Some species are able to adapt to agriculture, but others are being put ijn danger.
Keystone / Lisa Maire
Farming has been blamed for the dangerous decline of several Swiss plant, bird and insect species, including the Damon blue butterfly and whinchat bird.
Researchers were expecting to find the opposite results as fewer species can be supported at higher altitudes.
“Numerous studies show that the intensive human use of the landscape in the lowlands is the reason for this situation,” read a press releaseExternal link on Monday.
The study also measured the impact of Biodiversity Priority Areas (BPAs) for which farmers receive subsidies to manage their land in a more ecologically-friendly way. In general, BPAs contained much greater biodiversity compared to areas outside of these zones. But the difference was more pronounced in lowland regions than in the mountains.
Agroscope said it would continue monitoring farming land to gain greater insight into its impact on biodiversity.
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