A groundbreaking study conducted across 30 field sites in the southwest UK has revealed the importance of incorporating varied habitats into the landscape at large.

The research, published today in Nature and led by ecologists at the University of Bristol, addresses critical questions in conservation and land management, shedding new light on species interactions and how food chains operate across multiple habitats.

The study found significant differences in food web structures among landscapes with one, two, or three habitats, including a more evenly distributed abundance of species. Multi-habitat landscapes host a higher number of species, including habitat specialists, leading to greater overall biodiversity.