Financial analysis of converting rural lawns to pollinator habitat in the U.S. Corn Belt

Conservation efforts in rural landscapes seek to improve the multifunctional nature of land uses for people and the biotic communities that support them. In these environments, existing turf grass lawns mowed routinely thorough the summer presents an opportunity where changes in management from intensively managed monocultures toward diverse native perennial vegetation can stack environmental benefits by improving soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat. Conversion of lawns to pollinator habitat can help achieve continental goals of reversing declines in high-profile species like monarch butterflies Danaus plexippus and native bees. Here, we present a study that examines the financial implications for landowners and managers considering conversion of lawns to pollinator habitat in rural landscapes. We examined financial factors over a 10-year management horizon in three unique scenarios with a range of expenses; self-maintenance of lawns, contracted maintenance of lawns, and establishment and management of pollinator habitat. Our analyses indicate conversion to pollinator habitat was appreciably less expensive ($54-$167/acre/year) than continued self-care ($637-$1,007/acre/year) or contracted care ($326-$1034/acre/year) of lawns over a 10-year period. These results establish the financial benefits for landowners or land managers considering an alternative management paradigm of existing lawns. These financial benefits complement existing literature demonstrating multiple ecological benefits of diverse native perennial vegetation.

Development of the structure of the geospatial database for beekeeping

The work draws attention to the importance of beekeeping to provide the population of Ukraine with food, as pollination is necessary to obtain many foods and more. The method of collecting information using Remote sensing is mentioned. And how is the operational approach to identifying possible locations of apiaries. The main problems of accumulation of a large amount of data are revealed, namely the methods of storing geospatial data. The main purpose is to develop a model of geographic information database that will store information about land (areas) safe and dangerous for bees. The necessity of such a database is substantiated, its constituent parts (land plots, safe zones with fodder base of beekeeping, buffer zones around dangerous objects, annual and perennial vegetation) are defined and described. The paper also gives examples of similar geoinformation databases of the European Union, the purpose of which is to monitor the forest stands of Europe (The Forest Information System for Europe). An example of application of the developed database in the country is presented and the direction of development with the help of geoinformation technologies is determined.

Plant communities and their environmental drivers on an arid mountain, Gebel Elba, Egypt

Aims: Gebel Elba is an arid mountain range supporting biological diversity that is incomparable to any other region of Egypt. This mountain has a vegetation structure and floristic community similar to the highlands of East Africa and the southwestern Arabian Peninsula. We aimed to provide the first classification of the vegetation units on Gebel Elba and identify the environmental factors controlling their distribution. Study area: Wadi Yahmib and its tributaries, which drain the north-western slopes of Gebel Elba, south-eastern Egypt. Methods: On the basis of 169 relevés, we used TWINSPAN to classify the perennial vegetation. We calculated separate GAMs for the deciduous and evergreen species to describe the patterns for each leaf strategy type with elevation. We used CCA to quantify the relationship between the perennial vegetation and the studied environmental factors. To estimate diversity and our sampling strategy, we used rarefaction curves for species richness. Results: We identified seven communities along the elevational gradient of Wadi Yahmib and its tributaries. We found that each community was restricted to a confined habitat depending on its drought resistance ability. Deciduous Vachellia woodland was the main vegetation type on Gebel Elba, while evergreen Olea woodland appeared in small fragments at higher elevations. We analysed the distribution patterns of deciduous and evergreen trees along the elevational gradient. We found a turnover at 500 m, indicating a potential ecotone between the Vachellia and Olea woodlands that was occupied by a Ficus community. CCA revealed the importance of altitude and soil quality in determining the vegetation structure of Gebel Elba. The species richness increased with elevation as a result of reduced stress and increased water availability at the upper wadis. Conclusions: This study identified seven vegetation units in the study area and showed the importance of orographic precipitation, soil quality and the complex topography in determining the habitats. Taxonomic reference: Boulos (2009); names updated according to POWO (2019). Abbreviations: CCA = Canonical Correspondence Analysis; GAM = Generalized Additive Model; TWINSPANTWINSPAN = Two Way Indicator Species Analysis.