Mowing wet meadows reduces the health of their snail communities

Author:

Farkas Roland123,Bán Miklós3ORCID,Barta Zoltán3

Affiliation:

1. Bükk National Park Directorate, Eger, Hungary

2. Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary

3. HUN-REN-DE Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary

Abstract

Wet meadows harbor rich biodiversity, making them pivotal ecosystems worldwide. These habitats are commonly used for grazing or hay production for livestock. However, regular mowing can influence these habitats, potentially leading to significant repercussions for the animals residing within them. In order to investigate the effects of land management practices, we conducted an experimental study to compare snail communities in mowed and unmowed wet meadows in northern Hungary. We found that overall, mowing decreases snail populations, as well as species richness and diversity. Thus, our results suggest that routine mowing of wet meadows is deleterious to their snail communities. Based on these results, we suggest that designated patches of meadows that are regularly managed should be left uncultivated in their natural state. These patches can serve as potential colonization sites, facilitating the restoration of the entire meadow’s ecological balance.

Funder

Doctoral Student Scholarship Program of the Co-operative Doctoral Program of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology financed from the National Research

Development and Innovation Fund

National Research, Development and Innovation Office Grant

Zoltán Barta

Ministry of Culture and Innovation of Hungary from the National Research

TKP2021-NKTA

Publisher

PeerJ

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