Study

Augmentation of beneficial arthropods by strip-management. 1. Succession of predacious arthropods and long-term change in the ratio of phytophagous and predacious arthropods in a meadow

  • Published source details Nentwig W. (1988) Augmentation of beneficial arthropods by strip-management. 1. Succession of predacious arthropods and long-term change in the ratio of phytophagous and predacious arthropods in a meadow. Oecologia, 76, 597-606.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Leave part of the crop or pasture unharvested or uncut

Action Link
Natural Pest Control
  1. Leave part of the crop or pasture unharvested or uncut

    A replicated, controlled study from 1982 to 1986 in a meadow in Germany (Nentwig 1988) found a higher ratio of predatory invertebrates to plant-eating insects in an area consisting of unmown and mown strips (0.66-2.55 predators/prey individual) than in a completely mown area (0.69-2.23). There were more spider (Araneae) species and a faster increase in diversity in the strip-managed area (average 40 species, 21 new spp./year) than the completely mown area (25 spp., 12 new spp./year). There were also more ground beetle (Carabidae) and rove beetle (Staphylinidae) species in strip-managed plots than mown plots (strip-managed: 33 ground beetle spp., 26 rove beetle spp.; mown plots: 24 ground beetle spp., 14 rove beetle spp.). The 44 x 6 m meadow plot was divided into: two 10 x 6 m plots (one mown, one unmown), four 1 x 6 m unmown strips and four 5 x 6 m mown strips. Mown and unmown strips were alternated. Plots were mown approximately every two weeks (5 cm high) during the growing season, cuttings were not removed. Unmown strips were not cut April 1982-autumn 1986. Invertebrates were sampled with six pitfall traps in the two mown/unmown plots and three traps in each strip. Traps were emptied every 10-14 days from June-September in 1982 and 1984-1986. Traps were not set in 1983.

     

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