Swedish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, annual report for 2013

This is the fourth annual report of the Swedish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme, a national monitoring programme coordinated by Lund University for the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency since 2010. The programme is a partnership between the Entomological Society of Sweden, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Lund University, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the Swedish County Administration Boards. The monitoring scheme is volunteer-based and runs from April 1st to September 30th annually. Sites are visited 3-7 times per season and are surveyed using a standardized, common methodology. Two different recording methods are used in the Swedish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme. One is the point site counts which cover an area with a 25 m radius for 15 min per visit. The other method is fixed-route Pollard walk transects, typically 0.5-3 km in length. These two methods enable the monitoring scheme to assess yearly changes both in the number of butterflies seen and in species composition. The fourth year’s monitoring has produced butterfly data from 162 fixed-route walks and 217 point sites, representing a 20% increase in the number of transects and a 7% increase in the number of point sites. The sites and walks are located across the whole country, from Beddingestrand in the South to Vuollerim in the North. In 2013, 269 volunteer recorders participated in the Swedish Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and have counted 65967 butterflies of 91 different species. On average, 12.7 species have been observed at the point sites while 18.4 have been observed along transects. In this report, observations from 2013 of each species are shown as total counts, distribution maps, and flight period histograms. The most numerous species in 2013 was the Ringlet, followed by the Meadow Brown and the Green-veined White. Trends between 2010 and 2013 have been analysed for 90 butterfly and burnet moth species using the analytical tool TRIM. Over the period, 27 species declined and 12 increased. Trends for the remaining species were uncertain. Summarizing indices, so called indicators, have been calculated for 1) the 20 most common species and 2) the 12 Swedish grassland butterflies that are part of the European Butterfly Indicator for Grassland species. Both butterfly indicators show a decline during 2012 and the grassland indicator suggests a recovery during 2013

Barriers and bridges for sustaining functional habitat networks: A macroecological system analysis of wet grassland landscapes

This study aims at supporting the maintenance of representative functional habitat networks as green infrastructure for biodiversity conservation through transdisciplinary macroecological analyses of wet grassland landscapes and their stewardship systems. We chose ten north European wet grassland case study landscapes from Iceland and the Netherlands in the west to Lithuania and Belarus in the east. We combine expert experiences for 20-30 years, comparative studies made 2011-2017, and longitudinal analyses spanning >70 years. Wader, or shorebird, (Charadrii) assemblages were chosen as a focal species group. We used evidence-based knowledge and practical experience generated in three steps. (1) Experts from 8 wet grassland landscapes in northern Europe's west and east mapped factors linked to patterns and processes, and management and governance, in social-ecological systems that affect states and trends of wet grasslands as green infrastructures for wader birds. (2) To understand wader conservation problems and their dynamic in wet grassland landscapes, and to identify key issues for successful conservation, we applied group modeling using causal loop diagram mapping. (3) Validation was made using the historic development in two additional wet grassland landscapes. Wader conservation was dependent on ten dynamically interacting ecological and social system factors as leverage points for management. Re-wetting and grazing were common drivers for the ecological and social system, and long-term economic support for securing farmers' interest in wader bird conservation. Financial public incentives at higher levels of governance of wetland management are needed to stimulate private income loops. Systems analysis based on contrasting landscape case studies in space and over time can support (1) understanding of complex interactions in social-ecological systems, (2) collaborative learning in individual wet grassland landscapes, and (3) formulation of priorities for conservation, management, and restoration

Barriers and bridges for sustaining functional habitat networks: A macroecological system analysis of wet grassland landscapes

This study aims at supporting the maintenance of representative functional habitat networks as green infrastructure for biodiversity conservation through transdisciplinary macroecological analyses of wet grassland landscapes and their stewardship systems. We chose ten north European wet grassland case study landscapes from Iceland and the Netherlands in the west to Lithuania and Belarus in the east. We combine expert experiences for 20–30 years, comparative studies made 2011–2017, and longitudinal analyses spanning >70 years. Wader, or shorebird, (Charadrii) assemblages were chosen as a focal species group. We used evidence-based knowledge and practical experience generated in three steps. (1) Experts from 8 wet grassland landscapes in northern Europe's west and east mapped factors linked to patterns and processes, and management and governance, in social-ecological systems that affect states and trends of wet grasslands as green infrastructures for wader birds. (2) To understand wader conservation problems and their dynamic in wet grassland landscapes, and to identify key issues for successful conservation, we applied group modeling using causal loop diagram mapping. (3) Validation was made using the historic development in two additional wet grassland landscapes. Wader conservation was dependent on ten dynamically interacting ecological and social system factors as leverage points for management. Re-wetting and grazing were common drivers for the ecological and social system, and long-term economic support for securing farmers’ interest in wader bird conservation. Financial public incentives at higher levels of governance of wetland management are needed to stimulate private income loops. Systems analysis based on contrasting landscape case studies in space and over time can support (1) understanding of complex interactions in social-ecological systems, (2) collaborative learning in individual wet grassland landscapes, and (3) formulation of priorities for conservation, management, and restoration.publishedVersio

Breeding success and adult survival of Redshank Tringa totanus on coastal meadows in SE Sweden

Breeding success and adult survival of Redshank Tringa totanus on coastal meadows on Gotland, SE Sweden, was investigated in 1997–2003. Two periods with different breeding success could be detected. In 1997–1999, nest success varied between 43 and 64%. Chick survival was not studied in these years. In 2000–03, nest success was lower and varied between 6 and 20%. Survival of chicks from hatching to fledging was estimated at 18%. Hence, overall productivity in 2000–03 was low and estimated to be only 0.13 fledglings per breeding pair. Nest survival rates were negatively related to incubation initiation date but fledging success was not related to hatching date. Adult survival rate was analysed from capture-resighting data of 164 adult Redshanks and was estimated at 80%. Adult survival did not differ significantly between sexes or between years. The results from this study suggest that reproductive success was lower than needed for a self-sustainable population, at least in the latter period with particularly low nest survival rates. There was no apparent change in management of meadows during the study period. Therefore, the decrease in nest survival rates was more likely to be an effect of changes in predator densities and/or behaviours. Further studies are needed to disentangle the mechanisms behind demographic processes in wader populations on coastal meadows

Analys av populationstrender och avskjutningsstatistik för änder och gäss i Sverige

Övervakning av beståndsnivåer, trender och häckningsframgång är begränsad för flertalet av de jaktbara and- och gåsarterna i Sverige. Det enda undantaget är grågås där detaljerade studier på häckningsframgång bedrivs. Övervakning av den talrikaste andarten, gräsand, försvåras av omfattande utsättningar. Det finns tre pågående system som i olika utsträckning samlar in information om förändringar i beståndsstorlekar av de fågelarter aktuella i den här sammanställningen. Dessa är Svensk Fågeltaxering, Internationella sjöfågel- och gåsinventeringar samt Viltövervakningen hos Svenska Jägareförbundet. Därutöver har en sammanställning av inventeringsdata från kust- och skärgård gjorts för perioden 1975−2006. Svensk Fågeltaxering samt inventeringar av kust- och skärgårdshäckande fåglar har en tydlig övervakning av i Sverige häckande populationer. Sjöfågelinventeringar och avskjutningsstatistik berör i varierande grad populationer från andra länder. Svensk Fågeltaxering har ett övervakningsprogram som täcker hela landet med jämförbar och standardiserad inventeringsmetodik. Däremot infaller perioden för inventeringar inte vid den optimala för inventering av änder och gäss. De Internationella sjöfågelinventeringarna har en metodik som är anpassad till att övervaka de europeiska and- och gåspopulationerna, med begränsade möjligheter till övervakning av de i Sverige häckande bestånden. Avskjutningsstatistik påverkas av jaktens inriktning och exempelvis har intresset för att jaga änder längs kusterna minskat. Inventeringar av kust- och skärgårdshäckande fåglar genomförs med relativt långa intervall då de kräver tämligen omfattande arbetsinsatser. Tillgängliga data över räkningar av gås- och andpopulationer har relativt dåliga förutsättningar till att samköras för trendanalyser av de i Sverige häckande fåglarna. Därför spretar ibland and- och gåsarters trendriktningar åt olika håll vid en jämförelse mellan de olika systemen. Vintertid finns en god överensstämmelse mellan Svensk Fågeltaxering och Internationella sjöfågelinventeringar av antalsförändringar hos övervintrande arter. Dessa räkningar visar att många arter har flyttat sina vinterutbredningsområden längre norrut. Säkert är att fler jaktbara and- och gåsarter har ökat än som har minskat sina svenska häckande bestånd under den senaste 30-årsperioden. Den enda art vars beståndsstorlek bedöms ha minskat är krickan, medan beståndsstorleken har ökat för sju andra arter

Åtgärdsprogram för hotade vadare på strandängar, 2015–2019

Hotade vadarfåglar på strandängar. Hävdade gräsmarker i södra Sverige som sköts med slåtter eller bete utgör viktiga livsmiljöer för brushane, rödspov och svartbent strandpipare. Brushanen förekommer regelbundet som häckande endast på kustnära öländska sjömarker och gotländska strandängar. Rödspoven har sitt starkaste fäste på Öland där den förutom på sjömarker också förekommer på alvarmark. Mindre antal rödspov häckar i Halland, Östergötland, Skåne, Blekinge och på Gotland. Svartbent strandpipare anses vara utgången som svensk häckfågel men uppträder årligen med enstaka individer på kustlokaler och häckningsförsök har gjorts vissa år, särskilt på Öland. Minskad areal av hävdade gräsmarker, fragmentering av livsmiljöer och dränering är viktiga landskapsförändringar som varit negativa för vadarfåglarna. Hög predation har påverkat föryngringen och försvårat överlevnadsmöjligheter för små populationer. Omfattande störning och viss exploatering på lokaler där svartbent strandpipare tidigare förekom kan också ha bidragit till artens utgång som regelbunden häckfågel. För att gynna hotade vadarfåglar rekommenderas förbättrad skötsel av hävdade gräsmarker med nyskapande av tillfälliga vattensamlingar under vadarnas häckningssäsong. På lokaler med högt predationstryck kan det vara aktuellt att bedriva predatorkontroll i syfte att öka vadarnas häckningsframgång. Åtgärdsprogram för bevarande av hotade arter

Population ecology and management of waders breeding on coastal meadows

Many wader (Charadrii) populations are declining throughout in Europe, but the underlying causes are often poorly known and diverse. To fully grasp the reasons behind declines in vulnerable wader populations, it is crucial to understand the demography. In my thesis, I have focused on the viability and management of waders occurring on coastal meadows in the Baltic Sea using redshank (Tringa totanus) as a model species. I have collected data on demographic parameters in a redshank population on Gotland. I also collected DNA samples of redshanks from several populations in northern Europe to investigate population genetic structure. By using two genetic methods, sequencing mitochondrial DNA and screening AFLP (Amplified fragment length polymorphisms), I found some evidence in the redshank of a recent expansion from a bottle-necked population. I also found significant genetic differentiation between suggested subspecies in Europe but not between populations within the Baltic region. This indicates that redshank populations in Europe constitute at least three separate management units. Survival of redshank nests was low in my study area due to predation, mainly by corvids and foxes. Nest success was not related to habitat characteristics at a local scale. I found no significant effects on nest success of distances to habitat edge or to nearest potential lookout for avian predators. Abundance of an aggressive species with active nest-defence did not have any significant effects on nest survival rates, nor did vegetation concealment. Furthermore, nest success differed between years and was lower later in the season. On average, only 19% of nests survived until hatching, and only 13% of chicks survived until fledging. Adult survival of redshanks on Gotland was slightly higher (80%) than previous estimates (72-77%). By using deterministic population matrix modelling, I found evidence of non-viability in the redshank population on Gotland suggesting that management actions might have to be taken to prevent population decline. The results of the modelling indicate that it is important to preserve the already high adult survival but also to improve survival of nests and chicks simultaneously. Finally, I evaluated population trends over time of four wader species on the Baltic island of Öland and tested for spatial heterogeneity in population trends. Breeding densities of investigated species were positively related to grazing management and local changes in management affected the local change in wader densities. However, average grazing intensity increased over time whereas wader numbers generally remained constant or declined; thus, changes in grazing intensity could not explain changes in overall breeding numbers

Sensitivity analysis of a migratory population of redshanks Tringa totanus: a forewarning of a population decline?

Several wader species breeding in agricultural landscapes are declining in Europe. Here, we present evidence that reproduction in a subpopulation of an abundant but vulnerable wader species, the Redshank Tringa totanus, is too low for self-sustainability. We used population data collected from Gotland, SE Sweden, during the breeding seasons of 1997[long dash]2003. We used analytic and simulation-based sensitivity analyses of a stage-based matrix model of female Redshanks to compare the relative importance of specific vital rates to [lambda] (population growth rate). For each vital rate, we present estimates of mean values and parameter limits. At mean values of vital rates, [lambda] is estimated to 0.876, while the computer simulation yields an average [lambda] of 0.860 (95% confidence intervals: 0.770[long dash]0.950), which is significant lower than 1. Further, analytic sensitivity of [lambda] is highest to adult survival followed by chick survival and nest success. Analytic elasticity of [lambda] ranks vital rates in a similar way as analytic sensitivity, and the computer simulation also indicates that the rankings of sensitivities and elasticities are robust to parameter uncertainties. In the simulated data, almost half of the variation in [lambda] was explained by variation in adult survival (41%). The explanatory power of chick survival (27%) and nest success of first clutches (22%) was intermediate while other vital rates accounted for negligible amounts of variation. We conclude, however, that the potential to increase an already high adult survival is limited. Therefore, management actions should aim to increase reproductive success mediated via decreased nest predation rates and increased survival of Redshank chicks simultaneously