Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marius Junker, Martin Konvicka, Kamil Zimmermann, Thomas Schmitt
Summary: In human-altered landscapes, species with specific habitat requirements tend to persist as metapopulations, forming connected colonies shaped by individual movements and displaying independent within-patch dynamics. Study of the genetic makeup of a metapopulation of the butterfly Euphydryas aurinia suggests a relatively stable population structure, with higher genetic diversity than expected for a habitat specialist species, and highlights the importance of considering habitat management and stabilization strategies in conservation efforts.
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Neil O. M. Ravenscroft
Summary: The population of the marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia is declining in Europe, but research on the Isle of Islay in Scotland suggests that some caterpillars may overwinter multiple times, prolonging their life cycle. This phenomenon could have significant implications for the conservation of the species and its persistence in certain habitats.
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gwydion Scherer, Thomas Fartmann
Summary: Traditional land use has led to the decline of temperate, semi-natural grasslands, impacting nutrient-poor grassland specialist butterfly species. This study reveals the effects of the complete harvest process on the survival of caterpillars, highlighting the importance of host plant growth form and timing of grassland harvest.
INSECT CONSERVATION AND DIVERSITY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Premysl Tajek, Ales Tencik, Martin Konvicka, Vaclav John
Summary: A study was conducted on the vegetation of EU-protected marsh fritillary habitats in western Czech Republic. The study found that the larval host plant remained stable, but there was an increase in tree and herb layers and a decrease in the moss layer. The main factors influencing the composition of vascular plants were moisture, soil reaction, and nitrogen, while nitrogen was the main factor for mosses. Butterfly occupancy decreased in sites with high soil moisture and increased in sites with higher soil reaction.
NATURE CONSERVATION-BULGARIA
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Hannah Norman, Demieka Seabrook Sawenfalk, Oskar Kindvall, Markus Franzen, John Askling, Victor Johansson
Summary: This study compares the effectiveness of a grid-based method and a traditional transect count method in monitoring the population size and trend of the marsh fritillary butterfly. The results show that the grid method is more reliable for detecting and estimating the population size of the butterfly.
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Marius Junker, Laszlo Rakosy, Thomas Schmitt
Summary: The Natura 2000 network is an important tool for conservation in the EU, and understanding the ecology of species listed on the Habitats Directive annexes is crucial. This study focused on the butterfly Euphydryas aurinia, investigating its ecology in a specific area in Romania. The population studied had a high density and showed some differences in dispersal behavior compared to other populations, but overall, the ecological differences to Central and Western European populations were not significant. The study suggests that many conservation statements for this species in Central Europe are also valid in Romania.
Article
Ecology
Claire Carvell, Nadine Mitschunas, Rachel McDonald, Sarah Hulmes, Lucy Hulmes, Rory S. O'Connor, Michael P. D. Garratt, Simon G. Potts, Michelle T. Fountain, Dinara Sadykova, Mike Edwards, Marek Nowakowski, Richard F. Pywell, John W. Redhead
Summary: Sown wildflower areas can increase the abundance of flower-visiting insects, but their benefits for other insect groups are limited. The successful establishment and maintenance of sown wildflower areas rely on appropriate management practices.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Callum J. Macgregor, M. Jane Bunting, Pauline Deutz, Nigel A. D. Bourn, David B. Roy, Will M. Mayes
Summary: The study found a positive correlation between species richness of birds, plants, and insects and the presence and increasing area of ex-landfill sites, but species richness associated with ex-landfill sites declined over time for birds and insects while increased over time for plants. Therefore, when repurposing brownfield sites, consideration should be given to their impact on biodiversity, with a focus on smaller sites or areas with a high density of other brownfield sites to minimize loss of biodiversity.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Patrick M. Cook, George M. Tordoff, Tony M. Davis, Mark S. Parsons, Emily B. Dennis, Richard Fox, Marc S. Botham, Nigel A. D. Bourn
Summary: Butterflies and moths play important roles in ecosystems, but there is a lack of a centralized database to facilitate research. This paper presents a comprehensive traits database containing 968 species, which can be used for further research on species' responses to environmental change, conservation and management studies, and evolutionary biology.
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
John W. Redhead, Richard Burkmar, Mike Brown, Richard F. Pywell
Summary: E-Planner is a free web-based application that provides detailed maps of agricultural land in Great Britain for environmental enhancement. The information provided by E-Planner is important for spatial targeting of farm management, maximizing crop production and environmental delivery efficiency. The methods used by E-Planner for collating and presenting data on environmental constraints and drivers are widely applicable.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Paul Tinsley-Marshall, Harriet Downey, Gilbert Adum, Nida Al-Fulaij, Nigel A. D. Bourn, Peter N. M. Brotherton, Winifred F. Frick, Mark H. Hancock, Josh Hellon, Michael A. Hudson, Kenny Kortland, Kate Mastro, Catherine M. McNicol, Tom McPherson, Simon Mickleburgh, James F. Moss, Christopher P. Nichols, David O'Brien, Nancy Ockendon, Stuart Paterson, Danni Parks, Stuart L. Pimm, Henry Schofield, Ashley T. Simkins, James Watuwa, Kathy Wormald, John Wilkinson, Jeremy D. Wilson, William J. Sutherland
Summary: Evidence-based approaches are crucial for effective conservation practice, but the lack of evidence on the effectiveness of interventions limits their use. Conservation practitioners often lack the resources to fill these gaps, while funders tend to focus on delivering conservation rather than funding primary research. However, there is an overlap between the preferences of practitioners and funders regarding the allocation of funding for intervention testing. Funders can facilitate testing by welcoming applications, allocating funds, and providing training and support, while practitioners can contribute by committing to routine testing and establishing testing processes.
JOURNAL FOR NATURE CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Willem Proesmans, Christopher Andrews, Alan Gray, Rob Griffiths, Aidan Keith, Uffe N. Nielsen, David Spurgeon, Richard Pywell, Bridget Emmett, Adam J. Vanbergen
Summary: Cattle grazing has profound effects on the abiotic and biotic characteristics of forest ecosystems, including modifications to soil environment and changes in microbial and invertebrate communities.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cecily E. D. Goodwin, Luca Butikofer, Jack H. Hatfield, Paul M. Evans, James M. Bullock, Jonathan Storkey, Andrew Mead, Goetz M. Richter, Peter A. Henrys, Richard F. Pywell, John W. Redhead
Summary: Due to the increasing demand for food and environmental services, agriculture needs to deliver multiple outcomes. Characterizing differences across agricultural landscapes is crucial in exploring spatial patterns in land capacity. Creating characterizations at multiple levels allows policymakers and land managers to harmonize ecosystem services delivery. Understanding variation within and between agricultural landscapes and farming practices has implications for environmental sustainability and food security.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
John W. Redhead, Shelley A. Hinsley, Marc S. Botham, Richard K. Broughton, Stephen N. Freeman, Paul E. Bellamy, Gavin Siriwardena, Zoe Randle, Marek Nowakowski, Matthew S. Heard, Richard F. Pywell
Summary: Despite decades of research and implementation of agri-environment schemes (AES), farmland biodiversity continues to decline. However, a 10-year study on bird and butterfly species in a farmland landscape in southern England showed that areas with AES intervention had stable or increasing species abundance, in contrast to equivalent landscapes without AES. These findings emphasize the importance of delivering and monitoring high-quality AES options for biodiversity conservation.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
William N. W. Fincham, John W. Redhead, Ben A. Woodcock, Richard F. Pywell
Summary: This study investigates the factors that limit agricultural yield and explores the relationships between in-field yield patterns and local landscape context. The findings suggest that proximity to the field edge and the presence of semi-natural habitats in the surrounding landscape can reduce crop yields. The study highlights the need for high-resolution environmental data to inform precision agriculture management and environmental policies.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emily V. Upcott, Peter A. Henrys, John W. Redhead, Susan G. Jarvis, Richard F. Pywell
Summary: Cropping decisions have significant impacts on agricultural management strategies and environmental outcomes. Mapping and predicting crop rotations enable targeted mitigation measures and risk forecasting. The study demonstrates the complexity of crop rotations and suggests their importance across disciplines beyond agronomy and ecology.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Lisbeth A. Hordley, Richard Fox, Andrew J. Suggitt, Nigel A. D. Bourn
Summary: Species' distributions are shifting polewards in response to climate change, with more evidence of range expansions in warm-adapted species than range retractions in cool-adapted species. In a study of 76 cool-adapted moths in Great Britain, it was found that the shifts in range centroids are oriented towards the north-west and are correlated with changes in total precipitation rather than average temperature. The study also revealed that areas with high temperature and low precipitation pose higher local extinction risk for species, which diminishes as precipitation increases.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dafydd M. O. Elias, Kelly E. Mason, Katherine Howell, Nadine Mitschunas, Lucy Hulmes, Sarah Hulmes, Inma Lebron, Richard F. Pywell, Niall P. McNamara
Summary: Grasslands contribute 30% of global terrestrial carbon, mostly stored in soils, and provide essential ecosystem services. Research on extending grassland reseeding cycle to increase stable soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks is limited, hindering effective grassland management for climate change mitigation.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Michelle T. Fountain, Konstantinos Tsiolis, Celine X. Silva, Greg Deakin, Michael P. D. Garratt, Rory O'Connor, Claire Carvell, Richard F. Pywell, Michael Edwards, Simon G. Potts
Summary: This project aimed to identify the nest locations of ground-nesting bees in apple orchards and determine the factors that influence their nest selection. Most of the nests were found in the bare ground underneath the apple trees. Fourteen species of ground-nesting bees were identified in the orchards. Therefore, maintaining bare ground areas in apple orchards can improve nesting opportunities for ground-nesting bees and enhance pollination.
Review
Ecology
Rachel Jones, Robert J. Wilson, Nigel A. D. Bourn, Ilya M. D. Maclean
Summary: This study assesses how population declines caused by spatial and temporal variation in exposure to climate change can lead to the need for conservation adaptation throughout species' geographic ranges. The study proposes approaches for conservation in landscapes where species are vulnerable.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Louise J. Slater, Chris Huntingford, Richard F. Pywell, John W. Redhead, Elizabeth J. Kendon
Summary: Recent extreme weather events in the UK have had severe impacts on crop yields, raising concerns about the effect of climate change on wheat production. This study investigates the impacts of climate change on wheat yields in the country and finds that the volatility of wheat yields has increased in recent years, with climate impacts being strongest during years with compound weather extremes. Projections show that while average temperatures and precipitation are likely to increase during certain wheat growth stages in the future, statistical models suggest that wheat yields will continue to grow. However, the study highlights that wheat farming in the UK may face new weather conditions outside of its historical climate envelope.
EARTH SYSTEM DYNAMICS
(2022)