Conservation Corridor Flashcards
(132 cards)
1
Q
If you have several patches of grass, how should you cut them?
A
Cut in rotation so that some grass is always left uncut.
2
Q
What should you do with grass after it’s been cut?
A
- Let the clippings dry for a few days so that flowers can release their seeds and insects can escape.
- However, you’ll have to remove them eventually otherwise they’ll decay and add nutrients to the soil.
3
Q
Give two reasons why avoiding mowing is good (hint: fuel and soil).
A
- Mowing less will help to save on fuel costs
- It’ll also help to reduce soil compaction, which in turn allows the soil to be free-draining
4
Q
Should top soil ever be added if you’re aiming to create wildflower meadows?
A
No, conditions will be too nutrient rich and grasses will grow vigorously.
5
Q
What are the four principles for nature-friendly management of urban grassland?
A
- Mow less often
- Collect cuttings to reduce fertility
- Leave uncut refuges for wildlife
- Create varied habitats with different lengths of grass, mixed with scrub (and ideally hedges and trees)
6
Q
If you want to reduce the fertility of a grassland to create a wildflower meadow, how and when should you mow it?
A
It should be mowed three times in one year.
* You should mow once in April or May when there are no wildflowers present.
* Then in July
* And then in September
* You should mow the grass when it’s at its tallest. Coarse grasses put most of their energy into growing vertically, so cutting it when it’s tall will reduce its dominance.
7
Q
Should you always completely remove nettles and brambles?
A
No
* Nettles and tall grasses are the main food plants for the caterpillars of many common butterflies
* Brambles are also good for bees, birds, and small mammals (especially hedgehogs)
8
Q
Will you be able to turn any field of grass into a wildflower meadow?
A
No, especially those where nutrients are replenished very quickly (e.g., during floods, or if the ground was fertilised in the past). It’s probably best to only cut these areas twice a year, rather than 3 times.
If you really REALLY want to turn one into a meadow then you’ll have to cut every 6-8 weeks.
9
Q
How will you know when you need to reduce mowing?
A
Through the use of test areas.
* Each year, leave a small area uncut (changing the uncut area each year).
* When a test area resembles a “flowering lawn” (short grasses with common flower species) and the area is less than 30% competitive grass, AND the grass is no higher than 70cm, then you can start to cut twice a year.
10
Q
What could be considered to be the ultimate goal when managing an urban grassland?
A
The goal is to only cut a field once or twice a year (early spring and/or late autumn when wildlife is minimal).
11
Q
If you’re going to cut an urban grassland twice a year, when should you do so and why?
A
- 1st cut: early spring - Feb is ground is dry, March if not (only really do this if grass is growing strongly)
- Then cut in autumn between Sept and Oct.
12
Q
How long does it take for flowers to set seed after flowering?
A
Six to eight weeks.
13
Q
If cutting a grassland twice a year, when can you skip the Feb/Mar cut? (3 Points)
A
- If grass is not growing strongly
- If the area is too wet
- If wildflowers are already growing
14
Q
Give a typical cycle for managing an urban grassland
A
15
Q
Why is cutting on rotation good?
A
To maximise the diversity of resources available to wildlife (e.g., you’ll have different grass lengths, and floral resources will always be available for wildlife in some capacity).
16
Q
Where do you want to leave piles of grass cuttings? (2 Points)
A
- Areas that are already quite fertile (e.g., areas with lots of nettles)
- Sunny areas, as they can be good habitats for grass snakes and slow worms
17
Q
Over time, what should happen to the volume of grass cuttings after each cut?
A
The volume should decline. This is because fertility also declines as the grass is cut.
18
Q
When brush cutting a field of tussocky grass, should you cut high or low?
A
Cut high (5-8cm) as many insects and larvae live in tussocks at the base of grass stems, close to the ground.
19
Q
What should you do before brush cutting a grassy field?
A
Do a “pre-cut walkover”. This will allow you to remove litter and to let small animals know that you’re about to cut. You should always check for hedgehogs.
20
Q
What should you mow towards when cutting?
A
A refuge, to allow animals to escape you.
21
Q
What should you never use on grasslands?
A
Fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides
* Fertilizers cause grasses to grow faster
* Herbicides and pesticides harm wildlife
22
Q
What percentage of tall grass should be left to serve as a refuge?
A
10-20% of tall grass. These should be 1-2m strips along hedges, fences, walls, and larger areas.
23
Q
When can you sow yellow rattle into a field?
A
When the field is cut twice a year or less - frequent cuttings will kill-off the yellow rattle.
24
Q
What are five good urban grassland pioneer species that you can sow?
A
Common knapweed
Ox-eye daisy
Bird’s foot trefoil
Kidney vetch (if the soil is bare enough)
Marjoram (a good late summer nectar source)
25
What four "weed" species are a sign of fertile conditions?
* Nettles
* Docks
* Thistles
* Ragwort
26
How often does a roadside verge have to be mown in order for plant species richness to significantly increase?
Once or twice a year. Usually, twice is better.
## Footnote
Note that this assumes that grass cuttings are removed.
27
If you're going to sow seeds into a grassland, when should you do so?
Between August and November.
## Footnote
Unless you're using plugs, in which case plant them in autumn.
28
A soil test is essential to see how nutrient rich your grassland is. Low nutrient levels are best for establishing a more diverse flora. What should the phosphorous index be?
It should be between 0 and 1.
29
When should you never mow? (Two months)
June and August. This is when spring and summer flowers are at their peak respectively.
## Footnote
Disregard this info if there are no wildflowers.
30
What height do you want to mow tussocky grass down to?
5cm.
31
What sort of sheet do you need when building a hibernaculum?
A permeable (lets water through) geotextile fabric (Optional. Gets laid on top of the rocks and logs to help prevent dirt from filling in the gaps).
## Footnote
A cotton bedsheet also works.
32
If you're going to use drainpipes in a hibernaculum, how should you position them?
Make sure the ends touch the ground so things can actually enter them.
## Footnote
You'll still need pipes even if building an above ground hibernaculum.
33
How can you make sure that things will climb up a drainpipe in a hibernaculum?
* By adding sticks
* Or by roughing them up with sand paper
34
What should be north of a hibernaculum?
Scrub!
35
What should be sticking out on the southern side of a hibernaculum?
Logs and rocks.
## Footnote
South-facing exposed rocks will absorb heat.
36
When building a hibernaculum, should woody bits and rocky bits be layered?
No - mix them up!
37
How much soil should you add to the top of a hibernaculum?
Quite a bit - about 20cm or even 2 feet!
38
If building an above ground hibernaculum, where *could* you get your soil from?
You *could* get it by excavating a hole in the ground that will become a complementary pond.
39
Does a hibernaculum have to be located next to a pond or stream?
No, but it is ideal.
40
What small, artificial thing can you place near a hibernaculum to complement it?
Roofing tiles - these will serve as basking sites during the summer.
41
Should soil on top of a hibernaculum be loose or firm?
You'll want to gently pat it, so firmish.
42
How long can a seed bank be viable for?
70 years!
## Footnote
Disturbance to the soil can trigger germination!
43
Why should you sow be shallow when sowing seeds?
Because weed seed banks can be active for 70 years, and can be activated by disturbance to the soil.
44
When sowing wildflower seeds, do you do it with or without grass being present on the site?
Depends
* If the site is sloping, then grass can be beneficial because erosion can be an issue.
* Remember that not all grass species are competitive. See below for a table.
45
Name three grass species that aren't competitive.
* Red fescue
* Crested dog's tail
* Yellow oat grass
46
Can a biodiverse grassland ever sustain itself? What special thing will be lost?
No - they require management, otherwise they become dominated by vigorous weeds, rank
grasses and scrub that will all out-compete the wildflowers and result in the loss of a valuable
refuge for wildlife.
47
What are the benefits of mowing in April and May?
* Wildflowers won't be be present (not guaranteed, especially in May).
* The most vigorous grasses will be **selectively** weakened.
## Footnote
This is the best time to tackle vigorous grasses.
48
What's the main benefit of mowing in Autumn (Sept. and Oct.)?
Most flowers will have set seed!
49
If you're going to change your management routine for an infertile grassland, what's important to remember?
Infertile grassland communities usually respond slowly to changes in management - long term monitoring is required.
50
What's poaching?
Poaching is damage done to grasslands by livestock. Consider doing it artificially to create gaps for seeds to land in!
51
How often do you need to sharpen a brush cutter blade?
Sharpen blades once a year (if the brush cutter is only used occasionally).
52
Can you use any random guard with a brush cutter?
No - check the guard to see what blades it’s compatible with (meaning it may say so on the guard itself).
53
What do you have to do before changing a cutting head on a brush cutter? What shouldn’t you do?
You need to secure the drive flange with the appropriate locking pin, which is supplied by the manufacturer. Do not use anything else to secure the drive flange, like a nail.
54
Is a personal first aid kit (an ouch-pouch) suitable for brush cutting?
No, a wound created by a brush cutter requires a proper first aid kit.
55
What should brush cutters be cleaned with?
A wet towel - soaps may degrade plastic.
56
What forgettable piece of PPE do you need to wear while brush cutting?
An orange high-vis vest (yellow blends you in with surrounding vegetation).
57
How far away should anyone be from you when you’re brush cutting?
At least 15m.
58
When brushcutting with a cord strimmer, how do you get more cord if you’ve lost some?
* Get the head spinning
* Bash the head of the brushcutter against the ground
59
What four things should be done everytime you use a brushcutter (before you start to use it).
## Footnote
Remember VTL before every use: Visual, Tightness, Lubrication.
* A **visual** inspection (i.e. look at the condition and check for leaks)
* Check the **tightness** of the cutting head
* Check the **lubrication** of the gearbox (you only have to top it up if necessary)
60
How do you stop someone when they’re brushcutting?
Walk up to them from behind and put your left hand on their left shoulder. They should then hit the kill-switch before they even think of turning around to cut your legs off.
61
What can happen if a brushcutter’s shaft is damaged in any way?
It can cause excessive vibration and damage the machine.
62
* What can happen if you don’t lubricate a brushcutter’s gearbox?
* Can you apply too much lubricant?
* The machine can overheat and become seriously damaged in the process.
* Yes, you can apply too much lubricant and it will still overheat.
63
What does a cutting head have that your brushcutter must not exceed?
A maximum rotational speed. Check the MOMs for your blade and machine to **see if your machine’s speed doesn’t exceed the max of the cutting head.**
64
What are wire brushcutter heads made from? What’s their purpose and why might this be an issue?
* Nylon
* Wire heads break up grass into small pieces that decompose quickly. This many be an issue if you want to rake up the cut debris.
## Footnote
Don't use nylon wires on the Conservation Corridor.
65
What can happen if a brushcutter blade is imbalanced?
It can result in severe vibration and possible damage to your machine.
66
What are the two main benefits to using a metal brush cutter blade instead of nylon cord?
* Metal blades can cut through woody stemmed plants (namely bramble and anything tougher than it).
* Cut material is large enough to be collected (very important for Conservation Corridor).
67
In terms of movement, what must you not do when operating a brushcutter?
Move backwards.
68
When should a locking nut be replaced? Why does it need to be replaced?
* It should be replaced after being removed 5 times.
* OR when the nylon insert inside becomes so worn that you can screw the nut on by hand.
* As stated, the nylon insert wears down over time so the entire nut needs replacing.
69
What two things must you be aware of when starting up a brush cutter?
* Do not kneel or stand on the shaft - just keep your hand on it.
* Keep the cutting head off of the ground (i.e. support it with the guard).
70
What are some pre-cutting checks you should do before using a brush cutter?
* Hold the brushcutter in the correct matter and increase the engine speed. **If it’s vibrating too much, don’t use it.**
* When the throttle lock-out is released, the cutting head must stop (may take a few revolutions before completely stopping).
* Check the on/off switch (by actually using it).
71
What four things should you do if your brush cutter head becomes entangled in plant matter?
* Switch the machine off
* Release it from the harness
* Remove the battery
* Remove the entangled material until the cutting head can rotate freely
72
Why is it important to introduce new plant species to urban grasslands?
Because urban grasslands are often too far from natural sources of recolonisation.
73
Why wouldn't you use a flail on an urban grassland?
Similar to a nylon head on a brush cutter, flails chop up vegetation into tiny pieces. This makes cut material very difficult to remove, which is often required to help reduce soil fertility.
74
If you're going to leave grass cuttings for a few days so they can set seed, what should you remember to do?
Toss them to keep the cuttings aerated.
75
What's better for boosting floral diversity in urban grasslands: direct sowing or using plant plugs?
Plant plugs - urban swards are often too thick and some sort of scarification is required.
## Footnote
If the seeds grow vigorously then direct sowing may work, but scarification is still required.
76
If a sward is very thick, what sort of plant plugs can be planted within it?
Large ones - these are large enough to survive the early establishment stage.
77
Are wildflower meadows in a good state?
No - 98% of them have been lost since the 1950s. Artificial fertilizers are primarily to blame for this.
78
Why were traditional meadows so biodiverse?
Because hay cuttings were removed every year, helping soil nutrient levels to stay low.
79
If soils are far too nutrient rich, what can be done?
The top layer of soil can be stripped. This only works if soils are deep enough and there's a way of getting the soil off the site. It's also very expensive.
80
Before yellow rattle can be sown, what has to happen first?
Nutrient levels have to be lowered first. It's recommended that a good cut and collect regime is used for three years before seeding with Yellow Rattle.
81
Can yellow rattle help to reduce grass dominance by itself?
Yellow Rattle can only do so much and cannot on its own prevent strong grasses from growing where they are very vigorous in a high nutrient environment.
82
Why is the butterfly bank so good? (2 Reasons)
* 90% of the South Down's calcareous grasslands were lost in the 1900s. The fragments that remain are neglected.
* Creating a Butterfly Bank can create a small oasis of chalk grassland habitat that will attract rare and specialist butterflies. Species such as the stunning electric blue Adonis Blue and the diminutive Small Blue will seek out your Butterfly Bank and can **travel several miles from sites on the Downs** to colonise suitable habitat that contains their specialist food plants.
83
Why is the butterfly bank curvy?
The curvy shape creates different aspects that catch different amounts of sunlight. This creates a range of microclimates.
84
What's the issue with commercial seed mixes? What are better alternatives?
* Species richness declines after overwintering.
* Alternative seed sources (fresh hay and seed incidentally collected during mowing) yields grassland quality that's comparable to that on plots that receive high-quality mixtures.
85
Why do a lot of urban grassland meadows suck?
* Most urban grasslands are based on seed mixtures with a low species content and a low ecological value.
* This results in food inadequacy for pollinators.
86
Why can a pond be good for bees? (3 Points)
* Ponds can help to create "wet meadows".
* Wet meadows enhance the floral diversity and richness of the area, bolstering bee populations (in terms of abundance and richness of bees).
* More specifically, flowers that are associated with wet meadows tend to be late-flowering, meaning that overwintering bees have more resources!
87
What's the main thing that influences small mammal abundance and richness?
The height of vegetation! This is because small mammals can hide and find food in dense grass.
88
What group of animals may suffer if vegetation is cut really short?
Small mammals
* Abundance is positively correlated with grass height
* This is because tall vegetation provides the best chances of surviving the winter
* Predators are also more abundant around shorter grass as prey is easier to find
89
What can liming do to soils? Why? Why can it be ideal for something when compared to something else? (4 Points)
* It can increase or decrease phosphorous availability by raising pH/making soils more alkaline.
* When soils are too acidic, phosphorous reacts with iron and aluminum. That makes it unavailable to plants.
* But if soils are too alkaline, phosphorus reacts with calcium and also becomes inaccessible.
* When being used to reduce soil fertility, it can be most cost-effective than top-soil stripping.
90
How long should grass cuttings be left on the ground for?
Only a few days.
91
Why is it unrecommended that urban soils are tilled?
Because underground bits of material (e.g., concrete) can hinder efforts.
92
What do you have to consider when leaving grasslands to grow as tall as possible? What can be done to counter this?
People may find the tall grass unattractive. Consider sowing exotic, non-invasive flowers to enhance the attractiveness of the field.
93
Do access ways need to be kept open at all times?
Yes. Well-maintained pathways and mown borders are very important for enhancing public acceptance.
94
Give two reasons why native seed mixes are better than non-native seed mixes.
* Native seed mixes are more effective than mixes that also include non-native species in terms of higher numbers of germinated seeds and established species.
* Seeding with native species provides more suitable habitat for native arthropods, compared to commercial non-native herbaceous or woody urban vegetation.
95
Broadly, what's better: seeding or hay transfer?
Studies comparing hay transfer with seeding found that **seeding** was a more successful method **in terms of target species establishment and similarity of the newly created plant communities to the reference sites.**
96
Why shouldn't you ever cut in the winter? (2 Points)
* You won't remove many nutrients
* Wet soils become compacted very easily
97
Are mowing times ever set in stone?
No. For example, if you spot a rare butterfly, then you may want to mow at a time that avoids cutting its food plants.
98
What can you have interspersed within a grassy field? Do they have to be managed?
Patches of bareground. These will become colonised by plants through buried seeds and rhizomes. These must be managed, or else they'll become dominated by weeds.
99
Why is grassland management by humans important?
Grasslands would only be found in areas where woody plants can't grow, such as thin and infertile soils, as well as upland areas.
100
What group of butterflies especially love hay meadows?
Fritillary butterflies.
101
Why might gorse be a problem when trying to maintain low nutrient conditions?
* Common gorse contributes to the high input of soil N as it has nodules contain N-fixing symbiotic bacteria.
* Its ability to fix nitrogen gives it a competitive advantage in nitrogen-deprived areas.
* This makes it useful for forest regeneration.
* However, there is a level of soil nutrients above which it would not be suitable to undertake a wildflower meadow restoration as the nitrogen-loving plants would out-compete the wildflowers.
102
Give two flower species that can withstand being trodden on.
Thyme and chamomile.
103
Why are phosphorous levels the hardest to deplete when compared to other nutrients?
Because only small amounts of phosphorous are required by plants.
104
What's inverse ploughing? What's a major downside of it?
* A means of reducing soil fertility. It involves mixing up the top soil and the sub soil (sub soil contains less nutrients).
* It can be bad as it results in soil erosion - the process destroys plant roots that hold soil together.
105
Can you tell how fertile soils are by looking at the vegetation growing on it?
* No, this is exceedingly difficult.
* Soil nutrient tests should be carried out instead.
106
How does soil pH affect soil fertility?
Soil pH interacts with nutrients in a complicated manner and can restrict or make nutrients more available for plant uptake.
107
If you're going to sow seeds, what do you need to do first?
Create bare ground (about 50% should be bare, or 75-90% on sites with competitive grasses and legumes).
108
Will yellow rattle survive in any grassy field?
No. It's very sensitive to shade and will not survive in grassy vegetation where the grass leaves cover the yellow rattle seedlings. Avoid sowing it in very fertile soils.
## Footnote
Remember that cutting a field three or more times a year will kill-off yellow rattle.
109
Give a very competitive grass species and a very competitive legume species.
* Perennial rye-grass
* White clover
110
Why can creating bare ground be an issue?
## Footnote
Hint: weeds.
Bare ground can easily become colonised by weeds such as ragwort, docks, and thistles.
111
Other than by enhancing nitrogen levels, what else does gorse do to the surrounding soil?
It acidifies it (gorse grows best at a pH of 4.5-5, so I assume this is the level it brings it down to?)
112
In what sort of soil will gorse thrive in?
Low nutrient, free-draining, acidic soils.
113
Why is gorse good for pollinators?
Because it flowers at a time when floral resources are scarce for pollinators.
114
How is gorse often controlled? When shouldn't it be managed? (3 Points)
* Young plants (between 1 and 3 years old) are uprooted during the winter.
* It's recommended that you cut it with a brush cutter first to get better access.
* Never remove it during the spring or summer as this will be bad for birds.
115
Other than gorse, what other legume is present on the corridor?
Everlasting peas.
* They're very good at fixing nitrogen.
* They can also survive in very dry and waterlogged conditions.
* They can spread through seeds, but locally they spread vigorously though their very large rhizome network.
* It's difficult to control once established.
116
Is adding nitrogen to wildflower grasslands bad?
Yes, even small amounts will cause many plants to disappear (e.g., 25Kg of nitrogen per hectare per year).
117
Cutting and removing grass can reduce nutrient levels. The rate at which nutrients depelete will vary with soil type. Which soils have their nutrients removed the fastest and which have theirs removed the slowest?
* Shallow, sandy soils are easy to remove nutrients from by cutting.
* But deep, loamy soils (and peat) are difficult to make infertile through cutting.
118
Give four ways in which mowing grass really short (<5cm) is bad for invertebrates.
* There's less habitat space available to them
* The grass will be trampled more by humans
* Mowing limits flowering and seed sets of flowers, reducing the availability of resources
* Mowing directly causes mortality
119
Are annuals or perennials primarily used in urban wildflower meadows?
Both!
* Annuals are good for enhancing the aesthetic qualities of a meadow
* Meanwhile perennials are good as they reduce the need for re-sowing
120
Do high nitrogen levels limit plant biodiversity?
Yes. Plants with low Ellenberg scores for nitrogen will struggle to survive in nitrogen-rich environments.
121
What can be used to quickly find out what conditions a plant requires to survive?
Ellenberg scores! There are scores for nitrogen, light, and salinity etc. The higher the score, the more of that resource is required.
122
Will areas of tall grass have low or high soil nitrogen content?
The nitrogen levels will be low as most the of the nitrogen will be contained within the grass. This will be especially true if the area is mowed and the cuttings are removed.
123
Effects on invertebrate communities arise more frequently in response to differences in what?
Vegetation height (not changes in plant richness/diversity!)
124
What's one of the main downsides to mowing tall grass in autumn/winter?
Insects use tall grass for overwintering. Consider avoiding cutting tall grass in the autumn/winter if there are rare invertebrates present during this time.
125
Give a specific reason why education is important on the corridor.
* Tall grass treatments are not generally favored by people and are even less attractive to them during winter
* However, Southon et al. (2017) found that people were more prepared to tolerate them when provided with information about their benefits to biodiversity.
126
What sort of flowers dominate urban grassland systems?
Perennial plants (those that last a long time, unlike annuals or biennials that live for one and two years respectively).
127
How can soil compaction be measured?
Through the use of a penetrometer. When pushed into the soil the level of resistance can be used as a measure of compaction.
128
Do urban soils contain a lot of heavy metals? What's the main source of heavy metals?
Yes, **especially copper and lead.**
* Industrial areas have lots of heavy metals, but residential areas have a lot of them as well.
* Main roads and transport emissions are the main source of heavy metals.
129
How far can heavy metals from emissions travel in the air before they end up in the soil?
About 250m.
130
Are heavy metals bad for plants?
Yes, they primarily affect them by reducing growth (of stems and roots) and by preventing seed germination.
## Footnote
**Although concentrations recorded are unlikely to present a significant immediate toxic risk to plants.**
131
What sort of deposition maybe really bad on the conservation corridor?
* Nitrogen deposition, which acidifies soil and obviously favours the growth of nitrophilous species **(especially graminoids/grass)**.
* Motor vehicles from the nearby road release nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
* Dry deposition of nitrogen oxides is greatest close to major highways.
* Low growing species such as forbs and non vascular plants are especially at risk as they cannot outcompete nitrophilous plants.
132
Are dandelions worthless on the Corridor?
No - dandelions are one of the most important urban forage plants because they're visited by so man different pollinators.
