Partner BOKU publish on abandoned land and insect diversity...
One of the highlights of recent months was the publication of a paper by researchers from FRAMEwork partner BOKU (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna) in the journal Land.
Titled "Is the abandonment of organic grassland a threat to alpine insect diversity?", the paper provides valuable insights into the intricate relationship between land management practices and biodiversity conservation, shedding light on a pressing environmental concern and bringing Framework insights to an international audience.
The paper explores the impact of different grassland management styles —abandoned, intensive, and extensively managed organic alpine grasslands — on true bugs and syrphids (a type of fly) in 2021 and 2022. By comparing the insect populations across these environments, researchers found that extensively managed grasslands housed more true bugs and syrphids than abandoned ones.
However, the variety of species was similar across all grassland types. Interestingly, abandoned grasslands were unique for harboring certain species not found elsewhere, indicating that leaving land unused doesn't harm insect diversity and actually supports the presence of unique insect species. The study suggests that a mix of abandoned and extensively managed grasslands could best support the conservation of alpine biodiversity, highlighting the value of diverse land management approaches for ecological health.
"Land" is an international, scholarly, open access journal of land use and land management published quarterly online by MDPIan international. The interdisciplinary open access journal covers a wide array of topics related to land, including land system science, land management, landscapes, urban planning, and the impact of land use on climate and biodiversity. It publishes a variety of content types from detailed research papers to reviews and short communications, emphasising the importance of comprehensive experimental details and data documentation.
The journal encourages submissions that go beyond narrow case studies to include broader implications and comparisons, as well as manuscripts that offer new research perspectives, tools for research-to-practice translation, and analyses of failures to foster learning. It aims to serve a global audience by addressing issues relevant to land management, sustainability, and various land-related challenges, contributing to the achievement of UN Sustainability Goals and supporting innovations in land observation and management practices.