Tarnava Mare 2015 Biodiversity Survey Summary Report
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Tarnava Mare 2015 Biodiversity Survey Summary Report Report editor: Dr Bruce Carlisle – Geography & Environment, Northumbria University. Science team: Stephen Brennan, Silvia Cojocaru, Chloe Dalglish, Paul Leafe, Chris Ledbury, Olivia Norfolk, James O’Neill, Huma Pearce, Helen Rawlinson, Warwick Wainwright. Assisted by: Georgina Scott, Serban Tudor, Marcela Mann, Dragos Luntraru, Alin-Marius Nicula, Mihaela Hojbota, Andrei Nicoara, Bogdan Ciortan. With thanks to all the staff at Fundatia ADEPT, Cristi Malos – Babes-Bolyai University, all the dissertation students and volunteers. Contents 1.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 2 2.0 Methods ............................................................................................................................................ 3 2.1 Farmer interviews ......................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Land cover ..................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3 Grassland plants ............................................................................................................................ 4 2.4 Grassland butterflies ..................................................................................................................... 5 2.5 Birds ............................................................................................................................................... 5 2.6 Small mammals ............................................................................................................................. 6 2.7 Large mammals ............................................................................................................................. 6 2.8 Bats ................................................................................................................................................ 6 3.0 Vital statistics .................................................................................................................................... 7 4.0 Farm survey ..................................................................................................................................... 15 5.0 Grassland plants .............................................................................................................................. 20 6.0 Grassland butterflies ....................................................................................................................... 27 7.0 Birds ................................................................................................................................................. 33 8.0 Small mammals ............................................................................................................................... 44 9.0 Large Mammals ............................................................................................................................... 45 9.1 Camera Trap Survey .................................................................................................................... 45 9.2 Observation of large mammal signs ............................................................................................ 47 Page 1 1.0 Introduction This report summarises the data gathered by Operation Wallacea’s Transylvania project during the summer of 2015. This was the third year of the project, based on an annual survey in the Tarnava Mare Natura 2000 site to assess the effectiveness of maintaining the traditional agricultural practices in protecting this outstanding landscape and its species. The Operation Wallacea surveys provide annual data on a range of biodiversity and farming criteria. These data can then be used by Fundatia ADEPT, a Romania-based NGO, to help guide their farming and conservation initiatives. The report gives a snapshot of the 2015 situation in terms of agriculture and biodiversity. Data from 2013 and 2014 are shown for comparison where appropriate. Changes in the data over a period of several years can be used to reveal how the biodiversity of Tarnava Mare is changing, for example in response to changing agricultural practices. Caution must be used when comparing differences between 2015, 2014 and 2013, as there are a variety of factors which can cause the numbers to be different, including slight changes to the methodology (see section 2), differences in the dates of the surveys, differences in climate and weather and natural population fluctuations. While it is still too early in the project to confidently investigate change over time, the data from the first three years can start to be used to investigate spatial variation. For example, biodiversity and land cover of the surveyed villages can be compared to investigate the influence of land cover (as a function of land use) on the composition and abundance of species. Section 2 “Methods” outlines the fieldwork methods used. Section 3 “Vital Statistics” presents a few key indicator figures, to give a very brief overview of the data and to compare the surveyed villages. Sections 4 to 9 give a more detailed summary of the data gathered by each survey team. KEY MESSAGES There are many substantial increases and decreases in a wide variety of taxa, as well as taxa that have not changed. Much of this will be natural fluctuation or “noise” in the data. Some changes could be early warning signs of important changes to biodiversity and need to be followed closely in coming years. These include: Signs of a general trend of declining indicator plant abundance Declining butterfly diversity at Nou Sasesc A decrease in red-backed shrike abundance at all villages 8 grassland specialist bird species declining in numbers but 9 increasing Small mammal population crash Page 2 2.0 Methods Some adjustments to methodologies were made in response to the experience gained during the first year of the project. See the 2014 summary report for further detail of these adjustments. Consequently 2013 data is not always directly comparable to data from subsequent years. The methods used in 2014 remained the same in 2015 to a great extent. However, the order in which the villages were surveyed changed slightly with Apold and Malancrav being switched around for logistical reasons. The weather conditions vary from year to year. The start of the 2015 fieldwork season was cool and wet, particularly while surveying at Richis and Nou Sasesc. This had an impact on the number of surveys that could be undertaken, and will also have had an influence on vegetation phenology and the abundance and activity of wildlife. Fieldwork was undertaken over an 8 week period from 18 June to 12 August 2015, in eight villages within the Tarnava Mare Natura 2000 site. In total, 48 days fieldwork were undertaken, with 6 days per village. Table 2.1 lists the villages and the respective dates for 2013, 2014 and 2015. Much of the survey work was carried out along “the transects” which are 3 linear routes per village. Each route was selected with the aim of traversing land covers and land uses that are representative of the village’s surroundings. The routes are constrained by accessibility. The “central transect” is approximately 4km long and runs along the valley floor, upstream and downstream of the village. This transect runs through the village, usually alongside a road, near to the stream, and through more intensely farmed land. “West” and “east” transects are approximately 6km long and each takes a roughly semi-circular route from the valley floor up the valley sides, usually into less intensely farmed land, meadow grassland, pasture and woodland. There are no significant differences between the 2013, 2014 and 2015 transects. There are seven main survey teams covering farmer interviews, grassland plants and land cover mapping, grassland butterflies, birds, small mammals, large mammals and bats. Further details of the methods of each team, and any notable alteration of methods, are given in the following sections. Table 2.1. Survey schedules. Village 2013 Survey Dates Days 2014 Survey Dates Days 2015 Survey (N days) difference (N days) difference Dates (N days) Richis 20 to 22 July (3) -31 19 to 24 June (6) -1 18 to 23 June (6) Nou Sasesc 16 to 18 July (3) -20 26 to 30 June (5) -1 25 to 30 June (6) Mesendorf 2 to 4 July (3) +1 3 to 8 July (6) -1 2 to 7 July (6) and 3 to 5 August (3) -31 Viscri 6 to 8 July (3) +4 10 to 14 July (5) -1 9 to 14 July (6) and 30 July to 1 August (3) -20 Crit 27 to 30 June (4) +20 17 to 22 July (6) -1 16 to 21 July (6) and 25 to 28 July (4) -8 Daia --- No full survey --- 24 to 28 July (5) -1 23 to 28 July (6) Apold --- No full survey --- 7 to 11 August (5) -8 30 July to 4 August (6) Malancrav 11 to 14 July (4) +20 31 July to 5 August +7 6 to 11 August (6) (6) TOTAL 27 June to 5 August (30) +8 19 June to -1 18 June to 12 August (48) 11 August (48) Page 3 2.1 Farmer interviews The farmer interviews involved asking a fixed set of questions covering topics such as farm characteristics (size, age etc.), crops grown, livestock, hay cutting dates and so on. The number of farmers interviewed varied amongst the villages, depending on the presence and effectiveness of a local person to make contacts, the willingness of farmers to participate, and how busy the farmers were. There was no strategy to selecting farmers – the participants