Re-creation of a lowland flood-plain meadow: management implications for invertebrate communities |
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Authors: | Email author" target="_blank">BA?WoodcockEmail author DJ?Mann C?Mirieless GC?McGavin AW?McDonald |
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Institution: | (1) Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, The University of Reading, Earley Gate, PO Box 237, Reading, England, RG6 6AR, UK;(2) Hope Entomological Collections, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford , OX1 3PW, UK;(3) Care of Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK;(4) Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK |
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Abstract: | Intensification of framing practices after the Second World War has led to wide scale loss of semi-natural grasslands throughout the UK. Flood-plain meadows (NVC MG4 Alopecurus pratensis–Sanguisorba officinalis grassland) suffered under these changes in agricultural management, and now cover an area of <1500 ha in England and Wales. In 1985, an experiment was initiated at Somerford Mead, Oxford, with the target of re-creating MG4 grassland. The grassland was established with a sown seed mixture harvested from local MG4 grassland. A replicated block experiment was set up to look at the effects of sheep, cattle and no grazing on the establishment of the target floral community. In 2002, the effects of these management regimes on beetle communities were investigated. Grazing regime was seen to be the primary determinant of abundance, species richness and species assemblage of the beetle population. Vegetation structure was also found to influence beetle diversity. The percentage cover of the legume Trifolium repens had important effects on beetle community assemblage, whilst Trifolium pratense was strongly correlated with the abundance of three common phytophagous beetles. This study provides a preliminary investigation into the responses of beetle communities to management intended for the re-creation of the plant communities of this threatened grassland habitat. |
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Keywords: | Coleoptera Flood plain meadow Grass land Grazing Habitat re-creation Trifolium |
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