Study

Late mowed strips of grassland promote invertebrates in floodplain meadows: Results from the nature reserve Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue

  • Published source details Handke K., Otte A. & Donath T.W. (2011) Alternierend spät gemähte Altgrasstreifen fördern die Wirbellosenfauna in Auenwiesen. Naturschutz und Landschaftsplanung, 43, 280-288.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Delay cutting or first grazing date on grasslands to create variation in sward height

Action Link
Butterfly and Moth Conservation

Use rotational mowing

Action Link
Butterfly and Moth Conservation
  1. Delay cutting or first grazing date on grasslands to create variation in sward height

    A replicated, paired, controlled study in 2006–2008 in 10 meadows in Hessen, Germany (Handke et al. 2011) found that grassland cut in autumn had a higher abundance, but not species richness, of butterflies than grassland cut in summer. In the first and third year, the abundance of butterflies on strips where mowing was delayed (80–90 individuals/strip) was higher than on conventionally mown strips (10–50 individuals/strip), but in the first year the species richness on the delayed strips (9 species/strip) was lower than on the conventional strips (12 species/strips). There was no significant difference between strips before mowing in any year (delayed: 10–110 individuals/strip, 4–7 species/strip; conventional: 10–120 individuals/strip, 4–8 species/strip), or after the conventional strips were cut in the second year (delayed: 40 individuals/strip, 4 species/strip; conventional: 10 individuals/strip, 2 species/strip). From 2006–2008, in each of 10 meadows, two 500-m2 strips (usually 5 × 100 m) were managed in one of two ways: mulched annually in September or mown annually after 10 June. In 2007, most mowing took place in August due to wet weather. From May–August 2006–2008, butterflies were surveyed 4–6 times/year with 100 sweeps/strip of a 32-cm diameter net, and recording of other individuals at the same time (two meadows not surveyed in 2008).

    (Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)

  2. Use rotational mowing

    A replicated, paired, controlled study in 2006–2008 in 10 meadows in Hessen, Germany (Handke et al. 2011) found that after three years, rotationally mown grassland had a greater abundance and species richness of butterflies than annually mown grassland. Three years after rotational mowing began, the abundance and species richness of butterflies was higher on the rotational strips (abundance: 120 individuals/strip; richness: 7 species/strip) than on strips cut annually (abundance: 10 individuals/strip; richness: 5 species/strip) after mowing, but there was no significant difference between strips before mowing in any year (rotational: 10–70 individuals/strip, 4–7 species/strip; annual: 10–120 individuals/strip, 4–8 species/strip). However, in the first year, species richness on the rotational strips (7 species/strip) was lower than on the annual strips (12 species/strip) after the latter had been mown, but the abundance was similar (rotational: 60 individuals/strip; annual: 50 individuals/strip). From 2006–2008, in each of 10 meadows, two 500-m2 strips (usually 5 × 100 m) were managed in one of two ways: mown every two years (i.e. not mown in 2006 and 2008) or mown annually after 10 June. In 2007, most mowing took place in August due to wet weather. From May–August 2006–2008, butterflies were surveyed 4–6 times/year with 100 sweeps/strip of a 32-cm diameter net, and recording of other individuals at the same time (two meadows not surveyed in 2008).

    (Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)

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