Can powerline clearings be managed to promote insect-pollinated plants and species associated with semi-natural grasslands?

Eldegard, Katrine; Eyitayo, Damilola Lanre; Lie, Marit; Moe, Stein R.

doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2017.07.017

Cited by 17 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The findings from our field experiment, as well as previous observational approaches (Hill and Bartomeus 2016), suggest that in countries with a high proportion of (boreal) forested landscapes, the extensive networks of open-canopy habitats from power-line clearings can-with proper management-function as alternative habitats for wild pollinators. Our results demonstrate the importance of using human-modified land for conservation of biodiversity (Russell et al 2005, Eldegard et al 2017). It has also been suggested that management of power-line clearings should complement agrienvironmental schemes (AES) and contribute to conservation and ecosystem service provision (Hill and Bartomeus 2016).…”

Section: Multifunctional Land Use-power Lines As Alternative Habitat supporting

confidence: 62%

“…Moreover, the species composition of plants in power-line clearings is likely to be influenced by the levels of landscape fragmentation (Fahrig 2003) and patches of available source habitats (Winsa et al 2015), which influence the colonization rate of propagules. Power-line clearings may also function as dispersal corridors for plants, and previous studies have shown that the richness of native insectpollinated plants is higher in power-line clearings than in the adjacent forest (Wagner et al 2014b, Eldegard et al 2017.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…, Eldegard et al. ). It has also been suggested that management of power‐line clearings should complement agri‐environmental schemes (AES) and contribute to conservation and ecosystem service provision (Hill and Bartomeus ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, Eldegard et al. ). Furthermore, previous studies have mainly used traditional species diversity response metrics and have not considered functional traits, which have the advantage of being linked more closely to ecosystem functions and services (Weiher ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Eldegard et al (2015) suggested that with proper habitat management to promote conditions for wild pollinators, power-line clearings may contribute to ecosystem function and services. Yet, so far, there have been no experimental studies quantifying the effects of management practices on plant communities in power-line clearings, only observational approaches (Wagner et al 2014b, Lampinen et al 2015, Eldegard et al 2017. Furthermore, previous studies have mainly used traditional species diversity response metrics and have not considered functional traits, which have the advantage of being linked more closely to ecosystem functions and services (Weiher 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Different cutting regimes improve species and functional diversity of insect‐pollinated plants in power‐line clearings

et al. 2018

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To mitigate biodiversity loss, it is essential to understand how areas altered by human land use can act as alternative habitats for functional groups of species, which are in decline. In forested landscapes, power‐line clearings can be valuable habitats for early successional plant species, which in turn provide important food resources for pollinating insects. However, we know little about how management practices affect plant diversity, or how changes in species diversity translate into the functional diversity of floral resources. We conducted an experiment at 19 sites in power‐line clearings across southeast Norway where the woody vegetation was (1) cut and left to decay, (2) cut and removed, or (3) uncut. We assessed the effects of treatments on species diversity (richness, evenness, diversity) and functional diversity (functional evenness, functional dispersion) of understory plant communities of insect‐pollinated plants. We also investigated the influence of environmental conditions within the power‐line clearings, the surrounding landscape, and climatic factors on species and functional diversity. We found that the cut and cut–remove treatments were effective in increasing biological diversity of insect‐pollinated plants. The species and functional diversity showed contrasting responses to treatments, and the treatment effects depended on the environmental context. This shows that ecosystem functioning is not necessarily predictable from the ecological processes that drive species composition. The treatment effects on species diversity were partly explained by the stress‐gradient hypothesis; species richness was higher in the cleared plots in areas of low environmental stress from precipitation and elevation. In contrast, the treatment effects on functional diversity were positively influenced by productivity, stem density, temperature, available source habitats, elevation, and canopy density. Functional diversity, based on effect traits, should be emphasized when the aim is to maintain a broad range of pollination functions and services in power‐line clearings. This study shows that inclusion of power‐line clearings in conservation plans can mitigate biodiversity decline in forested landscapes. We recommend the cut–remove treatment in productive areas with available source habitats and high stem density. In low productive areas, with high stem density and high temperatures, the standard cut treatment is sufficient, but a higher cutting frequency is recommended.

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Section: Multifunctional Land Use-power Lines As Alternative Habitat supporting

confidence: 62%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Different cutting regimes improve species and functional diversity of insect‐pollinated plants in power‐line clearings

et al. 2018

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The contribution of alternative habitats for conservation of plant species associated with threatened semi‐natural grasslands

Johansen

Henriksen

Wehn

2022

Ecol Sol and Evidence

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Conservation of species associated with semi‐natural grasslands, a threatened habitat, is dependent on their ability to disperse between the few and fragmented patches remaining in the landscape. To maintain metapopulations dynamics and reduce the risk of regional extinction, it is essential to know whether other, more widespread, habitats can act as alternative habitat for the biodiversity associated with threatened habitats. Here, we study how four widespread habitat types in boreal landscapes—forest, permanent grassland, abandoned grassland and road verge—can contribute to the conservation of plant species found in semi‐natural grasslands which is a species‐rich ecosystem important for plant and pollinator diversity that has experienced extensive reduction, fragmentation and isolation. We compare richness of all vascular plants, insect‐pollinated plants and semi‐natural grassland specialists among habitat types in two regions is Norway where semi‐natural grasslands are few and fragmented. Based on overlap in community composition and local species richness, road verges were the most promising alternative habitat for both insect‐pollinated plants and semi‐natural grasslands specialists. Several habitat specialist species were, however, only found in semi‐natural grasslands and, for these species, no other habitat can be considered suitable as alternative habitat. Our results highlight that a holistic management perspective is needed to maintain biodiversity associated with semi‐natural grasslands. Thus, both the protection of remaining patches of the primary, threatened habitats as well as management of widespread, alternative habitats in the landscape should be prioritized.

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Change in plant species composition on powerline corridor: a case study

Çoban

Balekoğlu

Özalp

2019

Environ Monit Assess

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Can powerline clearings be managed to promote insect-pollinated plants and species associated with semi-natural grasslands?

Cited by 17 publications

References 42 publications

Different cutting regimes improve species and functional diversity of insect‐pollinated plants in power‐line clearings

Different cutting regimes improve species and functional diversity of insect‐pollinated plants in power‐line clearings

The contribution of alternative habitats for conservation of plant species associated with threatened semi‐natural grasslands

Change in plant species composition on powerline corridor: a case study

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