Effects of pesticide use and cultivation techniques on ground beetles (Col., Carabidae) in cereal fields

Published source details Huusela-Veistola E. (1996) Effects of pesticide use and cultivation techniques on ground beetles (Col., Carabidae) in cereal fields. Annales Zoologici Fennici, 33, 197-205.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Undersow spring cereals, with clover for example Action Link
	Reduce fertilizer, pesticide or herbicide use generally Action Link

Undersow spring cereals, with clover for example

A replicated, controlled, randomized study of ground beetles (Carabidae) in arable fields in Finland (Huusela-Veistola 1996) (same study as (Huusela-Veistola 1998)) found no significant difference in beetle abundance between conventional and integrated farming practices (including undersowing with grass/clover Trifolium spp.). Abundance was higher with reduced pesticide applications. There were six replicate blocks and treatments (in 0.7 ha plots) which were fully randomized within blocks (one treatment combination/plot). Treatments were conventional pesticide applications, reduced pesticides or no pesticides (control) and customary or integrated (including undersowing) cultivation. Beetles were sampled with pitfall traps at 12, 66 and 120 m into each crop 8-10 times (one week/sample) between sowing and harvest.
Reduce fertilizer, pesticide or herbicide use generally

A replicated, controlled, randomized study in arable fields in Finland (Huusela-Veistola 1996) (same study as (Huusela-Veistola 1998)) found that ground beetle (Carabidae) abundance was higher in reduced pesticide compared to conventional pesticide plots. This was true in 1993 and 1994, the opposite trend was seen in 1992. Spring species tended to be more affected by pesticides than autumn species. Overall there was no significant difference in beetle abundance between cultivation treatments: customary (deep ploughing, conventional fertilizer use, no undergrowth) vs integrated (soil treatment with cultivator only, reduced fertilizer use, undersown grass/clover Trifolium spp.). There were six replicate blocks and treatments (in 0.7 ha plots) which were fully randomized within blocks (one treatment combination/plot). Treatments were conventional pesticide applications, reduced pesticides or no pesticides (control) and customary or integrated cultivation. Beetles were sampled with pitfall traps at 12, 66 and 120 m into each crop 8-10 times (one week/sample) between sowing and harvest.