Past and Current Attempts to Evaluate the Role of Birds as Predators of Insect Pests in Temperate Agriculture

Kirk, David Anthony; Evenden, Matthew; Mineau, Pierre

doi:10.1007/978-1-4615-5881-1_5

Cited by 79 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 144 publications

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“…Integrating biodiversity concerns within farmland will help to maintain populations of common species, and possibly also preserve a few rare or endangered species with appropriate habitat conservation measures by farmers (Kerr and Deguise 2004), in addition to providing potential agronomic benefit through the provision of ecosystem services such as insect pest control (Kirk et al 1996). The main challenge continues to be finding appropriate compromises between human demands from agricultural lands and the requirements of native biota (Freemark 1995, 2005, Krebs et al 1999, Peterjohn 2003.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk of Agricultural Practices and Habitat Change to Farmland Birds

Kirk¹,

Lindsay²,

Brook³

2011

ACE

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ABSTRACT. Many common bird species have declined as a result of agricultural intensification and this could be mitigated by organic farming. We paired sites for habitat and geographical location on organic and nonorganic farms in Ontario, Canada to test a priori predictions of effects on birds overall, 9 guilds and 22 species in relation to candidate models for farming practices (13 variables), local habitat features (12 variables), or habitat features that influence susceptibility to predation. We found that: (1) Overall bird abundance, but not richness, was significantly (p < 0.05) higher on organic sites (mean 43.1 individuals per site) than nonorganic sites (35.8 individuals per site). Significantly more species of birds were observed for five guilds, including primary grassland birds, on organic vs. nonorganic sites. No guild had higher richness or abundance on nonorganic farms; (2) Farming practice models were the best (∆AIC < 4) for abundance of birds overall, primary grassland bird richness, sallier aerial insectivore richness and abundance, and abundance of ground nesters; (3) Habitat models were the best for overall richness, Neotropical migrant abundance, richness and abundance of Ontario-USA-Mexico (short-distance) migrants and resident richness; (4) Predation models were the best for richness of secondary grassland birds and ground feeders; (5) A combination of variables from the model types were best for richness or abundance overall, 13 of 18 guilds (richness and abundance) and 16 of 22 species analyzed. Five of 10 farming practice variables (including herbicide use, organic farm type) and 9 of 13 habitat variables (including hedgerow length, proportion of hay) were significant in best models. Risk modeling indicated that herbicide use could decrease primary grassland birds by one species (35% decline from 3.4 to 2.3 species) per site. Organic farming could benefit species of conservation concern by 49% (an increase from 7.6 to 11.4 grassland birds). An addition of 63 m of hedgerow could increase abundance and richness of short distance migrants by 50% (3.0 to 4.8 and 1.3 to 2.0, respectively). Increasing the proportion of hay on nonorganic farms to 50% could increase abundance of primary grassland bird by 40% (6.7 to 9.4). Our results provide support for alternative farmland designs and agricultural management systems that could enhance select bird species in farmland. RÉSUMÉ. De nombreuses espèces d'oiseaux ont décliné en raison de l'intensification des pratiques agricoles, mais ces déclins pourraient être atténués grâce à l'agriculture biologique. Nous avons apparié des sites (habitat et situation géographique) sur des fermes biologiques et des fermes non biologiques en Ontario, Canada, afin de tester des prévisions a priori d'effets sur l'avifaune dans son ensemble, 9 guildes et 22 espèces d'oiseaux, en relation avec des modèles candidats testant les pratiques agricoles (13 variables), les caractéristiques locales de l'habitat (12 variables) ou les caractéristiques de l'habitat qui influencent...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk of Agricultural Practices and Habitat Change to Farmland Birds

Kirk¹,

Lindsay²,

Brook³

2011

ACE

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“…For many species of pest insects, vertebrate predators are known as effective antagonists in addition to parasitoids (Buckner 1966;Kirk et al 1996;Eilers and Klein 2009). Nevertheless, relatively few studies quantify the effectiveness of birds as predators to reduce agricultural or forestry pests, particularly for leaf mining insects (Kirk et al 1996;Mols and Visser 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, relatively few studies quantify the effectiveness of birds as predators to reduce agricultural or forestry pests, particularly for leaf mining insects (Kirk et al 1996;Mols and Visser 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biocontrol of Cameraria ohridella by insectivorous birds in different landscape contexts

2017

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The horse chestnut leaf miner (HCLM) Cameraria ohridella Deschka and Dimic (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae) is a novel but significant pest in Europe. Current control measures are either inefficient or environmentally harmful. Tits (Parus spp.) open the mines and prey on HCLM, but the biocontrol efficiency of this behaviour has not yet been quantified. We installed bird nesting-boxes in a biennial field study on four sites close to Brunswick (Germany). On the same sites, we counted HCLM pupae, larvae, opened and closed mines, and parasitised larvae and pupae in leaves collected from horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L., Hippocastanaceae) trees with and without bird exclusion. In both years, the HCLM number and the proportion of closed mines were higher in bird exclusion trees, particularly on sites with high abundance of tits. Hence, we suggest including the facilitation of birds, particularly tits, in future HCLM biocontrol strategies.

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“…Biological control of locust is deemed as a cheap and environmental friendly method, because it uses the pest's natural enemies as a population control mechanism. Many bird species feed on locusts, but their ability to keep the locust population in check so as to avoid economic damage is not clearly known (Kirk et al, 1996). In this study, we considered the Bubulcus ibis (Cattle Egret) bird species in the area as a natural enemy for locusts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predation Impact of Cattle Egret (Bubulcus Ibis) on Migratory Locust (Locusta Migratoria Capito) and Red Locust (Nomadacris Septemfasciata) in South and Southwest Regions of Madagascar

ANDIATSIREVOMBOLA¹

2016

Appl Ecol Env Res

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Abstract. Locust outbreaks in Madagascar cause economic damage, and biological control is an environment friendly option. This paper determined the predation values of Bubulcus ibis bird species as a measure that could contribute to an effective locust outbreak preventive control strategy. The study was conducted in the south and southwest regions of Madagascar that are heavily infested by red locust (Nomadacris septemfasciata) and the Migratory Locust (Locusta migratoria capito). Three types of experiments were done that included observed predation, potential predation and pecking frequency. The observed predation was 19 locusts per day in the outbreak period higher than recession period with a value of 3 locusts per day. The experimental predation was 54 locusts per day, and was higher than the observed predation in the outbreak period. The highest pecking frequencies were observed in Isoanala (mean = 20.34) followed by Bekily (mean = 8.34) and Tulear (mean = 5.75). The observations from Bekily and Tulear were significantly different (t (56) = 2.49, p = 0.000), because of vegetation type. In Tulear the vegetation was bushy and thick, which provided canopy for the locust unlike the savannah environment in Bekily. The use of birds in prevention of locust outbreak during recession was found to be interfered by other insects that were fed on by birds. Thus locusts can best be controlled by birds when their population increases in an outbreak. However, there is a need to assess the population of birds to determine if they were enough to predate on a locust outbreak.

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Past and Current Attempts to Evaluate the Role of Birds as Predators of Insect Pests in Temperate Agriculture

Cited by 79 publications

References 144 publications

Risk of Agricultural Practices and Habitat Change to Farmland Birds

Risk of Agricultural Practices and Habitat Change to Farmland Birds

Biocontrol of Cameraria ohridella by insectivorous birds in different landscape contexts

Predation Impact of Cattle Egret (Bubulcus Ibis) on Migratory Locust (Locusta Migratoria Capito) and Red Locust (Nomadacris Septemfasciata) in South and Southwest Regions of Madagascar

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