The impact of reduced tillage and distance to field margin on predator functional diversity

Abstract Introduction Agricultural intensification results in biodiversity loss through land conversion and management practices which negatively impact arthropods. The abundance diversity of ground-dwelling predators, e.g. ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) spiders (Araneae), are affected by soil disturbances such as tillage. Reducing can potentially conserve arthropod populations the field reduce use chemical pest controls. present study investigated predatory community using pitfall traps cereal fields with three different levels disturbance: conventional tillage, reduced tillage no under Conservation Agriculture management, 2018 2019. Pitfall were placed transects from margins. Overall, activity-density predators was higher minimum disturbance generally declined increased distance to semi-natural habitats. Functional diversity, expressed body size beetles, also disturbances; large more consistently occurred CA, while few or none largest found RT CT. A sample-heterogeneity less disturbed indicated a variable median skewness number those fields. In 2019 only, species along edges bordering habitats when compared cropped area. Our show that supports predator communities at local scale: It bolsters agro-ecosystem resilience promoting increasing heterogeneity functional predators. Implications for insect conservation obtained significantly influence diversity. epigeic natural enemies agricultural landscape is improved reducing soil-disturbing events