Agrobiodiversity and land-use change in Serbia: an integrated biodiversity assessment of key functional groups of arthropods and plant pathogens

Project represents integrated approach to assessment and monitoring of agrobiodiversity in Serbia, in relation to respective environmental impacts (particularly land-use change) and associated biodiversity decline. We selected several functional groups of arthropods and plant pathogens, as model organisms with important roles in agroecosystems and semi-natural habitats. Surveys of systems: crop/aphid/parasitoid, weed/mite, wild bee pollinators guilds, and crop/pathogen/insect-vector, respectively, will enable multiscale comparisons of status and patterns of the targeted groups, in relation to the contrasting features of characteristic landscape types, ecosystem interactions and land-use regimes in agricultural context (from local to regional). General objectives of this approach are to elucidate significant trends in agrobiodiversity change and to evaluate the respective risks and impacts on biodiversity, with emphasis on potential for preservation/enhancement of biological control and pollination (as important ecosystem services) and biosafety aspects of food production (phytosanitary, economic). In addition to principally fundamental merits, expected project outcomes include important practical contributions: improvement and introduction of new (for Serbia) techniques and methodological routines for detecting and monitoring of targeted agrobiodiversity components, and dissemination of gained experience in relevant sectorial policies.