The Effects on Butterfly Abundance of the Management of Uncropped Edges of Arable Fields

Feber, Ruth E.; Smith, Helen; Macdonald, David W.

doi:10.2307/2404698

Cited by 174 publications

(126 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Daucus carota) should remain to provide resources for other social or solitary bees, butterflies and hoverflies (e.g. Feber et al, 1996;Westrich, 1996). In addition, the potential for perennial mixtures or other measures to provide early season forage plants for bumblebee queens has yet to be realised and requires further investigation.…”

Section: Pollen / Forage Plant Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the value of annual and perennial forage mixtures for bumblebees by direct observation and pollen analysis

Carvell

Westrich²,

Meek

et al. 2006

Apidologie

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-The value of introduced seed mixtures in providing forage for bumblebees on farmland was assessed by direct observation of individuals and analysis of pollen loads. Two mixtures of perennial grasses and wildflowers were compared with an annual mix of mostly seed-bearing crops over three years. Foraging bees showed contrasting patterns of visitation depending on species. Longer-tongued Bombus species preferred the perennial mixtures in which Trifolium pratense was dominant, whilst shorter-tongued Bombus and honeybees, Apis mellifera, visited mainly Borago officinalis in the annual mix. These patterns were supported by analysis of pollen loads from B. pascuorum and B. terrestris, both species showing a high degree of flower constancy to sown species. The relative specialisation of different bee species towards certain plant families, and the flowering phenology of seed mix components, must be considered in the design of agri-environment measures to conserve these and other pollinators.bumblebees / foraging / pollen / seed mixture / restoration / Bombus

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Section: Pollen / Forage Plant Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the value of annual and perennial forage mixtures for bumblebees by direct observation and pollen analysis

Carvell

Westrich²,

Meek

et al. 2006

Apidologie

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“…Such a monitoring of field edges seems especially necessary in Europe, with its often small structured agricultural landscapes containing many field margins. Butterflies have also been suggested for "general surveillance" monitoring (Züghart and Breckling, 2003), because they are a well-known group often used to indicate environmental changes, for signalling effects of management practices and for monitoring succession (Brunzel and Plachter, 1999;Feber et al, 1996;Firbank et al, 2003;Johnson et al, 1995;Kruess and Tscharntke, 2002;Miller, 1990;Steffan-Dewenter and Tscharntke, 1997;Wagner et al, 1996). Despite the vast amount of information about butterflies occurring on arable land, no comprehensive study has yet been published on butterfly species occurring in maize field margins.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Monitoring the impact ofBtmaize on butterflies in the field: estimation of required sample sizes

Lang

2004

Environ. Biosafety Res.

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The monitoring of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) after deliberate release is important in order to assess and evaluate possible environmental effects. Concerns have been raised that the transgenic crop, Bt maize, may affect butterflies occurring in field margins. Therefore, a monitoring of butterflies was suggested accompanying the commercial cultivation of Bt maize. In this study, baseline data on the butterfly species and their abundance in maize field margins is presented together with implications for butterfly monitoring. The study was conducted in Bavaria, South Germany, between 2000-2002. A total of 33 butterfly species was recorded in field margins. A small number of species dominated the community, and butterflies observed were mostly common species. Observation duration was the most important factor influencing the monitoring results. Field margin size affected the butterfly abundance, and habitat diversity had a tendency to influence species richness. Sample size and statistical power analyses indicated that a sample size in the range of 75 to 150 field margins for treatment (transgenic maize) and control (conventional maize) would detect (power of 80%) effects larger than 15% in species richness and the butterfly abundance pooled across species. However, a much higher number of field margins must be sampled in order to achieve a higher statistical power, to detect smaller effects, and to monitor single butterfly species.

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“…When choosing seed mixtures, inclusion of larval food plants should be carefully considered as they can have a major positive impact of butterfly species. It would thus not be sensible to design the seed mixtures based only on needs as adult food resources (Feber et al 1996). Nonadult life stages seem less often considered when designing agri-environmental schemes.…”

Section: Percentage Butterfly Flower Visits In Wildflower Stripsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Carvell et al 2004;Meek et al 2002;Pywell et al 2005). Factors identified as influencing insect diversity or abundances are, for example, abundance of flowering plants (Carvell et al 2004;Feber et al 1996;Heard et al 2007;Kohler et al 2008), management (e.g. Feber et al 1996Woodcock et al 2008), age of the strips (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aviron et al 2007aAviron et al , 2010Heard et al 2007). Butterflies have been shown to occur in higher abundances in strips containing wildflowers than other strips with grasses only, or with natural regeneration (Feber et al 1996;Haaland and Gyllin 2010;Meek et al 2002;Pywell et al 2007). Aviron et al (2007a) found in a study area in Switzerland higher diversity and abundance of butterflies in wildflower strips than in conventional grasslands or wheat fields.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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What can sown wildflower strips contribute to butterfly conservation?: an example from a Swiss lowland agricultural landscape

Haaland¹,

Bersier²

2010

Lepidoptera Conservation in a Changing World

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The objective of this study was to compare butterfly abundances and diversity between wildflower strips and extensively used meadows to identify which butterfly species can be supported by establishing wildflower strips. Butterflies were recorded along transects during one season in twenty-five sown wildflower strips and eleven extensively used meadows in a Swiss lowland agricultural landscape (600 ha). In total 1,669 butterflies of 25 species were observed (25 in the strips, 18 in meadows). This can be related to 38 species recorded in the region (lowland part of Kanton Fribourg) within the Swiss Biodiversity Monitoring Programme. In wildflower strips the number of butterflies per transect meter was significantly higher than in the meadows, but there was no significant difference in species richness. Butterfly communities, though, were quite different between the two habitat types. Habitat type, abundances of flowering plants and presence of forest within 50 m were identified as factors influencing butterfly species richness. Butterfly abundances were affected by habitat type and abundance of flowering plants. In wildflower strips, 65% of all flower visits by butterflies were observed on Origanum. It can be concluded that sown wildflower strips can support a substantial part of a regions species pool. This is mostly true for common species, but can apply to rare species when, for example, larval food plant requirements are met.

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The Effects on Butterfly Abundance of the Management of Uncropped Edges of Arable Fields

Cited by 174 publications

References 16 publications

Assessing the value of annual and perennial forage mixtures for bumblebees by direct observation and pollen analysis

Assessing the value of annual and perennial forage mixtures for bumblebees by direct observation and pollen analysis

Monitoring the impact ofBtmaize on butterflies in the field: estimation of required sample sizes

What can sown wildflower strips contribute to butterfly conservation?: an example from a Swiss lowland agricultural landscape

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