Supporting Information 2. Data availability. Hemmings, Elton, Grange. 2022. Supporting Information 2. Data availability. No-mow amenity grassland case study: phenology of floral abundance and nectar resource. Ecological Solutions and Evidence.

Hemmings, Kelly, Elton, Rebecca and Grange, Ian (2022) Supporting Information 2. Data availability. Hemmings, Elton, Grange. 2022. Supporting Information 2. Data availability. No-mow amenity grassland case study: phenology of floral abundance and nectar resource. Ecological Solutions and Evidence. [Dataset]

[img]
Preview
Text
Hemmings Elton Grange 2022. Supporting Information 2. Data availability. No mow. Ecological Solutions and Evidence..pdf - Supplemental Material
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.

Download (184kB) | Preview

Abstract

1. Popular campaigns such as No Mow May seek to encourage early-season forage resource for pollinators in urban greenspaces. Land managers need to balance ecological benefits with extent of accessible amenity grassland. 2. To pilot the identification of a ‘tipping point’ when the nectar resource of unmown grassland exceeds that mown, we surveyed floral abundance in 30 plots on an amenity grassland site at 11 timepoints between late April and July. Each species’ floral abundance per 1m2 was multiplied by published nectar sugar values to obtain an overall nectar sugar value per plot. 3. The nectar sugar value of no-mow plots was overall significantly higher than for mown plots. However, week-by-week analysis revealed that the first significant difference did not occur until mid-late May when no-mow plots yielded three times the nectar sugar value of the mown plots. In early-mid June, there was a significant eight-fold divergence followed by a late June to early July decline. Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) provided the greatest nectar sugar value, driving significant differences again in mid-July. No-mow plots contained twice as many (22 versus 11) open flower broadleaf species compared to the mown plots. 4. Land managers could consider extending No Mow May management into June and beyond to maximise nectar sugar resource for pollinators. To comply with S. jacobaea legislation, a management plan and financial resource should be allocated to no-mow projects.

Item Type: Dataset
Divisions: Agriculture, Food and Environment
Depositing User: Dr Kelly Hemmings
Date Deposited: 08 Aug 2022 11:48
Last Modified: 07 Oct 2022 15:08
URI: https://rau.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/16545

Actions (login required)

Edit Item Edit Item