Natural pest control is a crucial regulating ecosystem service for sustaining crop yields while lowering pesticide use. Its effectiveness depends on landscape complexity, particularly the amount and spatial arrangement of semi-natural habitats, in and around fields, that support natural enemies. We provide a 50 m-resolution, pan-European map of NPC potential that updates and refines the model of Rega et al. (2018). The workflow merges Copernicus High-Resolution Layers for 2018 - Tree Cover Density, Grasslands and Woody Vegetation Mask (5–10 m source grids) - with empirical coefficients from extensive field surveys. Morphological spatial pattern analysis distinguishes linear from areal habitat elements, capturing their contrasting ecological functions: linear features improve connectivity for enemy movement, whereas areal patches offer stable refugia and resources. All scripts and configuration files are openly released, allowing straightforward reruns with future Copernicus updates or with analogous land-cover products outside Europe. The resulting NPC index maps spatial variation in habitat composition, abundance and proximity to cropland, providing an indicator for planning and management from continental to local scales.

CATARINO Rui;  KLINNERT Ana;  BARBOSA Ana Luisa;  D'ANDRIMONT Raphael;  FELLMANN Thomas;  KOEBLE Renate;  PARACCHINI Maria-Luisa;  TERRES Jean-Michel;  VAN DER VELDE Marijn;  VOGT Peter;  REGA Carlo; 

2026-04-20

NATURE PORTFOLIO

JRC141733

2052-4463 (online),   

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-025-06138-7,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC141733,   

10.1038/s41597-025-06138-7 (online),