The importance of the gravel excavation industry for the conservation of grassland butterflies |
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Authors: | Magdalena Lenda Piotr Skórka Dawid Moroń Zuzanna M. Rosin Piotr Tryjanowski |
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Affiliation: | 1. Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland;2. Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland;3. Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, S?awkowska 17, 31-016 Kraków, Poland;4. Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland;5. Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71 C, 60-625 Poznań, Poland |
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Abstract: | Conservation biology often relies on the protection of (semi)natural habitat remnants. However, the ever increasing human population is taking over natural resources and habitats. Here, contrary to most other studies, we ask how human-associated severe changes in the environment can be used to enrich local biodiversity. We tested if industrial activity (gravel excavation) leads to the creation of habitats that support grassland butterflies and how these areas add to the richness of local species when compared to typical semi-natural habitats (grasslands). We also identified key factors affecting the richness, abundance, diversity and commonness of butterfly species to provide practical recommendations. Species richness, diversity index and the occurrence of rare species were higher in gravel-pit shores than in grasslands. The richness of butterfly species and their abundance were positively affected by the richness of plant species, shrub density and age of the gravel-pit but negatively by the cover of water reservoirs in the surrounding area and the isolation of gravel-pits from grasslands. Butterfly diversity was positively influenced by the richness of plant species and proximity of human settlement but negatively by area of the shore and isolation. Our study is the first one to show the high value of gravel-pits for the conservation of butterflies. We recommend the inclusion of gravel-pits in a system of ecological networks and management of their surroundings to improve the colonization rate of rare species. We suggests that directing interest to the possible positive effects of industrial development on biodiversity may support conservation efforts. |
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