Abstract
Recent studies have documented declining trends of various groups of flower-visiting insects, even common butterfly
species. Causes of these declines are still unclear but the loss of habitat quality across the wider countryside is thought to be a
major factor. Nectar supply constitutes one of the main resources determining habitat quality. Yet, data on changes in nectar
abundance are lacking. In this study, we provide the first analysis of changes in floral nectar abundance on a national scale and
link these data to trends in butterfly species richness and abundance. We used transect data from the Dutch Butterfly Monitoring
Scheme to compare two time periods: 1994-1995 and 2007-2008. The results show that butterfly decline can indeed be linked to
a substantial decline in overall flower abundance and specific nectar plants, such as thistles. The decline is as severe in reported
flower generalists as in flower specialists. We suggest that eutrophication is a main cause of the decline of nectar sources [Current
Zoology 58 (3): 384-391, 2012].
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 384-391 |
Journal | Current Zoology |
Volume | 58 |
Issue number | 3 |
Publication status | Published - 2012 |
Keywords
- species richness
- field margins
- agricultural landscapes
- conservation
- pollination
- vegetation
- diversity
- scale
- biodiversity
- grasslands