b'ES: WHAT WERE THE MAIN CONCLUSIONS OF YOUR RESEARCH?AD:The one size fits all db-habitat does not exist. Any db-habitat needs to match local conditions and needs. However, reducing the number of habitats to four groups only facilitates communi-cation with farmers. Synergies (flowering cover crops) as well as disservices (increase of weeds and pests) and trade-offs (profit-ability loss) may occur. For instance, potential yield loss or dis-services such as weed or pest increase are still a major concern to farmers and depend on each farms soil, weed occurrence or landscape characteristics. However, using unproductive areas within fields for db-habitats can bring benefits in terms of saved management costs or improved soil fertility. Fortunately, new precision technologies will enable the exact mapping of soil qual-ity areas and support science-based decision making. In New Zealand for instance, unproductive field areas are already taken out of production for value efficiency creation. This approach, however, does not work in countries/regions where land area is subsidized rather than its management. Managed margins are particularly suited for implementation along biodiversity ES: BASED ON YOUR RESEARCH, WHAT WOULD YOUsensitive areas such as forests where they serve the purpose of a buffer strip. As these areas often lack water and nutrients taken up by the adjacent vegetation, RECOMMEND TO FARMERS AND POLICY MAKERS? they are less productive. Growing grassland verges on these areas supports soil AD:First, the popular flower strips sown with specific, nice-look- erosion regulation, organic matter provision and water regulation. Potentially ing flowers primarily benefit society through aesthetic appeal.they could be used for biomass production or provide grazing areas to They do however compete with and take away habitats that arecompensate for reduced production.needed by local wildflowers and respective related species. This type of flower strips at the onset were recommended to serve the honeybee, a domestic animal. Yet for biodiversity conservation purposes and support of local diverse wild plants, insects andvide different habitats for species and/or for a farms soil fertility other species, it is useful to promote those that are native to the(nitrogen fixation, soil structure, soil organic matter provision, area and their respective fields. The advantage of this approachpollinator feeding ground). In addition, the seed sector has been also reduces costs for flower seeds. Although wildflower seedand still is key in developing highly productive crop cultivars. mixes have been developed, their costs and management canThese varieties saved land from being converted to crop produc-be high. Thus, leaving areas uncropped (also referred to astion and indirectly support the protection of biodiversity overall. fallow-land, or set-aside) is considered to be more beneficialWith improved knowledge becoming available on how to to biodiversity conservation, especially if they can be estab- better integrate biodiversity needs within cropland, the seed lished over a few years on unproductive land. Such areas aresector also started developing various seed mixtures of cover however less aesthetically appealing especially to the greatercrops of different value levels that benefit biodiversity (polli-public and policy makers need to be explicit on this. Second,nators, birds) and crop production needs (various soil fertility regarding pollinator conservation, it is often instilled that cropbenefits) alike. These will be finetuned over time as to their production depends hugely on pollination. Yet, most arable fieldeffectiveness and support climate change adaptation needs. crop areas in Europe do not depend on pollinators. Cereals,The sector also has special know-how in establishing the seed including maize make up about 60 per cent of arable land andproduction of new cover crops such a clover species, oil radish, do not require pollinators. Using poor arguments with farmersmustard, phacelia, sunflower, ramtilla, pulses and forage grasses.disregards their economic needs and know-how. Thus, sharingAny cropland can be improved in terms of mainstreaming science-based arguments and addressing their needs is morebiodiversity through the implementation of those db-habitats effective to convince them and inspire them to take action thataddressed in our paper. As seed production is a high value crop, implement biodiversity mainstreaming measures in crop produc- some seed producers already adapted flower strips to support tion. Third, the biggest constraints of arable field crop farmerstheir respective needs of keeping crops vigorous and healthy: are soil enhancement and weed constraints. These need to getFor instance, specific pollinator attracting plants are used in more attention at policy level. Here, the planting of for instanceflower strips or beehive deployed to enhance hybrid seed pro-biodiversity-friendly cover crops serves well dual purposes. duction. All these measures and approaches improve biodiversity connectivity of the land across the landscape and add value to ES: CAN THE SEED SECTOR HELP IN CREATING BETTERproduction. They are strengthening the interlinkages between DUALLY-BENEFICIAL HABITATS? biodiversity and agriculture to become more sustainable and AD:Indeed, the seed sector contributes to dually-beneficial hab- resilient. itats, by breeding and developing new crop cultivars. Historic examples include oilseed rape and sunflowers. Their croppedEditors Note: Annik Dollacker has recently retired from area in the EU expanded by about 8 million of hectares betweenher position as Regulatory Policy - Senior Biodiversity 1970-2018. More recently pulses (such as soybeans, faba beans,& Ecosystem Services Expert at Bayer AG, Division Crop peas, lupines) and linseed have and are increasingly developedScience in Monheim, Germany. The research paper as profitable alternatives to cereals, including maize. They pro- can be found here: https://ojs.openagrar.de/index.php/vide diversity in cropping and crop rotation systems and pro- Kulturpflanzenjournal/article/view/15920 EUROPEAN-SEED.COMIEUROPEAN SEED I 17'