Species distribution modelling can possibly be improved through the preferential use of explanatory variables that reflect the natural history characteristics of the species being modelled. Red- and yellow-bellied toads (genus Bombina) engage in an intricate mosaic distribution across Europe. Analysing new atlas data on these species’ mutual distribution in Hungary with principal coordinate analysis we identified their differential ecological preferences as forested, hilly and mountainous for B. variegata and open lowland for B. bombina. These locally operating parameters we consider to be good proxies for the essential species difference which resides in breeding in ephemeral puddles at early succession (B. variegata) versus large permanent and later succession ponds (B. bombina). With two-species distribution modelling – in which the presence of one species is contrasted with the presence of the counterpart species – we obtained excellent model fit (AUC) for climate and elevation / land cover datasets alike (AUC=0.98 versus 0.95). For both models fit values dropped upon transference to surrounding countries, yet the latter model kept significantly higher predictive power (AUC=0.91) than the climate model (AUC=0.79). Swapping elevation for ‘hilliness’ as suggested in the literature had a significant negative effect on model performance. We conclude that an informed parameter selection enhances model transferability, therewith improving our understanding of species-habitat associations.

Many insect pollinator-dependent crops heavily rely on managed honey bees for pollination, yet flies and other wild taxa can be highly abundant and efficient, thus having potential as complementary pollinators. However, unlike bees, fly pollinator life history requirements and foraging behaviour are often unsupported in agroecosystems, or completely unknown. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of different non-floral resources in attracting fly pollinators and supporting their life history requirements, and whether higher fly abundance would result in improved seed yield in hybrid carrot crops. We introduced three decomposing organic resources (carrion, manure, and carrot plant material) to four commercial carrot farms in Northern Tasmania, Australia and sampled fly activity on carrot umbels around each treatment. In total, we recorded 46 adult insect species visiting carrot umbels across all treatments, consisting of 32 Diptera (flies), eight Coleoptera (beetles), four Hymenoptera (bees, wasps and ants), and two Hemiptera (true bugs). We collected 10 fly species and one beetle species as larvae from the resources. Both the carrion and carrot treatments supported five different larval species, while the manure supported two. Only Lucilia sericata, Australophyra rostrata, and Oxysarcodexia varia were more abundant on carrot umbels around treatments compared to the control, and seed yield around the treatments did not differ to the control. Our results suggest that the inclusion of non-floral resources can fulfil the life history requirements of flies in agroecosystems. However, determining whether the addition of non-floral resources also results in increased yield, requires further investigation.