Tarnava Mare 2016 Biodiversity Survey Summary Report Report editor: Dr Bruce Carlisle – Geography & Environment, Northumbria University. Science team: Bryony Allen, Adele Brand, Silvia Cojocaru, Mihaela Ilie, Simon Lavell, Paul Leafe, James O’Neill, Huma Pearce, Ben Porter, Andrew Power, Peter Randerson, Johnny Wilson. Assisted by: Georgina Scott, Serban Tudor, Marcela Mann, Dragos Luntraru, Alin-Marius Nicula, Mihaela Hojbota, Bogdan Ciortan, Iolanda Ganea, Eduard Ghiorghiu. With thanks to all the staff at Fundatia ADEPT, all the dissertation students and volunteers. Contents 1.0 Introduction....................................................................................................................................... 2 2.0 Methods ............................................................................................................................................ 3 2.1 Farmer interviews ......................................................................................................................... 4 2.2 Land use ........................................................................................................................................ 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 2.9 Orthoptera .................................................................................................................................... 6 3.0 Vital statistics .................................................................................................................................... 7 4.0 Grassland plants .............................................................................................................................. 13 5.0 Grassland butterflies ....................................................................................................................... 19 6.0 Birds ................................................................................................................................................. 25 7.0 Small mammals ............................................................................................................................... 36 8.0 Large Mammals ............................................................................................................................... 37 8.1 Camera Trap Survey .................................................................................................................... 37 8.2 Observation of large mammal signs ............................................................................................ 39 9.0 Orthoptera ...................................................................................................................................... 42 10.0 References ..................................................................................................................................... 43 Appendix 1 ............................................................................................................................................ 44 Page 1 1.0 Introduction This report summarises the data gathered by Operation Wallacea’s Transylvania project during the summer of 2016. This was the fourth 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 2016 situation in terms of agriculture and biodiversity. Data from previous years 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 2016 and previous years, 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 four years can be used to give a first warning that significant changes may be occurring, or reassurance that the biodiversity is stable. Also the data 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. The key messages after 4 years of survey are: Signs of a general trend of declining indicator plant abundance 2016 was a good year for butterfly diversity, reversing some declines seen in 2015 Generally stable red-backed shrike abundance, and more bird species population increases than decreases Small mammal population crash seen in 2015 has been reversed in 2016 So, the only clear cause for concern is with the indicator plants. The work on mapping land use could be useful in revealing potential causes of this change. Several species declines were identified as potential warning signs in the 2015 report. Most of these trends were reversed in 2016. 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 and 2016 to a great extent. However, the order in which the villages were surveyed changed slightly in 2015 and 2016, with Apold and Malancrav being switched around in 2015 and Crit not being surveyed in 2016, 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 also had an influence on vegetation phenology and the abundance and activity of wildlife, particularly small mammals. Weather in 2016 was more “normal”. Fieldwork was undertaken over a 7 week period from 23 June to 9 August 2015, in seven villages within the Tarnava Mare Natura 2000 site. In total, 42 days fieldwork were undertaken, with 6 days per village. Table 2.1 shows the villages and the respective survey dates for the four years. Note the shifts in the villages’ survey dates. 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 have been no significant changes to the transect locations over the four years. There are seven main survey teams covering farmer interviews, grassland plants and land use mapping, grassland butterflies, birds, small mammals, large mammals and bats. An Orthoptera survey was also trialled this year. 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. June 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 2013 Crit 2014 Richis Nou Sasesc 2015 Richis Nou Sasesc 2016 Richis No July 1