BIOVERSITY INTERNATIONAL/UBC BRITE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
TITLE:
INTERNSHIP
PROJECT
LOCATION:
Land sparing and land sharing: moving the debate forward
Analysis of how land sparing or land sharing can contribute to agrobiodiversity conservation
Rome
TERM:
DURATION (#MONTHS): 1.5 months
FROM: 1. May or 1. June
NAME:
Pablo B. Eyzaguirre, PhD
TITLE:
PROGRAMME
PROJECT
SUPERVISOR
ADDRESS:
EMAIL:
TOPIC OR RESEARCH
QUESTION:
(Briefly (60-70 words) describe
the research question being
addressed through this project)
TO: 15 June or 16 July
Senior Scientist
Bioversity Agrobiodiversity and
Ecosystems Services
Via dei Tre Denari, 472, Maccarese, Rome
p.eyzaguirre@cgiar.org
PHONE:
(+39) 066118267
FAX:
(+39) 0661979661
There is an on-going debate between those who argue for farming agricultural land intensively to
maximize yields while conserving and protecting natural habitats (land sparing), and those who
emphasize integrating biodiversity conservation with food production using wildlife-friendly farming
methods (land sharing). While the debate raises important issues with respect to land management,
agricultural production and biodiversity conservation, it has had major limitations. In reality, there
exists a great variety of land use compositions that result in different trade-offs between production
and conservation. The dichotomy characterized by the land sparing/sharing discourse is seldom
reflected in most landscapes.
The focus of the debate has so far been largely on wild or natural biodiversity – species and
populations that occur in natural habitats and little or no attention has been given to agrobiodiversity.
Yet agrobiodiversity (at genetic, species and ecosystem levels) is essential for food security,
ecosystem functions and resilience. Ecosystem functions in which agrobiodiversity plays a key role
include pollination, pest and disease control and enhanced soil nutrient availability. For example,
pollination of crops by animals, which contributes to approximately 35% of global food production,
depends on the existence of habitats in and adjacent to agricultural landscapes that support both the
abundance but also the diversity of pollinators.
The analysis of available studies has shown that land management decisions (whether sharing or
sparing) affect agrobiodiversity in different and complex ways that need to be taken into account in
trying to maintain agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services. It seems that some components of
agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services may benefit from sparing (e.g. some pollinator species, crop
wild relatives); while others from sharing approaches (e.g. local varieties, fodder species). Within this
project, we seek to analyse the evidence on how different land use approaches affect
agrobiodiversity and develop a framework that allows exploration of the consequences of land
sparing or sharing decisions on agrobiodiversity and on ecosystem services it provides. The focus
will be on crop diversity (including crop wild relatives), pollinators, soil biodiversity; and their
contribution to resilience, adaptability and evolutionary dynamics in agricultural landscapes.
KEYWORDS:
Landscape, agrobiodiversity, resilience, ecosystem functions, local communities
(To describe the project)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION,
RELEVANCE, RESPONSIBILITIES:
(Provide an overview of the
context for the internship
project and why it is important.
Describe the project and its
tangible, intended outcomes.)
Overview:
The internship/project will focus on a literature review and the development of a conceptual
framework for analysing the consequences of land sparing or sharing decisions on agrobiodiversity
and on ecosystem services it provides. The intern will have the opportunity to apply and expand her
or his knowledge about landscape ecology, land use systems, and interactions between biodiversity
at different levels, from gene to landscape.
Project Outcomes:
 Better understanding of knowledge availability/knowledge gap about the impact of
different land use systems on different components of agrobiodiversity.
 Better understanding of the drivers of agrobiodiversity loss in agricultural landscapes, and
of the importance of the land sharing versus land sparing debate for agrobiodiversity
conservation.
Intern Responsibilities:
 The intern will review the relevant literature on the conservation of crop diversity.
(including crop wild relatives), pollinators and soil biodiversity in agricultural landscapes.
 The intern will contribute to the development of the conceptual framework for analysing
the impact of different land use systems on agrobiodiversity and ecosystem functions.
AVAILABLE FUNDING:
NO
YES
IF YES, THEN LIST AMOUNT:
300$
PROJECT TYPE (Check the relevant type(s) of work to be undertaken for this internship)
FIELD WORK
GIS ANALYSIS (potentially if the student has the skills and interest)
RESEARCH PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT
POLICY ANALYSIS
LITERATURE REVIEW
SURVEY DESIGN
SHORT STUDY / ASSESSMENT
MODEL DEVELOPMENT (research prioritization framework)
DATA COLLECTION
OTHER
please describe:
DATA / STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
EXPECTED DELIVERABLES:
(Summarize the intended
internship project deliverables,
e.g., research report, data
analyzed, etc.)
 An annotated literature review on current knowledge about effect of different land use systems
on agrobiodiversity including a brief analysis of literature.
 Input into the development of the conceptual framework for evaluating the effect of land use
systems on agricultural biodiversity by helping to identify the key questions and complexities
involved in the maintenance of agrobiodiversity with respect to scale, spatial variability
patterns and ecological interactions.
 Report on contrasting strategies that might be needed for agrobiodiversity conservation and
relative benefits of sparing versus sharing including a reflection on/discussion of the
complexities mentioned above.
QUALIFICATIONS AND
EXPERIENCE:
(List the required and desirable
knowledge and experience)
 The candidate should have knowledge and interest in landscape ecology
 The candidate should have a good understanding of the functioning of agro-ecosystems and
the multiple scales/components of agrobiodiversity, and of interactions between them.
 The candidate should have an understanding of the threats to agrobiodiversity
 The candidate should have interest in traditional agricultural systems and landscape mosaics
including traditional knowledge and practices guiding the management of such systems.
ABOUT BIOVERSITY
INTERNATIONAL
CONTACT FOR INTERNSHIP:
Bioversity International undertakes, encourages and supports research and other activities on the use and conservation of agricultural biodiversity, especially
genetic resources, to create more productive, resilient and sustainable harvests. Our aim is to promote the greater well-being of people, particularly poor
people in developing countries, by helping them to achieve food security, to improve their health and nutrition, to boost their incomes and to conserve the
natural resources on which they depend. The organization is active in over 100 countries worldwide, with more than 300 staff working from some 16 country
offices. It is part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) which works to reduce hunger, poverty and environmental
degradation in developing countries by generating and sharing relevant agricultural knowledge, technologies and policies. This research, focused on
development, is conducted by a Consortium of 15 CGIAR centres working with hundreds of partners worldwide and supported by a multi-donor fund.
Bioversity’s headquarters are located just outside Rome, Italy in Maccarese. http://www.bioversityinternational.org/
For more information on internship placements, contact: Per Rudebjer, a.i. Head, KMSC Unit: p.rudebjer@cgiar.org, Tel: +39 06 6118 388
Revised April 2009