Category: Grasslands

Grasslands, Invasive species, Research summaries

Fire season and drought influence fire effects on invasive grasses

In this Q&A, we discussed with author Charlotte Reemts the background behind her team’s recently published meta-analysis focused on invasive bluestems. Why study this group of grasses? Warm-season grasses from these two genera (Bothriochloa and Dichanthium) are interesting because they are important species in their native ranges but have also been introduced into other grasslands around the world. In many grasslands around the world, you … Continue reading Fire season and drought influence fire effects on invasive grasses

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Agriculture, Grasslands, Human-wildlife interactions, Research summaries, Translation

Naturschutzgebiete mit einem hohen Anteil an Grünland sichern einen hohen Artenreichtum und eine hohe Biomasse von Heuschrecken

Dieser Beitrag ist hier auch auf Englisch verfügbar. Dominik Poniatowski und Kollegen beschreiben, wie sie die Umweltfaktoren des Artenreichtums und der Biomasse von Heuschrecken im Grünland bewertet und dabei zwischen Naturschutzgebieten und intensiv genutzter Agrarlandschaft verglichen haben. Das extensiv genutzte Grünland gilt als Hotspot der Biodiversität in Mitteleuropa. Allerdings wurde insbesondere seit Mitte des letzten Jahrhunderts die Nutzung auf vielen dieser Flächen intensiviert oder das … Continue reading Naturschutzgebiete mit einem hohen Anteil an Grünland sichern einen hohen Artenreichtum und eine hohe Biomasse von Heuschrecken

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Agriculture, Grasslands, Human-wildlife interactions, Research summaries

Grassland nature reserves safeguard a high species richness and biomass of grasshoppers

This blog post is also available in German here. Dominik Poniatowski and colleagues describe how they evaluated the environmental drivers of species richness and biomass of grasshoppers in grasslands, comparing this between nature reserves and intensively-used agriculture landscape. Grassland exhibiting low land-use intensity is considered a hotspot of biodiversity in Central Europe. However, particularly since the mid-20th century, grassland land use has often been intensified, … Continue reading Grassland nature reserves safeguard a high species richness and biomass of grasshoppers

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Agriculture, Grasslands, Research summaries

Supportive effect of uncut refuge strips on grassland arthropods may depend on the amount and width of strips

In this blog post, author Kitti Révész and her team share their latest study exploring the effects of uncut refuge strips on the abundance and diversity of arthropods. What is the best management practice of hay meadows from an arthropod conservation point of view? Grassland arthropods are declining as a consequence of land-use change and intensive management. There are efforts to spread extensive management through … Continue reading Supportive effect of uncut refuge strips on grassland arthropods may depend on the amount and width of strips

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Grasslands, Plant and soil ecology, Pollinators, Research summaries

Can livestock help restore pollination services?

Anna Traveset and Carlos Lara-Romero talk us through the effect of green infrastructure on the restoration of pollination networks and plant performance in semi-natural dry grasslands across Europe. Alongside colleagues, Traveset and Lara-Romero suggest that enhancing ecosystem functions while avoiding biotic homogenisation is a necessity. Introduction and objectives In Europe, semi-natural grasslands are living treasures, nurtured by traditional pastoralism that has maintained their unique biodiversity.  However, … Continue reading Can livestock help restore pollination services?

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Grasslands, Monitoring and methods, Policy, Research summaries

No change in burning of peatland in Eastern Scotland’s moorlands

Author Benedict Spracklen used satellite imagery to better understand the impact of prescribed burning of moorland on ecosystem services. Prescribed burning has long played a role in the management of moorland, both in Scotland and across the UK. In Eastern Scotland, moorland burning (muirburn) is carried out to remove old vegetation and encourage new growth, in the belief this will help red grouse, which are … Continue reading No change in burning of peatland in Eastern Scotland’s moorlands

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Careers, Grasslands, Invasive species, Plant and soil ecology, Research summaries

Nicholas McMillan: Unraveling the invasion paradox 

Shortlisted for the 2023 Southwood Prize Nicholas McMillan details how he and colleagues collected data across eight grassland landscapes to test how an invasive legume affected plant and bird communities at spatial grains ranging from 0.1 m2 to >3,000,000 m2. It was concluded that scale is a central problem in ecology, and defining scale in management objectives is essential for effective biodiversity conservation. Invasive plants Invasive plants are managed … Continue reading Nicholas McMillan: Unraveling the invasion paradox 

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Agriculture, Careers, Grasslands, Policy, Research summaries

Working hard or hardly working? Modelling success of current grassland agri-environment schemes

Shortlisted for the Georgina Mace Prize 2023 In this blog post, author Bede West describe his team’s study analysing the potential for agri-environment schemes to achieve positive changes in plant biodiversity. Plants and soils are the trophic foundations of most temperate terrestrial ecosystems but they are being progressively impacted by climate change, biodiversity loss and a plethora of other environmental impacts. These issues must be … Continue reading Working hard or hardly working? Modelling success of current grassland agri-environment schemes

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Grasslands, Pollinators, Research summaries, Urban ecosystems

Local and landscape scale factors influence pollinators at solar parks

Authors Hollie Blaydes and Alona Armstrong describe their latest research to better understand how pollinators respond to increasing solar park developments. Ground mounted solar parks are becoming increasingly common features of our landscapes and are set to play a pivotal role on the path to net zero. Currently taking up ~15,000 hectares across the UK, more land will be needed for solar parks to meet … Continue reading Local and landscape scale factors influence pollinators at solar parks

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Forests, Grasslands, Invasive species, Policy, Practitioners, Research summaries, Themed collections, Translation

Working together to tackle Invasive Alien Species in Argentina

A version of this post is available in Spanish here. Author Priscila Ana Powell shares insights from analysing case studies that use co-management to manage woody invasive alien species in Argentina. “Improving the long-term management of woody invasive alien plants (IAS) in Argentina requires the promotion of shared spaces and communication channels for co-designing and co-implementing IAS management interventions that can better align the objectives of … Continue reading Working together to tackle Invasive Alien Species in Argentina

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