The challenge of conserving grassland insects at the margins of their range in Europe

Insects have experienced higher rates of decline than other popular taxa in the calcareous grasslands of Europe. This paper reviews reasons why insects are so vulnerable to environmental change, particularly at the edges of their range. Case studies of the ant Myrinica sabuleti and the butterflies Polyommatus bellargus and Thymelicus acteon are used to illustrate the mechanisms responsible for this vulnerability and the need for different management regimes to maintain species' niches in different parts of their range. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.