Effect of non-inversion tillage on field usage by UK farmland birds in winter

Cunningham, Heidi M.; Bradbury, Richard B.; Chaney, Keith; Wilcox, Andrew

doi:10.1080/00063650509461388

Cited by 17 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…The use of techniques such as shallow ploughing may be the main factor responsible for the relatively large numbers of species found in this habitat. More granivorous passerines on a greater proportion of noninversion tillage fields than conventional tillage fields were observed in the UK (Cunningham et al 2005), and similar results were noted on conservation tillage crops, in contrast to conventional mouldboard ploughed areas in Hungary (Field et al 2007). Methods of ploughing that disturb the soil to a shallower depth and seedbed preparation without soil inversion may increase the availability of seeds for foraging birds.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Habitat preferences of granivorous passerine birds wintering on farmland in eastern Poland

Kasprzykowski

Goławski

2012

Bird Study

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Habitat preferences of granivorous passerine birds wintering on farmland in eastern Poland

Kasprzykowski

Goławski

2012

Bird Study

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“…A recent three‐year study has shown that NIT tillage can affect farmland birds in the UK (Cunningham et al . 2002, 2003, in press).…”

Section: Non‐inversion Tillage (Nit)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Non‐inversion tillage and farmland birds: a review with special reference to the UK and Europe

Cunningham¹,

Chaney²,

Bradbury³

et al. 2004

Ibis

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This paper reviews the current knowledge of the effects of non-inversion tillage (NIT) on farmland birds and their food resources. NIT is a method of establishing a crop without using a mouldboard plough and is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. NIT generally disturbs the soil to shallower depths than conventional tillage and is therefore expected to have beneficial effects on biodiversity on arable land as compared with mouldboard ploughing. The diets of farmland birds change throughout the year, and many species take invertebrates over the breeding season. Seeds are also important for many species of farmland birds throughout the year and especially over the winter months. The effects of NIT on these farmland bird food resources, in particular ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae), spiders (Arachnida: Araneae), earthworms (Annelida) and seeds (arable weeds and cereal crops) are reviewed.

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“…Inversion ploughing of arable fields in autumn, using the mouldboard plough, is a widespread technique that buries surface seeds in the ground and thus reduces the weed burden in fields (Cunningham et al . 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ground surface of stubble fields is often extremely hard (Gillings 2003) and so disturbance of the soil is likely to enhance accessibility of subsurface invertebrates, such as earthworms, and thus explain the higher foraging rates of invertebrate‐feeding birds such as lapwing Vanellus vanellus L. on ploughed compared with unploughed fields (Gillings 2003). Although inversion ploughing brings some seeds to the surface from the seed bank, the benefits for birds are outweighed by the large numbers of surface seeds that are buried; in contrast, light cultivation techniques result in far fewer surface seeds being buried but still results in seeds being brought to the surface (Cunningham et al . 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Altering perceived predation risk and food availability: management prescriptions to benefit farmland birds on stubble fields

Whittingham

Devereux

Evans

et al. 2006

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary1. European farmland bird populations have fallen dramatically and sympathetic management of key habitats is one crucial way to help boost these populations. Maximizing the value of habitats for foraging birds has largely focused on practical measures to increase food abundance, but energy intake, the key determinant of habitat quality, is also affected by food accessibility and perceived predation risk. We tested the importance of manipulating perceived predation risk and access to food on the distribution of birds on stubble fields, a key wintering habitat for many UK species and used by many species in different parts of the world. 2. Recent evidence suggests simple reductions in vegetation height alter perceived predation risk for some species. Light cultivation, by scarification of the soil surface, could potentially alter both perceived predation risk (via changes in vegetation structure) and food availability (by opening up the soil and bringing seeds to the surface) and so be a single solution to enhancing suitability of stubble fields for birds. In experiment 1, we investigated the effects of changing vegetation height (via topping) and scarification on vegetation structure, seed density and distribution of farmland birds, using a 2 × 2 factorial within-field design. In experiment 2, we tested the temporal effects of scarification on bird distribution, using a similar within-field design. 3. Scarified plots supported higher abundances of invertebrate feeders (e.g. thrushes). Plots that were scarified within the last 1-13 days were used more by invertebrate feeders and granivores (e.g. yellowhammer) than plots scarified 2-4 months ago. Both results were probably a consequence of food availability being temporarily increased by scarification making prey more accessible. 4. Granivorous passerines and invertebrate feeders preferred plots with shorter stubble while the abundance of skylarks, partridges, pigeons and meadow pipits was higher on plots with taller stubble. This was probably the result of differing anti-predation strategies. 5. Synthesis and applications . Prescriptions that generate fine-scale heterogeneity should benefit a range of species. Although our work was confined to stubble fields, the importance of simultaneous consideration of predation risk and access to food is likely to apply across European farmland landscapes and elsewhere, and could apply to other arable crops and potentially to grassland systems. On stubble fields specifically, topping of part of the field in the autumn could be combined with successive strip scarification treatments throughout the winter, to provide optimal conditions for a range of species. This could be incorporated as a management option in agri-environment schemes such as the English Environmental Stewardship Scheme.

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Effect of non-inversion tillage on field usage by UK farmland birds in winter

Cited by 17 publications

References 33 publications

Habitat preferences of granivorous passerine birds wintering on farmland in eastern Poland

Habitat preferences of granivorous passerine birds wintering on farmland in eastern Poland

Non‐inversion tillage and farmland birds: a review with special reference to the UK and Europe

Altering perceived predation risk and food availability: management prescriptions to benefit farmland birds on stubble fields

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