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Science 10 June 1994:
Vol. 264. no. 5165, pp. 1581 - 1584
DOI: 10.1126/science.264.5165.1581
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Articles

Habitat Fragmentation, Species Loss, and Biological Control

Andreas Kruess 1 and Teja Tscharntke 2

1 Zoologisches Institut I, Universität, Kornblumenstrasse 13, D-76128 Karlsruhe, Germany
2 FG Agrarökologie, Universität, Waldweg 26, D-37073 Göttingen, Germany

Fragmentation of habitats in the agricultural landscape is a major threat to biological diversity, which is greatly determined by insects. Isolation of habitat fragments resulted in decreased numbers of species as well as reduced effects of natural enemies. Manually established islands of red clover were colonized by most available herbivore species but few parasitoid species. Thus, herbivores were greatly released from parasitism, experiencing only 19 to 60 percent of the parasitism of nonisolated populations. Species failing to successfully colonize isolated islands were characterized by small and highly variable populations. Accordingly, lack of habitat connectivity released insects from predator control.

Submitted on January 24, 1994
Accepted on April 28, 1994


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