Companions aligned: Insect biodiversity and herbivory in diversified cropping systems.

Summary

Modern agriculture's success in meeting global food demands has come at a cost for soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Monoculture-dominated landscapes, characteristic of industrialized agriculture, contribute to biodiversity loss and pest problems. Pesticides are often used to reduce pest levels, but pesticides can deteriorate ecosystems, affect human health and cause pesticide resistance within pests. This thesis explores sustainable alternatives, focusing on strip cropping — growing different crops in adjacent strips. My research reveals that strip cropping enhances ground beetle biodiversity, reduce the impact of herbivorous insects on crop production, and increases yields. Additionally, diverse cropping systems influence herbivore survival and parasitism rates, with strip cropping showing promise for balancing biodiversity and food production. My study suggests that adopting strip cropping, a viable and practical approach, can mitigate biodiversity loss without compromising agricultural productivity, offering a sustainable path for the future of agriculture.