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Discussion Forum
Started by Richard Lockett at 09 Mar 2010 5:17 PM. Topic has 2 replies.
  
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 09 Mar 2010, 5:17 PM
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Richard Lockett
Joined on 27 Nov 2008
Posts 8
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Pollen and Nectar Mixtures - Native species vs Agricultural cultivars
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Pollen and nectar legume mixtures are gaining prominence as a good option for a range of insect species. A lot of these mixes rely on agricultural varieties of legumes such as red clover, bird's foot trefoil etc.
These type mixtures, which tend to have a shortish lifespan (3-4 years), are a good source of pollen and nectar in relatively intensively farmed environments. However, I wonder what, if any, concern there is about agricultural varieties hybridising with native populations? My own appraoch has been to treat them as farmed plots (similar to wild bird cover) rather than as long-term habitats.
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11 Mar 2010, 6:37 PM
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Ian Gould
Joined on 20 Dec 2005
Huntingdon
Posts 63
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Re: Pollen and Nectar Mixtures - Native species vs Agricultural cultivars
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I would agree with Richard's comments about treating these crops as "Farm-crops" rather than as an attempt to recreate an old style habitat. Farmers and Advisors have an important role to play in assessing the quality of a site and whether it has any useful natural flora that could be enhanced with the correct management. Unfortunately many arable farms are pretty desolate in this respect and in my opinion the timescale and funding of an ELS agreement only lends itself a rapid inexpensive solution to the problem. In this instance the Agricultural option is often the only economically viable one.
When conducting a FEP for HLS it is important to consider what is already there and how it could be encouraged, improved, etc. A more detailed plan can be implemented and, if considered appropriate, native species can be obtained to repopulate the site. The 10 year life of an HLS scheme and the enhanced funding can make these projects quite possible.
As far as cross pollination concerns I suppose that it might happen, but was it not always the case that hybridisation occurs and natural selection does the rest? As advisors we must be aware of this when we are dealing with a site of high value and try to use the most appropriate varieties.
Ian Gould
Oakbank Game & Conservation
www.oakbankgc.co.uk
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15 Mar 2010, 1:11 PM
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alauda26
Joined on 10 Jan 2006
Oxfordshire
Posts 80
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Re: Pollen and Nectar Mixtures - Native species vs Agricultural cultivars
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It's an interesting issue, and I suspect no-one really knows the answer fully yet.
I'd agree with Ian that most of these legume-based nectar flower mixtures should be viewed as relatively short-term projects; certainly in my experience it's rare to see one that is still performing well after 4 or more years.
It would be interesting to know if there was much hybridisation between the natives and the improved cultivars - particularly of birds foot trefoil, and possibly sainfoin, for example?
See http://www.floralocale.org/v.asp?level2id=5906&depth=1&rootid=5906
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