Abstract
Linear transport infrastructure fragments habitats, but its edges can serve as significant refuges for invertebrates. Management of these verges is crucial to realise this conservation potential, but the impact of specific habitat measures on epigeic arthropods remains poorly understood. This study assessed the impact of roadside habitat management on the diversity and composition of epigeic arthropods, using ground beetles (Carabidae) and harvestmen (Opiliones) as bioindicators at the Nitra-Selenec expressway junction, Slovakia. Over two years, we used pitfall traps to sample epigeic arthropods at ten sites managed under three different regimes: passive management (no intervention), active management with renewal/seeding (commercial grass-herb mixture), and active management with mulching only. We analysed the influence of management, vegetation structure, and landscape variables on species assemblages using redundancy analysis and predicted population trends using machine learning. We recorded 1,416 carabids (50 species) and 1,409 harvestmen (6 species). The renewal/seeding intervention had a significant negative effect on the community composition. The structure of the vegetation, specifically the cover of the herb layer and species richness of the shrub layer, were the most significant positive drivers of community assembly. Furthermore, distance from the road significantly influenced species distribution. Analysis of population trends revealed a gradual increase in carabid abundance over time, but an alarming decline in harvestmen. Active revegetation with commercial seed mixtures creates a homogeneous habitat that is less suitable for diverse epigeic communities than passive management. The structural complexity provided by various native vegetation is a key factor in supporting invertebrates. Implications for insect conservation: We recommend that roadside managers prioritise passive management or regionally appropriate native seed mixtures over commercial revegetation, maintain structural complexity of vegetation through a reduced frequency of mowing (1–2 times annually at ≥ 10 cm height), and adopt mosaic approaches that combine intensive mowing only in safety-critical zones with extensive management elsewhere.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank Via Pribina, a.s. company for funding and implementing the management measures, including soil cultivation and plant seeding within designated areas at the Nitra-Selenec expressway junction in late 2021, as well as for arranging mowing activities in accordance with our research requirements. Many thanks go to Dr. Hubert Žarnovičan (Comenius University Bratislava), who participated in the field work and plant determination.
Funding
This study was funded by the Slovak Research and Development Agency (APVV) No. VV-MVP-24-0207, the Scientific Grant Agency (VEGA) Nos. 1/0255/23 and 1/0211/25 of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic, and by financial support through the “Divoké lúky” (Wild Meadows) project from Via Pribina, a.s. company.
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Litavský, J., Majzlan, O., Langraf, V. et al. Effects of roadside habitat management on epigeic arthropod diversity: a case study from the Nitra-Selenec expressway junction.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-54425-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-54425-z
Keywords
- Road verges
- Habitat management
- Mulching
- Biodiversity
- Opiliones
- Carabidae
Source: Ecology - nature.com
