Butterfly Conservation on Arable Farmland
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Published source details
Feber R.E. & Smith H. (1995) Butterfly Conservation on Arable Farmland. Pages 84-97 in: Ecology and Conservation of Butterflies . Chapman & Hall, London.
Published source details Feber R.E. & Smith H. (1995) Butterfly Conservation on Arable Farmland. Pages 84-97 in: Ecology and Conservation of Butterflies . Chapman & Hall, London.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Plant nectar flower mixture/wildflower strips Action Link |
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Create uncultivated margins around intensive arable or pasture fields Action Link |
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Plant nectar flower mixture/wildflower strips
A site comparison study in 1988–1991 on two arable farms in Oxfordshire, UK (Feber & Smith 1995, same experimental set-up as Feber et al. 1994, 1996) reported that a farm where wider field margins (some of which were sown with grasses and non-woody broadleaved plants “forbs”) had been established, and fertilizer application excluded, had a higher abundance and species richness of butterflies than a farm with conventional field margins. Results were not tested for statistical significance. The abundance of eight species (including small skipper Thymelicus sylvestris, small heath Coenonympha pamphilus, gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus and meadow brown Maniola jurtina) was higher on a farm with wider (2-m) field margins, including those sown, than on a farm with conventional (0.5-m) margins. No species was more abundant on the conventional farm. In addition, two species (marbled white Melanargia galathea and common blue Polyommatus icarus) were only recorded on the farm with wide margins, resulting in a higher species richness (16 species) than the conventional farm (14 species). In 1988, the margins of 10 fields on one farm were extended from 0.5-m to 2-m wide, and fertilizer application was excluded. Margins were either sown with grasses and forbs or left to regenerate naturally. Margins were either left uncut, or cut in some combination of April, June and September 1989–1991. In summer 1991, butterflies were surveyed for two months on transects on this farm and on a second, intensively managed farm with conventional field margins (number not given).
(Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)
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Create uncultivated margins around intensive arable or pasture fields
A site comparison study in 1988–1991 on two arable farms in Oxfordshire, UK (Feber & Smith 1995, same experimental set-up as Feber et al. 1994, 1996) reported that a farm where wider field margins had been established and fertilizer application excluded had a higher abundance and species richness of butterflies than a farm with conventional field margins. Results not tested for statistical significance. The abundance of eight species (including small skipper Thymelicus sylvestris, small heath Coenonympha pamphilus, gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus and meadow brown Maniola jurtina) was higher on a farm with wider (2-m) field margins than on a farm with conventional (0.5-m) margins. No species was more abundant on the conventional farm. In addition, two species (marbled white Melanargia galathea and common blue Polyommatus icarus) were only recorded on the farm with wide margins, resulting in a higher species richness (16 species) than the conventional farm (14 species). In 1988, the margins of 10 fields on one farm were extended from 0.5-m to 2-m wide, and fertilizer application was excluded. Margins were either left to regenerate naturally, or sown with grasses and non-woody broadleaved plants (forbs). Margins were either left uncut, or cut in some combination of April, June and September 1989–1991. In summer 1991, butterflies were surveyed for two months on transects on this farm and on a second, intensively managed farm with conventional field margins (number not given).
(Summarised by: Andrew Bladon)
