Study

Grassland conservation headlands: a new approach to enhancing biodiversity on grazing land

  • Published source details Haysom K.A., McCracken D.I., Roberts D.J. & Sotherton N.W. (2000) Grassland conservation headlands: a new approach to enhancing biodiversity on grazing land. Grazing Management: the Principles and Practice of Grazing, for Profit and Environmental Gain, within Temperate Grassland Systems: Proceedings of the British Grassland Society Conference, 29 February-2 March, 2000, Harrogate, UK, 159-160.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Reduce grazing intensity on grassland by seasonal removal of livestock

Action Link
Butterfly and Moth Conservation

Create open patches or strips in permanent grassland

Action Link
Farmland Conservation

Leave headlands in fields unsprayed (conservation headlands)

Action Link
Butterfly and Moth Conservation

Reduce grazing intensity on grassland (including seasonal removal of livestock)

Action Link
Farmland Conservation
  1. Reduce grazing intensity on grassland by seasonal removal of livestock

    A replicated, randomized, controlled trial in 1997–1998 on permanent pasture at three sites in Dumfries and Galloway, UK (Haysom et al. 2000) found that fencing field headlands to prevent grazing during the summer increased the abundance of caterpillars. After one year, headlands protected from summer grazing had more caterpillars (18 individuals/10 samples) than grazed headlands (1 individual/10 samples). From spring 1997, four treatments were carried out in adjacent plots (10 × 50 m long) on the boundaries of seven pasture fields: fenced (May–September) unsprayed, fenced (May–September) sprayed, unfenced unsprayed, and unfenced sprayed. Unfenced plots were grazed by cattle and sheep during summer, and all plots were intermittently grazed by sheep during winter. In sprayed plots, herbicide (6 l glyphosate/ha) was applied in April 1997 to clear strips to trial a method for increasing foraging access for birds. Insects were sweep net sampled in June and July 1997 and 1998.

    (Summarised by: Andrew Bladon, edited from Farmland Synopsis)

  2. Create open patches or strips in permanent grassland

    A randomized, replicated, controlled trial in 1997 and 1998 in Scotland, (Haysom et al. 2000) found that conservation management of permanent pasture field headlands (protection from summer grazing and clearing strips in the sward using herbicides) substantially increased the number of chick-food insects. The study measured the effect of different combinations of grazing and herbicide strip treatments on the numbers of true bugs (Heteroptera), sawfly larvae (Symphyta) and caterpillars (Lepidoptera). Treatments began in 1997, and insects were sampled in June and July in 1997 and 1998. By 1998, headlands protected from summer grazing had 19-32 times more chick-food insects (609 true bugs, 75 sawflies and 18 caterpillars, on average per 10 samples) than grazed headlands (19 true bugs, 2 sawflies and 1 caterpillar). Clearing strips in the sward (to allow birds easier access to insects) initially reduced the numbers of caterpillars and sawflies, but they recovered by 1998, when vegetation in bare areas had regrown.

  3. Leave headlands in fields unsprayed (conservation headlands)

    A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 1997–1998 on permanent pasture at three sites in Dumfries and Galloway, UK (Haysom et al. 2000) found that leaving field headlands unsprayed increased the abundance of caterpillars. Field headlands which were not sprayed with herbicide in spring had more caterpillars the following summer than headlands which were sprayed once with herbicide, but numbers were similar one year later (data not presented). From spring 1997, four treatments were carried out in adjacent plots (10 × 50 m long) on the boundaries of seven pasture fields: unsprayed unfenced, unsprayed fenced (May–September), sprayed unfenced, and sprayed fenced (May–September). In sprayed plots, herbicide (6 l glyphosate/ha) was applied in April 1997 to clear strips to trial a method for increasing foraging access for birds. Unfenced plots were grazed by cattle and sheep during summer, and all plots were intermittently grazed by sheep during winter. Insects were sweep net sampled in June and July 1997 and 1998.

    (Summarised by: Andrew Bladon, edited from Farmland synopsis)

  4. Reduce grazing intensity on grassland (including seasonal removal of livestock)

    A randomized, replicated, controlled trial in 1997-1998 on permanent pasture at three sites in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK (Haysom et al. 2000) found that fencing of field headlands to prevent grazing during the summer, substantially increased the abundance of three key chick-food insect groups. After one year, headlands protected from summer grazing had 19-32 times more chick-food insects (609 true bugs (Hemiptera), 75 sawfly larvae (Symphyta) and 18 caterpillars (Lepidoptera), on average per 10 samples) than grazed headlands (19 true bugs, 2 sawfly larvae and 1 caterpillar). Treatments were carried out from spring 1997 in adjacent plots (10 x 50 m long) on the boundaries of seven pasture fields: unfenced unsprayed, unfenced sprayed, fenced (May-September) unsprayed, and fenced (May-September) sprayed. In sprayed plots, herbicide was applied in April 1997 to clear strips to trial a method for increasing foraging access for birds. Unfenced plots were grazed by cattle and sheep during summer, and all plots were intermittently grazed by sheep during winter. Insects were sweep net sampled in June and July in 1997 and 1998.

     

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