Arthropoda from Thetford metabarcoding
In Europe, much conservation concern is for species now dependent on semi-natural habitats. Large areas of lowland heathland, developed on unproductive soils, were maintained by livestock grazing and episodic cultivation over centuries. Heathland assemblages are of high biodiversity value, recognised in inclusion of heathland biotopes in Annexes of the EC Habitats Directive, such that member states have an obligation to designate and ensure favourable conservation status of examples of the habitat (as Special Areas of Conservation). Lowland heathland has been considerably reduced by 60-94% across Western Europe with remnants often remaining as isolated fragments. Reconnecting fragmented heathland is important to conserve its biodiversity in the longer term. Many stenotopic heath species require physical disturbance that exposes substrate, creates ruderal resources and sparse early-successional structures. There is potential to use disturbance management to enhance ecological connectivity for heathland biodiversity, taking advantage of existing trackway networks, but there is a need for more robust evidence across multiple taxa.