Landscape-scale connectivity and fragment size determine species composition of grassland fragments

Gallé, Róbert; Korányi, Dávid; Tölgyesi, Csaba; Lakatos, Tamás; Marcolin, Fabio; Török, Edina; Révész, Kitti; Szabó, Ágota; Torma, Attila; Gallé‐Szpisjak, Nikolett; Marja, Riho; Szitár, Katalin; Deák, Balázs; Batáry, Péter

doi:10.1016/j.baae.2022.10.001

Cited by 13 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…This result suggests that connected loess steppe fragments provide more host plants for phytophagous species with broader diet breadth. For instance, a recent study by Gallé et al (2022) showed an unchanged frequency of specialists but an increased number of generalist plants with better connectivity of small kurgans, indicating the presence of diverse plant communities of some well-connected fragments, offering more potential food for polyphagous herbivores.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…True bug functional composition was rather explained by species richness in forest‐steppes. Since true bug species richness was unaffected by the size and isolation of forest‐steppe fragments (Gallé et al, 2022), the associated functional responses might also be explained by some unmeasured local environmental conditions of these habitats.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Forest‐steppes and kurgans had two different spatial contexts, that is, forest‐steppe fragments were embedded in a matrix of relatively small‐scale pine forest plantations, and kurgans were situated in large‐scale agricultural landscapes (mostly maize, sunflower, alfalfa and winter cereal fields). Therefore, we made the GIS calculations within a radius of 500 m for forest‐steppes and 1000 m for kurgans (Gallé et al, 2022; Kuli‐Révész et al, 2021). To calculate Hanski's connectivity index, we used the following equation:

CIi = \sum_{j \neq i} \exp (- α d_{italicij}) A_{j}^{β}

where α is a parameter describing a species' dispersal ability, and β is a parameter that describes the scaling of immigration.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This process leads to homogenous landscapes with small, fragmented and isolated remnant habitats (Batáry et al, 2020; Deák, Tóthmérész, et al, 2016; Habel et al, 2013). As a consequence, communities associated with grasslands are adversely affected resulting in their altered species richness (Gallé et al, 2022; Rösch et al, 2013), functional composition (Birkhofer et al, 2015; Török et al, 2022) and ecosystem functioning (Kuli‐Révész et al, 2021; Martinson & Fagan, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Small grassland fragments and connectivity support high arthropod functional diversity in highly modified landscapes

Korányi

Gallé

Torma

et al. 2023

Insect Conserv Diversity

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Grassland ecosystems undergo dramatic habitat loss and fragmentation worldwide due to agricultural expansion and intensification. Among different taxonomic groups, grassland arthropods are particularly sensitive to this process and, therefore, are exposed to considerable risk. Although many studies focus on land use impacts on arthropod diversity, these mostly consider taxonomic diversity and neglect trait‐mediated functional responses. However, studying functional diversity often provides more accurate insights into ecosystem processes. Here, we assessed the effect of fragment size and connectivity on the functional composition (community‐weighted mean trait values) and diversity (Rao's quadratic entropy) of two diverse and abundant arthropod groups: spiders and true bugs. We assigned functional traits for more than 300 species collected from 30 sandy steppe (forest‐steppes) and 30 loess steppe fragments (kurgans) in the southern part of the Hungarian Great Plain. Functional responses to fragmentation were observed for spiders in forest‐steppes and for true bugs in kurgans. We found higher functional diversity in better‐connected fragments for spiders and in small fragments for both groups. We collected small, humidity‐preferring and web‐building spiders in small fragments, and there were more ballooning spiders with moist habitat preferences in well‐connected fragments. Furthermore, increasing grassland connectivity resulted in a significantly higher proportion of polyphagous and humidity‐preferring individuals in the true bug communities. Our results highlight the importance of small grassland fragments in maintaining high arthropod functional diversity. Even small fragments in a well‐connected grassland network can promote ecosystem functioning and associated services within human‐dominated landscapes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

CIi = \sum_{j \neq i} \exp (- α d_{italicij}) A_{j}^{β}

where α is a parameter describing a species' dispersal ability, and β is a parameter that describes the scaling of immigration.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Small grassland fragments and connectivity support high arthropod functional diversity in highly modified landscapes

Korányi

Gallé

Torma

et al. 2023

Insect Conserv Diversity

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“…Rising temperatures are already having ecological impacts, causing changes in species' distribution and phenology as well as individual activity levels ( Indeed, over the next 50 years, climate change is predicted to become one of the leading causes of biodiversity loss worldwide (Newbold 2018;WWF 2020). This may be particularly stark in areas such as Western Europe and the USA, where habitat loss and fragmentation has left populations of many species isolated on fragments of suitable habitat, unable to respond to climate change by moving through the wider landscape, and therefore vulnerable to extinction (Warren et al 2001;Fox et al 2015;Holyoak & Heath 2016; Gallé et al 2022). To protect such species, we need to understand how they are impacted by extreme weather events, and whether management in situ could mitigate any negative impacts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heatwave predicts a shady future for insects: impacts of an extreme weather event on a chalk grassland in Bedfordshire, UK.

Hayes,

Ashe-Jepson,

Hitchcock

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Climate change is set to become one of the leading causes of biodiversity loss worldwide, with extreme weather events projected to increase in frequency. Ectothermic animals such as insects are at particular risk, especially when they are isolated and unable to move through the landscape to track suitable climate. To protect such taxa, it is important to understand how they are impacted by extreme weather events and whether management could provide effective microclimate refuges. However, potential management interventions remain untested for many species. Here, we show that extreme high temperatures experienced in the UK on 19th July 2022 resulted in a community of butterflies becoming inactive, but that shaded areas, including artificial slopes created as part of conservation management for climate change, provided a refuge during this period. Our results indicate that future high temperatures could force butterflies to shelter in the shade, potentially being unable to fly, feed or mate during these periods, with potential long-term impacts. Implications for Insect Conservation Producing artificial slopes and integrating patches of scrub within grassland could create an array of microclimates that allow butterflies and other invertebrates to thermoregulate, providing a refuge during extreme weather events. Our findings highlight the dramatic effect of extreme temperatures on insect communities, as well as simple management solutions that could be implemented widely and relatively easily by conservation managers, to counter some of the negative impacts of rising temperatures and extreme weather events.

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Heatwave predicts a shady future for insects: impacts of an extreme weather event on a chalk grassland in Bedfordshire, UK

Hayes,

Ashe-Jepson,

Hitchcock

et al. 2024

J Insect Conserv

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Landscape-scale connectivity and fragment size determine species composition of grassland fragments

Cited by 13 publications

References 48 publications

Small grassland fragments and connectivity support high arthropod functional diversity in highly modified landscapes

Small grassland fragments and connectivity support high arthropod functional diversity in highly modified landscapes

Heatwave predicts a shady future for insects: impacts of an extreme weather event on a chalk grassland in Bedfordshire, UK.

Heatwave predicts a shady future for insects: impacts of an extreme weather event on a chalk grassland in Bedfordshire, UK

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