This master’s thesis focuses on how the management of extensive meadows affects the butterfly diversity in the valley of Rečica pri Laškem. The goal was to determine species diversity on improved and un-improved extensive meadows and the effect of number of mowings on species diversity. For this purpose, 9 surveys on 12 locations were conducted between the end of April and the end of August. During this period, 64 different species of butterflies were recorded, nine of them are included in the Slovenian Red List of Endangered species. Based on the species diversity and the presence of threatened species, the locations were evaluated from the nature protection point of view. We concluded that some meadows in the valley of Rečica pri Laškem are of great importance for butterfly conservation.
Rečica features many extensive meadows, as it is a mountainous area where not much of the terrain is suitable for intensive agriculture. Species variety in non-fertilised areas is larger than in fertilised ones. Fertilised meadows lack endangered and protected species of butterflies. The use of fertilisers has a negative impact on specialized butterfly species, which are sensitive to environmental changes.
The study focused mainly on extensive meadows which were mown no more than twice. The results showed that the single unmown meadow had the largest diversity of butterflies. Except in one location, the meadows which were mown twice hosted less species than the meadows mown only once.
For the conservation of the species diversity of the butterflies, some changes should be introduced in the management of the meadows. Farmers and local people should be informed about the importance of traditional farming characterized by extensive meadows without the use of fertilisers and pesticides and the long-term impacts of the conservation of biodiversity on human population.
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