Data underlying the publication: Strip cropping in organic agriculture results in 15% higher ground beetle richness and 30% higher activity density than monocultures

This data belongs to a manuscript, with the title: Strip cropping designed for maintaining productivity increases ground beetle biodiversity. See the readme files for information on methods, techniques and other relevant information.

Abstract:

Global biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate, with agriculture as a major driver. There is mounting evidence that intercropping can increase insect biodiversity while maintaining or increasing yield. Yet, intercropping is often considered impractical for mechanized farming systems. Strip cropping is pioneered by Dutch farmers as it is compatible with standard farm machinery. Here, we show that strip cropping systems that are designed for retaining productivity, can also enhance insect biodiversity, without incurring major yield loss. Strip cropped fields had on average 15% more ground beetle species and 30% more individuals than monocultural fields. The increase in field-level beetle species richness in organic agriculture through strip cropping approached increases found for other readily deployed biodiversity conservation methods, like shifting from conventional to organic agriculture (+19% - +23%). This makes strip cropping a useful tool for bending the curve of biodiversity loss without compromising food production.