National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis

This Distributed Graduate Seminar (DGS) aims to synthesize current ecological information on the role that biodiversity in agricultural landscapes (agrobiodiversity) plays in providing ecosystem services. In recent years numerous studies aimed at examining the importance of agroecosystems to the conservation of biodiversity have been published. These studies focus on identifying the types of agricultural landscapes, and landscape components that support the greatest levels of biodiversity (Dale, Pearson et al. 1994; Daily, Ehrlich et al. 2001; HornerDevine, Daily et al. 2003; Mayfield and Daily 2005). The most commonly discussed goal associated with these studies is to determine whether and how agricultural landscapes can be managed to support high levels of biodiversity, while continuing to allow for profitable agriculture (DeFries, Foley et al. 2004; Ricketts 2004). Less attention has been given to the role that agrobiodiversity plays in providing ecosystem services or how agrobiodiversity can be managed to increase both onand off-farm services. Our DGS takes advantage of growing knowledge of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning to identify key relationships between agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services. We anticipate that our efforts will greatly advance understanding of how changes in species composition and overall diversity may enhance or diminish key ecosystem services. Specifically, we aim to identify key mechanisms that drive agrobiodiversity and ecosystem service relationships; identify whether and how differing spatial arrangement and levels of connectivity between agricultural and natural landscape components impact the provision of services; and propose management options that maximize both conservation and positive relationship between agrobiodiveristy and ecosystem services.