threats facing humanity in the next decade.
Since 1900, the average abundance of native species in most major land-based habitats has fallen by at least 20%, largely because of land-use change, overexploitation, industrial agricultural expansion, pesticide use, but also natural disasters and climate change.
If we continue on this path, we risk losing not only species but also essential ecosystem services that humanity relies on.
How Can We Protect and Restore it?
Here are some numbers: according to the Biodiversity Information System for Europe (BISE), European biodiversity includes:
- More than 100,000 species of invertebrates
- More than 800 species of birds and mammals
- 300 species of reptiles and amphibians
- Roughly 20,000 species of vascular plants
- Roughly 1,800 species of fish
Thankfully, some solutions are already available. We will list some of the steps to protecting farmland biodiversity while maintaining a productive farm business:
– Identifying what is already there: The first step is understanding the existing biodiversity. Farmers can take time to observe what habitats and species of plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife already live on their land. Simple wildlife surveys or expert advice can help spot opportunities to protect or enhance what’s already thriving.
– Maintaining, enhancing, diversifying, and connecting existing habitat: Existing natural features like hedgerows, field margins, woodlands, and ponds are biodiversity hotspots. Protecting them from damage is key. Farmers can also enhance these areas by planting a greater variety of native plants, leaving some patches of land wild, or creating buffer strips along fields. Connecting habitats – for example, linking two woodlands with a hedgerow – helps wildlife move freely across the landscape.
– Creating a new habitat: When opportunities arise, creating new habitats can make a big difference. This could mean planting new hedgerows, digging a farm pond, establishing flower-rich meadows, or setting aside small areas of farmland for nature.
But here are some more actions we can include in the list: preserving natural habitats, reducing chemical inputs, protecting farmland pollinators, and supporting local and diverse food systems.
FarmBioNet: How is the Project Helping?
All this reminds us that everything in nature is interconnected. Agriculture and biodiversity should go hand in hand to secure a sustainable and healthy future. But farmers, policymakers, and consumers all have a role to play.
This is exactly what the FarmBioNet Horizon Europe Project is about. Funded by the EU and running for three years from January 2025 to December 2028, FarmBioNet aims to identify biodiversity-friendly farming practices and help farmers to create habitats that offer food, safety, and shelter for biodiversity on their farms.
It will establish Farming and Biodiversity National Networks (NN) in 12 countries: Ireland, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Germany, and Switzerland, consisting of farmers, foresters, researchers, NGOs, advisors, and other relevant Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) actors.
Do you want to join an NN in your country? Keep up to date with FarmBioNets social media accounts, where we will inform you directly how you can join: Linkedin, Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and Bluesky. And of course, follow our website for all the information gathered in one place!
