Transforming grasslands to achieve insect diversity restorative goals and human well-being
Abstract
Traditionally managed grasslands are an important habitat, not only for maintaining a high level of plant diversity, but also for maintaining the diversity of numerous important pollinator groups. Due to their high diversity of flowering plants, traditionally managed meadows are of considerable cultural and aesthetic importance. Intensification in agriculture has led to a decline in traditionally managed meadows in recent decades, resulting in a loss of species-rich habitats. This trend raises two central questions: (i) How can we transform grassland to counter the loss of biodiversity caused by intensive farming and (ii) how can biodiversity in grassland be increased or restored? The provision of a broad spectrum of flowering plants could be an essential part of the promotion and maintenance of a stable pollinator community in grassland. This can be achieved by sowing wildflower strips. In this project we investigate the effectiveness of wildflower strips to obtain different pollinator groups. In addition, important grassland dwellers such as grasshoppers and true bugs, which are important primary and secondary consumers in grassland, are included in the study. The aim of our investigations is to find out whether newly established wild flower strips are suitable as an alternative habitat for the mentioned insect groups in intensive grassland, and whether the applied wildflower strips can improve the landscape aesthetics. Thus, it is examined whether and to what extent the applied wildflower strips optimize the diversity of the selected insect groups. We compare these flower strips with intensively and extensively managed meadows in the Biosphere Reserves. In addition, the perception of the wildflower strips in terms of recovery effect with the involvement of the local population is examined. This serves as an important basis for the development of sustainable tourism and recreation in Biosphere Reserves.
keywords biodiversity insects meadows establishment pollinators human well-being
Publikationen
Project staff
Thomas Frank
Univ.Prof. Mag. Dr. Thomas Frank
thomas.frank@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-83311
Project Leader
01.08.2019 - 30.09.2022
Raja Imran Hussain
Dr. Raja Imran Hussain MSc.
raja.hussain@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-83315
Project Staff
01.08.2019 - 30.09.2022
Christian R. Vogl
Ao.Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.nat.techn. Christian R. Vogl
christian.vogl@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-93312
Project Staff
01.08.2019 - 30.09.2022
Ronnie Walcher
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Ronnie Walcher
ronnie.walcher@boku.ac.at
Tel: +43 1 47654-83315
Project Staff
01.08.2019 - 30.09.2022
BOKU partners
External partners
Biosphere Reserve Wienerwald
Brenner
partner
Biosphere Reserve Salzburger Lungau
Schaflechner
partner
Biosphere Reserve Kärtner Nockberge
Rossmann
partner