Semi-natural grasslands as population sources for pollinating insects in agricultural landscapes

Published source details Öckinger E. & Smith H.G. (2007) Semi-natural grasslands as population sources for pollinating insects in agricultural landscapes. Journal of Applied Ecology, 44, 50-59.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Create uncultivated margins around intensive arable or pasture fields Action Link

Create uncultivated margins around intensive arable or pasture fields

A replicated, paired, site comparison study in 2004 in 12 agricultural areas in southern Sweden (Öckinger & Smith 2007) found that uncultivated margins placed close to semi-natural grassland fragments had a higher abundance and species richness of grassland-dependent butterflies and burnet moths (Zygaenidae) than margins situated further from grassland. There was a higher abundance and species richness of butterflies and burnet moths in uncultivated margins which were next to semi-natural grasslands (abundance: 0.1–1.6 individuals/100 m²; richness: 0.1–1.7 species/100 m) than in margins which were >1 km from the nearest grassland (abundance: 0.0–0.9 individuals/100 m²; richness: 0.1–0.9 species/100 m). Butterfly abundance in margins close to grassland was similar to the grassland (0.5–1.2 individuals/100 m²), but species richness in the margins was lower than the grassland (0.9–2.0 species/100 m). In each of 12 areas, two uncultivated strips of perennial grassland bordering cultivated fields were surveyed. One strip was situated within 100 m of an area of grazed, semi-natural grassland (5–12 ha), and the other was >1 km from the nearest grassland >0.5 ha. From late May–early August 2004, grassland-dependent butterflies and burnet moths were surveyed six times on one 300-m transect/margin, and on a transect through each semi-natural grassland (150 m/ha).

(Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)