“Stability of biological regulation in agricultural mosaics”
STABIREG: Better understanding the factors that stabilize the abundance and species composition of natural crop allies
What is it about?
The STABI-REG project studies variations over the years in the communities of ground beetles and spiders that contribute to the natural protection of crops against pests.
In concrete terms?
Since 2014, researchers have been monitoring 120 agricultural plots in five regions of France, including annual crops and perennial crops such as vineyards and orchards. They observe:
- Which natural predators are present and how their abundance and diversity change from year to year;
- How the plants present (flower strips, weeds) encourage these beneficial organisms;
- Whether certain types of landscapes or agricultural practices allow for more stable predator communities from one year to the next
Why is this important?
The objective is to determine which combinations of agricultural practices and landscape features can sustainably maintain the “free services” of pest control provided by naturally occurring beneficial insects.
Expected benefits
By understanding what stabilizes crop pest control communities over the long term, STABI-REG helps to propose concrete solutions for sustainably reducing the use of plant protection products while maintaining plot productivity.
Funding : Office Français de la Biodiversité, 2024-2026
