Pollinator-promoting interventions in Eastern European urban areas – positive outcomes, challenges, and recommendations
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Urbanisation is a major driver of biodiversity loss. However, pollinators can be supported in cities by food and nesting opportunities through the thoughtful management of green spaces. Against this background, we investigated the effects of extensive mowing and annual flower sowing on vegetation, floral resources and pollinators in Hungary, and found that:
• Extensively mown sites had taller and greener vegetation with more flowers and attracted more pollinators compared to frequently mown control sites.
• Sown flower patches provided food resources and attracted pollinators primarily in the second half of the season. In spring and early summer, these areas were mostly unused by pollinators, as they were empty seedbeds or seedlings due to annual soil disturbance and reseeding.
Therefore, to develop urban ecosystems that are resilient to climate and environmental changes, we recommend using primarily native and mostly perennial seed mixtures, combining different intervention types, planning for long-term outcomes, and avoiding unplanned mowing. The most effective approach would be to combine both intervention methods, for example, by overseeding existing green spaces with native species and managing them with a mosaic mowing regime.
Link to the study: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-023-01420-1
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Safeguard - Safeguarding European wild pollinators
Ongoing | 2021-2026
- Main funding source
- Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Germany