Coll, John (2016) The diversity and composition of moth assemblages of protected and degraded raised bogs in Ireland. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 9 (4). pp. 302-319. ISSN 1752-458X
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Abstract
1. Peatlands are globally important habitats, which act as net carbon
stores. As a result of drainage, peat extraction and agricultural intensification,
raised bogs in the midlands of Ireland are a diminishing and increasingly fragmented
peatland habitat. A network of protected sites has been established,
which is intended to represent the best abiotic and plant community systems.
2. Lepidoteran communities are an important component of raised bog biodiversity
and may be useful as biodiversity indicators, yet they are a neglected
area of research.
3. We address this by surveying night-flying macro-moths on six protected
and six degraded raised bogs to establish whether there is a distinct moth fauna
associated with the wettest areas of protected sites by comparing them to
assemblages found on degraded sites where this wet habitat has been lost.
4. In general, differences between moth assemblages on protected and degraded
raised bogs are rather subtle, with assemblages on both site types generally similar.
But, a number of species were found to be associated with protected sites,
three of which are bog-associated species of conservation concern and may be particularly
vulnerable due to the continuing loss of the wettest areas of raised bogs.
5. Degraded sites were found to harbour a significant number of bog-associated
species of conservation concern and may have a role to play in peatland
invertebrate conservation, hitherto undervalued. To determine this, further
research is required to describe the invertebrate fauna of these sites and of marginal
areas of protected sites.
Item Type: | Article |
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Keywords: | Biodiversity; Biodiversity indicators; Degraded sites; Invertebrate conservation; Lepidoteran communities; Moths; Protected sites; Raised bogs; Natura 2000; Habitats Directive; |
Academic Unit: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Geography Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Institutes > Irish Climate Analysis and Research Units, ICARUS |
Item ID: | 8727 |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/icad.12167 |
Depositing User: | Dr John Coll |
Date Deposited: | 05 Sep 2017 13:52 |
Journal or Publication Title: | Insect Conservation and Diversity |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Refereed: | Yes |
Related URLs: | |
URI: | https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/8727 |
Use Licence: | This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here |
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