Herzog Felix

Effectiveness of the Swiss Agri-environmental Scheme

Project Number: CH-4667

Project Type:	Dissertation
Project Duration:	03/01/2003 - 12/31/2006 project completed
Funding Source:	other ,
Leading Institution:	Universität Bern, Biologisches Institut
Project Leader:	Dr. Felix Herzog Agricultural landscapes and biodiversity Standort Reckenholz Agroscope Reckenholzstr. 191 8046 Zürich Phone: +41 (0) 44 377 74 45 ; +41 (0) 44 377 71 11 FAX: +41 (0) 44 377 72 01 e-Mail: felix.herzog(at)agroscope.admin.ch http://www.art.admin.ch

related to this project.

for which the project has a relevance.

Research Areas:

Biodiversity

Disciplines:

environmental sciences

Keywords:
agri-environmental schemes, ecological compensation areas, orthoptera, molluscs, plants, spiders, wild bees, connectivity, restoration, species pool

Abstract:
In chapter one the impact of the management of ECA meadows (ECA management) on species diversity of plants, grasshoppers, wild bees and spiders was investigated. Species diversity of plants, grasshoppers and wild bees was significantly higher on ECA meadows than on conventionally managed meadows, but species diversity of spiders did not differ between the two managements. However, species richness of spiders was increased in the meadow edges compared to the meadow centres. We conclude that ECA meadow management positively affects biodiversity. But spider diversity is not affected by the current management restrictions. However, meadow edges seem to act as refugia for this species group.
In chapter two we evaluated ECA meadows using ecological groups (species with similar ecological characteristics). Species were classified into ecological groups, whose occurrence was expected to be correlated with different grassland management intensities. The different ecological groups were analysed with respect to management intensity (ECA versus conventional management) and transect position (meadow edge versus meadow centre). Ecological groups of plant species reflected the absence of fertilization on ECA meadows; however, species requiring very nutrient poor soils were absent. Thus, residual soil fertility is still high, underlining the need of longer-term restoration beyond the current contract period of six years. The results further show that less mobile arthropods ( e.g. large spider species) seem to profit from the less intense disturbance regime on ECA meadows; nevertheless, additional measures are necessary for specialised species since they show no response to ECA management (e.g. food specialists of wild bees). In addition, results suggest that meadow edges are valuable refugia for plant species specialised on extensive grassland and spider species dependent on complex habitat structure.
In chapter three we investigated whether a small regional species pool can limit restoration of grasshoppers on ECA meadows. Two grasshopper species, E.brachyptera and M.parapleurus, were selected and 1400 grasshopper individuals of each species were translocated from the nearest large source populations. E.brachyptera was to be expected, but not found in the regional species pool of the study region and M.parapleurus had nearly disappeared. In the subsequent year of the translocation surveys were carried out as to see whether the species had successfully established themselves. Only one individual of M.parapleurus was found during these surveys. Thus, we conclude that the lack of the regional species pool is currently not the main constraint for grasshopper restoration on ECA meadows. Other factors, such as habitat quality or inter-specific competition might be more decisive.
In chapter four we investigated how structural connectivity of ECA meadows influences species diversity of two invertebrate groups with different dispersal abilities: grasshoppers and land snails. We tested if species diversity of these two groups is higher on connected ECA meadows than on isolated ECA meadows. In addition we investigated whether species diversity is higher on ECA meadows which have never been cultivated intensively (unimproved meadows) compared to ECA meadows that were sown on arable land, four to six years ago (restoration meadows). Species diversity of land snails was significantly higher on connected than on isolated meadows. Species diversity of grasshopper did not differ between isolated and connected meadows. However, the probability of occurrence in an isolated meadow was significantly reduced for four land snail species and one grasshopper species. We conclude that structural connectivity enhances the colonization process of both land snails and grasshoppers, and that it is important to consider the spatial arrangement of landscape elements when implementing restoration schemes. Species diversity of land snails and grasshopper was higher on unimproved meadows compared to restoration meadows. Therefore, the protection of still remaining, species rich grassland should have high priority.


URL: http://www.iee.unibe.ch/unibe/philnat/biology/zoologie/content/e7715/e7918/e8500/Knop_JApplEcol_2006.pdf

Publications:
Knop, Eva; Kleijn, David; Herzog, Felix; Schmid, Bernhard. 2006. Effectiveness of the Swiss agri-environment scheme in promoting biodiversity. Journal of Applied Ecology 2006 43, 120–127.
pdf Artikel

Kleijn D., Baquero R. A., Clough Y., Díaz M., Esteban J., Fernández F., Gabriel D., Herzog F., Holzschuh A., Jöhl R., Knop E., Kruess A., Marshall E. J. P., Steffan-Dewenter I., Tscharntke T., Verhulst J., West T. M., Yela J. L. (2006) Mixed biodiversity benefits of agri-environment schemes in five European countries. Ecology Letters 9 243-254.

Kohler F., Verhulst J., Knop E., Herzog F., Kleijn D. (2007) Indirect effects of grassland extensification schemes on pollinators in two contrasting European countries. Biological Conservation 132 302-307.

Knop E., Schmid B., Herzog F. (2008) Impact of regional species pool on grasshopper restoration in hay meadows. Restoration Ecology 16 34-38.

Kleijn D., Kohler F., Báldi A., Batáry P., Concepción E. D., Clough Y., Díaz M., Gabriel D., Holzschuh A., Knop E., Kovács A., Marshall E. J. P., Tscharntke T., Verhulst J. (2009) On the relationship between farmland biodiversity and land-use intensity in Europe. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 276 903-909.

Batáry P., Báldi A., Sarospataki M., Kohler F., Verhulst J., Knop E., Herzog F., Kleijn D. (2010) Effect of conservation management on bees and insect-pollinated grassland plant communities in three European countries. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 136 35-39.

Knop, E., Herzog, F., Schmid, B. (2011) Effect of connectivity between restoration meadows on invertebrates with contrasting dispersal abilities. Restoration Ecology 19 151-159.


Last update: 10/26/17
Source of data: ProClim- Research InfoSystem (1993-2024)
Update the data of project: CH-4667

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