Low-intensity land use fosters species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers in mires and grasslands
Insects are by far the most species-rich branch of the tree of life and fundamental parts of extensive networks of biotic interactions. However, insect populations are declining dramatically and many species are facing extinction in the course of global change. In this study, we investigated species...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989422003596 |
| _version_ | 1828057101957595136 |
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| author | Florian Fumy Thomas Fartmann |
| author_facet | Florian Fumy Thomas Fartmann |
| author_sort | Florian Fumy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Insects are by far the most species-rich branch of the tree of life and fundamental parts of extensive networks of biotic interactions. However, insect populations are declining dramatically and many species are facing extinction in the course of global change. In this study, we investigated species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers in mire and grassland ecosystems in a low-mountain range in SW Germany: the southern Black Forest. Altogether, 84 randomly selected plots (100 m × 100 m) were surveyed. Across a hydrological gradient, each plot belonged to one of the five following habitat types: peat bog, fen, mesic grassland, semi-dry grassland and dry grassland. Our study revealed strong differences in environmental conditions and in assemblage composition of threatened butterfly and grasshopper species in mire and grassland habitats. Species richness and the number of indicator species of both groups peaked in fens and dry grasslands, and to a lesser extent in semi-dry grasslands. All three habitat types were characterized by low to intermediate levels of land use. In line with this, land-use intensity was the key driver of habitat heterogeneity and, hence, of species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers. We recommend a conservation policy that secures the maintenance or re-establishment of low-intensity land use. In particular, we suggest continuous large-scale, low-intensity cattle grazing from spring to autumn, which has been shown to best promote high habitat heterogeneity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T21:07:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0168ac46eca94119b946dd95574fb5ae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T21:07:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-0168ac46eca94119b946dd95574fb5ae2023-01-22T04:39:35ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942023-01-0141e02357Low-intensity land use fosters species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers in mires and grasslandsFlorian Fumy0Thomas Fartmann1Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabrück University, Barbarastraße 11, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany; Corresponding author.Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabrück University, Barbarastraße 11, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany; Institute of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology (IBL), An der Kleimannbrücke 98, 48157 Münster, GermanyInsects are by far the most species-rich branch of the tree of life and fundamental parts of extensive networks of biotic interactions. However, insect populations are declining dramatically and many species are facing extinction in the course of global change. In this study, we investigated species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers in mire and grassland ecosystems in a low-mountain range in SW Germany: the southern Black Forest. Altogether, 84 randomly selected plots (100 m × 100 m) were surveyed. Across a hydrological gradient, each plot belonged to one of the five following habitat types: peat bog, fen, mesic grassland, semi-dry grassland and dry grassland. Our study revealed strong differences in environmental conditions and in assemblage composition of threatened butterfly and grasshopper species in mire and grassland habitats. Species richness and the number of indicator species of both groups peaked in fens and dry grasslands, and to a lesser extent in semi-dry grasslands. All three habitat types were characterized by low to intermediate levels of land use. In line with this, land-use intensity was the key driver of habitat heterogeneity and, hence, of species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers. We recommend a conservation policy that secures the maintenance or re-establishment of low-intensity land use. In particular, we suggest continuous large-scale, low-intensity cattle grazing from spring to autumn, which has been shown to best promote high habitat heterogeneity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989422003596Biodiversity conservationEnvironmental changeHabitat heterogeneityHydrologic gradientLepidopteraOpen habitat |
| spellingShingle | Florian Fumy Thomas Fartmann Low-intensity land use fosters species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers in mires and grasslands Global Ecology and Conservation Biodiversity conservation Environmental change Habitat heterogeneity Hydrologic gradient Lepidoptera Open habitat |
| title | Low-intensity land use fosters species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers in mires and grasslands |
| title_full | Low-intensity land use fosters species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers in mires and grasslands |
| title_fullStr | Low-intensity land use fosters species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers in mires and grasslands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Low-intensity land use fosters species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers in mires and grasslands |
| title_short | Low-intensity land use fosters species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers in mires and grasslands |
| title_sort | low intensity land use fosters species richness of threatened butterflies and grasshoppers in mires and grasslands |
| topic | Biodiversity conservation Environmental change Habitat heterogeneity Hydrologic gradient Lepidoptera Open habitat |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989422003596 |
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