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Evaluation of Active Management Applied to Meadows with Phengaris Butterflies Occurrence*

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Evaluation of Active Management Applied to Meadows with Phengaris Butterflies Occurrence* ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES EVALUATION OF ACTIVE MANAGEMENT APPLIED to MEADOWS WITH PHENGARIS BUTTERFLIES OCCURRENCE* T. Bubová, M. Kulma, V. Vrabec Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Prague, Czech Republic In recent decades, changes in meadows maintenance have reduced the populations of endangered butterfly species Phengaris nausithous (Bergsträsser, 1779) and P. teleius (Bergsträsser, 1779). Currently, meadows are either abandoned or intensively used. Unfortunately, both these managements are considered unfavourable for grassland butterfly species. In this study, the effect of suitable meadow management on population sizes of both the above mentioned Phengaris species was investigated. The experiment was performed at the locality Dolní Labe (Děčín, Czech Republic). The most suitable models, based on the lowest values of Akaike’s information criterion corrected for small sample sizes, were selected using MARK statistical soft- ware. The results were subsequently compared with data obtained from this locality prior to the management application. Un- expectedly, no significant positive effects were found. To reach the desirable status, suitable management practices should be applied for long-term. To verify the management effect on the population size, the meadows were divided into three groups: (i) application of favourable management, (ii) mowing in inappropriate term, (iii) without management. Based on the statisti- cal evaluation, the management application proved to be the most favourable option for both studied butterflies species. Phengaris teleius, Phengaris nausithous, Dolní Labe, active protection, mowing, succession doi: 10.1515/sab-2016-0024 Received for publication on October 6, 2015 Accepted for publication on August 30, 2016 INTRODUCTION 2007). On the other hand, the absence of agricultural interventions leads to the onset of succession (H u l a The majority of European butterfly species are vi- et al., 2004; S k ó r k a et al., 2007). tally dependent on meadows and open grasslands with Active protection of the butterfly species consists in large plant diversity (v a n S w a a y, 2002; J a n s e n the understanding of their requirements and demands, et al., 2012). The management methods of these lo- such as the quantity and distribution of their neces- calities belong among the most important factors af- sary resources (D e n n i s et al., 2006; J a n s e n et al., fecting the density of butterfly populations (Wa l l i s 2012). The blue butterflies of the genus Phengaris are D e V r i e s et al., 2007; D ’ A n i e l l o et al., 2011). considered as European flagship species for butterfly During the recent decade, changes of the management protection in open grasslands (S p i t z e r et al., 2009; have occurred – the meadows are used intensively. T h o m a s et al., 2009; v a n S w a a y et al., 2010). Agricultural intensification causes the biodiversity The Scarce large blue, Phengaris teleius (Bergsträsser, reduction, abandonment of traditional land-use types 1779) and the Dusky large blue, Phengaris nausithous (Kruess, Tscharntke, 2002; Benton et al., (Bergsträsser, 1779) are sympatric living species, 2003; Saarinen, Jantunen, 2005; Young et occurring in wet meadows (K a j z e r - B o n k et al., al., 2005), and increased land fragmentation, which is 2013). Their host plant is Great Burnet (Sanguisorba considered to be the main threat to reduce the number officinalis) (e.g. T h o m a s , 1984) and both of these of butterfly species (K r a u s s et al., 2005; P ö y r y, species are also myrmecophilous (E l m e s et al., 1998; * Supported by the Internal Grant Agency of the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CIGA), Project No. 20152004. 164 SCIENTIA AGRICULTURAE BOHEMICA, 47, 2016 (4): 164–173 W y n h o f f et al., 2011). According to the European in long-term increase the blue butterfly populations; (b) Red List of Butterflies (v a n S w a a y et al., 2010) blue butterfly populations will not be able to survive and Red List of the Czech Republic (F a r k a č et al., in meadows which are mown in inappropriate time or 2005), P. teleius belongs among vulnerable species in meadows without management. and P. nausithous among near threatened species. To select favourable meadows management, it is necessary to monitor many factors that affect the sur- MATERIAL AND METHODS vivability and the size of butterfly populations (Va n L a n g e v e l d e , W y n h o f f , 2009). The establish- ment of varied networks including grasslands, patch Study species and road edges, is also very important (H a n s k i et al., 1994; N o w i c k i et al., 2013). These measures According to the European red list of butterflies reduce the fragmentation and support the metapo- (van Swaay et al., 2010), Phengaris teleius and pulation density system (N o w i c k i et al., 2014). P. nausithous belong to vulnerable and/or near-threat- The timing and quantity of blue butterfly meadows ened species categories. Both these butterflies belong interventions belong among essential factors as well. among particularly protected species in the Czech The meadows should be ideally cut once a year, but it Republic and P. nausithous being more distributed is also possible to do the cut every two or three years (B e n e š et al., 2002). (J o h s t et al., 2006; N o v á k et al., 2007; V r a b e c The investigated species are both social parasites et al., 2008). The negative impact on blue butterflies with similar life cycles, however, some different as- was reported when meadows were cut twice a year pects in their behaviour are known as well (B e n e š et (D i e r k s , F i s c h e r , 2009). According to B e n e š al., 2002). Both species are monophagous, their only et al. (2002) and K o n v i č k a et al. (2005) the opti- host plant is Great Burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) mal time for cutting meadows is May or September. (e.g. T h o m a s , 1984). Females lay their eggs on September is also reported by K ő r ö s i et al. (2014) as the host plant head, larvae hatch and live there till an ideal cutting time for P. teleius prosperity. Mowing L3 stadium. Immediately after ecdysis to L4, they meadows amid the flying season is inconvenient, fall down to the ground, where they are subsequently because it causes not only the lack of nectar sources adopted by Myrmica ants (T h o m a s et al., 1989; and oviposition opportunities for adults, but it mainly P e c h et al., 2007). P. nausithous larvae could be leads to egg destruction and larval mortality as well adopted only by M. rubra, while P. teleius larvae were ( J o h s t et al., 2006; D o v e r et al., 2010). Therefore, found mainly in anthills of M. scabrinodis, but also it is important to make the first mowing in a suitable in those of M. rubra, M. ruginodis or M. rugulosa term providing the host plant sufficient time to restore (Ta r t a l l y, Va r g a , 2005; W i t e k et al., 2008, before the beginning of the flight season (D i e r k s , 2011; W y n h o f f et al., 2011). Parasitic larvae live F i s c h e r , 2009). The proper mowing timing also for 10–22 months, until they pupate (T h o m a s , 1984; influences the host ants (W y n h o f f et al., 2011; S l i w i n s k a et al., 2006). Flying season of adult but- K ő r ö s i et al., 2014). When cutting in the second half terflies is the same for both species – since the begin- of September, abundance of Myrmica ants in meadows ning of July to the end of August. However, certain increases (G r i l l et al., 2008). B e n e š et al. (2002) variability within various regions has been described and K o n v i č k a et al. (2005) considered mosaic (B a t á r y et al., 2009). It is known that the choice mowing as most suitable for blue butterflies. This cut- of location for oviposition is affected by host plants ting method basically replaces traditional agriculture developmental stages and the host ants presence. While (P ö y r y, 2007) with the principle in combination P. teleius females oviposit rather to young flower of both unmaintained and maintained vegetation – heads, those of P. nausithous prefer older host plant mowing at different times per year (M o r r i s , 2000; heads (Figurny, Woyciechowski, 1998). Both Saarinen, Jantunen, 2005; Farruggia et al., species oviposit only to host plants near Myrmica 2012). However, using no management in meadows anthills (Va n D y c k et al., 2000; W y n h o f f et al., is also unsuitable, because it causes succession onset, 2008; Va n D y c k , R e g n i e r s , 2010). Ensuring consequently it leads to overgrowing of meadows by the presence of all resources of vital importance to woody plants (P r o v o o s t et al., 2011; S c h i r m e l , the blue butterfly genus Phengaris is thus largely Fartmann, 2014).
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