Avoiding over-implementation of agri-environmental schemes for steppe bird conservation: A species-focused proposal based on expert criteria

Effects of landscape, conspecifics and heterospecifics on habitat selection by breeding farmland birds: the case of the Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra) and Corn Bunting (Emberiza calandra)

“…Such preferences coincide essentially with those shown by the species in winter (own umpublished data) and have already been described for the Calandra Lark (Díaz et al 1994;Reino et al 2009Reino et al , 2010McMahon et al 2010;Morgado et al 2010). The avoidance of these features could be related to the fact that predator densities are higher near field edges (Moreno et al 2010). It is also possible that Calandra Larks avoid small patches with borders owing to the fact that a reduction in visibility in these areas may cause an increase in vigilance levels and a decrease in available time for food searching, and thus a reduction in foraging efficiency (Whittingham and Evans 2004).…”

Assessing the environmental performance of English arable and livestock holdings using data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN)

“…Consequently, when benefits of agri-environment scheme participation have not been demonstrated, the AFI methodology has revealed regions where modification of scheme prescriptions might be beneficial. Such targeting of specific agrienvironmental measures according to region might be expected to have greater environmental benefits (Moreno et al, 2010), especially in simple landscapes (Wrbka et al, 2008). For example, arable holdings in the West Midlands managed under agri-environment schemes were associated with a greater proportion of uncropped land, which has the potential to deliver biodiversity benefits (see Woodcock et al, 2008).…”

Filling evidence gaps with expert opinion: The use of Delphi analysis in least-cost modelling of functional connectivity

“…The evidence base for permeability is arguably lower than for edge effects and dispersal distances. Confidence and consensus are expected to be lower when the evidence base is poor (Moreno et al, 2010) or the answer seeks to simplify a complex relationship (Martin et al, 2005). It is difficult to compare the permeability values produced by the Delphi analysis to measured values in the literature as the few values that have been published tend to compare dispersal rates across only two or three different matrix types .…”

“…Crance, 1987;MacMillan & Marshall, 2006). It has also been applied to predicting the population of polar bears Ursus arctos under a future sea ice scenario (O'Neill et al, 2008), predicting wildlife collision risks (Hurley et al, 2009) and selecting actions to be funded by an agri-environment scheme (Moreno et al, 2010). In each case, using the Delphi approach has resulted in adequate consensus for the support of conservation actions.…”

“…O'Neill, Osborn, Hulme, Lorenzoni, & Watkinson, 2008;Patrick & Damon-Randall, 2008), habitat management (e.g. Martin, Kuhnert, Mengersen, & Possingham, 2005;Moreno, Morales, & Traba, 2010) and corridor design (e.g. Beier et al, 2008).…”