Fostering Insects in Agricultural Landscape Living Labs

FInAL is operating in landscape living labs (LLs) to co-develop insect-friendly and economically sustainable agroecosystem in three regions of Germany. Together with regional farmers and other actors, the LL co-designs transformation pathways for all in-field and off-field land-use types, specific for each of the three landscape LLs. Those pathways combine insect-promoting practices and measures with mitigation of soil erosion, diversification of maize-dominated cropping systems or increased harnessing of beneficial insects for natural biocontrol. The success and degree of transformation and the effects on insect diversity, abundance, and ecosystem services as well as economic and social aspects are assessed at the landscape scale by a long-term monitoring, comparing landscape LLs with their respective reference landscapes.