Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use mixed stocking A replicated, controlled study in the UK found more spiders, harvestmen and pseudoscorpions on sheep-grazed grassland than on mixed livestock-grazed grassland when suction sampling, but not when pitfall-trapping.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F93https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F93Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:35:59 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Make selective use of spring herbicidesA replicated, controlled, randomized study in the UK found that spring herbicides had some benefits for beneficial weeds and arthropods.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F98https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F98Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:50:21 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide medicated grit for grouse A controlled study in England found that red grouse had higher productivity in areas where medicated grit was provided. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F112https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F112Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:12:09 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide training for land managers, farmers and farm advisers One study from the UK found farmers who were trained in how to implement agri-environment schemes created better quality wildlife habitat over five years. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F113https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F113Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:13:06 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide short grass for birds A replicated UK study found that common starlings and northern lapwing spent more time foraging on short grass, compared to longer grass, and that starlings captured more prey in short grass. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F115https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F115Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:15:43 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Provide other resources for birds (water, sand for bathing) A small study in France found that grey partridge density was higher in areas where a combination of supplementary food, water, shelter and sand for bathing were provided.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F117https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F117Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:37:30 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Plant nettle strips A small study from Belgium found that planting nettle strips in the margins of three arable fields resulted in a higher number of aphid predator species. The number of aphid predators on a natural patch of nettles was higher than on crops, however there were fewer predators on nettle strips than on crops. Three insect families, including green lacewings, were only found on nettles.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F118https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F118Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:40:45 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Control scrub A replicated study from the UK found a negative relationship between the number of young grey partridge per adult and a combined intervention of scrub control, rough grazing and the restoration of various semi-natural habitats.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F127https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F127Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:51:12 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Take field corners out of management A replicated site comparison study in the UK found that taking field corners out of management was positively correlated with grey partridge overwinter survival. However it had no effect on grey partridge brood size, the ratio of young to old birds or year-on-year density changes.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F128https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F128Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:53:16 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Mark bird nests during harvest or mowing One replicated study from the Netherlands found that marked northern lapwing nests were less likely to fail as a result of farming operations than unmarked nests.    Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F148https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F148Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:52:47 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Manage heather by swiping to simulate burning A replicated controlled trial in Northern Ireland found that heather moorland subject to flailing to simulate burning had more plant species eight years after the management, than control unflailed plots, but fewer plant species than burned plots.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F151https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F151Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:19:00 +0000Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Manage the agricultural landscape to enhance floral resources One large replicated controlled trial showed that the average abundance of long-tongued bumblebees on field margins was positively correlated with the number of ‘pollen and nectar’ agri-environment agreements in a 10 km grid square. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F362https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F362Fri, 03 Aug 2012 12:08:24 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use scaring devices (eg. gas guns) and other deterrents to reduce persecution of native species One replicated, controlled trial in Germany found phosphorescent tape was more effective than normal yellow tape at deterring deer from an area, but had no effect on wild boar or European hare.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F645https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F645Wed, 17 Oct 2012 17:00:06 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Maintain wood pasture and parkland A randomized, replicated, controlled trial in Sweden found that annual mowing maintained the highest number of plant species on wood pasture.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F649https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F649Fri, 19 Oct 2012 13:59:40 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Encourage foraging waterfowlOne controlled, replicated experiment from the USA found increased straw decomposition when ducks were allowed to forage. SOIL TYPE COVERED: Silty clay  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F711https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F711Wed, 29 May 2013 09:20:41 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Incorporate parasitism rates when setting thresholds for insecticide usePest damage: One controlled study from New Zealand found using parasitism rates to inform spraying decisions resulted in acceptable levels of crop damage from pests. Effects on natural enemy populations were not monitored. The crop studied was tomato.Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F726https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F726Thu, 30 May 2013 13:19:33 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Breed for resistance traits A replicated, controlled study in Norway found increased survival levels in salmon exposed to infectious pancreatic necrosis when the family was bred for high resistance to the disease compared to a family bred for low resistance to the disease. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F735https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F735Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:17:27 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Aerobic training A randomised, replicated, controlled study in Norway found higher survival rates in salmon exposed to infectious pancreatic necrosis if they had undergone aerobic training. Interval training was more effective than continuous training. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F740https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F740Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:39:10 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Alter lighting A replicated, controlled study in Norway reported lower numbers of lice on salmon kept in low intensity artificial light or natural lighting. The more intense the artificial light was, the higher the number of lice found on fish. Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F741https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F741Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:41:00 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Isolate colonies of beneficial antsNatural enemies: One replicated, controlled study from Australia found predatory ants occupied more cashew trees when colonies were kept isolated. Pest damage and yield: The same study found lower pest damage to cashews and higher yields. The crop studied was cashew.Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F773https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F773Tue, 20 Aug 2013 15:54:13 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use mass-emergence devices to increase natural enemy populationsParasitism: One randomised, replicated, controlled study in Switzerland found higher parasitism at one site but no effect at another site when mass-emergence devices were used in urban areas. Pest damage: The same study found no effect on pest damage to horse chestnut treesCollected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F775https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F775Tue, 20 Aug 2013 16:35:29 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Amend the soil with composts not otherwise specifiedOne controlled, randomized, replicated trial in Italy found that applying a high rate of compost increased soil organic matter levels, microbial biomass and fruit yield. SOIL TYPES COVERED: Silty-clay.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F889https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F889Mon, 30 Sep 2013 09:32:44 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Change the timing of manure applicationOne controlled, randomized, replicated site comparison study from the UK found less nitrate was lost from the soil when manure application was delayed from autumn until December or January. SOIL TYPE COVERED: sandy-loam.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F893https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F893Mon, 30 Sep 2013 11:16:56 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Incorporate leys into crop rotationOne replicated study from Denmark showed that reducing the extent of grass pasture in leys reduced the undesirable uptake of nitrogen by grasses, therefore requiring lower rates of fertilizer for subsequent crops. SOIL TYPE COVERED: sandy-loam.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F900https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F900Tue, 01 Oct 2013 11:32:25 +0100Collected Evidence: Collected Evidence: Use alley croppingA controlled, randomized, replicated study from Canada found that intercropping with trees resulted in a higher diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. SOIL TYPES COVERED: sandy-loam.  Collected Evidencehttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F903https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservationevidence.com%2Factions%2F903Wed, 02 Oct 2013 08:57:33 +0100
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What Works in Conservation

What Works in Conservation provides expert assessments of the effectiveness of actions, based on summarised evidence, in synopses. Subjects covered so far include amphibians, birds, mammals, forests, peatland and control of freshwater invasive species. More are in progress.

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