Effects of management cessation on hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) across Austrian and Swiss mountain meadows
<p>Extensively managed grasslands, particularly in mountain regions, are considered to be one of the most diverse agroecosystems worldwide. Their decline due to land use abandonment affects the diversity of both plants and associated pollinators. Extensive grasslands constitute an important ha...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Web Ecology |
| Online Access: | https://we.copernicus.org/articles/20/143/2020/we-20-143-2020.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818551976275738624 |
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| author | R. Walcher R. I. Hussain J. Karrer A. Bohner D. Brandl J. G. Zaller A. Arnberger T. Frank |
| author_facet | R. Walcher R. I. Hussain J. Karrer A. Bohner D. Brandl J. G. Zaller A. Arnberger T. Frank |
| author_sort | R. Walcher |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Extensively managed grasslands, particularly in mountain regions,
are considered to be one of the most diverse agroecosystems worldwide. Their
decline due to land use abandonment affects the diversity of both plants and
associated pollinators. Extensive grasslands constitute an important habitat
type and food resource for hoverflies (syrphids); however, not much is known
about the effects of abandonment on this important pollinator group. In the
present study, we investigated how abandonment affects species richness and the
composition of syrphids in mountainous meadows. We recorded the richness of
vascular plants, vegetation cover, flower cover and the surrounding
landscape to examine whether and how syrphids are affected by plant and
landscape parameters. We investigated the species richness, abundance and
species composition of syrphids by sweep netting and by using observation
plots in 18 semidry meadows across two Austrian regions and one Swiss region. For
each region, we selected three meadows abandoned for more than 20 years and three
annually mown non-fertilized meadows. Abandonment or mowing had no
significant effect on the total number of syrphid species or individuals or on the number of aphidophagous and non-aphidophagous species and individuals.
However, the total number of species and the number of non-aphidophagous species
significantly increased with the increasing number of plant species. The
surrounding landscape and other plant parameters showed no association with
the assessed syrphid parameters. Although syrphids were unaffected by
abandonment, higher syrphid species numbers in response to a higher plant
richness in annual mown meadows suggest that the management of mountain meadows is beneficial in preserving syrphid richness.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T09:07:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1d28ee4501e94b25b24f9d9acfce2e68 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2193-3081 1399-1183 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T09:07:03Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Web Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1d28ee4501e94b25b24f9d9acfce2e682022-12-22T00:29:38ZengCopernicus PublicationsWeb Ecology2193-30811399-11832020-10-012014315210.5194/we-20-143-2020Effects of management cessation on hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) across Austrian and Swiss mountain meadowsR. Walcher0R. I. Hussain1J. Karrer2A. Bohner3D. Brandl4J. G. Zaller5A. Arnberger6T. Frank7Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), 1180 Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), 1180 Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), 1180 Vienna, AustriaAgricultural Research and Education Centre Raumberg-Gumpenstein, 8952 Irdning-Donnersbachtal, AustriaInstitute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), 1180 Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), 1180 Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), 1180 Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), 1180 Vienna, Austria<p>Extensively managed grasslands, particularly in mountain regions, are considered to be one of the most diverse agroecosystems worldwide. Their decline due to land use abandonment affects the diversity of both plants and associated pollinators. Extensive grasslands constitute an important habitat type and food resource for hoverflies (syrphids); however, not much is known about the effects of abandonment on this important pollinator group. In the present study, we investigated how abandonment affects species richness and the composition of syrphids in mountainous meadows. We recorded the richness of vascular plants, vegetation cover, flower cover and the surrounding landscape to examine whether and how syrphids are affected by plant and landscape parameters. We investigated the species richness, abundance and species composition of syrphids by sweep netting and by using observation plots in 18 semidry meadows across two Austrian regions and one Swiss region. For each region, we selected three meadows abandoned for more than 20 years and three annually mown non-fertilized meadows. Abandonment or mowing had no significant effect on the total number of syrphid species or individuals or on the number of aphidophagous and non-aphidophagous species and individuals. However, the total number of species and the number of non-aphidophagous species significantly increased with the increasing number of plant species. The surrounding landscape and other plant parameters showed no association with the assessed syrphid parameters. Although syrphids were unaffected by abandonment, higher syrphid species numbers in response to a higher plant richness in annual mown meadows suggest that the management of mountain meadows is beneficial in preserving syrphid richness.</p>https://we.copernicus.org/articles/20/143/2020/we-20-143-2020.pdf |
| spellingShingle | R. Walcher R. I. Hussain J. Karrer A. Bohner D. Brandl J. G. Zaller A. Arnberger T. Frank Effects of management cessation on hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) across Austrian and Swiss mountain meadows Web Ecology |
| title | Effects of management cessation on hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) across Austrian and Swiss mountain meadows |
| title_full | Effects of management cessation on hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) across Austrian and Swiss mountain meadows |
| title_fullStr | Effects of management cessation on hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) across Austrian and Swiss mountain meadows |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of management cessation on hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) across Austrian and Swiss mountain meadows |
| title_short | Effects of management cessation on hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) across Austrian and Swiss mountain meadows |
| title_sort | effects of management cessation on hoverflies diptera syrphidae across austrian and swiss mountain meadows |
| url | https://we.copernicus.org/articles/20/143/2020/we-20-143-2020.pdf |
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