Our primary aim is to develop a national expertise in bio-diversity research within the context of modern agriculture ('agri-enviromental biology'), by linking the practical and theoretical experience of university departments with complementary research, field experiments and interest in comparison of agricultural production systems within Teagasc. This will be achieved through a number of Work Project Actions.
Ag-Biota comprises four separate Work Actions with discrete but complimentary aims:
Action 1: To establish a national network of monitoring sites and initiate the development of scientifically-valid tools for the assessment of floral and faunal diversity in agricultural systems, and to divise appropriate protocols for the longer-term monitoring of biodiversity in Irish agriculture.
Aims: Selection of suitable bio-indicators for the assessment of environmental quality and the validation of agri-environmental policy.
Action 2: To identify of the key management factors that define or limit biodiversity within contrasting farming systems, by assessing the impact of alternative husbandry practices that are under existing experimental comparison at Teagasc Research Centres.
Aims: To inform agri-environmental policy, by providing experimentally objective information concerning the potential environmental impact of current and proposed future agricultural practices.
Action 3: To investigate the influence of husbandry practice on crop pest and disease incidence, and the ecological function of potentially beneficial populations within production systems, in order to develop management strategies for a more effective agronomic utilisation of biodiversity within the agro-ecosystem.
Aims: To promote a greater understanding of agro-ecology and the development of a more environmentally-compatible agriculture that conserves, and utilises biological processes.
Action 4: To investigate the practical consequences of reduced biodiversity within the agro-ecosystem and test fundamental ecological theories about biological diversity, community structure, ecological function and species redundancy.
Aims: To further advance understanding in an area of current ecological theory that has important practical relevance and consequence.
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