Land-use, environment, and their impact on butterfly populations in a mountainous pastoral landscape: individual species distribution and abundance
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Published source details
Dover J.W., Rescia A., Fungarino S., Fairburn J., Carey P., Lunt P., Arnot C., Dennis R.L.H. & Dover C.J. (2011) Land-use, environment, and their impact on butterfly populations in a mountainous pastoral landscape: individual species distribution and abundance. Journal of Insect Conservation, 15, 207-220.
Published source details Dover J.W., Rescia A., Fungarino S., Fairburn J., Carey P., Lunt P., Arnot C., Dennis R.L.H. & Dover C.J. (2011) Land-use, environment, and their impact on butterfly populations in a mountainous pastoral landscape: individual species distribution and abundance. Journal of Insect Conservation, 15, 207-220.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Cease mowing on grassland to allow early succession Action Link |
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Maintain species-rich, semi-natural grassland Action Link |
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Cease grazing on grassland to allow early succession Action Link |
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Cease mowing on grassland to allow early succession
A replicated, site comparison study in 2003–2005 in 47 alpine meadows in Picos de Europa, Spain (Dover et al. 2011) found that abandoned or winter grazed meadows had a lower abundance or occurrence of seven out of 44 butterfly species than managed meadows, but one species occurred more frequently in abandoned meadows. In abandoned meadows, the abundance of five species (black-veined white Aporia crataegi, meadow brown Maniola jurtina, small skipper Thymelicus sylvestris, small white Pieris rapae, ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus) was lower than in meadows managed by mowing or grazing (data presented as model results). In addition, two species (grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae and painted lady Vanessa cardui) occurred less frequently in abandoned meadows than in managed meadows, but one species (small pearl-bordered fritillary Boloria selene) occurred more frequently in abandoned meadows than in managed meadows (data presented as model results). The remaining 36 species did not differ in abundance or occurrence between abandoned and managed meadows. From summer 2003–2005, management was recorded on 47 meadows. Sixteen meadows were either abandoned or only grazed in the winter, 24 meadows were cut for hay and seven were grazed by livestock in summer. The abandoned meadows had different amounts of scrub growing within them. From June–July 2004, butterflies were surveyed nine times on a transect around the edge of each meadow.
(Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)
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Maintain species-rich, semi-natural grassland
A replicated, site comparison study in 2003–2005 in 47 alpine meadows in Picos de Europa, Spain (Dover et al. 2011) found that mown hay meadows had a higher abundance of two out of 44 butterfly species than summer grazed or abandoned meadows, and summer grazed meadows had a lower abundance or occurrence of four out of 44 butterfly species than mown or abandoned meadows. The abundance of two species (black-veined white Aporia crataegi and meadow brown Maniola jurtina) was higher in hay meadows than in grazed or abandoned meadows (data presented as model results). The abundance of three species (small skipper Thymelicus sylvestris, small white Pieris rapae, ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus) was lower, and one species (small pearl-bordered fritillary Boloria selene) occurred less frequently, in summer grazed meadows than in hay meadows or abandoned meadows (data presented as model results). Two species (grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae and painted lady Vanessa cardui) occurred more frequently in managed meadows than in abandoned meadows (data presented as model results). The remaining 36 species did not differ in abundance or occurrence between management types. From summer 2003–2005, management was recorded on 47 meadows. Seven meadows were grazed by livestock in summer, 24 meadows were cut for hay, and 16 meadows were either abandoned or only grazed in the winter. The abandoned meadows had different amounts of scrub growing within them. From June–July 2004, butterflies were surveyed nine times on a transect around the edge of each meadow.
(Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)
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Cease grazing on grassland to allow early succession
A replicated, site comparison study in 2003–2005 in 47 alpine meadows in Picos de Europa, Spain (Dover et al. 2011) found that abandoned or winter grazed meadows had a lower abundance or occurrence of seven out of 44 butterfly species than managed meadows, but one species occurred more frequently in abandoned meadows. In abandoned meadows, the abundance of five species (black-veined white Aporia crataegi, meadow brown Maniola jurtina, small skipper Thymelicus sylvestris, small white Pieris rapae, ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus) was lower than in meadows managed by grazing or mowing (data presented as model results). In addition, two species (grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae and painted lady Vanessa cardui) occurred less frequently in abandoned meadows than in managed meadows, but one species (small pearl-bordered fritillary Boloria selene) occurred more frequently in abandoned meadows than in managed meadows (data presented as model results). The remaining 36 species did not differ in abundance or occurrence between abandoned and managed meadows. From summer 2003–2005, management was recorded on 47 meadows. Sixteen meadows were either abandoned or only grazed in the winter, seven meadows were grazed by livestock in summer and 24 meadows were cut for hay. The abandoned meadows had different amounts of scrub growing within them. From June–July 2004, butterflies were surveyed nine times on a transect around the edge of each meadow.
(Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)
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