Journal: Journal of Insect Conservation

Abbreviation

J. Insect Conserv.

Publisher

Springer

Journal Volumes

ISSN

1366-638X
1572-9753

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Publications 1 - 6 of 6
  • Population trends of Rosalia alpina (L.) in Switzerland
    Item type: Journal Article
    Lachat, T.; Ecker, K.; Duelli, P.; et al. (2013)
    Journal of Insect Conservation
  • Click beetles (Elateridae) identify conservation units in Oriental and European beech forests
    Item type: Journal Article
    Mamadashvili, Giorgi; Jarzabek-Müller, Andrea; Akinci, Hazan Alkan; et al. (2025)
    Journal of Insect Conservation
    Beech trees form major parts of lowland temperate forests in the Western Palearctic. To protect biodiversity, many beech forests have been designated as World Heritage Sites or established as networks of beech forest reserves. However, the insect communities within these protected forests have not been well explored. In this study, elaterids (Elateridae, Coleoptera) in 26 beech forests, from France in the west to Iran in the east, were sample to identify conservation clusters and hotspots of biodiversity. Sampling was mostly carried out using window traps and all specimens were identified to the species level. A total of 118 species were identified including one previously unreported species. Community composition analyses that focused on rare species identified five clusters comprising distinct communities: (i) the Hyrcanian Forest in Iran, (ii) the Lesser Caucasus in Turkiye, Georgia and Armenia, (iii) the Greater Caucasus in Georgia, (iv) the Pyrenees and (v) a cluster made up of forests from Central Europe, the Balkan region and the Carpathians. After controlling for sampling effort (individuals), the highest richness was found in the Caucasus region. The proportion of endemics was highest in the Oriental beech forests of the Caucasus and in Hyrcanian forests. These findings highlight the unique biodiversity of beech forests and support calls for intensified conservation actions in beech forests, particularly in the Caucasus and Hyrcanian regions, which should be prioritized for conservation efforts, due to their unique fauna.Implications for insect conservationOur study underscores the importance of protecting beech forests, especially in the Caucasus and Hyrcanian regions, as they host unique and endemic insect species critical for biodiversity conservation.
  • Increased arthropod biomass, abundance and species richness in an agricultural landscape after 32 years
    Item type: Journal Article
    Fürst, Julia; Bollmann, Kurt; Gossner, Martin M.; et al. (2023)
    Journal of Insect Conservation
    Recent studies reporting widespread declines in arthropod biomass, abundance and species diversity raised wide concerns in research and conservation. However, repeated arthropod surveys over long periods are rare, even though they are key for assessing the causes of the decline and for developing measures to halt the losses. We repeatedly sampled arthropod fauna in a representative Swiss agricultural landscape over 32 years (1987, 1997, 2019). Sampling included eight study sites in four different semi-natural and agricultural habitat types and different trap types (pitfall, window, yellow bucket) over an annual period of 10 weeks to capture flying and ground dwelling arthropod taxa. In total, we analyzed 58,448 individuals from 1343 different species. Mean arthropod biomass, abundance and species richness per trap was significantly higher in 2019 than in the prior years. Also, species diversity of the study area was highest in 2019. Three main factors likely have contributed to the observed positive or at least stable development. First, the implementation of agri-environmental schemes has improved habitat quality since 1993, 6 years after the first sampling. Second, landscape composition remained stable, and pesticide and fertilizer was constant over the study period. Third, climate warming might have favored the immigration and increase of warm adapted species. Our results support the idea that changes in arthropod communities over time is highly context-dependent and complex. Implications for insect conservation We conclude that the integration and long-term management of ecological compensation patches into a heterogenous agricultural landscape supports insect conservation and can contribute to stable or even increased arthropod abundance, biomass and diversity. Future studies are needed to clarify interdepending effects between agricultural management and climate change on insect communities.
  • The influence of wild boar (Sus scrofa) on microhabitat quality for the endangered butterfly Pyrgus malvae in the Netherlands
    Item type: Journal Article
    de Schaetzen, Frédéric; van Langevelde, Frank; WallisDeVries, Michiel F. (2018)
    Journal of Insect Conservation
    The decline of open habitats in Europe, such as semi-natural grasslands and heathlands, has caused a general decline in biodiversity, which has been well documented for butterflies. Current conservation practices often involve grazing by domestic livestock to maintain suitable butterfly habitats. The extent to which wild ungulates may play a similar role remains largely unknown. Through their rooting activity, wild boar could be effective to reduce grass encroachment and restore pioneer microhabitats that are vital to many grassland insects in temperate climates. Here, we assessed the microhabitat requirements of Pyrgus malvae, an endangered butterfly of heathland and grassland habitats in the Netherlands, with special attention for the influence of wild boar rooting. To date, oviposition site selection of this species has concentrated on calcareous grasslands, whereas we also include heathlands. Overall, larval occupancy was higher in warm, open and sparsely vegetated microhabitats, which supports earlier findings. In heathland, microhabitat occupancy was positively affected by bryophyte and litter cover. In heath-grassland mosaic, microhabitat occupancy was also influenced by bryophyte and litter cover, but in addition low grass cover increased occupancy by favouring host plants. In grassland, only low grass cover and host plant cover determined microhabitat quality. Across all habitats, occupied microhabitats were characterized by lower vegetation as well as higher average daytime temperatures than unoccupied microhabitats. We discovered that wild boar play an important role in reducing grass cover by shallow rooting in grass patches, thereby increasing host plant availability. Hence, wild boar may have an added value in maintaining and restoring P. malvae microhabitats in grassland habitats in addition to grazing by domestic livestock.
  • Habitat suitability models for the conservation of thermophilic grasshoppers and bush crickets
    Item type: Review Article
    Hein, Silke; Voss, Julia; Poethke, Hans-Joachim; et al. (2007)
    Journal of Insect Conservation
  • Listening to orthoptera in agroforestry: methodological and management insights for conservation
    Item type: Journal Article
    Schmid, Emanuel; Roberti, Giotto; Kunzelmann, Jaromir; et al. (2026)
    Journal of Insect Conservation
    Biodiversity, particularly insects, faces considerable threats in intensively managed agricultural landscapes. Agroforestry systems (AFS), which integrate woody elements into agricultural land, can enhance biodiversity. This study aims to identify management factors influencing orthopteran richness and abundance in AFS. Additionally, it evaluates the utility of passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) for orthopteran detection by comparing it to field monitoring. Orthopteran monitoring was conducted at 20 silvoarable AFS in western Switzerland. Orthopteran richness was recorded using transects and PAM, while abundance was obtained only from transects. Both methods yielded similar species numbers. Daytime PAM detected cryptic or low-abundance species missed by daytime transects but failed to record one non-stridulating and some nocturnal species. Consequently, data from both methods were combined to provide a more comprehensive analysis of factors influencing orthopteran richness. The analysis revealed that increasing plant species diversity within the understory vegetation strips (UVS) had a positive, though not statistically significant, effect on orthopteran species richness. Furthermore, a non-significant reduction trend in orthopteran abundance was observed in conventionally managed agroforestry systems compared to organically managed ones.Implications for insect conservationOur study shows that PAM can effectively monitor orthopteran richness in AFS. By increasing plant diversity in UVS and through organic management, farmers can enhance orthopteran richness and abundance in AFS and support biodiversity conservation.
Publications 1 - 6 of 6