Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain
An intriguing study recently published in Ecological Entomology explored the potential solution of creating meadows in urban areas to address the shortage of natural habitats for pollinating insects. These meadows would consist of wildflowers planted or sown among grasses.
Conducted in Warsaw, Poland, the research revealed that there was no significant difference in the types of insect-pollinated plants found in these two types of meadows.
Furthermore, when it came to species richness of butterflies, bees, and hoverflies, both natural and sown floral meadows showed similar results. However, the number of butterflies was notably higher in natural meadows compared to sown floral ones. Interestingly, this disparity was not observed for wild bees and hoverflies.
The authors emphasized the importance of managing urban green spaces to benefit both city residents and wildlife habitats. By incorporating methods like sowing flower meadows, it is possible to create a more hospitable environment for urban wildlife,” they concluded.
2024-11-20 09:15:04
Link from phys.org