Study

Consequences of succession on extensively grazed grasslands for central European butterfly communities: rethinking conservation practices

  • Published source details Balmer O. & Erhardt A. (2000) Consequences of succession on extensively grazed grasslands for central European butterfly communities: rethinking conservation practices. Conservation Biology, 14, 746-757.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Cease grazing on grassland to allow early succession

Action Link
Butterfly and Moth Conservation
  1. Cease grazing on grassland to allow early succession

    A replicated, site comparison study in 1997 in 14 alpine calcareous grassland sites in the Jura Mountains, Switzerland (Balmer & Erhardt 2000) found that old fallow pastures which had not been grazed for 10 years had a higher species richness, but not abundance, of butterflies and day-flying moths than extensively grazed pastures, young fallow pastures or young forest. Old fallow pastures had a higher species richness (37–50 species), species diversity and more Swiss Red List species (9 species) than extensively grazed pastures (27–44 species, 4–9 Red List species), young fallow pastures (27–38 species, 4–7 Red List species) or young forest (2–5 species, 0–1 Red List species). However, total abundance was not significantly different between pasture types (old fallow: 282–560; extensive pasture: 387–823; young fallow: 420–1,103 individuals). Fourteen 1,000-m2 sites with a southerly aspect were selected, including three old fallow pastures had not been grazed for around 10 years, five extensively grazed pastures were still cultivated, three young fallow pastures had not been grazed for 2–3 years, and three dense young forests (up to 4 m) had not been grazed for 20–30 years. The old pastures contained scattered blackthorn Prunus spinosa, 50–60 cm in height. From June–September 1997, butterflies and day-flying moths were surveyed once/week on each site.

    (Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)

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