Data from: Ecosystem services and disservices provided by small rodents in arable fields: effects of local and landscape management

1. In agriculture, both valuable ecosystem services and unwanted ecosystem disservices can be produced by the same organism group. For example, small rodents can provide biological control through weed seed consumption but may also act as pests, causing crop damage. 2. We studied the hypothesised causal relationships between ecosystem services (removal of weed seeds) and disservices (removal of wheat and crop damage) derived by small rodents (voles and mice) at multiple spatial scales. At the landscape scale, we studied the effects of landscape compositional and configurational heterogeneity along the former inner German border in east and west Germany on the abundance of voles and mice and their related ecosystem services and disservices. At the local scale, we studied how this abundance and ecosystem functions are affected by management intensity (organic vs. conventional winter wheat), associated differences in crop characteristics and edge effects. 3. Linear mixed effects models and path analysis show that voles drive ecosystem disservices, but not ecosystem services, in agricultural fields. Daily wheat seed removal by voles was influenced by increasing wheat height and was almost three times higher than weed seed removal, which was not related to local or landscape-scale effects. 4. Abundance of voles and associated crop damage decreased with lower crop density and higher wheat height, which were associated with organic farming. Abundance of voles and crop damage were highest in conventional fields in west Germany. 5. Synthesis and applications. As the ecosystem disservice of wheat seed consumption by voles and mice must be considered mainly during crop sowing, management before harvest should focus on decreasing the pest potential of voles’ but not mice. Our results suggest that densities of voles and their ecosystem disservices could be reduced by having fields with low crop density and high wheat height, practices associated with organic farming. Surrounding landscapes with low compositional and configurational heterogeneity could further reduce voles’ pest potential, but with probable negative effects on farmland biodiversity.1. 在农业生产中，同一类生物类群既能提供具有价值的生态系统服务（ecosystem service），也能产生有害的生态系统损害（ecosystem disservice）。例如，小型啮齿类动物可通过取食杂草种子实现生物防治，但也可能作为害虫造成作物损害。 2. 本研究在多个空间尺度上，探究了小型啮齿类（田鼠vole与小家鼠mouse）介导的生态系统服务（杂草种子移除）与生态系统损害（小麦种子取食与作物损害）之间的假设因果关系。在景观尺度上，我们以德国东西部原东西德边境沿线区域为研究对象，分析了景观组成与配置异质性对田鼠、小家鼠的种群密度，及其相关生态系统服务与损害的影响；在局地尺度上，我们研究了管理强度（有机耕作与常规冬小麦种植）、作物性状差异以及边缘效应如何影响该类啮齿动物的种群密度与生态系统功能。 3. 线性混合效应模型（linear mixed effects model）与路径分析（path analysis）结果显示，在农田生境中，田鼠会介导生态系统损害，但不会提供生态系统服务。田鼠每日取食的小麦种子量随小麦株高增加而升高，且其取食量几乎是杂草种子取食量的三倍；而杂草种子的取食量与局地或景观尺度的效应均无关联。 4. 田鼠种群密度及其伴随的作物损害程度，随作物种植密度降低与小麦株高升高而降低，这一规律与有机耕作模式相契合。在德国西部的常规种植农田中，田鼠种群密度与作物损害程度均达到最高值。 5. 综合与应用：由于田鼠与小家鼠取食小麦种子造成的生态系统损害，主要需要在作物播种期加以关注，因此收获前的田间管理应聚焦于降低田鼠的害虫防控潜力，而非小家鼠。本研究结果表明，采用作物种植密度低、小麦株高较高的耕作模式（即有机耕作相关实践），可降低田鼠种群密度及其介导的生态系统损害。周边景观的组成与配置异质性较低时，可进一步降低田鼠的害虫潜力，但可能会对农田生物多样性产生负面影响。