Study

The effect of coppice management on moth assemblages in an English woodland

  • Published source details Broome A., Clarke S., Peace A. & Parsons M. (2011) The effect of coppice management on moth assemblages in an English woodland. Biodiversity and Conservation, 20, 729-749.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Coppice woodland

Action Link
Butterfly and Moth Conservation
  1. Coppice woodland

    A replicated, site comparison study in 2002–2004 in a woodland in West Sussex, UK (Broome et al. 2011) found that coppiced woodland of different ages supported different moth communities. The moth community in young coppice (1–4 years old) was different from that in mid-aged coppice (5–8 years old), and both were different from old coppice (12–20 years old) (data presented as model results). No further statistical tests were conducted. Over three years, in young coppice, 109–256 individuals/trap and 20–31 species/trap were caught, compared to 100–218 individuals/trap and 26–27 species/trap in mid-aged coppice, and 186–342 individuals/trap and 28–44 species/trap in older coppice. Fifty-one species were only caught in young coppice, compared to 14 in mid-aged coppice, and 31 in old coppice. In 2003, the number of scarce species of conservation concern was 15–23 in young coppice, compared to 11–17 in mid-aged coppice, and 21–24 in old coppice. See paper for individual species results. A 200-ha sweet chestnut Castanea sativa wood was managed by coppicing 0.25–4 ha patches every 12–16 years. Eight patches, last cut between 1984–2001, were studied. In late June–early July 2002–2004, moths were surveyed on two nights/year using a 125 W mercury vapour ‘Robinson’ trap placed in the centre of each patch.

    (Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)

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