Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

How are biodiversity and dispersal of species affected by the management of roadsides? A systematic map protocol

Bernes, Claes ; Bullock, James M. ; Jakobsson, Simon ; Rundlöf, Maj LU orcid ; Verheyen, Kris and Lindborg, Regina (2016) In Environmental Evidence 5(4).
Abstract

Background: In many parts of the world, roadsides are regularly managed for traffic-safety reasons. Hence, there are similarities between roadsides and certain other managed habitats, such as wooded pastures and mown or grazed grasslands. In contrast to roadsides, the latter habitats have declined rapidly in Europe during the last century, and today only a fraction of their former extent remains. For many species historically associated with these habitats, roadsides may therefore function as new primary habitats or as dispersal corridors in fragmented landscapes. Current recommendations for roadside management to promote conservation values are largely based on studies of plants in semi-natural grasslands, although such areas often... (More)

Background: In many parts of the world, roadsides are regularly managed for traffic-safety reasons. Hence, there are similarities between roadsides and certain other managed habitats, such as wooded pastures and mown or grazed grasslands. In contrast to roadsides, the latter habitats have declined rapidly in Europe during the last century, and today only a fraction of their former extent remains. For many species historically associated with these habitats, roadsides may therefore function as new primary habitats or as dispersal corridors in fragmented landscapes. Current recommendations for roadside management to promote conservation values are largely based on studies of plants in semi-natural grasslands, although such areas often differ from roadsides in terms of environmental factors and impacts. Moreover, roadsides provide habitats not only for plants but also for many insects, especially if they are sandy and exposed to the sun. For these reasons, stakeholders in Sweden have emphasised the need for more targeted management recommendations, based on actual studies of roadside biodiversity. Methods: The proposed systematic map is intended to provide an overview of the available evidence on how biodiversity is affected by various forms of roadside management, and how such management influences the dispersal of species along roads or roadsides. Relevant interventions include e.g. mowing, shrub removal, control of invasive/nuisance species, sowing or planting, burning, grazing by livestock, scraping and ditching. Non-intervention or alternative forms of roadside management will be used as comparators. Relevant outcomes include measures of species or genetic diversity, the abundance of individual species or groups of organisms, species distribution patterns, and movement rates of individuals or propagules. Searches will be made for peer-reviewed and grey literature in English and several other languages. No geographical restrictions will be applied, and all species and species groups will be considered.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Biodiversity, Linear landscape elements, Refugia, Road ecology, Roadside management, Semi-natural grasslands, Species dispersal
in
Environmental Evidence
volume
5
issue
4
article number
55
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • scopus:84966397916
ISSN
2047-2382
DOI
10.1186/s13750-016-0055-x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6c2eac1b-228b-4a61-9143-e65ced9923dc
date added to LUP
2016-10-05 09:03:44
date last changed
2022-04-01 02:43:02
@article{6c2eac1b-228b-4a61-9143-e65ced9923dc,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: In many parts of the world, roadsides are regularly managed for traffic-safety reasons. Hence, there are similarities between roadsides and certain other managed habitats, such as wooded pastures and mown or grazed grasslands. In contrast to roadsides, the latter habitats have declined rapidly in Europe during the last century, and today only a fraction of their former extent remains. For many species historically associated with these habitats, roadsides may therefore function as new primary habitats or as dispersal corridors in fragmented landscapes. Current recommendations for roadside management to promote conservation values are largely based on studies of plants in semi-natural grasslands, although such areas often differ from roadsides in terms of environmental factors and impacts. Moreover, roadsides provide habitats not only for plants but also for many insects, especially if they are sandy and exposed to the sun. For these reasons, stakeholders in Sweden have emphasised the need for more targeted management recommendations, based on actual studies of roadside biodiversity. Methods: The proposed systematic map is intended to provide an overview of the available evidence on how biodiversity is affected by various forms of roadside management, and how such management influences the dispersal of species along roads or roadsides. Relevant interventions include e.g. mowing, shrub removal, control of invasive/nuisance species, sowing or planting, burning, grazing by livestock, scraping and ditching. Non-intervention or alternative forms of roadside management will be used as comparators. Relevant outcomes include measures of species or genetic diversity, the abundance of individual species or groups of organisms, species distribution patterns, and movement rates of individuals or propagules. Searches will be made for peer-reviewed and grey literature in English and several other languages. No geographical restrictions will be applied, and all species and species groups will be considered.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bernes, Claes and Bullock, James M. and Jakobsson, Simon and Rundlöf, Maj and Verheyen, Kris and Lindborg, Regina}},
  issn         = {{2047-2382}},
  keywords     = {{Biodiversity; Linear landscape elements; Refugia; Road ecology; Roadside management; Semi-natural grasslands; Species dispersal}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  number       = {{4}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{Environmental Evidence}},
  title        = {{How are biodiversity and dispersal of species affected by the management of roadsides? A systematic map protocol}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13750-016-0055-x}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s13750-016-0055-x}},
  volume       = {{5}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}