Basic and Applied Ecology 8 (2007) 321—331 Consequences of cyclic vegetation management for arthropod survival: Simulation experiments Martin Hinsch a,Ã , Hans-Joachim Poethke b a University of Groningen, CEES, Kerklaan 30, 9751NN Haren, Netherlands b University Wuerzburg, Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Glashu ¨ttenstr. 5, 96181 Rauhenebrach, Germany Received 4 August 2006; accepted 20 September 2006 KEYWORDS Patch dynamics; Succession; Life histories; Population viability analysis Summary Many rare arthropod species occupy open grasslands. Mowing or grazing is needed to preserve the habitat for these species. Alternatively the vegetation cover in parts of the managed area can be periodically destroyed by ploughing or rototilling. Such treatment results in a dynamic mosaic of habitat patches in different stages of succession. This mosaic may serve as a habitat for many species. However, the interplay between the frequency of rototilling, the spatial structure of the landscape and life history attributes of the animal species will determine the success of such cyclic management strategies. We used a spatially implicit individual-based metapopulation model to examine optimal spatio-temporal management strategies. The model explicitly incorporates succession, population dynamics and dispersal between habitat patches. Optimal management patterns strongly depend on the species’ properties. Our simulation experiments show that in general the more fertile species with strong intraspecific competition are most robust against the large fluctuations of habitat quality resulting from cyclic management. However, the best management strategies found in our experiments cover the requirements of up to 70% of the species tested. Frequent management of relatively small sub-areas minimizes local fluctiations of patch capacity. Though reducing effective patch capacity by more than 50% these strategies may support the survival of the majority of species. & 2006 Gesellschaft fu ¨r O ¨ kologie. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. Zusammenfassung Viele Arthropodenarten beanspruchen offene Weidestandorte, die durch Ma ¨hen oder Beweidung gepflegt werden. Alternativ hierzu lassen sich solche Fla ¨chen offen halten, indem sukzessiv Teile der Fla ¨chen gepflu ¨gt oder gegrubbert werden. So entsteht ein Mosaik von Fla ¨chen in unterschiedlichen Sukzessionsstadien. Dabei ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.de/baae 1439-1791/$ - see front matter & 2006 Gesellschaft fu ¨r O ¨ kologie. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.baae.2006.09.011 Ã Corresponding author. Tel.: +31503638097. E-mail addresses: m.hinsch@rug.nl (M. Hinsch), poethke@biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de (H.-J. Poethke).