David Kleijn
davidkleijn.bsky.social
David Kleijn
@davidkleijn.bsky.social
Conservation ecologist, Pollinator afficionado, Wageningen University
Reposted by David Kleijn
🌿🪶 New Review in #BAAE: Abandonment & intensification impact biodiversity in marginal grasslands.

Across 174 European studies, both pathways reduced diversity — while restoration & extensive management help recover ecological value. 🌾

DOI: doi.org/10.1016/j.ba...
@gfoesoc.bsky.social
November 2, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Fall ❤️
October 12, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Intensifying grassland management leads to massive loss of arthropod species. However, total arthropod numbers remain more or less stable. Many losers, few winners. doi.org/10.1016/j.bi...
October 10, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Reposted by David Kleijn
Mixed plant and arthropod biodiversity responses to solar park establishment on former agricultural lands 🦋

Suggests that, while biodiversity can increase in solar parks post-conversion compared to previous land use, not all taxonomic groups benefit from this change 🌏🧪

doi.org/10.1111/1365...
October 8, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Reposted by David Kleijn
A welcome research comparing the results of pollinator monitoring obtained by humans (so-called 'pollination ecologists') and concurrent time-lapse videos (so-called 'the future for lazy' 😜). Take a quick glance at this figure from the paper and judge for yourself

doi.org/10.1002/aps3...
October 1, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Reposted by David Kleijn
Politics is complicated

Business is complicated

Finance is complicated

So why do they all expect ecologists to come up with simple actions & metrics for nature recovery

Could they be spinning us a line?
September 27, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Higher cutting frequency can restore habitat quality on farmland. doi.org/10.1111/1365...
September 27, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Reposted by David Kleijn
Dutch solar parks approach pollinator & plant biodiversity levels of extensive grasslands, but only on the surface not covered by panels. Soil-emergent arthropods and butterflies lack behind. Proud of Timea for leading besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@jappliedecology.bsky.social
September 23, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Reposted by David Kleijn
Using total abundance as a proxy for wild bee species richness: A practical tool for non-experts 🐝🌏

Proposes that employing an effective proxy for non-experts could enhance the evaluation of many local and regional conservation initiatives 📑🧪

🔗 doi.org/10.1111/1365...
September 25, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Reposted by David Kleijn
Veel meer natuur nodig om nuttige insecten voor de landbouw te behouden
Veel meer natuur nodig om nuttige insecten voor de landbouw te behouden
Regels van de EU die tot herstel van de insectenpopulatie moeten leiden zijn ontoereikend, blijkt uit Wagenings onderzoek dat donderdag gepubliceerd is in het wetenschappelijke tijdschrift Science.
www.trouw.nl
September 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Reposted by David Kleijn
We need much more semi-natural habitat (6-37%, depending on species group) in agricultural landscapes to effectively conserve pollinators. Large collaborative synthesis study looking at 59 studies in 1250 landscapes from 19 countries now published in Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
September 25, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Just because it is so beautiful. Megachile laechella. Rare in the Netherlands, but locally abundant in the dunes of Terschelling. The Dutch name 'zilveren fluitje' means silver whistle, after the high tone it makes while flying and the colour of.., well just look at it.
June 21, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Bees and beers. The typical use of fridges by pollinator ecologists during field season.
May 23, 2025 at 4:38 PM
In another project restpoll.bsky.social we investigate whether flower plantings can improve pollen dispersal between subpopulations. Scientists in action.
May 23, 2025 at 4:35 PM
What are the consequences of pollinator decline for wild plants? Here we try to find out in @valor-project.eu. Interesting observations. I never see Centaurea jacea flowers with pollen. But keep the pollinators away and the flowers are dusted white. Very popular species.
May 23, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Reposted by David Kleijn
Excited to be presenting results from the SHOWCASE project and Agroforestry Group this month!

Our farm trials across England have shown cover crops can increase earthworms by 65% in the following cash crops! AND agroforestry promotes worms too, especially in drought years 😎

Hope to see you there!🌾
We’re delighted to host The Green Farm Collective Regen Farming Conf #GFC25 @ Overbury this year the theme is ‘Soil to Slice’ 🌾🐑🐖🍞🥪🍕
May 9, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Reposted by David Kleijn
... (reserve-equivalent) enhancement initiatives, supported by one-to-one advice, within or close to existing reserves."
Here's an example of this working for waders in eastern England, spear-headed by the much-missed Mark Smart:
wadertales.wordpress.com/2019/06/14/m...
#ConservationScience🌍
Managing water for waders
Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to turn farmland into a haven for breeding waders. The only tools you have at your disposal are tractors and cows and we will give you permission to pu…
wadertales.wordpress.com
April 21, 2025 at 6:09 AM
Reposted by David Kleijn
The geveltuin (“facade garden”) policy is found in most Dutch municipalities, as here in Delft. Provided they meet a set of requirements, including preserving footpath width, residents are encouraged to remove paving stones in front of their property and replace them with greenery. No permit needed.
April 20, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Reposted by David Kleijn
Doing science biodiversity is great, but the impact is usually not very tangible. Together with citizen cooperative Land van Ons (@landvanons.bsky.social) we planted 300 meter of native hedgerow last December, and installed nest boxes. Today, I jumped of joy because the kestrel box is occupied!
April 13, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Our field site for the pollination study in the Horizon Europe VALOR project. A bit jealous of the PhD student who gets to spend a couple of months there 🤨
April 7, 2025 at 3:11 PM
LOL. Protect the insects with Unilux screendoors. Almost sorry I don't need them
March 29, 2025 at 3:17 PM