Biodiversität – eine komplexe zeit-räumliche agrarökologische Herausforderung für den Ökolandbau

Summary

One year after the conventional farm started the conversion process in 2002, a long term farming system monitoring was established in the Eastern region of Austria. The goal was to evaluate the performance of organic arable farming and its biotopes (flowering stripes, hedges and tree rows), and specifically their impact on biodiversity. After nine years organic farming we note a considerable increase of biodiversity in the arable fields and accompanying biotopes. Indicators applied were soil fauna, breeding birds as well as weeds. Space-time aspects, rotation and management measures as well as crop specific characteristics were influencing the development of species diversity. The development of diversity however is limited due to the intense farming in the past and in the farm surroundings.