Orthopteran Diversity in Steep Slope Vineyards: The Role of Vineyard Type and Vegetation Management
The abandonment of traditional agricultural practices and subsequent succession are major threats to many open-adapted species and species-rich ecosystems. Viticulture on steep slopes has recently suffered from strong declines due to insufficient profitability, thus increasing the area of fallow lan...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/14/1/83 |
| _version_ | 1797440837866487808 |
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| author | Vera Wersebeckmann Carolin Biegerl Ilona Leyer Karsten Mody |
| author_facet | Vera Wersebeckmann Carolin Biegerl Ilona Leyer Karsten Mody |
| author_sort | Vera Wersebeckmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The abandonment of traditional agricultural practices and subsequent succession are major threats to many open-adapted species and species-rich ecosystems. Viticulture on steep slopes has recently suffered from strong declines due to insufficient profitability, thus increasing the area of fallow land considerably. Changing cultivation systems from vertically oriented to modern vineyard terraces offers an opportunity to maintain management economically viable and thus reduces further abandonment. Hillside parallel terraces favor mechanization, and their embankments offer large undisturbed areas that could provide valuable habitats. We investigated the effects of vineyard abandonment, different vineyard management types (vertically oriented vs. terraced), and local parameters on Orthoptera diversity in 45 study sites along the Upper Middle Rhine Valley in Germany. Our results show that woody structures and vineyard abandonment reduced Orthoptera diversity at the local and landscape scale due to decreased habitat quality, especially for open-adapted species. In contrast, open inter-rows of actively managed vineyard types supported heat-adapted Caelifera species. On terrace embankments, extensive management and taller vegetation benefited Ensifera species, while short and mulched vegetation in vertically oriented vineyards favored the dominance of one single Caelifera species. Our results highlight the significance of maintaining viticultural management on steep slopes for the preservation of both open-adapted Orthoptera species and the cultural landscape. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:14:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf2e575108c34651ab30c18c70b35d54 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:14:11Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf2e575108c34651ab30c18c70b35d542023-11-30T22:48:46ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502023-01-011418310.3390/insects14010083Orthopteran Diversity in Steep Slope Vineyards: The Role of Vineyard Type and Vegetation ManagementVera Wersebeckmann0Carolin Biegerl1Ilona Leyer2Karsten Mody3Department of Applied Ecology, Hochschule Geisenheim University, Von-Lade-Str. 1, 65366 Geisenheim, GermanyDepartment of Applied Ecology, Hochschule Geisenheim University, Von-Lade-Str. 1, 65366 Geisenheim, GermanyDepartment of Applied Ecology, Hochschule Geisenheim University, Von-Lade-Str. 1, 65366 Geisenheim, GermanyDepartment of Applied Ecology, Hochschule Geisenheim University, Von-Lade-Str. 1, 65366 Geisenheim, GermanyThe abandonment of traditional agricultural practices and subsequent succession are major threats to many open-adapted species and species-rich ecosystems. Viticulture on steep slopes has recently suffered from strong declines due to insufficient profitability, thus increasing the area of fallow land considerably. Changing cultivation systems from vertically oriented to modern vineyard terraces offers an opportunity to maintain management economically viable and thus reduces further abandonment. Hillside parallel terraces favor mechanization, and their embankments offer large undisturbed areas that could provide valuable habitats. We investigated the effects of vineyard abandonment, different vineyard management types (vertically oriented vs. terraced), and local parameters on Orthoptera diversity in 45 study sites along the Upper Middle Rhine Valley in Germany. Our results show that woody structures and vineyard abandonment reduced Orthoptera diversity at the local and landscape scale due to decreased habitat quality, especially for open-adapted species. In contrast, open inter-rows of actively managed vineyard types supported heat-adapted Caelifera species. On terrace embankments, extensive management and taller vegetation benefited Ensifera species, while short and mulched vegetation in vertically oriented vineyards favored the dominance of one single Caelifera species. Our results highlight the significance of maintaining viticultural management on steep slopes for the preservation of both open-adapted Orthoptera species and the cultural landscape.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/14/1/83abandonmentalternating managementbiodiversity conservationgrasshopperinsect conservationsuccession |
| spellingShingle | Vera Wersebeckmann Carolin Biegerl Ilona Leyer Karsten Mody Orthopteran Diversity in Steep Slope Vineyards: The Role of Vineyard Type and Vegetation Management Insects abandonment alternating management biodiversity conservation grasshopper insect conservation succession |
| title | Orthopteran Diversity in Steep Slope Vineyards: The Role of Vineyard Type and Vegetation Management |
| title_full | Orthopteran Diversity in Steep Slope Vineyards: The Role of Vineyard Type and Vegetation Management |
| title_fullStr | Orthopteran Diversity in Steep Slope Vineyards: The Role of Vineyard Type and Vegetation Management |
| title_full_unstemmed | Orthopteran Diversity in Steep Slope Vineyards: The Role of Vineyard Type and Vegetation Management |
| title_short | Orthopteran Diversity in Steep Slope Vineyards: The Role of Vineyard Type and Vegetation Management |
| title_sort | orthopteran diversity in steep slope vineyards the role of vineyard type and vegetation management |
| topic | abandonment alternating management biodiversity conservation grasshopper insect conservation succession |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/14/1/83 |
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