Re-creation of a lowland flood-plain meadow: management implications for invertebrate communities

Abstract

Intensification of framing practices after the Second World War has led to wide scale loss of semi-natural grasslands throughout the UK. Flood-plain meadows (NVC MG4 Alopecurus pratensis–Sanguisorba officinalis grassland) suffered under these changes in agricultural management, and now cover an area of <1500 ha in England and Wales. In 1985, an experiment was initiated at Somerford Mead, Oxford, with the target of re-creating MG4 grassland. The grassland was established with a sown seed mixture harvested from local MG4 grassland. A replicated block experiment was set up to look at the effects of sheep, cattle and no grazing on the establishment of the target floral community. In 2002, the effects of these management regimes on beetle communities were investigated. Grazing regime was seen to be the primary determinant of abundance, species richness and species assemblage of the beetle population. Vegetation structure was also found to influence beetle diversity. The percentage cover of the legume Trifolium repens had important effects on beetle community assemblage, whilst Trifolium pratense was strongly correlated with the abundance of three common phytophagous beetles. This study provides a preliminary investigation into the responses of beetle communities to management intended for the re-creation of the plant communities of this threatened grassland habitat.