Karlsruhe (dpa/lsw) – Moths in Baden-Württemberg suffer primarily from the disappearance of nutrient-poor habitats such as nutrient-poor grasslands, heaths and fens. The Baden-Württemberg State Institute for the Environment (LUBW) and the State Museum for Natural History in Karlsruhe announced on Tuesday that the 15 percent loss of moth species in these biotopes over the past 50 years is above average. “Nutrient-poor habitats are nature’s treasure trove. A large variety of species can be found here,” said LUBW President Ulrich Maurer according to the announcement.
“Moths are highly adapted to their habitats,” Maurer explained. “If the diversity of habitats disappears, the diversity of species also decreases.” Moth species such as the dry grass lichen bear and the reed golden owl are dependent on precisely such habitats and have become particularly rare.
The specialization in climatic conditions also leads to species loss. At high altitudes, the minus is up to 19 percent. Species that are adapted to cool, damp habitats, such as the moonspotted mother hen, retreat to high altitudes or die out locally if there are no alternatives. In contrast, the proportion of Mediterranean moth species has increased by 7 percent since 2000.
The background to the study is data from an extensive monitoring that was presented last year. The two institutions have now scientifically evaluated the influence of certain factors on the serious decline in moths. The result is an approximately 800-page publication. “The scientific publication now presented shows precisely the extent of faunal change and how important it is to research its causes,” emphasized butterfly expert Robert Trusch from the Natural History Museum and one of the authors.
