Landscape-scale conservation of moth populations in agricultural landscapes

This research is part of the Upper Thames Project, is done in partnership with Butterfly Conservation, and is funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Trust.

The research involves light-trapping and other sampling methods to study effects of agricultural practices (e.g. hedgerow management) and key landscape features (e.g. hedgerow trees, wide field margins) on species diversity and abundance of larger moths. Additionally, I look at whether it pays off, in biodiversity terms that is, to follow an approach targeted at the landscape-scale, whereby fields under agri-environment schemes are joined-up within whole landscapes. The research focuses on common, widespread species, but special attention is given to a set of nationally declining wider-countryside species, and on a UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species, the Pale Shining Brown (Polia bombycina). Finally, we conduct mark-release-recapture experiments in order to shed some light on moth dispersal and mobility.

Grey Literature
Thomas was interviewed on Farming Today regarding this project. The interview can be heard here

Farming for moths  - Moths Count Newsletter 2008 (Butterfly Conservation) p. 10

Agri-environment schemes: call for more landscape connectivity - SCIENCE FOR ENVIRONMENT POLICY: EUROPEAN COMMISSION DG Environment News Alert Service Issue 146 March 2009

The Upper Thames Project – Farming for moths: Conservation Review 2008 (Butterfly Conservation): p.58-59