Butterflies of the meadow wetland in the valley floodplain of Spálený Potok
Full title: Butterflies of the meadow wetland in the valley floodplain of Spálený Potok: development of the butterfly community during revitalization
Field of study: Students` Professional Activities
Supervisor: Mgr. Marie Kotasová Adámková, Ph.D.
Official entry:
Butterflies are an important bioindicative group of animals linked to non-forested areas. In recent decades, however, their species richness and the number of individual populations have significantly declined, which is mainly due to changes in the landscape, intensification of agriculture and overgrowth in suitable habitats. Loss of butterflies also strongly affects wetland habitats, which are specific also due to periodic flooding and different management methods. These then directly affect the flowering of plants and the occurrence of suitable vegetation, essential for the development of caterpillars, as well as the availability of suitable food for adults. When planning the revitalization of wetlands, it is therefore crucial to know the overall biodiversity of wetland communities with special attention to conservation-important species, as well as it is to carry out continuous monitoring evaluating the real impact of the measures being carried out. The aim of the work will be (i) to carry out season-long monitoring of diurnal butterflies in the valley floodplain of Spálený potok near the village of Krumvíř; (ii) to carry out additional night monitoring of significant groups of moths; (iii) to evaluate species diversity and estimate abundance of butterfly populations; (iv) to analyse the variances in butterfly communities on different parts of the site including unmanaged reeds, parts of the floodplain managed by grazing and mowing, and surrounding agricultural areas; (v) to prepare an overview of the species currently occurring on the site and (vi) to evaluate the differences in changes in the butterfly community from the time before the revitalization in 2020 and during the active management of part of the site by grazing and cutting in 2023.