How can a historically intensively used agricultural landscape preserve diversity of Orthoptera assemblages: a case study in the Carpathian Lowland (East Hungary)

Abstract

Abstract Protecting biodiversity of agricultural lowlands is one of the main topics of European nature conservation. Understanding the functioning of agricultural habitats is necessary since they cover a significant part of the landscape, but studies rather focus on the remaining semi-natural sites. Orthoptera assemblages, which are sensitive indicators of habitat structure and conservation value, were studied in a traditional intensively used agricultural area (it has been cultivated for several decades or even 250 years) to assess how these habitats can preserve insect diversity. In the mainly unknown area 29 Orthoptera species, including protected Gampsocleis glabra Her., Acrida ungarica Her. and Celes variabilis Pal. were recorded. We identified four assemblages and their character species reflecting intensity of habitat use. Assemblages of agricultural sites differed from the assemblages of semi-natural habitats. Revealing their quantitative composition, ratios of lifeforms, character species, and use of Grasshopper Conservation Indexes (GCI) helped to identify agricultural sites that can effectively preserve natural insect diversity.