Jürgen Schwarz

This data paper presents a harmonized set of spatial datasets describing 60 agricultural landscapes (10 × 10 km each) generated for selected agricultural regions across six European countries—Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland—within the Horizon 2020 EcoStack project. These landscape datasets were developed for use within the Animal, Landscape and Man Simulation System (ALMaSS) and applied within an integrated modeling framework designed to identify management strategies that effectively enhance multiple beneficial organisms, i.e., ecosystem service providers, within European agroecosystems. All landscape models were generated following the methodology detailed in Ziółkowska et al. (2026). Because input data availability and structure varied among countries, the full set of data sources and the processing steps required to account for national and regional specificities are documented. All inputs were harmonized to a common structure, spatial resolution, and Type of Landscape Element (TOLE) legend to support comparability across landscapes. The resulting datasets capture major gradients in farmland structure, composition, and management intensity across Europe. They can support not only agent-based simulations and scenario analyses but also ecological modeling and biodiversity assessments more broadly. All landscape models, associated files, metadata, and landscape-window selection criteria are provided in an open, citable format to facilitate reuse and further development.

This paper presents agronomic and economic challenges of herbicide reduction strategies in German arable farming, based on a workshop-discussion on the ‘Reduction of herbicide use—economic and structural challenges and effects on agricultural farming in Germany’, held at the German Conference on Weed Biology and Weed Control in February 2024. The strategies discussed and compiled comprise (1) indirect and preventive measures like diverse cropping systems, cultivar choice, intercropping or mulching and (2) direct non-chemical measures, such as mechanical weed control or biological control. Direct non-chemical measures with optimization potential for arable farming (3), like thermal weed control or electro weeding and (4) measures for optimising herbicide application such as site-specific herbicide application or computer-aided forecast models were also discussed. The discussed strategies are associated with advantages like positive co-benefits in terms of soil health and biodiversity, a reduced selection of herbicide-resistant biotypes or in specific cases with positive yield effects. Disadvantages are in many cases linked to economic parameters such as higher workload, higher costs or/and to a reduction of yield potential. Disadvantages and economic challenges contribute to a reluctance of farmers towards the adoption of herbicide reduction strategies, which in Germy is still limited. To overcome these shortcomings and support the reduction of pesticides alongside environmental benefits, targeted funding and compensation, combined with an expanded independent advisory service, should be considered and reinforced. Furthermore, increased research and knowledge on economic challenges is expected to help farmers better judge the benefits, risks and obstacles of reducing herbicide use.

Fast-running flies (Diptera: Hybotidae) play an important role as predators in agricultural landscapes. This semi-field study examined the effects of pesticides on Hybotidae communities and their role in natural pest control in three winter wheat management systems (organic, conventional, and hybrid (no chemical synthetic pesticides with optimized use of nitrogen fertilizers)) in Brandenburg, Germany. To evaluate the impact of management practices, sweep netting and eclector trapping were carried out over three years (2020–2022) at the plot scale. Hybotidae abundance fluctuated across the management systems and collection methods, with no consistent trend linked to pesticide use. However, an increase in the abundance of Hybotidae in 2022, especially in eclector trapping, indicated that year-to-year fluctuations were pronounced and likely driven by environmental factors, such as climate and soil moisture, rather than management practices. The community structure showed a high degree of similarity among all management systems, but species diversity displayed pronounced interannual variation, suggesting complex ecological interactions. Sweep netting collections indicated positive predator–prey associations in every management system, pointing to a generally stable trophic structure. The study also demonstrates that using multiple insect collection methods is crucial for accurately assessing insect diversity and abundance. Further research is needed to fully understand species diversity, predator–prey dynamics, and their implications for sustainable agriculture.

Negative impacts of pesticides on the environment and human health, the risk of pesticide residues in the food chain, and the problems with herbicide‐resistant weed biotypes support the need for alternative cropping systems. The objective of this study was to investigate weed populations, weed management and crop yield in a pesticide‐free cropping system with the use of mineral fertilisers. Conventional‐, organic‐ and mineral‐ecological cropping systems (MECS) with 6‐year crop rotations including winter wheat, maize, winter triticale or winter rye, soyabean or spring pea, and spring barley were established in a randomised complete strip plot design with four repetitions. Experiments were conducted at four locations in Germany. Preventive and sensor‐guided mechanical weed management strategies were applied in all crops in the organic system and in MECS. Herbicide were applied in the conventional farming system. Weed densities, weed species composition, weed control efficacy (WCE) and crop yield were analysed over 2 years in 2020 and 2021. Conventional farming had the highest WCE and 1–7 weeds m⁻² (2.7% weed coverage) after herbicide application. In the organic cropping system and MECS, up to 27 weeds m⁻² were counted after camera‐guided weed hoeing. Weed coverage in MECS (9.7%) was higher than in the organic cropping system with 7.7%. Crop yield in MECS was equal to the conventional farming system and 20% higher yield than in the organic farming system. MECS represents a promising new and productive cropping practice if an effective integrated weed management strategy is applied.

The search for approaches to a holistic sustainable agriculture requires the development of new cropping systems that provide additional ecosystem services beyond biomass supply for food, feed, material, and energy use. The reduction of chemical synthetic plant protection products is a key instrument to protect vulnerable natural resources such as groundwater and biodiversity. Together with an optimal use of mineral fertilizer, agroecological practices, and precision agriculture technologies, a complete elimination of chemical synthetic plant protection in mineral-ecological cropping systems (MECSs) may not only improve the environmental performance of agroecosystems, but also ensure their yield performance. Therefore, the development of MECSs aims to improve the overall ecosystem services of agricultural landscapes by (i) improving the provision of regulating ecosystem services compared to conventional cropping systems and (ii) improving the supply of provisioning ecosystem services compared to organic cropping systems. In the present review, all relevant research levels and aspects of this new farming concept are outlined and discussed based on a comprehensive literature review and the ongoing research project “Agriculture 4.0 without Chemical-Synthetic Plant Protection”.

Vor etwa 35 000-40 000 Jahren schuf eine Episode neotektonischer Aktivität an der Indus-Sutur bei Lamayuru (Ladakh) einen See, von dem eine über 105 m mächtige Abfolge fluviolakustriner Ablagerungen erhalten ist. Die zwischen Ton/Silt/Sand eingelagerten lakustrinen Horizonte (Kalkschlämme) und karbonatreichen Schichten haben Süßwasser-Ostrakoden, Gastropoden und Charophyten geliefert. Insgesamt wurden 9 Fossilhorizonte angetroffen. Die hauptsächlichen Ostrakodentaxa sind llyocypris (l. gibba und I. bradyi), Eucypris und Candona. Bei den Gastropoden dominieren Lymnaea, Succinea und Gyraulus. Die Charophyten werden durch Chara globularis vertreten. Die paläoökologische Interpretation basiert auf den charakteristischen Faunen- und Florenelementen und auf der Natur der Sedimente. Es wird vermutet, daß der See während seiner ganzen Existenz ziemlich flach war und kaltes, extrem salzarmes, langsam fließendes, pflanzenreiches Wasser führte. Als ein offenes Becken mag er einen kontinuierlichen Abfluß während seiner ganzen Existenz gehabt haben. Die Entleerung des Sees wurde verursacht durch eine strukturelle Zerrüttung des Seebodens und die Ausfüllung durch riesige, durch einen weiteren Impuls tektonischer Aktivität ausgelöste Schuttmassen.