Study

The MAFF 'SCARAB' project: long-term consequences for farmland arthropods of pesticide use in the UK

  • Published source details Frampton G.K., Cilgi T. & Wratten S.D. (1994) The MAFF 'SCARAB' project: long-term consequences for farmland arthropods of pesticide use in the UK. IOBC wprs Bulletin (Bulletin OILB srop), 17, 245-257.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Reduce fertilizer, pesticide or herbicide use generally

Action Link
Farmland Conservation
  1. Reduce fertilizer, pesticide or herbicide use generally

    A replicated controlled study of seven arable fields on three farms in England (Frampton et al. 1994) found that reduced pesticide inputs tended to result in higher numbers of arthropods. Applications of chlorpyrifos spray in the conventional plots resulted in decreased numbers of ground beetle species (Carabidae: Bembidion aeneum, B. lunulatum, B. obtusum), one water scavenger beetle species (Hydrophilidae: Helophorus aquaticus), springtails (Collembola: Entomobrya multifasciata, Isotoma viridis, Sminthurides signatus, S. viridis) and money spiders (Linyphiidae: particularly Erigone spp.). Some of these species disappeared from sprayed plots and did not recover for a year. Spraying with deltamethrin also resulted in a decrease in water scavenger beetles Helophorus spp., several money spider species and one ground beetle species B. lunulatum, the latter did not recover for 15 months. Fields were divided in half with one receiving conventional pesticide applications, and the other reduced pesticides, i.e. lower herbicide and fungicide and no insecticides (1991-1996). All other practices were the same. Arthropods were monitored using a D-Vac suction sampler and pitfall traps. In each plot, four samples were taken, each comprising five sub-samples (total area 0.46 m²) between 25 and 125 m from the shared field margin. Four pitfall traps (9 cm diameter) were also located in each field half (12 m apart) and were operated for 7-day periods. This study was part of the same project (SCARAB – Seeking Confirmation About Results At Boxworth) as (Frampton 1997, Tarrant et al. 1997).

     

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