Article Review m20131000456

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

1/21

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

2/21

2

CONTENT

NO CONTENT PAGE

1.0 ARTICLE 1:

Deadwood fencing used to protect broadleaved trees from deer

browsing in the Cairngorms, Scotland

3

2.0 ARTICLE 2:

Efficacy of in vitro tissue culture versus stem cuttings for

propagation of Commiphora wight i iin Rajasthan, India

7

3.0 ARTICLE 3:

Impact of the My Community communications intervention on

changing human behaviour related to surface watercontamination in Loja Province, Ecuador

11

4.0 ARTICLE 4:

Influencing human behaviour: an underutilised tool for

biodiversity management

14

5.0 ARTICLE 5:

Restoring species-rich grassland at New Grove Meadows,

Monmouthshire, Wales, UK

17

6.0 REFERENCES 20

7.0 ATTACHMENT 22

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

3/21

3

1.0 ARTICLE 1:

Deadwood fencing used to protect broadleaved trees from deer browsing in

the Cairngorms, Scotland

1.1 INTRODUCTION OF ARTICLE

The article chosen is shown in table below:

Article

TitleDeadwood fencing used to protect broadleaved trees from deer

browsing in the Cairngorms, Scotland

Author Tom Bradfer-Lawrence, Shaila Rao

Volume Volume 9

ResourcesThe Journal of Conservation Evidence

http://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-study/3998

Year published 2012

1.2 BRIEF SUMMARY

The Author has discussed about using the deadwood fencing to protect broadleaves

from deer browsing in the Cairngorms, Scotland in the year 2012. This project was started in

the year 2004 by building the deadwood fencing at a particular site called Mar Lodge estate.The Mar Lodge Estate, Scotland covers 29000 hectares and includes a range of habitats,

from Caledonian pine-wood in the glens (valleys) to maintain health on the mountain

summits. The reason for the author to choose the project at Mar Lodge Estate, Scotland is

due to heavy browsing by deer which has caused these trees were still barely higher than

the tree tubes protecting them. In this estate, a number of broadleaved trees were planted

during the early 1990s. In 2004 a series of small exclosures were constructed around some

of the trees using timber felled from a nearby conifer plantation. Fences were constructed

with logs, which proved to be longer-lasting and sturdier than the woody debris used forprotection elsewhere. The trees inside the exclosures are significantly higher than those

which remain unfenced, and the ground vegetation has responded well. The author feels

that the deadwood fences have a number of benefits over traditional deer fencing: posing no

threat to woodland grouse, having a lower visual impact in the landscape, and providing

additional habitats for wildlife.

1.3 GENERAL CRITIQUE

According to Taylor (2012), it is recognised that some of the Mar Lodge Estate pinewoods,

and in particular the plantations, lack the broadleaf component, which is found in semi-
http://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-study/3998http://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-study/3998http://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-study/3998

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

4/21

4

natural habitats. Therefore the National Trust for Scotland is keen to encourage and protect

this small area of broadleaved trees in Glen Quoich, but is committed to avoiding the use of

deer fencing whenever possible to reduce woodland grouse fence collision mortality,

improve wild land quality and encourage public access (National Trust for Scotland 2012).

Therefore an alternative to the standard post-and-stock net deer fence was required.

In order to create a durable structure that would both withstand the weather

conditions and discourage deer, the author and his team used a six exclosures using

deadwood at the site in Glen Quoich during the summer of 2004. Large logs (termed rails)

around 2.5m long were laid in two concentric rings, about 1m apart, around the group of

trees to be protected. Shorter logs (termed sleepers) of around 1.4m long were placed

perpendicular to the first set of rails, spanning the gap in a second layer. Around three or

four sleepers were required for each pair of rails, although this was modified to suit the

length of the rail and achieve stability. Once these first two layers were complete, further

layers of rails and then sleepers were added. Offsetting the rails, so that the joins occurred

at different points in each layer, helped to tie the structure together. When the desired height

of the barrier was reached, the top of the fence was finished with a final layer of rails.

In year 2012, the autumn which was eight years after the fences were constructed,

the height of the 105 trees was measured to the nearest centimeter. The trees inside the

deadwood fences were substantially taller than those left unprotected. Despite the deer

reduction in recent years, the unprotected trees were still heavily browsed and struggling to

grow much above the height of the tree tubes. Mean height of the protected trees was

348cm (range 124 to 520cm) and that of the unprotected trees 132cm (range 51 to 205cm).

This was due to three outliers; trees that were damaged when their tree tubes were pushed

over. Constrained by the tree tubes, these three trees have subsequently grown parallel to

the ground and not attained their potential heights.

The author also noticed that In addition to the increased height of the trees, the

ground vegetation within the exclosures has also responded to the reduced browsing rates.

Although empirical data is lacking there are clear differences in the ground flora due to the

fences. Inside the deadwood fences ling heather Calluna vulgaris and blaeberry Vaccinium

myrtillus are the dominant species, whilst the ground flora of the surrounding area is

predominantly graminoid, with only a small dwarf shrub component. The deadwood fences

have proven to be highly durable and have required little maintenance.

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

5/21

5

During most winters Glen Quoich experiences heavy snow fall, and the deadwood

fences have sometimes been damaged. However any such damage is usually only in a few

areas and can be quickly repaired. Such incidents can be reduced by ensuring the initial

construction is solid. The brash sticking from the top decayed quite rapidly, however this

does not appear to be essential to discourage deer from entering the exclosures.

Several studies have reported on the use of brash and woody debris in protecting

young trees from ungulate browsing. However, most of these are limited to the opportunistic

use of material present on the site, and do not involve constructing a barrier. There are

mixed reports of the efficacy of such protection, depending on the herbivore density, the

palatability of the tree species, and the quantity and structure of the woody debris present on

the site. However, this was with very small diameter material and the barrier had subsided

by half its height after only three years. Conventional deer fences have several

disadvantages which can make them undesirable in conservation land management;

drawbacks which are not a concern with the deadwood fences pioneered in this study. One

of the most important issues is the mortality of woodland grouse resulting from deer fence

strikes.

Deer fences can have considerable impacts in a wild land setting. The deadwood

fences have a lower visual impact and appear far less artificial than traditional fencing,

particularly once they have weathered. Moreover, deadwood fences can provide a valuable

wildlife habitat which might otherwise be missing from plantation woodlands. Plantations

generally lack understory shrubs and have very low levels of deadwood. Any management

which increases structural diversity or the amount of deadwood in these woodlands will offer

substantial gains for biodiversity. The deadwood fences offer cover for generalist species,

and deadwood niches for specialist species.

1.4 ISSUES AS PER ARTICLE REVIEWERAs the article reviewer, I found that the deadwood fencing is a very good method which it

can be used to conserve the natural resources and the rare plants from being exploited by

the animals. This method is not only practical in Scotland but yet also any relevant places.

We are not going to cut a new plant and make it dead but we are going to use the aged

plants which are almost dead for the purpose of fencing. This is like make use of the existing

source and save the nature. Even though the predator-prey cycle exists to balance the

ecology, we still can modify the cycle in order to provide niches for specialist species safe

from predator such as deer. In this way, the economical lost can be reduced. Although this

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

6/21

6

method has a little drawback such as mortality of woodland grouse, it gives more

advantages on providing biodiversity of small area safe from deer.

1.5 CONCLUSION

The deadwood fences have been highly effective in discouraging deer browsing, allowing

the broadleaved trees to grow considerably in the eight years since the fences were

constructed. The fence design described here has proven to be far more durable than other

methods using woody debris to protect young trees. This novel technique has several

benefits over conventional post-and-stock net deer fencing; posing no threat to woodland

grouse, having a lower visual impact in the landscape, and offering additional habitats to

wildlife.

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

7/21

7

2.0 ARTICLE 2:

Efficacy of in vitro tissue culture versus stem cuttings for propagation of

Commiphora wight i iin Rajasthan, India



Article

TitleEfficacy of in vitro tissue culture versus stem cuttings for

propagation of Commiphora wightiiin Rajasthan, India

Author Vineet Soni

Volume Volume 7



Year published 2010

2.2 BRIEF SUMMARY

The author is doing the research on efficacy of in vitro tissue culture versus stem cutting for

propagation of commiphora wightii. This research was done in Rajasthan, India. The

researcher has used two different methods to develop an efficient, rapid and inexpensivemethod for large scale propagation to assist in the conservation of commiphora wightii (an

endangered medicinal tree) which was propagation by stem cuttings and in vitro tissue

culture. At the end of the research, the author finds that propagation by the stem cutting

method was found to be both more successful and produced plants of a suitable size for

transplanting more rapidly than in vitro cultivation. Stem cutting propagation was also

inexpensive and easier to perform, as compared to in vitro propagation. The cost to produce

a plant of suitable size for transplanting was 3 Indian Rupees (INR) using the stem cutting

method and 80 INR by the in vitromethod.

The author describes Commiphora wightii (Arnott) as a small tree (locally known in

India as guggul) that grows in arid rocky tracts of the Aravali range of Rajasthan and Gujarat

in northwest India, and adjacent Pakistan. The plant is used to treat some diseases occupies

an important place in Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine of India. The oleo-gum

resin of C. wightii (gum-guggul) is mentioned in the classic Ayurvedic literature as an

efficacious treatment for arthritis, obesity, bone fractures, inflammation, cardiovascular

disease and lipid disorders. According to Soni (2010), the plant has become endangered

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

8/21

8

due to unsustainable gum harvest (with the often harmful methods used for resin tapping

contributing to eventual tree death), combined with its slow growing nature, poor seed set

and poor seed germination. Guggul is considered endangered in India and is listed as Data

Deficient in the IUCN Red Data list (IUCN , 2010) because of a lack of knowledge regarding

its conservation status.


In this study, the researcher has put efforts were it made to develop an efficient, rapid and

inexpensive method for large scale propagation of C. wightii plants, both for cultivation

purposes to boost the income of subsistence farming communities, and for transplanting to

bolster dwindling wild populations within India. The researcher has attempted two methods

of vegetative propagation, namely stem cuttings and in vitro tissue culture, during 2005-

2006. The researcher has presented a summary of the efficacy of in vitro tissue culture

versus stem cutting propagation for the conservation of C. wightii.

The author has collected the nodal explants during full flowering stage which was in

month of April of C. wightii from plants growing in the Grassfarm Nursery, Jaipur city

(Rajasthan). For in vitro progation, he sterilized explants surface with 0.1% mercuric chloride

(w/v) for 6 min and then washed thrice using sterilized distilled water. Under aseptic

conditions, the sterilized single nodal explants were cultured in 100-ml Erlenmeyer flasks

(Borosil) on basal MS (Murashige & Skoog 1962) medium containing 3% (w/v) sucrose,

supplemented with supplemented with various combinations and concentrations of auxin

and cytokinin for shoot differentiation. The pH of the media was adjusted to 5.8 prior to the

addition of 0.8% agar and autoclaved at 121C for 15 min. Cultures were then incubated at

262C with a 16-h photoperiod at 3000 lux intensity by florescent tubes. Shoots

regenerated from nodal explants were subjected to various concentrations (0.1-5.0 mg/L)

and combinations of auxins and cytokinins for root initiation.

From the in vitro propagation, the regenerated plantlets (5-6 weeks old) having well

developed root-shoot system were transferred to plastic pots containing sterilized soil and

soilrite (a mixture of horticulture grade expanded perlite, peat moss and exfoliated

vermiculite in equal ratio) in the ratio of 1:3. The pots were covered with polythene bags to

maintain humidity and kept in a growth chamber for 10 days under controlled conditions at

252C. The plantlets thus developed were then transferred to plastic bags (22.5 x 15 cm

and 150 gauge thickness) containing soil and manure (ratio of 1:3) and grown on in a green-

shade nursery (i.e. shaded with green plastic mesh affording 50% shade to prevent

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

9/21

9

exposure to extreme temperature and sunlight). Plants were watered as required to maintain

suitable soil moisture. Survival and growth were monitored daily.

From this method the researcher found that multiple shoot bud formation in nodal

explants was noticed when two cytokinins (0.5 mg/L KIN and 3.0 mg/L BAP) along with IBA

(0.5 mg/L) were added to the growth medium. The number of shoot bud induction per

explant increased when IBA was replaced with IAA. Other plant growth regulators singly or

in combinations did not enhance any significant morphogenetic responses in nodal explants.

MS basal medium supplemented with IAA (0.5 mg/L) and NAA (1.0 mg/L) was found most

effective in root initiation in shoots regenerated from these nodal explants. The 5-6 week-old

acclimatized plantlets (238) transferred to soil and grown on in the nursery had around a 5%

survival rate. A total of 22 plants suitable for transplanting were produced through in vitro

method.

On the hand, the researcher has used propagation through stem cutting method.

Approximately 400 stem cuttings (each 0.6-0.8 cm stem diameter and 12 cm long) were

taken in April from mature C. wightiigrowing in the wild at Gulta Hills near Jaipur. The basal

portions of the freshly collected cuttings were dipped for 5 seconds in freshly prepared 1,500

ppm aqueous solution of Indole-3-butyric acid solution. Cuttings were then planted (basal

end of the stem 4 cm deep) in plastic bags (22.5 x 15 cm) containing soil and manure (ratio

of 1:3) and maintained in the green-shade nursery.

Sprouting of stem cuttings was achieved within 20 days of planting. The development

of a root system was observed within 20 to 30 days of planting with 80%survival rate. Of the

400 or so stem cuttings taken, 319 plants were produced. Plants developed through in vitro

tissue culture (22) and stem cutting (319) were transplanted (approximately 30 cm tall) next

year during the rainy season (August 2006) in natural habitat at a site near Gulta, Jaipur.

Survival was monitored with the help of local communities as an ongoing community-based

conservation project. As of June 2009, 80% of the transplanted plants are surviving.

2.4 ISSUES AS PER ARTICLE REVIEWER

As the article reviewer, I found that this article is a very good article because it shows the

methodology to do in vitro tissue culture and stem cutting to propagate the endangered

Ayurveda plant in treating a number of diseases. It is shown clearly that the stem cutting

method is much more economical compared to in vitro tissue culture ant the stem cutting

also easy to carry out. In vitro method is must be carried out by the staffs trained in it. At the

same time it does not help the low income local community. But the stem cutting propagation

can be done by anybody and indirectly it is helping local community to gain income.

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

10/21

10

2.5 CONCLUSION

From the research, the author strongly suggested that the findings clearly demonstrate that

the stem cutting method trialed is suitable for rapid and large scale propagation of C. wightii.

Since seed germination in C. wightii, even after application of different techniques to break

dormancy is very poor (Soni et al. 2009), vegetative propagation through stem cuttings may

be the only viable option to enhance natural populations. He adds into it that, stem cuttings

can continuously supply planting stock throughout the year for reforestation activities. The

propagation of plants through stem cuttings will also help to support local communities by

enabling farmers to cultivate C. wightiiand thus earn an income from extraction and sale of

gum-guggul. This combined with ongoing education programs (Soni, 2010) will hopefully

serve to benefit nature conservation initiatives in the Arvali Hills region of Rajasthan.

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

11/21

11

3.0 ARTICLE 3:

Impact of the My Community communications intervention on changing

human behaviour related to surface water contamination in Loja Province,

Ecuador



Article

Title

Impact of the My Community communications intervention on

changing human behaviour related to surface water contamination

in Loja Province, Ecuador

Author Peter W. Vaughan, Homar R. R. Encalada, Sylvia C. Torres andBrenda Campos

Resources

The Journal of Conservation Evidence

http://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-

study/5195#internal-article

Year published 2013

3.2 BRIEF SUMMARY

The author has discussed about a major problem that has occurred in Ecuador, among the

poorest countries in Latin America. The problem stated in the article was about impact of the

My Community communications intervention on changing human behavior related to

surface water contamination in Loja Province, Ecuador. Water quality and water supply are

serious environmental issues in Loja Province with negative ramifications for local wildlife,

human health, and economies. Most agriculturalists in the Province grow row crops, such as

corn, and raise livestock, such as pigs. Native forests are felled to create cropland, and this

deforestation increases the rate of surface run-off causing soil erosion and loss of soil

productivity. This rapid loss of water also means that the water supply becomes more

variable and less reliable. Further, the use of agrochemicals, sewage from farm animals, and

improper disposal of solid waste, such as batteries that contain toxic metals including

mercury have caused contamination of the rivers that provide people with their water supply

and fresh fish.

The author has used a non-governmental organization based in New York that

utilizes the entertainment-education strategy called PCI Media Impact, developed by Miguel

Sabido in Mexico during the 1970s, to motivate human behaviour and social change related

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

12/21

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

13/21

13

aware respondents reported learning this from the My Community intervention. In addition to

this, the percent of respondents who were willing to participate in the collection of used

batteries increased from 70% to 85%, and 79% of willing respondents attributed this

willingness to the My Community intervention. the percent of survey respondents who

reported recycling batteries increased from 27% to 53%, and 52% of recycling respondents

attributed this behavior to the My Community intervention, and, the percent of survey

respondents who reported reusing plastic bottles/bags increased from 34% to 75%, and 57%

of reusing respondents attributed this behavior to the My Community intervention.


As the article reviewer, I found that in this article, the role of community in raising the

awareness among community about the human behaviours related to surface water

contamination. This is applicable not only in Ecuador and other places on earth. Behaviours

of human being are the main cause of pollution of water surface. Thus is it is very crucial to

creating the better understanding of keeping the water clean and safe to use. Thus the

media impact is one of the ways to create this awareness among community since the

media is the most often listed by the community. The media can entertainmentally educate

the younger generation and also existing generation about the ecological awareness. Radio-

based campaigns are more effective compare to the other type campaigns.

3.5 CONCLUSION

Some community members failed to support the environmental initiatives that were first

identified for the My Community program in Ecuador because they felt the economic

circumstances of local people should be the development priority. However, linking the

environmental concerns to health and water supply challenges helped to alleviate some of

these. The entertainment education strategy has been implemented by many organizations

around the world, primarily to promote public and reproductive health initiatives. Many

impact studies have found it to have positive and substantive impacts on behavior change(Rogers et al. 1999). PCI Media Impacts My Community approach integrates the

entertainment education strategy with more didactic informational programming and on-the-

ground community mobilization to support and reinforce the entertainment education

component in a tripartite intervention. From this article, the author shows here that it is a

viable strategy to address environmental concerns as well as public health concerns.

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

14/21

14

4.0 ARTICLE 4:

Influencing human behaviour: an underutilised tool for biodiversity

management



Article

TitleInfluencing human behaviour: an underutilised tool for biodiversity

management

Author Diogo Verssimo



Year published 2013

4.2 BRIEF SUMMARY

The author has discussed about the influencing human behavior: an underutilized

tool for biodiversity management. The author emphasizes that Human behavior is the key

driver of all major threats to biodiversity. Habitat loss, climate change, invasive species and

overharvesting are, in general, consequences of the lifestyle of billions of humans. In order

to move from documenting losses and identifying causes for decline to tackling the

underlying drivers and implementing solutions, the author suggested that we need to

recognize that conservation is not only about animals and plants but equally about people

and their behaviour.


The author has commented in his article that one factor that has undoubtedly contributed tothis trend is the lack of incentives given to conservation practitioners working on education or

community-based conservation to publish their research. This has left a large proportion of

conservation work either unreported or buried in inaccessible, grey literature, a concern that

is common to many research fields. Another specific issue, which is perhaps more critical, is

that despite biodiversity conservation being overwhelmingly about humans and their

behaviour, the training of conservation professionals is still largely focused on biological

sciences.

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

15/21

15

Consequently, the author also believes that conservation professionals are often ill

equipped to understand and influence human behaviour and, therefore, less willing to

address it as a research subject. This lack of preparation explains, for example, the common

use of changes in awareness, knowledge or attitudes as indicators of behaviour change.

Such reasoning assumes that because changes in all of these indicators commonly precede

behaviour change, there is a direct link between them and behaviour. Unfortunately,

according to McKenzie-Mohr et al. (2011), this assumption is generally wrong as there are

often social, economic or psychological barriers, amongst others, to behaviour change that

do not allow changes in behaviour to occur. The evaluation of conservation interventions

should therefore focus on behaviour as it is the only indicator that translates into real world

impact.

The author also adds that an emerging field that promises to deliver insight into how

to change behaviour is social marketing. This is the application of marketing concepts and

techniques to create communicate and deliver values to influence behaviour and benefit the

target audience and society (Kotler & Lee 2011). Social marketing has been widely

implemented in countries like the UK, especially in the health sector, with promising results

in addressing issues such as obesity and smoking in terms of addressing the needs of

conservation professionals, social marketing has several important features. According to

Smith et al. (2010), one of them is its largely quantitative nature, which means that

conservation professionals, the majority of whom have a background in biological sciences,

are more willing to engage with it to address behaviour change. Another important trait is the

strong emphasis social marketing places on metrics and evaluation, an inheritance of its

past links with the commercial business sector.

Another important trait is the strong emphasis social marketing places on metrics and

evaluation, an inheritance of its past links with the commercial business sector (Smith et al.

2010). It is, thus, not surprising that social marketers have been at the forefront of applyingframeworks such as social return-on-investment, a metric that compares the net benefits of a

social intervention to the investment needed to generate them (Rotheroe & Richards 2007),

and which could and should have wide applications in conservation. This focus on impact

will become more critical as funding becomes ever more competitive, with conservation

having to compete not only with other fields of science for government funds but also with

other charitable organizations for members and donations.

Therefore, the author suggested that we need to focus on outputs such as

behaviour change and how they translate into biodiversity outcomes (e.g. reduction of a

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

16/21

16

threat to a habitat or increase in population of a species) if we want to understand the true

impact of conservation interventions that deal with human behavior. Only then, can

conservation move towards evidence-based practice by learning from past errors and

building on previous success. One area where behaviour change strategies can have an

important impact is that of payments for ecosystem services (PES), an increasingly popular

type of economic incentive to conserve biodiversity. In this context, behaviour change

campaigns can increase social recognition and visibility of those involved, therefore

increasing participation and adoption.

The author strongly believes that behaviour change can offer vital support to

improving law enforcement, through increasing both detection probability and the social

disincentives of rule breaking. The former is demonstrated by Saypanya et al. (2013) who

focused on illegal hunting/harvesting of tigers (Panthera tigris) and their prey, in Lao PDR,

through a campaign that included the establishment of a telephone hotline for reporting

illegal wildlife-related activities. Focusing on the latter, Andriamalala et al. (2013)

encouraged the improvement of fisheries management in southwest Madagascar, by

increasing compliance with local law and consequently diminishing the use of destructive

fishing methods, such as poison fishing.


This article is key-coding the main factors that affecting the biodiversity in the biome. Mostly

the biodiversity interrupted by the human beings irresponsible activities. By influencing the

human behaviours, the threats to biodiversity might be reduced. Anything that related to the

human beings behaviours directly and indirectly affects the variety of species. When the

behaviours of human changes gradually, this might help the conservation of may unique

species on earth. This is one of the most discussing topics nowadays which is crucial for

management of biodiversity. This article let us know about the role of human being on

maintaining the biodiversity.

4.5 CONCLUSION

As a conclusion I believe that influencing human behaviour is one of the hardest challenges

faced by conservationists today. Tackling it will require not only the willingness to learn from

other research fields but also a push towards evidence-based practice and the emergence of

a culture of strong commitment to evaluation and therefore, the embracing of failure. This is

not a small task. However, realising that without the ability to influence human behaviour, the

conservationists role will be limited to that of describing biodiversity loss should hopefully

drive them to embrace human behaviour as a fundamental pillar of biodiversity conservation

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

17/21

17

5.0 ARTICLE 5:

Restoring species-rich grassland at New Grove Meadows, Monmouthshire,

Wales, UK



Article

TitleRestoring species-rich grassland at New Grove Meadows,

Monmouthshire, Wales, UK

Author Janice S. Winder

Volume Volume 10



Year published 2013

5.2 BRIEF SUMMARY

Concern over the decline in species-rich grassland in the UK has led to a focus on

restoration. This study looks at the rate of natural colonisation of species into semi-improved

grassland from adjacent unimproved species rich grassland over a 12 year period. Duringthis period the grassland had been managed traditionally with an annual hay cut followed by

aftermath grazing and no input of fertilizer or farm yard manure. During 2000 and 2012

vegetation surveys were carried out on two unimproved fields and two semi-improved fields.

These data were analysed for species-richness using two variables; Total species, and

Wildlife Site Indicator species. A National Vegetation Classification survey was undertaken in

2012. Species-richness increased significantly in the semi-improved meadows during the

study period. These meadows now meet the criteria for Wildlife Site designation and the

National Vegetation Classification community is shifting from MG6 to the target community

MG5.


In this article, the author has identified species-rich grassland declinenation in UK as his

problem. He has done the study on how to restore the species-rich grassland at New Grove

Meadows, Mommouthshire, Wales, United Kingdom (UK). According to Edwards et al.

(2007), methods of restoring species-rich meadows have proved effective such as hay

strewing, brush harvesting, cessation of artificial fertilizers (Kirkham et al. 2007) and the

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

18/21

18

introduction of the hemiparasitic plant Yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor (Pywell et al. 2004;

Hellstom et al. 2011).

However, Hayes & Tallowin (2007) demonstrated that the most effective

management for natural restoration involves hay cutting followed by aftermath grazing

combined with no fertilizer input. Natural colonisation can only occur when there is a local

seed source and a mechanism for dispersal of this seed into the restoration site. This study

at New Grove Meadows aimed to quantify the rate of species colonisation of traditionally

managed semi-improved grassland when it is adjacent to species-rich grassland.

Concern over the decline in species-rich grassland in the UK has led the author to a

focus on restoration. According to the author, this study looks at the rate of natural

colonisation of species into semi-improved grassland from adjacent unimproved species rich

grassland over a 12 year period. During this period the grassland had been managed

traditionally with an annual hay cut followed by aftermath grazing and no input of fertilizer or

farm yard manure. During 2000 and 2012 vegetation surveys were carried out on two

unimproved fields and two semi-improved fields. These data were analysed for species-

richness using two variables; Total species, and Wildlife Site Indicator species. A National

Vegetation Classification survey was undertaken in 2012. Species-richness increased

significantly in the semi-improved meadows during the study period. These meadows now

meet the criteria for Wildlife Site designation and the National Vegetation Classification

community is shifting from MG6 grass-land to the target community MG5 garss-land.

Along the study, the author has noticed that the increase of Wildlife Site Indicator

species in the semi-improved fields is highly significant. The species in these fields that

show the greatest increase in occurrence are Cats-ear Hypochaeris radicata, Red Clover

Trifolium pratense and Yellow-rattle Rhinanthus minor. Species that are frequent in the

adjacent fields 3 and 4 and remain absent from fields 1 and 2 are Quaking-grass Brizamedia, Spring-sedge Carex caryophyllea, Glaucous Sedge Carex flacca and Cowslip

Primula veris. The increase of Wildlife Site Indicator species in the unimproved field 3 is very

slight and not significant however the increase in Field 4 is significant. Eye-bright Euphrasia

officinalis agg. is recorded in fields 2-4 for the first time in 2012.

The author has collected the data from National Vegetation Classification survey

which revealed a shift in field 2 from MG6b Lolium perenne-Cynosurus cristatus grassland,

Anthoxanthum odoratum sub-community to MG5a Cynosurus cristatus-Centaurea nigra

grassland, Lathyrus pratensis sub-community. Eight of the constant species for MG5

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

19/21

19

haveconstancy values of IV and V in field 2. Field 1 although classified MG6b reveals a

close match to MG5a. Seven of the constant species for MG5 are have constancy values of

IV and V in field 1. Fields 3 and 4 have remained within the MG5; the MG5c Cynosurus

cristatus-Centaurea nigra grassland, Danthonia decumbens sub-community is unexplained.

This could indicate a previous history of lime and/or farm yard manure application.


Throughout the year the species on the earth might be extinct due to many factors. Thus the

ways to restoring the grass-land in certain places helps us to give a way for many species to

continue survive on land. Thus fertilisers play very important role in keeping the capability of

growing new plants on that particular area. This article mention about the importance of the

maintaining the biodiversity in grass-land for balancing the biodiversity. In another word, we

can say that its an opportunity for other related species to keep surviving. This practice must

be applied at other places also for biodiversity.

5.5 CONCLUSION

As an overall from the study, the author has provided the readers the evidence that species

poor grassland when adjacent to species-rich grassland can increase in species-richness in

the absence of interventions such as hay strewing or seeding in. Within 12 years this has

been achieved at New Grove Meadows, with the instigation of traditional hay meadow

management combined with no input of fertilizer or farm yard manure. This has supported

statement of Hayes & Tallowin (2007) It is considered that the following mechanisms

probably aid the dispersal of seed: the access gates created between the species-rich and

the species-poor meadows allowing movement of stock and machinery; hay meadow

management involving the turning and bailing of hay with movement of the machinery

throughout all the meadows; and aftermath grazing of sheep throughout the meadows.

Continued monitoring to inform management is required to ensure the floristic diversity of

fields 3 and 4 is retained and to demonstrate the continued improvement in species richnessin fields 1 and 2.

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

20/21

20

9.0 REFERENCES

Andriamalala G., Peabody S., Gardner C. J., & Westerman K. (2013). Using socialmarketing to foster sustainable behaviour in traditional fishing communities ofsouthwest Madagascar. Conservation Evidence, 10, 37-41.

Bandura, A. (1994) Social cognitive theory of mass communication. Pages 1-90 in Bryant, J.& Zillman, D. (eds.) Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research. LawrenceErlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ.

Bradfer-Lawrence, T. & Rao, S. (2012). Deadwood fencing used to protect broadleavedtrees from deer browsing in the Cairngorms, Scotland. Conservation evidence, 9 pp.72-78. Retrieved from: http://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-study/3998[Accessed: 14 Jan 2014].

Edwards A.R., Mortimer S.R., Lawson C.S. Westbury D.B., Harris S.J., Woodcock B.A. &Brown V.K. (2007). Hay strewing, brush harvesting of seed and soil disturbance astools for the enhancement of botanical diversity in grasslands.Biological Conservation,134, 372-382.

Hayes M.J. & Tallowin J.R.B. (2007). Recreating biodiverse grasslands: long-term evaluationof practical management options for farmers. Pages 135-140. in: J.J. Hopkins, A.J.Duncan, D.I. McCracken, S. Peel & J.R.B. Tallowin (eds.) High Value Grasslands,Providing Biodiversity, a CleanEnvironment and Premium Products.British GrasslandSociety Occasional Symposium No. 38, British Grassland Society (BGS), Reading.

IUCN (2010). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. Retrieved from:www.iucnredlist.org [Accessed: 14th January 2014].

Kirkham F.W., Tallowin J.R.B., Sanderson R.A., Anne Bhogal A., Chambers B. J. & StevensD.P. (2007). The impact of organic and inorganic fertilizers and lime on the species-richness and plant functional characteristics of hay meadow communities. CCWContract Science Report No. 782, 35 pp, CCW, Bangor.

Kotler P. & Lee N.R. (2011). Social marketing: Influencing behaviors for good. SagePublications, Incorporated.

McKenzie-Mohr D., Schultz P.W., Kotler P.& Lee N.R. (2011). Social marketing to protectthe environment: What works. Sage Publications, Incorporated.

Murashige T. & Skoog F. (1962).A revised method for rapid growth and bioassays withtobacco tissue cultures. Physiologia Plantarum, 15, 473-497.

National Trust for Scotland (2012). Mar Lodge Estate management plan.The National Trustfor Scotland.

PCI Media Impact (2011). http://mediaimpact.org/?page_id=160. [Accessed: 13 Jan 2014].

Pywell R.F., Bullock J.M., Walker K.J., Coulson, S.J., Gregory S.J. & Stevenson, M.J.(2004). Facilitating grassland diversification using the hemiparasitic plant Rhinanthusminor.Journal of Applied Ecology. 41, 880-887.

8/12/2019 Article Review m20131000456

21/21

Pywell R.F., Woodcock B., Tallowin J.B., Mortimer S. R. & Bullock J.M. (2012). Restoringspecies-rich grassland: principles and techniques.Aspects of Applied Biology, 115, 11-21.

Saypanya S., Hansel T.E., Johnson A., Bianchessi A. & Sadowsky B. (2013). Combiningsocial marketing with improved law enforcement to conserve tigers and their prey inNam Et Phou Louey National Protected Area, Lao PDR. Conservation Evidence, 10,57-66.

Singhal, A. & Rogers, E.M. (1999). Entertainment-Education: A Communication Strategy forSocial Change. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ.

Smith R.J., Verssimo D. & MacMillan D.C. (2010) Marketing and Conservation: How to LoseFriends and Influence People in N. Leader-Williams, W. Adams, and R.J. Smith,editors. Trade-offs in conservation: deciding what to save.Blackwells, Oxford, UK.

Soni V., Tyagi V. & Pareek L.K. (2009). Biotechnological approaches for conservation of

Commiphora wightii: an endangered medicinal plants. In: Indigenous medicinal plantsincluding microbes and fungi (P. Kaushik ed.), Today and Tomorrows Printers andPublishers, New Delhi, India.

Soni V. (2010) Conservation of Commiphora wightii, an endangered medicinal shrub,through propagation and planting, and education awareness programs in the AravaliHills of Rajasthan, India.Conservation. Evidence, 7, 27-31.

Soni, V. (2010). Efficacy of in vitro tissue culture versus stem cuttings for propagation ofcommiphora wightii in rajasthan, india.Conservation evidence, 7 pp. 91-93. Retrievedfrom: http://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-study/2322 [Accessed: 14 Jan2014].

Taylor, C. (2012). 2012 report of the native pinewood managers visit to Mar Lodge . ScottishForestry, 66, 17-21.

Vaughan, P. W., Encalada, H. R., Torres, S. C. & Campos, B. (2013). Impact of the mycommunitycommunications intervention on changing human behaviour related tosurface water contamination in loja province, Ecuador.Conservation evidence, pp. 53-56. Retrieved from: http://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-study/5195#internal-article [Accessed: 14th January 2014].

Ver'Issimo, D. (2013). Influencing human behaviour: an underutilised tool for biodiversitymanagement. Conservation evidence, pp. 29-31. Retrieved from:

http://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-study/5190 [Accessed: 14th January2014].

Winder, J. S. (2013). Restoring species-rich grassland at new grove meadows,monmouthshire, Wales, UK. Conservation evidence, 10 pp. 20-23. Retrieved from:http://www.conservationevidence.com/individual-study/4024 [Accessed: 14th January2014].

Article Review m20131000456

Documents