| 1. |
|
|
| 2. |
- Ahlbäck Widenfalk, Lina, et al.
(författare)
-
Ekologisk kunskap för ekologisk kompensation : Syntes av forskningsprojekten Systematisera ekologisk kunskap för att effektivisera ekologisk kompensation och När kan ekologisk kompensation bidra till att bevara biologisk mångfald och ekosystemtjänster?
- 2021
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Den här rapporten sammanfattar två projekt inom Naturvårdsverkets forskningssatsning om ekologisk kompensation: Systematisera ekologisk kunskap för att effektivisera ekologisk kompensation och När kan ekologisk kompensation bevara biologisk mångfald och ekosystemtjänster?På en stor del av jordens yta har människan kraftigt försämrat förutsättningarna för biologisk mångfald och de ekosystemtjänster som den ger upphov till, vilket därför även påverkar samhällen negativt. Ekologisk kompensation har föreslagits som ett viktigt verktyg för att stoppa förlusten av biologisk mångfald. Det är dock ett relativt nytt sätt att arbeta med naturvård och det finns oklarheter kring hur det bör implementeras i praktiken. Noggranna utvärderingar av ekologisk kompensation har bara gjorts i enstaka fall. Därför finns stora kunskapsluckor kring dess tillämpning och effektivitet i stora delar av världen, samt för många naturtyper och typer av kompensationsåtgärder.Vi har genom intervjuer undersökt hur arbetet med ekologisk kompensation bedrivs och vilka utmaningar som finns i Sverige idag. Vi har även genomfört systematiska översikter och meta-analyser för att syntetisera den vetenskapliga kunskap som finns rörande ekologisk kompensation globalt, samt rörande naturvårdsrestaureringar i landsmiljöer i de delar av världen med ett klimat som liknar det som finns i Sverige.Intervjuerna med 17 tjänstemän och praktiker som arbetar med ekologisk kompensation visade att kompensationsåtgärder som reglerades av lagstiftning oftast var kopplade till art- och habitatskydd och mera sällan till naturreservat och Natura 2000-områden. Vanligast är att enskilda träd, skogar, våtmarker eller vattendrag och dammar kompenseras, och fåglar och groddjur var de artgrupper som nämndes oftast. De genomförda åtgärderna inkluderade främst olika typer av restaurering, men även anläggning av mindre dammar var vanligt. På grund av många praktiska hinder vid implementering av ekologisk kompensation (innefattande såväl lagverk och processer som rutiner hos myndigheterna kring hantering av kompensation) gjordes sällan ekologiska avvägningar kring vilken kompensation som var lämpligast. Osäkerhet kring vad som är ekologisk kompensation och om det är viktigast att prioritera närhetsprincipen (kompensationsåtgärd nära påverkan) eller likhetsprincipen (samma naturmiljö och arter kompenseras som påverkas) skapade otydlighet i tillämpningen. En avsaknad av helhetsperspektiv, som innebär att mer än det enskilda exploateringsprojektets effekt och fler aspekter av naturvärden inkluderas, och att bedömningar görs på landskapsnivå, identifierades också. Det finns en risk att nuvarande inriktning med fokus på enskilda arter, bedömningar som görs på liten skala och en inställning att allt är bättre än inget och att allt går att kompensera kan missgynna naturvården i stort. Sammantaget skapar det ett otydligt system där långsiktiga konsekvenser för biologisk mångfald är osäkra.I genomgången av vetenskaplig litteratur som har utvärderat ekologisk kompensation fann vi 40 studier, men endast en av dessa kunde utvärdera om det har skett någon nettoförlust av biologisk mångfald. Majoriteten av dessa kom från våtmarks- eller sötvatten-miljöer i Nordamerika. Generellt lyckades kompensationsprojekten inte kompensera ekosystemtjänster fullt ut. Det fanns dock en fördröjningseffekt, så att kompensationslokalerna blev mer lika referensen ju längre tid som förflutit sedan kompensationsåtgärden utfördes. För biologisk mångfald var mönstret inte lika tydligt som för ekosystemtjänster. Det var stor variation mellan olika studier och det fanns heller inte någon tydlig skillnad mellan olika organismgrupper, eller mellan olika naturtyper.När vi gick igenom utvärderingar av naturvårdsrestaureringar fann vi 93 studier som uppfyllde våra kriterier, som bland annat innebar en före-efter-kontroll-design (s.k. BACI design). Av dessa hade 36 utvärderat restaureringsåtgärder i skog, 35 i gräsmarker, 20 i våtmarker och 3 i sandmarker. Effekten av restaurering varierade stort mellan studier, och restaureringen ledde inte alltid till högre biologisk mångfald. Skillnaden i utfall mellan typerna av ekosystem var små, men det fanns något större skillnad i effekt av restaureringen mellan olika naturtyper (till exempel mellan lövskog kontra barrskog, eller öppen gräsmark kontra hedar). De flesta studier hade utvärderat effekter på växter, följt av leddjur (insekter och spindeldjur) och fåglar. Skillnaderna i effekt mellan olika artgrupper var också små. Endast för kärlväxter fanns så många utvärderingar av individuella arter (35 studier) att vi kunde analysera skillnader mellan olika grupper utifrån deras funktionella egenskaper, men även här var variationen för stor för att dra generella slutsatser. För alla typer av ekosystem där antalet studier var tillräckligt stort (skog, gräsmarker och våtmarker) ökade effektstorleken med ökande tid sedan restaureringsåtgärderna utförts.Utifrån de identifierade bristerna i enhetlig implementering av ekologisk kompensation i Sverige rekommenderar vi en nationell standard och etablerade rutiner för tillsynsmyndigheter, som bland annat kan öka fokus på landskapsperspektiv och bredare inkludering av naturvärden. Genom att tillgängliggöra goda och sämre exempel på kompensationsåtgärder kan kvalitén på genomförd kompensation höjas. Vi rekommenderar även att framtida ekologiska kompensationsprojekt systematiskt utvärderar både de naturvärden som förloras vid exploatering och de som uppstår via kompensationsåtgärder. Myndigheter som ställer krav på ekologisk kompensation bör därför samtidigt ställa krav på systematisk och långsiktig uppföljning av kompensationsåtgärdernas effekter på naturvärdena. Eftersom det ofta är flera olika naturvärden som påverkas av en och samma exploatering, måste myndigheterna vara medvetna om vilka av dessa som kompensationsåtgärderna syftar till att kompensera, och exploateringens effekter av dessa behöver också följas upp.
|
|
| 3. |
- Ahlbäck Widenfalk, Lina, et al.
(författare)
-
Systematisera ekologisk kunskap för att effektivisera ekologisk kompensation : Slutrapport
- 2021
-
Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Ekologisk kompensation har föreslagits som ett viktigt verktyg för att stoppa förlusten av biologisk mångfald och naturmiljöer, en förlust som till stor del beror på människans utnyttjande av en allt större andel av jordens yta. Det finns oklarheter kring hur ekologisk kompensation implementeras och hur det bör utformas för att vara effektiv. Trots att ekologisk kompensation har funnits som en del i den svenska lagstiftningen sedan 1999 så har det än så länge inte använts i större omfattning i Sverige. Noggranna utvärderingar av ekologisk kompensation har bara gjorts i enstaka fall. Därför finns stora kunskapsluckor kring dess tillämpning och verkan i stora delar av världen, samt för många biotoper och typer av kompensationsåtgärder.Det övergripande syftet med projektet har varit att ta fram vägledning för att effektivisera tillämpningen av ekologisk kompensation i Sverige. Detta gjorde vi genom att dels syntetisera tillgänglig kunskap om effektiviteten i olika restaureringsåtgärder, dels utvärdera hur ekologisk kompensation tillämpas i Sverige idag för att identifiera hinder för optimal implementering. Vi har använt intervjuer och en workshop för att undersöka hur arbetet med ekologisk kompensation utförs och vilka utmaningar som är förknippade med detta. Vi har även genomfört systematiska översikter och meta-analyser för att utvärdera den vetenskapliga litteratur som utvärderar naturvårdsrestaureringar i landsmiljöer i de delar av världen med ett klimat som liknar det som råder i Sverige.Intervjuerna med 17 personer som arbetar med ekologisk kompensation visade att kompensationsåtgärder som reglerades av lagstiftning oftast var kopplade till art- och habitatskydd och mer sällan till naturreservat och Natura 2000-områden. Vanligast kompenseras enskilda träd, skog, våtmarker eller vattendrag och dammar, och vanligast nämnda artgrupper var fåglar och groddjur. De genomförda åtgärderna inkluderade främst olika typer av restaurering, men även anläggning av mindre dammar var vanligt. På grund av många praktiska hinder vid implementering av ekologisk kompensation i det svenska systemet – innefattande både lagverk och processer och rutiner hos myndigheterna kring hantering av kompensation – gjordes sällan ekologiska avvägningar kring vilken kompensation som var lämpligast. Osäkerhet kring vad som är ekologisk kompensation gjorde ibland tillämpningen otydlig. Osäkerhet fanns även kring vad som är viktigast att prioritera, närhetsprincipen (kompensationsåtgärd nära påverkan, d.v.s. ”on site” vs. ”off site”) eller likhetsprincipen (samma naturmiljö och arter kompenseras som påverkas, d.v.s. ”in-kind” vs. ”out-of kind”). En avsaknad av ett helhetsperspektiv identifierades också, d.v.s. avsaknad av ett perspektiv där mer än det enskilda exploaterings-projektets effekt och fler aspekter av naturvärden inkluderas, och bedömningar på landskapsnivå görs. Det finns en risk att nuvarande inriktning med fokus på enskilda arter, en inställning att allt är bättre än inget, att allt går att kompensera, och bedömningar på liten skala kan missgynna naturvården i stort. Sammantaget skapar det ett otydligt system där långsiktiga konsekvenser för biologisk mångfald blir osäkra.I genomgången av utvärderingar av naturvårdsrestaureringar i den vetenskapliga litteraturen fann vi 93 studier som uppfyllde våra kriterier, som bland annat krävde en före-efter-kontroll-design (s.k. BACI design). Av dessa hade 36 utvärderat restaureringsåtgärder i skog, 35 i gräsmarker, 20 i våtmarker och tre i sandmarker. Effekten av restaurering varierade stort mellan studier men var generellt svagt positiv eller gav ingen säkerställd effekt. Utfallet var likartat mellan de fyra biotopkategorierna. Det fanns något större skillnad i generell effekt mellan smalare biotopkategorier, där även negativa effekter uppvisades i vissa fall medan några biotoper hade en tydligare positiv effekt av restaurering. Flest utvärderingar var gjorda på växter, följt av leddjur (insekter och spindeldjur) och fåglar, med liknande resultat för de olika artgrupperna. Endast för kärlväxter fanns tillräckligt med utvärderingar av enskilda arter (35 studier) så att vi kunde analysera skillnader mellan olika grupper utifrån deras funktionella egenskaper, men även här var variationen för stor för att dra generella slutsatser. Det är därför svårt att dra slutsatser kring vilka restaureringsåtgärder som lämpar sig bättre som kompensationsåtgärder än andra för majoriteten av biotoper, åtgärdskategorier och artgrupper vi undersökt. Fortsatt uppbyggnad av väl designade uppföljningsstudier borde därför prioriteras.De identifierade bristerna i enhetlig implementering av ekologisk kompensation i Sverige, tillsammans med bristen på välgrundad kunskap om effekten av olika restaureringsåtgärder, gör att vi föreslår att:En nationell standard tas fram, rutiner utarbetas för tillsynsmyndigheter, och ekologisk kompensation integreras bättre i hela beslutsprocessen. • Ett bredare helhetstänkande kring bevarandet av biologisk mångfald och ekosystemtjänster möjliggörs, genom att öka fokus på landskapsperspektiv och ta hänsyn till fördröjningseffekter för både konsekvenser av exploatering och nyttan av kompensationsåtgärder.Goda exempel på kompensationsåtgärder sammanställs och tillgängliggörs för att höja kvalitén på genomförd kompensation.Framtida kompensationsprojekt gör en systematisk uppföljning av naturvärden som förloras vid exploatering och av de som skapas via kompensationsåtgärder. Myndigheter som ställer krav på ekologisk kompensation bör samtidigt ställa krav på systematisk och långsiktig uppföljning av kompensationsåtgärdernas effekter på naturvärdena.En geografisk databas för dokumentation av alla kompensationsområden utvecklas och i den kopplas dessa till motsvarande områden som exploaterats. För att följa upp de naturvärden som förloras och de som avsätts, förstärks och restaureras för att kompensera för dessa. En sådan databas möjliggör att långsiktigt kunna följa i vilken mån kompensationsområden utgör en motvikt till de värden som förloras.
|
|
| 4. |
- Auffret, Alistair, et al.
(författare)
-
Can field botany be effectively taught as a distance course? Experiences and reflections from the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2022
-
Ingår i: AoB PLANTS. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 2041-2851. ; 14
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The COVID-19 pandemic that started in 2020 forced a rapid change in university teaching, with large numbers of courses switching to distance learning with very little time for preparation. Courses involving many practical elements and field excursions required particular care if students were to fulfil planned learning outcomes. Here, we present our experiences in teaching field botany in 2020 and 2021. Using a range of methods and tools to introduce students to the subject, promote self-learning and reflection and give rapid and regular feedback, we were able to produce a course that allowed students to achieve the intended learning outcomes and that obtained similarly positive student evaluations to previous years. The course and its outcomes were further improved in 2021. We describe how we structured field botany as a distance course in order that we could give the best possible learning experience for the students. Finally, we reflect on how digital tools can aid teaching such subjects in the future, in a world where public knowledge of natural history is declining.In an era of large-scale biodiversity change and reductions in basic knowledge of natural history, it is important that practical courses in subjects like field botany continue to be taught effectively. Forced by the COVID-19 pandemic to teach plant identification with no direct contact with students, we used a range of methods and tools to promote self-learning and reflection in students, and to facilitate rapid feedback by teachers. Here, we present our method for producing a course that allowed students to achieve the intended learning outcomes and that obtained positive student evaluations.
|
|
| 5. |
- Blicharska, Malgorzata, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
-
Operationalisation of ecological compensation : Obstacles and ways forward
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Management. - : Elsevier. - 0301-4797 .- 1095-8630. ; 304
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Ecological compensation (EC) has been proposed as an important tool for stopping the loss of biodiversity and natural values. However, there are few studies on its actual operationalisation and there is high uncertainty about how it should be designed and implemented to be an effective way of performing nature conservation. In this study we focus on ecological compensation in Sweden, a country where it is in the process of being implemented more broadly. Using interviews and a workshop we investigate how the work with the implementation is carried out and what challenges exist. The results show that implementation of EC is at an early stage of development and there are many practical obstacles, linked to both legislation and routines in the planning processes. There is a lack of holistic perspective and large-scale thinking, a quite strong focus on a small number of individual species, and an overall attitude that anything is better than nothing, all of which can have negative consequences for biodiversity conservation overall. Based on the results we discuss the need for better integration of EC into the entire decision-making process and for a holistic approach to preservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services, by increasing the focus on landscape perspective and considering delays in compensation outcomes. There is also a need for a national level standard for EC, making good and worse examples of compensation measures available and systematic monitoring of EC projects. Finally, a spatially explicit database to document all EC areas should be introduced both to ensure consistency in protection from future development plans and to enable long-term monitoring of EC outcomes.
|
|
| 6. |
- Bommarco, Riccardo, et al.
(författare)
-
Bees increase seed set of wild plants while the proportion of arable land has a variable effect on pollination in European agricultural landscapes
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Plant Ecology and Evolution. - : Agentschap Plantentuin Meise. - 2032-3913 .- 2032-3921. ; 154, s. 341-350
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and aims - Agricultural intensification and loss of farmland heterogeneity have contributed to population declines of wild bees and other pollinators, which may have caused subsequent declines in insect-pollinated wild plants. Material and methods - Using data from 37 studies on 22 pollinator-dependent wild plant species across Europe, we investigated whether flower visitation and seed set of insect-pollinated plants decline with an increasing proportion of arable land within 1 km. Key results - Seed set increased with increasing flower visitation by bees, most of which were wild bees, but not with increasing flower visitation by other insects. Increasing proportion of arable land had a strongly variable effect on seed set and flower visitation by bees across studies. Conclusion - Factors such as landscape configuration, local habitat quality, and temporally changing resource availability (e.g. due to mass-flowering crops or honey bee hives) could have modified the effect of arable land on pollination. While our results highlight that the persistence of wild bees is crucial to maintain plant diversity, we also show that pollen limitation due to declining bee populations in homogenized agricultural landscapes is not a universal driver causing parallel losses of bees and insect-pollinated plants.
|
|
| 7. |
- Dániel-Ferreira, Juliana, et al.
(författare)
-
Bumblebee queen mortality along roads increase with traffic
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Biological Conservation. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3207 .- 1873-2917. ; 272
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Managing road verges to promote diverse and flower-rich plant communities has been proposed to mitigate the decline of pollinating insects caused by the loss of natural and semi-natural habitat. There is, however, a concern that flower-rich road verges can be ecological traps for pollinators as insects might be attracted to a habitat where there is a risk that they are killed by traffic. Therefore, we investigated the combined effects of traffic intensity and flowering plant diversity in road verges on the mortality and behaviour of bumblebee queens. The probability that an observed bumblebee queen was dead almost quadrupled when traffic increased from 100 to 6000 vehicles per day and tended to be lower when the flowering plant diversity in the road verge was high. Further, the number of nest-seeking bumblebee queens decreased dramatically with increasing traffic intensity in sites with low diversity of flowering plants, but not in sites with high diversity. Based on published data on bumblebee colony densities in different habitat types, we estimate that between 0.2 % and 32 % of all bumblebee queens present in our study landscapes were killed by traffic. We conclude that the flowering plant diversity in the road verge neither mitigates nor exacerbates the mortality from traffic. Road verges often provide pollinators with a high abundance of resources in florally poor landscapes. We therefore advise management to prioritise plant diversity along roads with low traffic intensity.
|
|
| 8. |
- Dániel-Ferreira, Juliana, et al.
(författare)
-
Communities in infrastructure habitats are species rich but only partly support species associated with semi-natural grasslands
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Journal of Applied Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0021-8901 .- 1365-2664. ; 60, s. 837-848
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biodiversity linked to traditionally managed semi-natural grasslands is declining, despite conservation efforts. At the same time, the area of novel grassland habitats along linear infrastructure, such as road verges and power line corridors, is increasing and in some regions surpass the area of semi-natural grasslands. An open question is to what extent these novel grasslands can complement or even replace traditionally managed grasslands as habitat for grassland species.We compared the alpha (species richness) and beta (abundance-based dissimilarities) diversity of plants, bumblebees and butterflies among semi-natural pastures, verges of small and big roads, power line corridors and uncultivated field borders nested within 32 landscapes (2 x 2 km squares). Landscapes had either high or low road density and were with or without power line corridors. Across landscapes there was also a gradient in the area of semi-natural pastures.Alpha diversity of all three species groups was as high in power line corridors and verges of small roads as in semi-natural pastures, regardless of landscape composition. Although all habitat types shared a large proportion of species, community composition differed among habitats for all three species groups. The beta diversity of plants and butterflies was driven primarily by the replacement of species (turnover), while the beta diversity of bumblebees was driven by a rarer occurrence of certain species in road verges (nestedness). This means that linear infrastructure habitats cannot fully replace the role of semi-natural grasslands for plant and pollinator diversity.The area of road verges, power line corridors and semi-natural pastures in the landscape influenced community composition of plants and butterflies, but not the similarity in community composition among habitats within landscapes.Policy implications. Although novel grasslands along linear infrastructures have high numbers of grassland species, they only support a part of the biodiversity found in traditionally managed semi-natural grasslands. Therefore, protecting and restoring semi-natural grasslands should continue to be a priority for the conservation of grassland biodiversity. However, especially in landscapes where the area of semi-natural grasslands is low, road verges and power line corridors can be important habitats for a number of grassland plants and insects and should be managed to promote biodiversity.
|
|
| 9. |
- Dániel Ferreira, Juliana, et al.
(författare)
-
Linear infrastructure habitats increase landscape-scale diversity of plants but not of flower-visiting insects
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 10
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Habitats along linear infrastructure, such as roads and electrical transmission lines, can have high local biodiversity. To determine whether these habitats also contribute to landscape-scale biodiversity, we estimated species richness, evenness and phylogenetic diversity of plant, butterfy and bumblebee communities in 32 km2 landscapes with or without power line corridors, and with contrasting areas of road verges. Landscapes with power line corridors had on average six more plant species than landscapes without power lines, but there was no such efect for butterfies and bumblebees. Plant communities displayed considerable evenness in species abundances both in landscapes with and without power lines and high and low road verge densities. We hypothesize that the higher number of plant species in landscapes with power line corridors is due to these landscapes having a higher extinction debt than the landscapes without power line corridors, such that plant diversity is declining slower in landscapes with power lines. This calls for targeted conservation actions in semi-natural grasslands within landscapes with power line corridors to maintain biodiversity and prevent imminent population extinctions.
|
|
| 10. |
- Dániel-Ferreira, Juliana, et al.
(författare)
-
Road verges are corridors and roads barriers for the movement of flower-visiting insects
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Ecography. - : Wiley. - 0906-7590 .- 1600-0587.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Roads and road verges can potentially have opposite impacts on organisms that move through the landscape. While road verges can be habitat for a large number of species, and have been proposed to act as dispersal corridors, roads can act as barriers to movement. This duality of roads and road verges has however rarely been assessed simultaneously, and it is unknown to what degree it depends on the amount of traffic on the road and on the habitat quality of the road verge. We used fluorescent powdered dye to track movements of flower-visiting insects along roads with varying traffic intensity, and in verges with contrasting habitat quality (flowering plant species richness and flower density). Insect movements along road verges were more frequent than movements into the adjacent habitats, indicating that verges act as corridors. The frequency of movements that required crossing the road was lower compared to the frequency of movements that did not, suggesting that roads are barriers. The movement patterns were independent of traffic intensity, but the barrier effect was stronger when the road verge had a higher density of flower resources. The effect of roads as a barrier and of the road verges as corridors were independent of each other. Our results suggest that flower-visiting insects tend to remain longer in road verges with high density of flowers and we therefore suggest that managing road verge habitats for an increased plant diversity will mitigate the known negative impacts of roads on insect populations.
|
|
| 11. |
- Díaz-Calafat, Joan, et al.
(författare)
-
From broadleaves to conifers : The effect of tree composition and density on understory microclimate across latitudes
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. - 0168-1923 .- 1873-2240. ; 341
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Forest canopies buffer the macroclimate and thus play an important role in mitigating climate-warming impacts on forest ecosystems. Despite the importance of the tree layer for understory microclimate buffering, our knowledge about the effects of forest structure, composition and their interactions with macroclimate is limited, especially in mixtures of conifers and broadleaves. Here we studied five mixed forest stands along a 1800 km latitudinal gradient covering a 7°C span in mean annual temperature. In each of these forests we established 40 plots (200 in total), in which air and soil temperatures were measured continuously for at least one year. The plots were located across gradients of forest density and broadleaved proportions (i.e. from open to closed canopies, and from 100% conifer to 100% broadleaved tree dominance). Air minimum, mean and maximum temperature offsets (i.e. difference between macroclimate and microclimate) and soil mean temperature offsets were calculated for the coldest and warmest months. Forest structure, and especially forest density, was the key determinant of understory temperatures. However, the absolute and relative importance of the proportion of broadleaves and forest density differed largely between response variables. Forest density ranged from being independent of, to interacting with, tree species composition. The effect of these two variables was independent of the macroclimate along our latitudinal gradient. Temperature, precipitation, snow depth and wind outside forests affected understory temperature buffering. Finally, we found that the scale at which the overstory affects soil microclimate approximated 6-7 m, whereas for air microclimate this was at least 10 m. These findings have implications for biodiversity conservation and forest management in a changing climate, as they facilitate the projection of understory temperatures in scenarios where both forest structure and macroclimate are dynamic. This is especially relevant given the global importance of ongoing forest conversion from conifers to broadleaves, and vice versa.
|
|
| 12. |
- Fourcade, Yoan, et al.
(författare)
-
Decline of parasitic and habitat-specialist species drives taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional homogenization of sub-alpine bumblebee communities
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Oecologia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0029-8549 .- 1432-1939. ; 196, s. 905-917
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The ongoing biodiversity crisis is characterised not only by an elevated extinction rate but also can lead to an increasing similarity of species assemblages. This is an issue of major concern, as it can reduce ecosystem resilience and functionality. Changes in the composition of pollinator communities have mainly been described in intensive agricultural lowland areas. In this context, using a replicated survey of historical and recent bumblebee diversity, we aimed here to test how documented changes in climate and land use influenced the potential homogenization of sub-alpine bumblebee communities in southern Norway. We assessed the change in community composition in terms of taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional (beta-)diversity, and estimated the impact of various species traits in probabilities of species gains and losses. Overall, we found a strong reduction in functional diversity, but no change in phylogenetic diversity over time. The beta-diversity decreased, especially at high elevations, and this pattern was consistent for taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional beta-diversity. The spatial distribution, measured as the average site occupancy, decreased in habitat-specialist species. This was explained by both a higher risk of species loss and a lower probability of species gain for habitat-specialist and parasitic species than for generalist and social species. These findings demonstrate that a narrow niche breadth may contribute to a higher extinction risk in bumblebee species. This non-random impact of disturbance on species may lead to large-scale biotic homogenisation of communities, a pattern that can be detected by investigating biodiversity changes at different scales and across its multiple facets.
|
|
| 13. |
- Fourcade, Yoan, et al.
(författare)
-
Habitat amount and distribution modify community dynamics under climate change
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Ecology Letters. - : Wiley. - 1461-023X .- 1461-0248. ; 24, s. 950-957
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Habitat fragmentation may present a major impediment to species range shifts caused by climate change, but how it affects local community dynamics in a changing climate has so far not been adequately investigated empirically. Using long-term monitoring data of butterfly assemblages, we tested the effects of the amount and distribution of semi-natural habitat (SNH), moderated by species traits, on climate-driven species turnover. We found that spatially dispersed SNH favoured the colonisation of warm-adapted and mobile species. In contrast, extinction risk of cold-adapted species increased in dispersed (as opposed to aggregated) habitats and when the amount of SNH was low. Strengthening habitat networks by maintaining or creating stepping-stone patches could thus allow warm-adapted species to expand their range, while increasing the area of natural habitat and its spatial cohesion may be important to aid the local persistence of species threatened by a warming climate.
|
|
| 14. |
- Fourcade, Yoan, et al.
(författare)
-
Population dynamics of the butterfly Pyrgus armoricanus after translocation beyond its northern range margin
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Insect Conservation and Diversity. - : Wiley. - 1752-458X .- 1752-4598. ; 13, s. 617-629
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Translocation experiments can be used to study the factors limiting species' distributions and to infer potential drivers of successful colonisation during range shifts. To study the expansion dynamics of the butterflyPyrgus armoricanusin southern Sweden and to find out whether its distribution was limited by climate, translocation experiments were carried out within and 50-60 km beyond its natural range margin. Populations were monitored for 8 years following the translocation. Although most translocation attempts failed,P. armoricanuswas able to survive in two sites north of its current range limit. One of them eventually led to expansion and establishment of a viable metapopulation. Translocation success appeared to be independent of latitude, suggesting that climate is not the main factor determining the current northern distribution limits of this butterfly. Population growth and secondary spread in the expanding population were positively related to patch area and connectivity, while local habitat quality seemed to be less important. The successful translocation and the importance of a well-connected patch network suggest that the current distribution ofP. armoricanusis limited by its low dispersal ability combined with the fragmentation of its habitat, making it unlikely to track its changing climatic niche. Assisted migration could be an effective tool for such species, but long-term evidence for its effectiveness is not yet available.
|
|
| 15. |
|
|
| 16. |
- Gossmann, Anika, et al.
(författare)
-
Interaction between regional temperature and shade level shapes saproxylic beetle communities
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Diversity and Distributions. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 30
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AimThe 'concept of relative constancy of habitats' assumes that species differ in their habitat preferences depending on the regional temperature so that all populations experience similar microclimatic conditions. Our aim was to assess the relevance of this concept by disentangling the effects of shade level and regional temperature on southern and northern distributed saproxylic (=dead wood dependent) beetle species.LocationSweden.MethodsWe established a field experiment by placing 435 logs of Norway spruce (Picea abies) along shade gradients in six regions differing in regional temperature (along a 1200 km latitudinal gradient). For each log, we sampled the saproxylic beetle community and calculated the Community Temperature Index (CTI), indicating to what extent the community is dominated by southern or northern species.ResultsSpecies richness and total abundance were better explained by shade level, whereas species composition was better explained by study region. In colder regions, CTI varied along the shade gradient, whereas in warmer regions, CTI was more similar along the shade gradient. Moreover, in colder regions, the number of southern species was higher in sun-exposed logs, whereas in warmer regions, the number of southern species was higher in shaded logs. This supports the concept of relative constancy of habitats. In contrast, northern species preferred shaded conditions regardless of the regional temperature.Main ConclusionsRegional temperature, shade level and resulting microclimate are important drivers of species richness, total abundance and composition. Occurrence patterns of saproxylic beetle species follow to some extent the concept of relative constancy of habitats since their habitat preferences vary with regional temperature. Northern species are of conservation concern due to disadvantages by climate warming and clear-cutting. They are favoured by preserving forests with rarely disturbed canopies.
|
|
| 17. |
- Herbertsson, Lina, et al.
(författare)
-
Bees increase seed set of wild plants while the proportion of arable land has a variable effect on pollination in European agricultural landscapes
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Plant Ecology and Evolution. - : Societe Royale de Botanique de Belgique. - 2032-3913 .- 2032-3921. ; 154:3, s. 341-350
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background and aims: Agricultural intensification and loss of farmland heterogeneity have contributed to population declines of wild bees and other pollinators, which may have caused subsequent declines in insect-pollinated wild plants.Material and methods: Using data from 37 studies on 22 pollinator-dependent wild plant species across Europe, we investigated whether flower visitation and seed set of insect-pollinated plants decline with an increasing proportion of arable land within 1 km.Key results: Seed set increased with increasing flower visitation by bees, most of which were wild bees, but not with increasing flower visitation by other insects. Increasing proportion of arable land had a strongly variable effect on seed set and flower visitation by bees across studies.Conclusion:Factors such as landscape configuration, local habitat quality, and temporally changing resource availability (e.g. due to mass-flowering crops or honey bee hives) could have modified the effect of arable land on pollination. While our results highlight that the persistence of wild bees is crucial to maintain plant diversity, we also show that pollen limitation due to declining bee populations in homogenized agricultural landscapes is not a universal driver causing parallel losses of bees and insect-pollinated plants.
|
|
| 18. |
- Horstmann, Svenja, et al.
(författare)
-
Species accumulation in novel grassland habitats is linked to land cover history
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Ecography. - 0906-7590 .- 1600-0587.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Novel grassland habitats along linear infrastructure have gained attention as potential supplementary or replacement habitats for species suffering from the widespread loss of traditionally managed semi-natural grasslands. However, it can take time for species to colonise new habitats, and both the historical and the current landscape composition can affect colonisation rates, particularly for grassland specialist species. We investigated the influence of more than 100 years of landscape history on present-day species richness of plants, butterflies and bumblebees in two types of linear infrastructure habitats: road verges and power line corridors. We analysed the effects of time since habitat establishment and the amount of surrounding grassland cover in different time periods on species richness of the three taxa. Our results suggest a long time lag in the establishment of plant species in novel grassland habitats, with richness of butterflies and bumblebees largely dependent on the richness of plant species. There was no direct relationship between habitat age and the richness of butterflies or bumblebees, but we found unexpected legacy effects of grassland area on present-day species richness. Higher richness of bumblebee species in road verges located in landscapes with larger surrounding grassland cover in the past is most likely a consequence of those landscapes containing a mosaic of afforested and abandoned grassland habitats today. Furthermore, we found that power line corridors might be important replacement habitats for butterflies in landscapes with little other grassland area left. Provided that road verges and power-line corridors are managed appropriately, our results show that their species richness can be expected to increase in the future.
|
|
| 19. |
- Horstmann, Svenja, et al.
(författare)
-
Traffic intensity and vegetation management affect flower‐visiting insects and their response to resources in road verges
- 2024
-
Ingår i: Journal of Applied Ecology. - Chichester : Wiley-Blackwell. - 0021-8901 .- 1365-2664. ; 61:8, s. 1955-1967
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Road verges can support high densities of flowers and could therefore provide new opportunities for the conservation of flower-visiting insects. One way of optimizing road verges for vascular plant diversity is to adjust mowing regimes, but to date it is unclear how this affects flower-visiting insects. Furthermore, for mobile organisms like wild bees and butterflies, there is a risk that the benefit of increased habitat quality in road verges is limited by the proximity to traffic, but this is poorly studied. In a crossed study design, we separated mowing time and frequency (early summer and autumn, or only late summer) from road verge habitat classification (valuable for biodiversity according to transport authority, or regular). We did so along a gradient of traffic intensity, to investigate if a mowing regime designed to enhance plant diversity can also benefit wild bees and butterflies, and if traffic limits the conservation potential of road verges. Road verges that were mown only in late summer had higher flower densities, and there was a positive relationship between flower density and wild bee abundance and species richness. Butterfly abundance and species richness only benefitted from a late summer mowing in valuable but not in regular road verges. Traffic intensity had a substantial negative impact on abundance and species richness of wild bees and butterflies. Higher traffic intensities limited the positive relationship between plant and butterfly species richness that we observed at lower traffic intensities. Increasing width of the road verges buffered negative effects of the traffic on wild bee as well as butterfly abundances, and on wild bee species richness. Synthesis and applications. Road verges can play a valuable role for the conservation of wild bees and butterflies, but there is a need to consider both traffic intensity and resource availability when implementing management strategies. To support wild bee and butterfly diversity, we recommend actions to enhance plant species richness and flower resource availability, and to focus these conservation efforts on roads with low traffic intensity, or on wide road verges. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Applied Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society.
|
|
| 20. |
- Josefsson, Jonas, et al.
(författare)
-
Compensating for lost nature values through biodiversity offsetting-Where is the evidence?
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Biological Conservation. - : Elsevier. - 0006-3207 .- 1873-2917. ; 257
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Biodiversity offsetting is becoming a principal instrument for managing biodiversity and ecosystem services in society. Still, it is unclear whether biodiversity offsetting can fully mitigate losses to natural values. When reviewing published studies on offsetting, we found only 40 evaluations with primary outcome data on biodiversity or ecosystem services. Among these, we found no evidence that biodiversity gains from offsets actually compensate for development-associated losses, because losses were never estimated. The failure to quantify losses is troubling from a conservation perspective, as applying offsets that do not match up losses and gains will result in continued net loss of biodiversity. Instead, most studies (76%) included only reference habitats as comparator and evaluated singular taxa of biodiversity (66%), and rarely ecosystem services (ES). The overall meta-analysed effect size from reference habitat comparisons suggests that offsets perform poorly when contrasted to these habitats. There was a strong bias towards North American freshwater biomes, with only six published evaluations from terrestrial habitats. The bias and small number of studies precluded any detailed meta-analytical enquiries, such as identification of main drivers of outcomes. For biodiversity offsetting to be an important instrument for halting biodiversity losses, all actions must build on solid scientific evidence, and our review show that this evidence base is yet not in place. We conclude that there is a strong need for rigorous evaluation of offsetting projects, and to this end governments could request long-term monitoring programmes as an integral part of offsetting actions and make data openly available for assessment.
|
|
| 21. |
- Jönsson, K. Ingemar, et al.
(författare)
-
Ekologisk kompensation som verktyg i miljömålsarbetet : Syntes från en forskningssatsning
- 2023
-
Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Denna rapport utgör en syntes av de sju projekt som finansierades inom Naturvårdsverkets och Havs- och vattenmyndighetens forskningssatsning inom området ekologisk kompensation som pågick 2018–2021. Syntesprojektet har utgått dels från slutrapporterna från de enskilda projekten, dels från myndigheternas uttryckta önskemål om belysning av vissa specifika aspekter inom tillämpningen av ekologisk kompensation. Rapporten täcker därför inte in alla resultat och slutsatser från forskningsprojekten utan har inriktat sig på följande teman: (i) etiska argument kring ekologisk kompensation, (ii) förutsättningarna för lagstyrd och frivillig kompensation, (iii) modeller för beräkning av miljöskador och kompensationseffekter, och (iv) uppföljning och utvärdering av kompensationsåtgärder. Tillämpningen av ekologisk kompensation har idag en relativt begränsad omfattning, men skulle kunna utvecklas till ett mer använt styrmedel. I rapporten pekas dock på en rad aspekter som behöver åtgärdas och utvecklas för att ekologisk kompensation ska bidra till att förlusterna av biologisk mångfald och ekosystemtjänster stoppas eller vänds till en nettouppbyggnad av miljövärden. Syntesprojektet resulterade i en rad olika förslag riktade till berörda myndigheter som förväntas vara avgörande för ekologisk kompensation som styrmedel. Dessa summeras kortfattat nedan: Lagstiftning och nationell policy • Skadelindringshierarkin bör få ett starkt lagstöd och kopplingen mellan hierarkin och principen om tvådelad prövningen bör klargöras • Målet med ekologisk kompensation bör formuleras och uttryckas i lagstiftning och nationella policydokument • Lagstiftning bör tas fram gällande regler för när ekologisk kompensation inte ska tillämpas utan exploatering i stället helt ska undvikas • Utredning behövs kring om ett mål om nettovinst vid ekologisk kompensation bör formuleras i miljöbalken, respektive om det ska uttryckas tydligare som en del av de svenska miljökvalitetsmålen • Krav på systematisk uppföljning bör ingå som standard för allakompensationsåtgärder baserade på beslut utifrån miljöbalken • Nationella riktlinjer bör utvecklas för uppföljning och utvärdering av ekologisk kompensation, och dessa bör även förtydliga vem som bär ansvaret för att utföra och bekosta dessa Utveckling av kompensationspooler • Ytterligare utredning bör göras kring förutsättningarna för att införa kompensationspooler i privat och offentlig regi, bland annat gällande ansvar samt sociala och samhällsekonomiska effekter Frivillig kompensation: kommunal och näringsliv • Nationellt gemensamma riktlinjer och utökad vägledning för frivillig kompensation bör utvecklas för att klargöra i. hur berörda aktörer kan och bör organisera arbetet med frivillig kompensation ii. hur målet med kompensationen bör definieras och i samband med det hur effekterna av införda kompensationsåtgärder bör följas upp • Tydligare stöd och riktlinjer bör utvecklas för vad som bör ingå i översiktsplaner, detaljplaner, grönplaner och naturvårdsplaner för att kunna skapa ett konsistent, transparent och mer strategiskt kommunalt arbete med kompensation, som också går att följa upp och utvärdera Beräkning och bedömning • Policydokument och riktlinjer bör upprättas för att styra handlingsutrymmet vad gäller naturtypisk, rumslig och tidsmässig flexibilitet inom ekologisk kompensation • Nationella riktlinjer bör av försiktighetsskäl förorda och rekommendera konkreta multiplikatorer för hantering av osäkerhet, även kopplat till samhällsekonomiska aspekter • Förslag bör tas fram på hur det går att förbättra möjligheterna att tillämpa ett landskapsperspektiv vid genomförande av ekologisk kompensation • Beräkningsmodeller som inkluderar samhällsekonomiska, sociala och ekologiska perspektiv bör utvecklas vidare, och dessa bör även beakta juridiska aspekter • Nationella riktlinjer bör utvecklas för vilka typer av mått på miljöegenskaper som företrädesvis kan tillämpas i beräkningen av omfattningen av ekologisk kompensation, samt i vilka fall som enklare specifika schablonvärden kan användas Delaktighet • Deltagandeprocesser bör utvecklas som främjar inkludering av berörda samhällsgrupper i beslutsfattande kring ekologisk kompensation Kunskap, uppföljning och utvärdering • Riktlinjer bör utvecklas för hur data från initierade och genomförda kompensationsprojekt ska sammanställas och tillgängliggöras, samt en nationell databas tas fram för att stödja detta • En nationell geografisk databas bör tas fram för dokumentation av implementerade kompensationsområden för långsiktig uppföljning
|
|
| 22. |
- Lehto, Carl, et al.
(författare)
-
Landscape usage by recreationists is shaped by availability: insights from a national PPGIS survey in Sweden
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Landscape and Urban Planning. - : Elsevier BV. - 0169-2046 .- 1872-6062. ; 227
-
Annan publikation (refereegranskat)abstract
- Areas suitable for outdoor recreation are in decline due to urbanization and land-use intensification. To provide people with access to recreational areas, it is imperative to understand what characterizes areas attractive to recreationists. In this study we explore patterns of outdoor recreation visits on a national scale, using a large (n = 3853) Public Participatory GIS survey in Sweden. We analyze land cover of areas visited in comparison to landscape composition across a gradient from urban to rural areas. Additionally, we employ machine learning models to compare attributes of areas visited to random areas in the available landscape. We found that the geographical distribution of outdoor recreation was highly aggregated, with 57 % of recreation occurring in urban and periurban areas, which together cover 5 % of the total land area. Landscape characteristics were weak predictors of where outdoor recreation took place. The median travel distance to the area where recreation was conducted was 2 km, which is longer than what recreationists prefer according to previous studies. We argue that this is indicative of a recreational deficit in Sweden, with recreationists’ preferences not being expressed due to lack of access to suitable areas close to home. This highlights the importance for physical planners to consider spatial accessibility when planning for outdoor recreation.
|
|
| 23. |
- Lindman, Ly, et al.
(författare)
-
Microclimate in hollow trees and how it affects an inhabiting beetle species, Osmoderma eremita
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Ecological Entomology. - : Wiley. - 0307-6946 .- 1365-2311. ; 48, s. 112-126
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Studies of species' responses to microclimatic conditions have increased our understanding of their habitat requirements and possible responses to climate warming. However, little is known about the role of microclimate for insects inhabiting hollow trees. We explored the relationship between tree characteristics and microclimate, and analysed how the microclimate in tree-hollows affects the occurrence and body size of an endangered beetle species, Osmoderma eremita. We placed temperature data-loggers in wood mould (= loose material in tree-hollows) and surveyed O. eremita in 47 hollows in oak pastures in south-eastern Sweden. We found that tree characteristics previously known to be associated with occurrence of beetle species confined to tree-hollows (larger diameters, more wood mould, entrances higher up, and not directed upwards) tend to decrease moisture and moisture variation, while their effects on temperature and temperature fluctuations differ during different seasons. This indicates that microclimatic conditions are important for beetles in hollow trees, and many specialised species seem to avoid conditions that are too moist. O. eremita occurred more frequently in trees with a warmer and more stable microclimate, while adult body size decreased with a warmer microclimate. A positive effect of a warmer microclimate was expected, since the study was done near the northern margin of the species' range. O. eremita is confined to living in hollow trees, which may be due to the microclimate there being more stable in comparison to both the ambient climate and the microclimate in standing and downed dead wood.
|
|
| 24. |
- Lindman, Ly, et al.
(författare)
-
Microclimatic conditions mediate the effect of deadwood and forest characteristics on a threatened beetle species, Tragosoma depsarium
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Oecologia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0029-8549 .- 1432-1939. ; 199, s. 737-752
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- While climate change has increased the interest in the influence of microclimate on many organisms, species inhabiting deadwood have rarely been studied. Here, we explore how characteristics of forest stands and deadwood affect microclimate inside deadwood, and analyse how this affects wood-living organisms, exemplified by the red-listed beetle Tragosoma depsarium. Deadwood and forest variables explained much of the variation in temperature, but less of the variation in moisture within deadwood. Several variables known to influence habitat quality for deadwood-dependent species were found to correlate with microclimate. Standing deadwood and an open canopy generates warmer conditions in comparison to downed logs and a closed canopy, and shaded, downed and large-diameter wood have higher moisture and more stable daily temperatures than sun-exposed, standing, and small-diameter wood. T. depsarium occupancy and abundance increased with colder and more stable winter temperatures, and with higher spring temperatures. Consistently, the species occurred more frequently in deadwood items with characteristics associated with these conditions, i.e. downed large-diameter logs occurring in open conditions. Conclusively, microclimatic conditions were found to be important for a deadwood-dependent insect, and related to characteristics of both forest stands and deadwood items. Since microclimate is also affected by macroclimatic conditions, we expect species' habitat requirements to vary locally and regionally, and to change due to climate warming. Although many saproxylic species preferring sun-exposed conditions would benefit from a warmer climate per se, changes in species interactions and land use may still result in negative net effects of climate warming.
|
|
| 25. |
- Noreika, Norbertas, et al.
(författare)
-
Community completeness as a measure of restoration success: multiple-study comparisons across ecosystems and ecological groups
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Biodiversity and Conservation. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0960-3115 .- 1572-9710. ; 29, s. 3807-3827
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- When restoring habitat for biodiversity, the most effective outcome will be achieved by restoration projects which target several organism groups or ecosystem types. Such integrated approaches require direct comparisons among different ecological communities while evaluating success of restoration. The Community Completeness Index (CCI) is a recently developed metric that allows such comparisons by accounting for both present and absent but otherwise suitable taxa. We empirically evaluated the applicability of CCI for assessing the outcome of ecological restoration. We analyzed how species richness and the completeness of ecological communities recover after restoration, for different ecological groups and ecosystem types, and how it develops over time after restoration. Analyses were performed on 18 datasets with per site presence-absence data from Northern Europe. Each dataset represented one of the three habitat types (mire, forest, grassland) and different ecological groups (plants, flying insects, epigeic invertebrates). Datasets contained pristine, degraded and restored sites. We calculated the dark diversity and subsequently CCI based on species co-occurrences. Our multiple-study analyses revealed that CCI of grassland plant communities increased faster after restoration than invertebrate communities or plant communities in forests and mires. In addition, flying insect communities demonstrated significantly highest CCI in pristine mires. Some results were significant only for richness but not for CCI indicating species pool effect. Finally, completeness and species richness of restored communities increased with time since restoration. As such, our study demonstrated that CCI is a useful tool in evaluating restoration success across different organism groups and ecosystem types.
|
|
