Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Semi-natural grasslands have a high biodiversity and host ecologically and economically valuable ecosystems and species. Restoration on these types of land is often done by removing trees and scrubs, mowing, grazing, changing the soil by removing nutrition or changing the structure of the ground. Another way of restoration is planting seeds of common grassland plants.

By comparing 18 scientific publications I investigated if the restoration was affecting the plants in a positive way and if the effect was similar for insects. By comparing the publications, time seemed to have an important effect on insects. They needed time to recolonize restored areas. Plants were positively affected by all treatments while insects responded positively especially to removal of trees and scrubs.

It is important that the restoration and the follow-up have the same goal and that the restoration and the follow-up considers the same response variables. An important conclusion is that more research is needed to examine the responses of insects to restoration.