Study

Successful maintenance of Lepidoptera by government-funded management of coppiced forests

  • Published source details Dolek M., Kőrösi A. & Freese-Hager A. (2018) Successful maintenance of Lepidoptera by government-funded management of coppiced forests. Journal for Nature Conservation, 43, 75-84.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Coppice woodland

Action Link
Butterfly and Moth Conservation

Pay farmers to cover the costs of conservation measures (as in agri-environment schemes or conservation incentives)

Action Link
Butterfly and Moth Conservation
  1. Coppice woodland

    A replicated, before-and-after, site comparison study in 2000–2016 in 10 coppiced forests in Bavaria, Germany (Dolek et al. 2018) found that the number of webs of Eastern eggar moth Eriogaster catax and scarce fritillary Euphydryas maturna caterpillars was higher in recently coppiced woodland than in older woodland. Eastern eggar moth caterpillars were most often found in patches 5–10 years after the last coppice, and their abundance peaked after 5–7 years (data presented as model results). Scarce fritillary caterpillars were most often found in patches 10–12 years after the last coppice, and their abundance peaked after 12–15 years (data presented as model results). Coppicing commenced in 2005 at nine sites (23–310 ha), and in 2012 at a tenth site (80 ha) under a Government-funded scheme. From 2000–2016, caterpillars of Eastern eggar moth and scarce fritillary were surveyed in early May and late July–early August, respectively, by counting their silk-woven webs, in both coppiced and non-coppiced areas at each site. Each site was surveyed 0–5 times before coppicing (2000–2004) and 1–12 times after coppicing (2005–2016).

    (Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)

  2. Pay farmers to cover the costs of conservation measures (as in agri-environment schemes or conservation incentives)

    A replicated, before-and-after, site comparison study in 2000–2016 in 10 coppiced forests in Bavaria, Germany (Dolek et al. 2018) found that the number of webs of Eastern eggar moth Eriogaster catax and scarce fritillary Euphydryas maturna caterpillars was higher in recently coppiced woodland, which landowners were paid to manage, than in older woodland. Eastern eggar moth caterpillars were most often found in patches 5–10 years after the last coppice, and their abundance peaked after 5–7 years (data presented as model results). Scarce fritillary caterpillars were most often found in patches 10–12 years after the last coppice, and their abundance peaked after 12–15 years (data presented as model results). Coppicing commenced in 2005 at nine sites (23–310 ha), and in 2012 at a tenth site (80 ha) under a Government-funded scheme. From 2000–2016, caterpillars of Eastern eggar moth and scarce fritillary were surveyed in early May and late July–early August, respectively, by counting their silk-woven webs, in both coppiced and non-coppiced areas at each site. Each site was surveyed 0–5 times before coppicing (2000–2004) and 1–12 times after coppicing (2005–2016).

    (Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)

Output references
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