butterflies as indicators
TRANSCRIPT
Monitoring Workshop Romania
Butterfly Monitoring and the development of
Indicators
Paul Kirkland, BC Scotland
Monitoring Workshop Romania
Butterflies are declining more rapidly than other popular taxa (Thomas et al., 2005 Science)
Butterflies now accepted in UK as sensitive environmental indicators
Monitoring Workshop RomaniaBirds and butterflies of woodland England
Woodland birds 35% decline in 40 yrsfor specialists
Woodland butterflies ~ 70% decline in 20 yrs specialists + generalists
Monitoring Workshop RomaniaBirds and butterflies on farmland in England
Farmland birds 50% decline in 40 yrs
Farmland butterflies ~ 60% decline in 20 yrs
England
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160
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008
Index (
1976=
100)
Monitoring Workshop Romania
Building a European partnership• Formed 2004• 38 organisations from
34 countries • www.bc-europe.eu
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20
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140
1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010
Butterfly Conservation Europe / Statistics NetherlandsGrassland Butterfly Indicator
-70%
Monitoring Workshop RomaniaBCE Grassland Butterfly Indicator• Made up of trends for 17 species• Widespread and localised
Trend in EU Species Trend classification
Decline: 8 species
Coenonympha pamphilus Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Lasiommata megera Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Lycaena phlaeas Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Phengaris nausithousN2000 Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Maniola jurtina Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Polyommatus icarus Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Euphydryas aurinia N2000 Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Ochlodes sylvanus Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Stable: 5 species
Erynnis tages Stable
Anthocharis cardamines Stable
Polyommatus bellargus Stable
Cupido minimus Stable
Polyommatus coridon Stable
Increase: 2 species Cyaniris semiargus Moderate increase (p<0.01) **
Spialia sertorius Moderate increase (p<0.01) **
Uncertain: 2 species Thymelicus acteon Uncertain
Phengaris arion N2000 Uncertain
Monitoring Workshop RomaniaBCE Grassland Butterfly Indicator• Made up of trends for 17 species• Widespread and localised • Not adopted by EU as too dependent
on trends from western EuropeTrend in EU Species Trend classification
Decline: 8 species
Coenonympha pamphilus Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Lasiommata megera Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Lycaena phlaeas Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Phengaris nausithousN2000 Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Maniola jurtina Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Polyommatus icarus Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Euphydryas aurinia N2000 Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Ochlodes sylvanus Moderate decline (p<0.01) **
Stable: 5 species
Erynnis tages Stable
Anthocharis cardamines Stable
Polyommatus bellargus Stable
Cupido minimus Stable
Polyommatus coridon Stable
Increase: 2 species Cyaniris semiargus Moderate increase (p<0.01) **
Spialia sertorius Moderate increase (p<0.01) **
Uncertain: 2 species Thymelicus acteon Uncertain
Phengaris arion N2000 Uncertain
Monitoring Workshop Romania
European Grassland Butterfly Indicator
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010
Butterfly Conservation Europe / Statistics Netherlands
-70%
Monitoring Workshop Romania
Influencing land use and other policies
EU Common Agriculture Policy (CAP)
EU Biodiversity Strategy
High Nature Value Farming
Pollinators
Monitoring Workshop Romania
REPORT 2013
WWF European Policy Office
• Rapid loss of biodiversity: Farmland bird populations have declined by 49%
• between 1980 and 2008 while grassland butterflies (just one of the pollinating insects that are under pressure) have suffered 70% losses since 1990. 84% of European crops rely on insect pollinators
Monitoring Workshop Romania
• 2000+ transects are counted annually
• New countries joining every year
Monitoring Workshop Romania
• 2000+ transects are counted annually
• New countries joining every year
Our Priority:
To increase butterfly monitoring in Romania and other countries in eastern Europe