3.1. Bumblebees
We recorded a total of 98 bumblebee individuals (Bombus sp.) comprising 13 species (Appendix A, Table A.1). Sixty-four individuals belonging to 12 species were identified in managed meadows, and 34 individuals belonging to 8 species in abandoned meadows. Three of the total species were cuckoo bumblebees (Bombus [Psithyrus] sp). Five species were classified as long-tongued and 8 species as short-tongued.
Total species richness and number of long-tongued species were significantly higher in managed meadows compared to abandoned meadows (z=2.479, p=0.0132 and z=2.147, p=0.0318 respectively; Figure 1). Total species richness, total number of individuals, both short-tongued and long-tongued species and number of individuals …show more content…
The SIMPER-routine detected an average Bray-Curtis similarity of 61.63 in managed meadows due to the six species Chorthippus biguttulus, Stenobothrus lineatus, Pseudochorthippus parallelus, Metrioptera brachyptera, Euthystira brachyptera and Roeseliana roeselii which explained 94.01 of the similarity. The average similarity in abandoned meadows was 53.42, where 84 % of the similarity was explained by the six species Euthystira brachyptera, Pholidoptera griseoaptera, Pseudochorthippus parallelus, Roeseliana roeselii, Gomphocerippus rufus and Chorthippus biguttulus. The average dissimilarity between managed and abandoned meadows was 52.36, where Stenobothrus lineatus, Metrioptera brachyptera, Pholidoptera griseoaptera, Gomphocerippus rufus, Chorthippus biguttulus, Roeseliana roeselii, Barbitistes serricauda and Pholidoptera aptera explained 67.13 % of the dissimilarity.
3.4. Landscape structure and vegetation parameters
Plant species richness as well as flower cover were significantly higher in managed compared to abandoned meadows (ANOVA, F=38.17, p<0.001 and F=6.06, p=0.019, respectively). Similarly, we found more plant species with hidden nectar flowers in managed meadows compared to abandoned meadows (F=88.05, p<0.001). Vegetation cover as well as number of plant species with open nectar flowers did not differ between both habitat types. Forest cover and open landscape were negatively correlated (r=-0.96,