麻豆淫院

A research team has investigated the importance of limestone quarries for wild bee conservation. Diverse landscapes with good connectivity between quarries and calcareous grasslands proved to be particularly valuable. Calcareous grasslands鈥攎eaning grasslands on chalk or limestone soils鈥攁re exceptionally rich in plant and animal species, making them valuable ecosystems. Quarries with a lot of shrub encroachment, on the other hand, had a lower species diversity. Endangered bee species were more common in large quarries.

The results of the study were in the Journal of Applied Ecology. The research team are collaborators from the University of G枚ttingen, Germany's Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) in Rhede, and the Th眉nen Institute in Braunschweig.

The team surveyed bee communities in 19 mainly disused quarries in the G枚ttingen region using hand-held nets. The researchers were able to identify 114 species, including 35 endangered species. They investigated which characteristics of the quarries鈥攕uch as size, age, scrub cover and abundance of flowers鈥攁re important for bees and whether the structure of the surrounding landscape plays a role. It was found that old quarries that were well connected to neighboring calcareous grasslands had more stable populations of endangered species.

"Quarries provide valuable habitats for wild bees and other animals and plants that occur on the now rare calcareous grasslands," explains lead author Dr. Felix Kirsch from the Institute of Biodiversity at the Th眉nen Institute. He also emphasizes the importance of large, old and flower-rich quarries.

"Many wild bee species nest in the ground and often need open, sunny areas to do so," says Kirsch. The low number of wild bees in overgrown quarries can be explained by the loss of these habitats.

"Our research supports keeping old quarries open. This can be achieved by local nature conservation organizations or landowners, for example by removing woody plants or extensive grazing," explains Thomas Alfert from NABU. Active quarrying activities can also make a contribution here.

Dr. Annika Ha脽 and Professor Catrin Westphal at G枚ttingen University's Functional Agrobiodiversity & Agroecology Research Group add, "In addition to these measures, high connectivity between quarries and neighboring calcareous grasslands is crucial. This makes it easier for bees to move between the two habitats. Preserving and restoring nutrient-poor grasslands and maintaining quarries are good ways to support and conserve wild bees."