Wooded pastures in the Jura are surprisingly species-rich, according to study
Published: Wednesday, Aug 21st 2024, 12:30
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There are twice as many ground beetle species in the wooded pastures of the Jura mountains than in the surrounding forests. This is the result of a new study by the University of Neuchâtel. Five of the beetle species found are on the red list of endangered species.
This shows how important these landscapes are for the preservation of biodiversity not only in the Neuchâtel region, but also at a national level, the University of Neuchâtel wrote in a press release on Wednesday. The study was published in the specialist journal "Agroforestry Systems".
According to the researchers, ground beetles are good indicators of biodiversity, as there is a great diversity of ground beetles in Switzerland with 520 different species.
Strictly speaking, wooded pastures are not natural habitats, the university emphasized. The biologists were all the more surprised to discover twice as many species of ground beetles in the pastures as in the forests, although the latter are known to harbor many ground beetles.
Diverse environmental conditions
Such semi-natural systems are therefore important for the preservation of biodiversity, the researchers concluded. The combination of open areas and tree islands in the pastures creates diverse environmental conditions that allow different species to coexist.
This type of land use is also a good example of how it is possible to preserve a high level of biodiversity while maintaining socio-economic activities, the researchers wrote in the study.
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