Conservation tillage affects species composition but not species diversity : a comparative study in northern Italy

Boscutti, Francesco; Sigura, Maurizia; Gambon, Nadia; Lagazio, Corrado; Krüsi, Bertil; Bonfanti, Pierluigi

doi:10.21256/zhaw-2690

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2690

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Conservation tillage affects species composition but not species diversity : a comparative study in northern Italy
Authors:	Boscutti, Francesco Sigura, Maurizia Gambon, Nadia Lagazio, Corrado Krüsi, Bertil Bonfanti, Pierluigi
DOI:	10.21256/zhaw-2690 10.1007/s00267-014-0402-z
Published in:	Environmental Management
Volume(Issue):	55
Issue:	2
Page(s):	443
Pages to:	452
Issue Date:	Feb-2015
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	Springer
ISSN:	0364-152X 1432-1009
Language:	English
Subjects:	Agro-ecosystem sustainability; Biodiversity assessment; Soil conservation farming; Tillage system
Subject (DDC):	333.7: Land, natural recreational areas
Abstract:	Conservation tillage (CT) is widely considered to be a practice aimed at preserving several ecosystem functions. In the literature, however, there seems to be no clear pattern with regard to its benefits on species diversity and species composition. In Northern Italy, we compared species composition and diversity of both vascular plants and Carabids under two contrasting tillage systems, i.e., CT and conventional tillage, respectively. We hypothesized a significant positive impact of CT on both species diversity and composition. We also considered the potential influence of crop type. The tillage systems were studied under open field conditions with three types of annual crops (i.e.,maize, soybean, and winter cereals), using a split-plot design on pairs of adjacent fields. Linear mixed models were applied to test tillage system, crop, and interaction effects on diversity indices. Plant and Carabids communities were analyzed by multivariate methods (CCA). On the whole, 136 plant and 51 carabid taxa were recorded. The two tillage systems studied did not differ in floristic or carabid diversity. Species composition, by contrast, proved to be characteristic for each combination of tillage system and crop type. In particular, CT fields were characterized by nutrient demanding weeds and the associated Carabids. The differences were especially pronounced in fields with winter cereals. The same was true for the flora and Carabids along the field boundaries. For studying the effects of CT practices on the sustainability of agro-ecosystems, therefore, the focus should be on species composition rather than on diversity measures.
Further description:	Erworben im Rahmen der Schweizer Nationallizenzen (http://www.nationallizenzen.ch)
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/7593
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Restricted until:	2020-02-01
Departement:	Life Sciences and Facility Management
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Natural Resource Sciences (IUNR)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Life Sciences und Facility Management

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Boscutti, F., Sigura, M., Gambon, N., Lagazio, C., Krüsi, B., & Bonfanti, P. (2015). Conservation tillage affects species composition but not species diversity : a comparative study in northern Italy. Environmental Management, 55(2), 443–452. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2690

Boscutti, F. et al. (2015) ‘Conservation tillage affects species composition but not species diversity : a comparative study in northern Italy’, Environmental Management, 55(2), pp. 443–452. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2690.

F. Boscutti, M. Sigura, N. Gambon, C. Lagazio, B. Krüsi, and P. Bonfanti, “Conservation tillage affects species composition but not species diversity : a comparative study in northern Italy,” Environmental Management, vol. 55, no. 2, pp. 443–452, Feb. 2015, doi: 10.21256/zhaw-2690.

BOSCUTTI, Francesco, Maurizia SIGURA, Nadia GAMBON, Corrado LAGAZIO, Bertil KRÜSI und Pierluigi BONFANTI, 2015. Conservation tillage affects species composition but not species diversity : a comparative study in northern Italy. Environmental Management. Februar 2015. Bd. 55, Nr. 2, S. 443–452. DOI 10.21256/zhaw-2690

Boscutti, Francesco, Maurizia Sigura, Nadia Gambon, Corrado Lagazio, Bertil Krüsi, and Pierluigi Bonfanti. 2015. “Conservation Tillage Affects Species Composition but Not Species Diversity : A Comparative Study in Northern Italy.” Environmental Management 55 (2): 443–52. https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2690.

Boscutti, Francesco, et al. “Conservation Tillage Affects Species Composition but Not Species Diversity : A Comparative Study in Northern Italy.” Environmental Management, vol. 55, no. 2, Feb. 2015, pp. 443–52, https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-2690.