Carlos Astrain

This article is aimed at analyzing the potential that CAP 2014–2020-related instruments have on supporting agroecological transitions in Europe by focusing on the strengths and weaknesses of key instruments. Through a stepwise participatory research methodology, 105 key stakeholders (farmers, advisors, academics, environment experts, administration representatives, and professionals from food chains) in 15 countries in Europe were engaged in the discussion of the potential of current CAP instruments to solve the barriers that constrain agroecological farming systems in their particular regions. The results of this comparative study show which CAP instruments are valued with a high potential to support transitions to agroecology. The analysis of the stakeholders’ perceptions contributes to an enhanced understanding of why CAP instruments have failed or succeeded to promote agroecological transitions.

La rata topera (Arvicola scherman) es una especie de gran interés, tanto por su papel como presa de multitud de depredadores, como por el impacto de sus daños sobre la agricultura. Las variaciones en su abundancia poblacional y el papel de los factores que la modulan han sido ampliamente estudiadas en el norte de Europa, pero hasta el momento, se carecía de esta información para las poblaciones del Pirineo. En el presente trabajo se exponen los resultados obtenidos en el plan de monitorización de la especie en Navarra desde 2016 hasta 2020, describiendo tanto los cambios de abundancia registrados, como la influencia de los factores ambientales y de gestión agroganadera analizados. Describimos una variación de la abundancia a lo largo del año, con valores significativamente mayores en primavera que en verano; y entre los 5 años de muestreo, con una abundancia significativamente mayor en 2016 y 2020. La pluviometría acumulada en los meses previos al censo y el pastoreo con ovejas han sido los factores retenidos en los modelos con influencia significativa. Ambos han ejercido un efecto positivo sobre la rata topera, aumentando su abundancia al incrementarse la pluviometría y con el aprovechamiento con ganado ovino. Se discute el papel de estos factores y otras variables de estructura del paisaje y de gestión agrícola en los cambios de abundancia poblacional de la rata topera. The Fossorial Water Vole (Arvicola scherman) is a species of great interest, both because of its role as prey for a wide variety of predators, and the damages on agriculture. The variation in its population abundance and the factors that modulate it have been widely studied in northern Europe, but they are rather unknown for Pyrenean populations. Here we show the results obtained in the monitoring plan for the species in Navarra from 2016 to 2020, describing both the inter- and intra-annual changes in population abundance, as well as the effect of environmental factors and agricultural management. We found intra-annual variation in its abundance, with significantly higher values in spring than in summer. Interannually, there was a significantly higher abundance both in 2016 and 2020. The accumulated rainfall in the three months prior to sampling and grazing with sheep were the two most important factors that explain variation in population abundance. Both factors had a positive effect on the Fossorial Water Vole, so that its abundance increased with wetter months before sampling and in areas where sheep were present. The role of these factors and other variables of landscape and agricultural management in the changes of abundance of this rodent are also discussed.