Camera trap data suggest uneven predation risk across vegetation types in a mixed farmland landscape

Laux, Amelie; Waltert, Matthias; Gottschalk, Eckhard

doi:10.1002/ece3.9027

Cited by 14 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…Morris & Gilroy (2008) also found higher nest predation rates in yellow wagtails Motacilla flava and Eurasian skylarks Alauda arvensis that nested closer to the edge and similar patterns have been observed in Northern lapwings Vanellus vanellus (Sheldon, Chaney, & Tyler, 2007;MacDonald & Bolton, 2008). In a previous study, we also found predator activity to be higher along edges and in linear structures compared to the interior of flower blocks (Laux, Waltert, & Gottschalk, 2022). Predators frequently use edges and other linear structures as travelling lanes and may prefer field margins for hunting due to higher small mammal densities or easier accessibility compared to the denser vegetation in fields or fallows ( S alek et al, 2009Laidlaw et al, 2013;Bischof et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Distance to the edge and other landscape features influence nest predation in grey partridges

Laux,

Mayer,

Beeke

et al. 2023

Animal Conservation

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Predation and habitat deterioration are the main reasons for the strong decline of ground‐nesting farmland birds such as the grey partridge Perdix perdix in Europe. Grey partridge nests and incubating females are especially vulnerable to predation. We have previously demonstrated that predator activity is much lower inside flower blocks (agri‐environment schemes sown with a flower seed mix) than at their edges and that predator activity in flower blocks depends on the surrounding landscape. Here, we investigate whether these differences in predator activity translate into differences in grey partridge nest predation and assess predation patterns relative to landscape and nest site characteristics. We recorded the success of 56 nests of radio‐tagged grey partridges between 2009 and 2017 in an agricultural landscape in Central Germany. We used Bayesian logistic regression to analyse the effects of nest site and landscape characteristics on nest predation on a subset of 46 nests (21 nests successful, 25 predated). Distance to the edge of the nesting habitat was the most important predictor, reducing predation probability from 66.8% at the edge to 18.5% at 85.5 m. Predation probability decreased with increasing length of habitat borders, habitat diversity and the area of permanent grasslands and fallows. Predation probability was higher further from settlements and increased with increasing woodland area in the agricultural matrix. When considering linear landscape structures, nest predation patterns matched the patterns of predator activity from our previous studies. Results suggest that the distance to the edge of the nesting habitat is most important and that nest predation may be reduced by providing sufficiently broad nesting habitats. Nest predation may further be minimized by increasing habitat diversity and coverage of extensive vegetation types and by establishing conservation measures for grey partridges further away from woodlands. These measures may also benefit other ground‐nesting farmland birds.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Distance to the edge and other landscape features influence nest predation in grey partridges

Laux,

Mayer,

Beeke

et al. 2023

Animal Conservation

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“…In these complex landscapes the abundance of field‐breeders is low and particularly at risk from breeding failure due to high predation pressure at forest edges (Ludwig et al, 2012). In agricultural landscapes, predators often concentrate near woody features, and densities in non‐productive features such as sown flower strips are low, especially away from their edges (Laux et al, 2022). Therefore, fallow land might offer safe nesting sites for ground‐foraging and ground‐nesting birds such as Eurasian Skylark, while at the same time providing sufficient food resources (Berg & Pärt, 1994).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between farmland birds and fallow area at large scales: Consistently positive over three periods of the EU Common Agricultural Policy but moderated by landscape complexity

Hertzog

Klimek

Röder

et al. 2023

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Fallow agricultural land provides habitat for threatened and declining farmland biodiversity. Policy change under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been driving the area of fallows over the past decades. It is still unclear, whether positive relationships between farmland biodiversity and fallow area are general in time and space, and what landscape factors moderate them at large scales. We analysed associations between fallow area and species richness and abundance of 24 farmland birds in 3 years covering three CAP funding periods, by linking agricultural statistics at the district level to plot‐level bird data from a national‐scale monitoring scheme. We tested whether these relationships are moderated by species' habitat preferences and landscape configurational complexity, measured as the edge density of woody features. Species richness was positively associated with fallow area in all three funding periods. We found a hump‐shaped response along a gradient of increasing landscape configurational complexity. The associations between fallow area and species richness peaked at intermediate values of edge density. The associations between species abundance and fallow area varied among species, but there was strong support for positive and consistent associations in 15 (63%) of the studied species. There was little support for a moderating effect of landscape configurational complexity on the associations of fallow area and bird abundance. Policy implications. To support farmland biodiversity, we suggest promoting fallow land across all agricultural landscapes and anchoring respective ambitious targets in the CAP strategic plans. An increase of fallow land beyond minimum requirements through voluntary measures, such as eco‐schemes and agri‐environment schemes, should particularly target landscapes with intermediate configurational complexity.

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“…In these complex landscapes the abundance of field-breeders is low and particularly at risk from breeding failure due to high predation pressure at forest edges (Ludwig et al 2012). In agricultural landscapes, predators often concentrate near woody features, but predator densities in unproductive features such as sown flower strips are low, especially away from their edges (Laux et al 2022). Therefore, fallow land might offer safe nesting sites for ground-foraging and ground-nesting birds such as Alauda arvensis and Vanellus vanellus , while at the same time providing plentiful insect and seed resources (Berg and Pärt 1994).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Losses and gains of fallows impact farmland bird populations over three funding periods of the EU Common Agricultural Policy

Hertzog

Roeder

Frank

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Fallow land provides habitat for threatened and declining farmland biodiversity. Policy change under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been driving the area of fallows over the past decades and influenced trends in farmland biodiversity. We analyzed the impact of changes in fallow area across Germany on species richness and abundance of farmland birds over three CAP funding periods. We examined whether responses to fallow land area were modulated by species habitat preferences and landscape complexity. We combined spatial data on fallow land area from three agricultural censuses in Germany (2007, 2010 and 2016) with country-wide, annual monitoring data on farmland birds. Farmland bird species richness and the abundance of edge- and field-breeders responded positively to increases in fallows. The effect of fallows on bird richness was strongest at intermediate levels of landscape complexity. There was support for an increasing effect strength of fallow land area on field-breeders' abundance with increasing landscape complexity. We conclude that the loss of fallows in the period 2007 to 2016 resulted in strong declines of farmland birds. We predict that a future increase of the proportion of fallow land to 4%, as envisaged in the post-2020 CAP for Germany, will result in an average increase of 7% in farmland bird species richness and of 11% in average farmland bird abundance compared to 2016, but will depend on species-specific habitat preferences. Increasing the proportion of fallow land will be a key lever to stabilize and revert negative farmland bird population trends. An increase of fallow area in all but the least complex landscapes will boost farmland bird richness and abundance of field breeders. Increasing the proportion of fallow land to 4% is projected to, on average, bring farmland bird richness and abundance back to the levels observed in 2007 acknowledging that farmland bird populations were already severely depleted in 2007. A more ambitious expansion of fallow land towards 10%, such as in the context of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, should be targeted towards areas that experienced the strongest loss of fallows and towards landscapes with intermediate structural complexity.

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Camera trap data suggest uneven predation risk across vegetation types in a mixed farmland landscape

Abstract: Ground-nesting farmland birds such as the grey partridge (Perdix perdix) have been rapidly declining due to a combination of habitat loss, food shortage, and predation.

Cited by 14 publications

References 114 publications

Distance to the edge and other landscape features influence nest predation in grey partridges

Distance to the edge and other landscape features influence nest predation in grey partridges

Associations between farmland birds and fallow area at large scales: Consistently positive over three periods of the EU Common Agricultural Policy but moderated by landscape complexity

Losses and gains of fallows impact farmland bird populations over three funding periods of the EU Common Agricultural Policy

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