The resource concentration hypothesis looks at how the advent of modern agriculture as monoculture created an environment where pests can grow faster because their resource, the crop, is more prevalent. Biodiversity is fundamental for pest management and Daniel Paredes, Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California Davis, in the department of Wildlife Fish and Conservation Biology, is studying how sustaining natural habitat around vineyards can increase biodiversity.

Promotion of natural habitat impacts vineyards in two different ways; 1) the promotion of natural enemies and 2) by diminishing the pest population. Speaking about his latest research project in Spain, Daniel says, “At harvest, we found pest outbreaks increased four-fold in simplified, vineyard-dominated landscapes compared to complex landscapes in which vineyards are surrounded by semi-natural habitats.” This study shows that conserving and restoring natural vegetation creates a more stable environment.

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102: Effects of Landscape Management on Pest Control in Vineyards

Sustainable Winegrowing