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Buffer zones for biodiversity of plants and arthropods: is there a compromise on width?

Contents

Preface

Summary

Sammenfatning

1 Introduction

• 1.1 Background
• 1.2 Aims and hypotheses

2 Methods

• 2.1 Study site and experimental design
  • 2.1.1 Gjorslev Estate
  • 2.1.2 Experimental design
  • 2.1.3 Pesticide and fertilizer applications
• 2.2 Weather
• 2.3 Yield
• 2.4 Vegetation recording
  • 2.4.1 Hedgerow
  • 2.4.2 Hedge bottom and field
• 2.5 Arthropod recording
  • 2.5.1 Hedgerow
  • 2.5.2 Hedge bottom and field
    • 2.5.2.1 Transect counts of butterflies and bees
    • 2.5.2.2 Sweep net sampling of arthropods in the herbaceous vegetation
    • 2.5.2.3 Pitfall trapping of epigaeic arthropods
• 2.6 Data analysis
  • 2.6.1 Flora analyses
  • 2.6.2 Arthropod analyses
    • 2.6.2.1 Hedgerow
    • 2.6.2.2 Hedge bottom and field
  • 2.6.3 Combined flora and arthropod analyses
    • 2.6.3.1 Activity of Lepidoptera (butterflies) and Bombus in relation to flower and host plant abundance
    • 2.6.3.2 Analyses on the marginal gain of biodiversity when increasing buffer width
    • 2.6.3.3 Lepidoptera (butterflies) as bioindicator for biodiversity gains of buffer zones

3 Results

• 3.1 Flora
  • 3.1.1 Hedge
  • 3.1.2 Hedge bottom and field
  • 3.1.3 Buffer zone effects on floral biodiversity
  • 3.1.4 Flowering in hedge-bottom and field
• 3.2 Arthropods
  • 3.2.1 Hedgerow
  • 3.2.2 Hedge bottom and field
    • 3.2.2.1 Buffer width effects on avian species recorded by transect counts
    • 3.2.2.2 Buffer width effects on herbaceous-dwelling arthropods
    • 3.2.2.3 Buffer width effects on epigaeic arthropods
• 3.3 The marginal gain of diversity at increased buffer width
  • 3.3.1 Accumulated number of species at increased distance to hedge in relation to buffer width
  • 3.3.2 Species-Area Relationship (SPAR)
• 3.4 Combined flora and arthropod analysis
  • 3.4.1 Activity of Lepidoptera (butterflies) and Bombus in relation to flower and host plant abundance
  • 3.4.2 Lepidoptera (butterflies) as indicator for biodiversity gains

4 Discussion

• 4.1 Flora
• 4.2 Arthropods
  • 4.2.1 Arthropods on woody plants in hedgerows
  • 4.2.2 Arthropods in hedge-bottom and field
• 4.3 General discussion

5 Conclusions

6 Perspectives

• 6.1 Perspectives for management
• 6.2 Perspectives for future research

7 References

Appendix A: Field History and Treatments

Appendix B: Supplementary material on plants

Appendix C: Supplementary material on arthropods on woody plants in hedgerows

Appendix D: Supplementary material on arthropods observed by transect counts

Appendix E: Supplementary material on accumulated species richness in relation to buffer width

Appendix F: Statistical models

Appendix G: Local weather data

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Version 1.0 November 2009, © Danish Environmental Protection Agency