03.07.2024

How can biodiversity be protected effectively?

Dear readers,

Biodiversity is essential to life. And it is currently a very topical issue. The obligation to set aside areas of Swiss farmland for biodiversity promotion has clearly not achieved the desired objectives. Recently published studies indicate that species diversity remains under pressure. This is what prompted swiss-food, in the latest of its series of talks with three established experts to focus on the tensions between biodiversity and agriculture and to shed some light on the reasons for these. In particular, the talk explored the question of how species diversity can be measured scientifically. This is key to assessing the effectiveness of measures taken to promote biodiversity.

Felix Herzog, head of the research group on agricultural landscapes and biodiversity at Agroscope, Martin Haab, member of the National Council, farmer and president of the Zurich Farmers’ Union, and Sebastian Funk, nature-positive agriculture (NaPA) project manager at Syngenta addressed this initial question. The talk was chaired by Nicole Borel, Head of Communications and Public Affairs at Bayer Switzerland.

The title of the talk was «Protecting biodiversity – measuring, learning, improving». Borel started things off by referring to the vital importance of biodiversity. It underpins the stability of food chains and material cycles. It serves as a source of inspiration for industry, and agriculture benefits from the pollination services of insects. This makes it all the more important to learn more about biodiversity so that we are better able to assess the effectiveness of any measures taken.

Biodiversity reflects variety

For Felix Herzog, biodiversity is the diversity of life, of genes, of plant varieties, the different animal species and breeds, the variety of habitats in the landscape. There are a large number of interactions between these, which all have to function properly. This is particularly important in agriculture. The basic assumption is that the higher the degree of biodiversity, the more resilient habitats are to disturbance.

According to Herzog, biodiversity in agricultural areas is important because around a third of the land area of Switzerland is under agriculture – from arable land to alpine meadows. The threat to biodiversity is illustrated, for example, by the fact that around a third of butterfly species are endangered. Some species are also shifting location. For example, the numbers of heat-loving species in Switzerland have increased in recent years, while the numbers of cold-loving species have declined.

Biodiversity-promotion areas account for nearly 20 per cent of total land area

Biodiversity-promotion areas are the most important instrument in agricultural policy when it comes to biodiversity. They were introduced in 1993, and since 1999 have been, together with the «Proof of Ecological Performance», a prerequisite for the receipt of direct payments. Since then, it has been mandatory for every farmer to have biodiversity-promotion areas. Today these make up around 19.3% of the total land area, and in 2022 the federal government paid out 443 million francs in compensation for them. There are three quality levels for biodiversity-promotion areas. Level Q1 lays down specifications for farm management. For example, meadows must not be mown before a certain date. In level Q2, compensation is paid for result-oriented measures, and level Q3 involves compensation for networking projects, in which farmers from several farms join forces to plan the establishment of biodiversity-promotion areas.

Biodiversity areas bring benefits

Agroscope measures biodiversity through a monitoring program (ALL-EMA). This is based on measurement points, which are distributed randomly across agricultural areas throughout the country. The diversity of plant and animal species is recorded. Biodiversity is greater in the upper mountain zones than in lowland regions. Herzog points out that previously this was not the case. This suggests that there is potential for improvement with regard to biodiversity, especially in lowland regions and in arable farming. Herzog identifies the intensification of agriculture as the reason for the loss of biodiversity. Research by Agroscope reveals the benefits of biodiversity areas.

The research also shows that biodiversity measures are of greater benefit to more common species. For species threatened with extinction, however, Herzog’s view is that their protection requires dedicated nature reserves, which in turn need to be interconnected. On the whole, monitoring helps us to reach informed decisions. In response to the question of whether we have enough biodiversity areas, Herzog says, «We have enough areas in mountain regions and grassland, but more needs to be done in lowland regions and arable areas». The question we now face is more one of quality. It is therefore vital to increase the efficiency of these areas.

ZiBiF aims to promote biodiversity by encouraging individual initiative

Next it was the turn of National Council member and farmer Martin Haab to give an insight into the practical side of things. The Zurich Farmers’ Union, of which he is president, has, together with the federal and cantonal governments, launched a project called ZiBiF (zielorientierte Biodiversitätsförderung), which is aimed at target-oriented biodiversity promotion. By setting clear targets and providing greater freedom, the project aims to support the management of biodiversity. The focus is on knowledge building and the individual responsibility of farmers. According to Haab, the project was started because the current system of biodiversity promotion was being run along excessively rigid lines. The farmers simply have too little room for maneuver. Haab points out that there is no opportunity for them to deviate from the prescribed measures in managing their land. And this rigidity does not necessary promote biodiversity.

The ZiBiF project is based on the realization that the successful promotion of biodiversity depends on many factors. The location, the area, the climatic conditions, the weather and the habitat type all play a role. Under the ZiBiF project individual initiative does not mean simply telling the farmers to get on with it and seeing what happens. On the contrary, successful biodiversity promotion calls for planning that is tailored to the areas involved. It is also important for the areas to be evaluated in terms of their suitability for biodiversity promotion. Not every area is suitable or has sufficient potential. For Martin Haab, one thing is clear: «There are currently areas which have nothing to offer, which are lacking in quality.» Consultation and impact monitoring are therefore important, as are scientific supervision and documentation. The project is running until the end of 2026, and for Haab the message is clear: «Target-oriented biodiversity measures are of more benefit to farmers and biodiversity than rigid specifications.»

Nature-positive agriculture

Sebastian Funk from Syngenta then gave a presentation on the nature-positive agriculture (NaPA) project, in which farms from Germany, Austria and Switzerland are participating. The goal of the project is to measure not only biodiversity but also soil health and climate resilience. And cost-effectiveness is also a criterion. At the 19 farms taking part, year-round insect monitoring is carried out at eight different locations on each farm.

The insects are caught in traps and the results are analyzed weekly. In addition, the soil and its microorganisms are monitored. And the birds that are present are also recorded. Analyzing the bottles containing the samples which are regularly sent to the Leibniz Institute in Bonn involves an enormous amount of work. Specialists examine the samples under a microscope and draw up lists of the insects and microorganisms present. 7,000 samples are analyzed every year. The first scientific papers on the project are due to be published in autumn 2024.

The project has identified a major challenge for biodiversity research, says Funk: «There is a lack of more scalable methods for recording biodiversity.» Further research and the evaluation of supporting technologies are needed so that biodiversity research can be automated.

Of the farms recorded, some are managed conventionally and others organically. In addition to the research, the project has also set itself the goal of helping the farmers to network with one another and share their experiences.

Your swiss-food editorial team