Populations of grassland butterflies decline almost 50 percent over 2 decades

Public release date: 23-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Tilo Arnhold
presse@ufz.de
49-341-235-1635
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres

This news release is available in German.

Copenhagen -- Grassland butterflies have declined dramatically between 1990 and 2011. This has been caused by intensifying agriculture and a failure to properly manage grassland ecosystems, according to a report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). In the report the data of the Butterfly monitoring scheme in Germany have been incorporated, which is scientifically supported by the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ). UFZ scientists have also contributed to the analysis of population trends.

The fall in grassland butterfly numbers is particularly worrying, according to the report, because these butterflies are considered to be representative indicators of trends observed for most other terrestrial insects, which together form around two thirds of the world's species. This means that butterflies are useful indicators of biodiversity and the general health of ecosystems.

Seventeen butterfly species are examined in 'The European Grassland Butterfly Indicator: 1990-2011', comprising seven widespread and 10 specialist species. Of the 17 species, eight have declined in Europe, two have remained stable and one increased. For six species the trend is uncertain.

Butterflies examined in the report include the Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus), which has declined significantly, the Orangetip (Anthocharis cardamines), which seems to be stable since 1990, and the Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon), which shows an uncertain trend over the last two decades.

Hans Bruyninckx, EEA Executive Director, said: "This dramatic decline in grassland butterflies should ring alarm bells in general Europe's grassland habitats are shrinking. If we fail to maintain these habitats we could lose many of these species forever. We must recognise the importance of butterflies and other insects the pollination they carry out is essential for both natural ecosystems and agriculture."

Why are butterflies disappearing?

Intensifying agriculture and abandoned land are the two main trends affecting the populations of grassland butterflies. Agriculture has intensified where the land is relatively flat and easy to cultivate, and, on the other hand,large areas of grasslands have been abandoned in mountainous and wet regions, mainly in eastern and southern Europe. Both intensification and abandonment result in the loss and degradation of habitat for grassland butterflies.

Agricultural intensification leads to uniform grasslands which are almost sterile for biodiversity. In addition, butterflies are also vulnerable to pesticides, often used in intensively managed farming systems.

Farmland is often abandoned for socio-economic reasons. When farming on low-productivity land brings only a small amount of income, and there is little or no support from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), farmers give up their enterprises and the land is left unmanaged. The grassland becomes overgrown and is soon replaced by scrub and woodland.

In some regions of north-western Europe, grassland butterflies are now almost restricted to road verges, railway sidings, rocky or wet places, urban areas and nature reserves. Areas using traditional low-input farming systems, known as High Nature Value Farmland, are also important habitats.

Monitoring Europe's butterflies

The report is based on the European Grassland Butterfly Indicator, compiled by De Vlinderstichting (Dutch Butterfly Conservation), Butterfly Conservation Europe and Statistics Netherlands, using data from 1990 to 2011. The indicator brings together information from national butterfly monitoring schemes in 19 countries across Europe, most of them European Union Member States. Thousands of trained professional and volunteer recorders count butterflies on approximately 3 500 transects scattered widely across Europe. This volunteer fieldwork is essential for understanding the state and trends of Europe's butterflies.

While the report is based on data from 1990 to 2011, it should be noted that in many areas of Europe the current changes in land use began before 1990. The report therefore suggests that the recent halving of butterfly numbers may be the most recent development in a much bigger long-term decline.

The EU Biodiversity Strategy recognises the poor conservation status of grasslands. Grasslands should be properly managed, the report states, both within Natura 2000 protected areas and on HNV farmland. A new system of payments under the Common Agricultural Policy could help support better management, the report says.

The European Grassland Butterfly Indicator could be used as a measure of success of agriculture policies. Sustainable funding of butterfly indicators would help validate and reform a range of policies and help achieve the goal of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2020. http://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/populations-of-grassland-butterflies-decline

###

Publication:

European Environment Agency (2013):
The European Grassland Butterfly Indicator: 1990-2011.
EEA Technical Report No 11/2013. ISBN 978-92-9213-402-0
doi:10.2800/89760

This report presents the European Grassland Butterfly Indicator, based on national Butterfly Monitoring Schemes (BMS) in 19 countries across Europe, most of them in the European Union. http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/the-european-grassland-butterfly-indicator-19902011

Further Information:

Chris van Swaay
De Vlinderstichting
Postbus 506, 6700 AM Wageningen, Netherlands
T: +31 317 467346
http://www.vlinderstichting.nl/
http://www.bc-europe.eu/

or

Dr. Elisabeth Khn/ Dr. Oliver Harpke/ Dr. Martin Musche
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)
T: +49-345-558-5263, -5312, -5310
http://www.ufz.de/index.php?de=10387
http://www.ufz.de/index.php?de=800
http://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=15805

der via

Tilo Arnhold, Susanne Hufe (UFZ press office)
T: +49-341-235-1635, -1630
http://www.ufz.de/index.php?de=640

Links:

Tagfalter-Monitoring Deutschland http://www.tagfalter-monitoring.de/

How to save Europe's most threatened butterflies (Press release from 28 March 2012) http://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=30346

Distribution Atlas of Butterflies in Europe (Press release from October 5, 2011) http://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=22156

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 23-Jul-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Tilo Arnhold
presse@ufz.de
49-341-235-1635
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres

This news release is available in German.

Copenhagen -- Grassland butterflies have declined dramatically between 1990 and 2011. This has been caused by intensifying agriculture and a failure to properly manage grassland ecosystems, according to a report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). In the report the data of the Butterfly monitoring scheme in Germany have been incorporated, which is scientifically supported by the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ). UFZ scientists have also contributed to the analysis of population trends.

The fall in grassland butterfly numbers is particularly worrying, according to the report, because these butterflies are considered to be representative indicators of trends observed for most other terrestrial insects, which together form around two thirds of the world's species. This means that butterflies are useful indicators of biodiversity and the general health of ecosystems.

Seventeen butterfly species are examined in 'The European Grassland Butterfly Indicator: 1990-2011', comprising seven widespread and 10 specialist species. Of the 17 species, eight have declined in Europe, two have remained stable and one increased. For six species the trend is uncertain.

Butterflies examined in the report include the Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus), which has declined significantly, the Orangetip (Anthocharis cardamines), which seems to be stable since 1990, and the Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon), which shows an uncertain trend over the last two decades.

Hans Bruyninckx, EEA Executive Director, said: "This dramatic decline in grassland butterflies should ring alarm bells in general Europe's grassland habitats are shrinking. If we fail to maintain these habitats we could lose many of these species forever. We must recognise the importance of butterflies and other insects the pollination they carry out is essential for both natural ecosystems and agriculture."

Why are butterflies disappearing?

Intensifying agriculture and abandoned land are the two main trends affecting the populations of grassland butterflies. Agriculture has intensified where the land is relatively flat and easy to cultivate, and, on the other hand,large areas of grasslands have been abandoned in mountainous and wet regions, mainly in eastern and southern Europe. Both intensification and abandonment result in the loss and degradation of habitat for grassland butterflies.

Agricultural intensification leads to uniform grasslands which are almost sterile for biodiversity. In addition, butterflies are also vulnerable to pesticides, often used in intensively managed farming systems.

Farmland is often abandoned for socio-economic reasons. When farming on low-productivity land brings only a small amount of income, and there is little or no support from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), farmers give up their enterprises and the land is left unmanaged. The grassland becomes overgrown and is soon replaced by scrub and woodland.

In some regions of north-western Europe, grassland butterflies are now almost restricted to road verges, railway sidings, rocky or wet places, urban areas and nature reserves. Areas using traditional low-input farming systems, known as High Nature Value Farmland, are also important habitats.

Monitoring Europe's butterflies

The report is based on the European Grassland Butterfly Indicator, compiled by De Vlinderstichting (Dutch Butterfly Conservation), Butterfly Conservation Europe and Statistics Netherlands, using data from 1990 to 2011. The indicator brings together information from national butterfly monitoring schemes in 19 countries across Europe, most of them European Union Member States. Thousands of trained professional and volunteer recorders count butterflies on approximately 3 500 transects scattered widely across Europe. This volunteer fieldwork is essential for understanding the state and trends of Europe's butterflies.

While the report is based on data from 1990 to 2011, it should be noted that in many areas of Europe the current changes in land use began before 1990. The report therefore suggests that the recent halving of butterfly numbers may be the most recent development in a much bigger long-term decline.

The EU Biodiversity Strategy recognises the poor conservation status of grasslands. Grasslands should be properly managed, the report states, both within Natura 2000 protected areas and on HNV farmland. A new system of payments under the Common Agricultural Policy could help support better management, the report says.

The European Grassland Butterfly Indicator could be used as a measure of success of agriculture policies. Sustainable funding of butterfly indicators would help validate and reform a range of policies and help achieve the goal of halting the loss of biodiversity by 2020. http://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/populations-of-grassland-butterflies-decline

###

Publication:

European Environment Agency (2013):
The European Grassland Butterfly Indicator: 1990-2011.
EEA Technical Report No 11/2013. ISBN 978-92-9213-402-0
doi:10.2800/89760

This report presents the European Grassland Butterfly Indicator, based on national Butterfly Monitoring Schemes (BMS) in 19 countries across Europe, most of them in the European Union. http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/the-european-grassland-butterfly-indicator-19902011

Further Information:

Chris van Swaay
De Vlinderstichting
Postbus 506, 6700 AM Wageningen, Netherlands
T: +31 317 467346
http://www.vlinderstichting.nl/
http://www.bc-europe.eu/

or

Dr. Elisabeth Khn/ Dr. Oliver Harpke/ Dr. Martin Musche
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ)
T: +49-345-558-5263, -5312, -5310
http://www.ufz.de/index.php?de=10387
http://www.ufz.de/index.php?de=800
http://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=15805

der via

Tilo Arnhold, Susanne Hufe (UFZ press office)
T: +49-341-235-1635, -1630
http://www.ufz.de/index.php?de=640

Links:

Tagfalter-Monitoring Deutschland http://www.tagfalter-monitoring.de/

How to save Europe's most threatened butterflies (Press release from 28 March 2012) http://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=30346

Distribution Atlas of Butterflies in Europe (Press release from October 5, 2011) http://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=22156

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-07/haog-pog072313.php

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Lakers Know Money Can't Buy Them A Championship

The days where the Lakers could vastly rely on their poker chips to build championship contending teams will become a distant memory this offseason.

The Lakers can offer Dwight Howard the most money of any NBA team, a five-year deal worth $118 million as opposed to a four-year deal worth $87.6 million for everyone else. But that may not convince Howard he would look best in purple and gold once he becomes an unrestricted free agent today at 9 p.m.

The Lakers have a 25-year, $5 billion deal with Time Warner Cable that paid the team around $120 million in the first year, a partnership Lakers president Jeanie Buss said "exceeded beyond our wildest expectations." That lucrative contract, however, won't convince the Lakers to go on a shopping spree this offseason for reasons beyond giving the NBA about $50 million of those earnings in revenue sharing.

More punitive luxury taxes for high-spending teams will kick in during the 2014 offseason when a crop of superstars such as LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Paul George and John Wall enter the free-agent market. That's why the Lakers have echoed the need to keep "financial flexibility." "There are teams that have tried to buy championships, but it doesn't work that way," Buss said recently at a Time Warner Cable Media sponsored event.

"It's not always about the team with the highest payroll."

The Lakers discovered this past season that money doesn't always buy happiness. They shelled out nearly $100 million in player salaries and $29.6 million in luxury taxes after acquiring Howard from Orlando, Steve Nash from Phoenix and keeping Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace.

A swift coaching change from Mike Brown to Mike D'Antoni, overlapping injuries and competing coach and player agendas contributed to the Lakers losing in a first-round playoff sweep to the San Antonio Spurs. If the Lakers maintained a similar payroll next season, they would owe about $78.2 million in additional taxes. For the 2014-15 season, that figure would climb to $85 million because of the so-called "repeater tax."

What happens if Howard ignores the billboards the Lakers put up around Los Angeles pleading him to stay?

"Whether Dwight's here or he's not, what we can do to improve the team remains the same," Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said. "It's not like if one player is not here, we have more resources in having that money to sign another player."

Should Howard walk away without the

$20.5 million the Lakers would owe him next season, they still would approach a $79.6 million payroll. Larry Coon, an independent NBA salary cap expert who works as an IT director at UC Irvine, estimated the league will set this year's tax threshold at around $71.5 million.

Any team that spends above that apron can't land any free agent via sign-and-trade, giving the Lakers no shot to grab Chris Paul, Monta Ellis, Josh Smith or Andre Iguodala. Such high-spending teams next season can't acquire players under contract through a sign-and-trade. Luxury-tax penalty teams also will have a smaller mid-level exception in both years (three instead of four) and salary ($3 million instead of $5 million).

"The worst position you can be in this league is to have multi-year contracts that are big numbers on players who are just OK players," Kupchak said. "It insures you're in the middle of the pack and have no way to move up."

The Lakers vow not to fall into that trap.

Only Nash remains under contract beyond next season for $9.7 million. Even if Howard returns and Bryant plays beyond next season, the Lakers would have enough cap space in 2014 to sign a max-contract player.

On Saturday, the Lakers waived backup guard Chris Duhon, who will receive only $1.5 million of the $3.75 million he would have earned this season.

The Lakers also can use the amnesty provision sometime between July 10-16 to waive either Bryant, Gasol, World Peace or Steve Blake. Pencil Bryant out even if Coon estimated the Lakers would save $55 million in luxury taxes and fall under the apron. The Lakers would experience a public relations nightmare. They also estimate Bryant will return from a left torn Achilles tendon sometime next season.

The amount the Lakers would save in luxury taxes by waiving Gasol ($40 million), World Peace ($30 million) or Blake ($15 million) still wouldn't bring them under the luxury tax threshold. Even if the Lakers use this tool, they can only sign a player at the mini mid-level exception at $3.2 million or at the veteran's minimum at $1.4 million.

"If it's a younger player, he's probably not going to take the veteran's minimum," Kupchak said. "If he does, he's probably not good enough to play.

"As much as I'd like to sit here and say we're going to get young, athletic players that can really shoot the ball at the veteran's minimum when they're 20to 25 years old, that's probably not realistic."

Indeed, the Lakers will encounter plenty of spending restrictions this offseason. They also face uncertainty without the late owner Jerry Buss.

The Lakers still maintain they will find a way.

"As much as they try to make things more fair, they can never take away what the Lakers have with our history, experience and our brainpower in our front office," Jeanie Buss said. "We'll always have an advantage."

Earlier on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/01/lakers-money-championship_n_3526115.html

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Jessica Simpson Welcomes Son Ace

The Fashion Star mentor, 32, and her fianc?, Eric Johnson, welcomed son Ace on Sunday, June 30, PEOPLE confirms.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/ESBKw6gQZhU/

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Saint Louis University Preferred Vendor Fair

Event Details: 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., July 30, Busch Student Center, Wool Ballroom, 20 N. Grand Blvd., Rooms 170-173, Lower Level, St. Louis, MO, 63103

Business Services will host the 2013 Saint Louis University Preferred Vendor Fair from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 30, in the Wool Ballroom in Busch Student Center. The fair is an opportunity for faculty and staff to meet account representatives from preferred vendors. Complimentary light lunch items, attendance prizes and product demonstrations will be included throughout the event.

Source: http://www.slu.edu/x85868.xml

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SE Asia diplomats hope for NKorea talks at summit

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei (AP) ? Southeast Asian diplomats have not abandoned hope that this week's annual Asian security summit will provide a chance for North Korea and its neighbors to discuss restarting long-dormant disarmament talks on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, according to a joint statement released Sunday.

The top diplomats from North Korea and the five other nations involved in the now-stalled nuclear disarmament talks are gathering in Brunei for the Association of Southeast Asian Nation Regional Forum. The international standoff over North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons is expected to take center stage, along with other regional issues, including South China Sea territorial disputes.

In the last six months, North Korea has launched a long-range rocket and conducted an atomic test in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions banning the regime from nuclear and missile activity. Pyongyang calls the weapons buildup the core of its defense against U.S. aggression, and has vowed to push ahead in constructing the arsenal as long as it feels threatened by the U.S.

Top diplomats from the 10 ASEAN countries urged the six nations involved in past disarmament negotiations ? North Korea, South Korea, the U.S., Japan, Russia and China ? to restart the talks. The disarmament-for-aid talks hosted by Beijing were last held in 2008.

"We emphasized the importance of dialogue aimed at promoting mutual understanding and confidence among all parties concerned with ensuring peace, security and stability on the Korean Peninsula," they said in a joint statement. "In this regard, we recommended that the (regional forum), where all six members to the six-party talks are also participants, could contribute to forging a conducive atmosphere for the resumption of the six-party talks."

Still, it's not clear whether North Korea will hold informal talks with the U.S. or South Korea on the sidelines of the forum. The governments in Seoul and Washington have said they have no immediate plans to meet privately with Pyongyang.

In recent weeks, North Korea has proposed restarting the talks, which once provided Pyongyang with crucial fuel and other aid in exchange for disarmament. But the U.S. and South Korea say North Korea first must demonstrate its sincerity on nuclear disarmament with concrete action.

"Recently, North Korea suddenly started a charm offensive. (South Korea) has always been open to a dialogue, but it will not have a dialogue for the sake of dialogue itself," South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said during a meeting with his counterparts from ASEAN countries, China and Japan, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

He said South Korea "hopes to see North Korea take the necessary actions toward denuclearization so that an appropriate environment conducive to the resumption of dialogues, such as the six-party talks, can be resumed," Yonhap said, citing a copy of Yun's remarks.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry said it couldn't immediately confirm the report.

The Southeast Asian diplomats' statement also said ASEAN countries support peaceful efforts toward building a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and the early resumption of six-party talks.

North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun arrived in Brunei on Sunday morning.

Washington, Seoul and Tokyo were reviewing a possible trilateral meeting in Brunei among U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, according to South Korean officials.

The ASEAN Regional Forum has previously provided a chance to use informal, sideline talks to break stalemates over the nuclear issue. In 2011, top nuclear envoys from the two Koreas met on the sidelines of the forum in Bali, Indonesia, and agreed to work toward a resumption of the six-nation talks. The Koreas' foreign ministers held sideline talks in 2000, 2004, 2005 and 2007, and top diplomats from Pyongyang and Washington also met privately in 2004 and 2008.

Meanwhile, long-raging territorial rifts in the South China Sea remained a thorny issue in Brunei, with the Philippines calling China's recent deployment of naval and paramilitary ships in two disputed shoals part of Beijing's "increasing militarization" of disputed areas that could threaten regional stability.

Chinese surveillance ships seized the Scarborough Shoal last year following a tense standoff with Philippine vessels. Then a few weeks ago, China deployed a frigate, surveillance ships and fishing boats to Second Thomas Shoal, which the Philippines says is part of its regular territory, in a move Filipino diplomats feared could be a prelude to a Chinese takeover of the area.

"This is a violation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario told fellow diplomats, referring to a 2002 accord between China and ASEAN that discourages aggressive moves that can provoke armed confrontations in disputed waters.

Southeast Asian nations wanted to turn the 2002 accord into a stronger, legally binding "code of conduct" to prevent the territorial rifts from turning violent, but China has not stated when it would sit down with ASEAN nations to negotiate such a pact.

In an apparent reference to the Philippines, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters in Brunei later Sunday that he believes "any activity taken by individual claimant countries to go against the trend will not enjoy the support of the majority of countries and will not succeed either."

___

Associated Press writer Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/se-asia-diplomats-hope-nkorea-talks-summit-133744412.html

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Pisa ? Rome, Italy

? Rome, Lazio, Italy
Friday, June 28, 2013

Millions from all over the world have tried before us and now we all also had to give it a go, but no matter how hard we tried we also could not straighten the tower, but we all gave it our best trying from every angle. The end result is that the tower is still leaning after we left. Another great day was had yesterday and after our visit to Pisa we made our way to Rome- as they say all roads lead to Rome. Our hotel is good and we spent a quiet night in before another walking tour of Rome today.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Recent-Travel-Blogs-RSS/~3/FBHsQaJHKaU/tpod.html

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Japan Prime Minister in New Smartphone Game

At the headquarters of Japan's ruling party, there's a new plan for victory ahead of next month's national election.
?
This is Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe like you've never seen him before.

He's the star of 'Abe Hop', a new free game for smartphones released by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) this week.

The game is to steer the Japanese premiere high into the sky, winning points to change his attire.

Skillful players can whisk Abe out of his grey business suit and into jeans or gym kit.

The ultimate prize is a bouncing Abe clad in a Superman costume.

Takuya Hirai is an LDP lawmaker and the brains behind the party's internet strategy.

[Takuya Hirai, LDP Lawmaker]:
"If you play over and over again you can win rosettes?they're like the ones candidates get when they win an election. The more you collect, the more costumes you can choose for Abe. We're also doing a version upgrade today to bring in rankings, so we're hoping the game will get people interested in politics in a way they never were before."

The party plans to have six apps in circulation before the country's July 21st upper house election, Japan's first to allow official campaigning online.

Abe has already made a name as a keen user of social media services, with more than 370-thousand Facebook followers.

As voting day approaches, Hirai says he now hopes 'Abe Hop' will help to draw in smartphone-savvy voters who might otherwise give the ballot box a miss.

Source: http://ntdtv.org/en/news/world/asia/2013-06-29/japan-prime-minister-in-new-smartphone-game.html

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