Hanne Sickel

Forsker

(+47) 995 71 160
hanne.sickel@nibio.no

Sted
Ås - Bygg O43

Besøksadresse
Oluf Thesens vei 43, 1433 Ås (Varelevering: Elizabeth Stephansens vei 21)

Sammendrag

In modern agricultural landscapes, field margins are important for the survival of many species of plants and animals. We recorded vascular plant species in three kinds of field margins: road verges, margins adjacent to pasture, and strips of vegetation with arable fields on either side (“corridors”). Field margins are not included in the current national monitoring programme, due to limited funds and difficulties standardising recording methods. In this study, we repeated a survey done 15 years earlier. For both surveys, recording effort was standardised by using the shape and size of the mapped field margin to calculate the time allocated for recording a full species list. We found that there were fewer flowering plants in the margins than previously, including a decline in many pollinator plants. However, invasive species had increased in frequency. Road verges were the most species rich, presumably because the vegetation is regularly cut for traffic safety reasons. But the Norwegian Public Roads Administration are also managing species-rich roadsides through adapted mowing. Considering international ambitions to restore nature, regular management of field boundaries could be a suitable measure in agricultural landscapes, to increase their value for biodiversity.