The European Butterfly Indicator for grassland species: 1990-2013

This report presents the fifth version of the European Grassland Butterfly Indicator, one of the EU biodiversity indicators of the European Environment Agency

Effects of different types of low-intensity management on plant-pollinator interactions in Estonian grasslands

In the face of global pollinator decline, extensively managed grasslands play an important role in supporting stable pollinator communities. However, different types of extensive management may promote particular plant species and thus particular functional traits. As the functional traits of flowering plant species (e.g., flower size and shape) in a habitat help determine the identity and frequency of pollinator visitors, they can also influence the structures of plant-pollinator interaction networks (i.e., pollination networks). The aim of this study was to examine how the type of low-intensity traditional management influences plant and pollinator composition, the structure of plant-pollinator interactions, and their mediation by floral and insect functional traits. Specifically, we compared mown wooded meadows to grazed alvar pastures in western Estonia. We found that both management types fostered equal diversity of plants and pollinators, and overlapping, though still distinct, plant and pollinator compositions. Wooded meadow pollination networks had significantly higher connectance and specialization, while alvar pasture networks achieved higher interaction diversity at a standardized sampling of interactions. Pollinators with small body sizes and short proboscis lengths were more specialized in their preference for particular plant species and the specialization of individual pollinators was higher in alvar pastures than in wooded meadows. All in all, the two management types promoted diverse plant and pollinator communities, which enabled the development of equally even and nested pollination networks. The same generalist plant and pollinator species were important for the pollination networks of both wooded meadows and alvar pastures; however, they were complemented by management-specific species, which accounted for differences in network structure. Therefore, the implementation of both management types in the same landscape helps to maintain high species and interaction diversity

Grünbuch Citizen Science Strategie 2020 für Deutschland

Das vorliegende Grünbuch für eine Citizen Science Strategie 2020 stellt die Ziele, Potenziale und Herausforderungen von Citizen Science in Deutschland dar und zeigt Handlungsoptionen für die Entwicklung einer nationalen Strategie zur Einbindung von Bürgerinnen und Bürgern in die Wissenschaft auf. Dabei wird der Fokus auf drei Handlungsfelder gelegt: Die Stärkung etablierter Strukturen, die Neuschaffung von Rahmenbedingungen und die weitere Integration von Cititzen Science in bestehende Konzepte durch verschiedene Maßnahmen. Außerdem werden im Grünbuch vor allem auch die Ziele und Möglichkeiten ebenso wie eine Vision für die Rolle von Citizen Science im Jahr 2020, unter anderem in Form von zehn Leitbildern, definiert. Im Vordergrund stehen auch hier die breite Etablierung, Anerkennung und Einbeziehung von Citizen Science in gesellschaftsrelevante Kontexte

The European Butterfly Indicator for Grassland species: 1990-2015

This report presents the sixth version of the European Grassland Butterfly Indicator, one of the EU biodiversity indicators of the European Environment Agency.The indicator is based on more than 9200 transects in national Butterfly Monitoring Schemes covering 22 countries across Europe, most of them active in the European Union. In 2015, counts were made in more than 4500 transects.Butterflies represent the largest animal group (insects), highly included in food webs, having a high impact on ecosystem services and stability. This report does not represent only the patrimonial conservation of some species, but indicates the changes in biodiversity on grasslands and discusses underlying causes.Fluctuations in numbers between years are typical features of butterfly populations. The assessment of change istherefore made on an analysis of the underlying trend.Indicators were produced on EU, European (EU plus Norway and Switzerland) and pan-European level (including Ukraine, Russia and Armenia).The underlying analysis of the indicator shows that since 1990, grassland butterfly abundance has declined by 30%.The rate of loss has slowed in the last 5-10 years. Part of this slowing down might be caused by climate warming, as this favours cold-blooded animals like butterflies, thus masking the effects of intensification. In parts of Western Europe butterfly numbers outside nature reserves have come to an absolute minimum, meaning it is unlikely for the indicator to further drop.The priority now is to halt further losses and support recovery. This can only come about with greater protection and more sustainable management of semi-natural grassland