Unravelling trophic subsidies of agroecosystems for biodiversity conservation: Food consumption and nutrient recycling by waterbirds in Mediterranean rice fields

Navedo, Juan G.; Hahn, Steffen; Parejo, Manuel; Abad‐Gómez, José M.; Gutiérrez, Jorge S.; Villegas, Auxiliadora; Sánchez‐Guzmán, Juan M.; Masero, José A.

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.12.068

Cited by 39 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Advances have been made to provide benefits for wildlife in anthropogenic habitats such as rice fields (e.g. Navedo et al 2015a) and coffee plantations (e.g. Caudill, de Clerck & Husband 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Identifying management actions to increase foraging opportunities for shorebirds at semi‐intensive shrimp farms

Navedo

Fernández

Valdivia

et al. 2016

Journal of Applied Ecology

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1. The expansion of aquaculture has resulted in widespread habitat conversion throughout the world. Identifying beneficial management measures may dramatically reduce negative impacts of aquaculture for migratory birds. 2. We studied how densities of foraging shorebirds varied at ponds within a semi-intensive shrimp aquaculture farm on the north-western coast of Mexico, as related to timing of harvest and tidal cycles. Further, we estimated the total daily available area for each shorebird species throughout two entire harvesting seasons at the shrimp farm. 3. High densities (average ca. 50 individuals per ha) of foraging shorebirds were found during the first days following pond harvest. The most abundant species were Willet Tringa semipalmata and Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus, followed by Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa and American Avocet Recurvirostra americana. Other regular, but less abundant, species were whimbrel Numenius phaeopus and dowitchers Limnodromus spp. 4. Densities of shorebirds sharply declined daily following harvest. In addition, the time-window availability of harvested ponds was related to each species' foraging behaviour: <2 days for godwits and dowitchers, 4 days for stilts, 5 days for willets and more than a week for avocets and whimbrels. However, birds continued to use harvested ponds that received a low, but continuous water influx. 5. Our results demonstrate that a tropical shrimp farm represents a patchy environment that provides 4Á3-12Á7% (depending on species) of its total area as foraging opportunities for shorebirds. 6. Synthesis and applications. Sequential harvesting of shrimp aquaculture farm ponds and increasing moisture of the substrate by providing some water supply to harvested ponds, at least throughout the harvesting period, could integrate shorebird conservation into shrimpfarm production. These low-cost and easy management procedures would not increase costs or affect shrimp productionthus representing a win-win opportunityand would have potential applications for shorebird conservation throughout the world.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The appropriate management of semi-intensive shrimp aquaculture systems can help to mitigate their impacts on natural systems and may result in trophic subsidies to wildlife (Walton et al 2015a), mimicking other agroecosystems (e.g. Navedo et al 2015a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying management actions to increase foraging opportunities for shorebirds at semi‐intensive shrimp farms

Navedo

Fernández

Valdivia

et al. 2016

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…However, some agricultural areas such as rice fields can act as wetland surrogates and have been largely occupied as feeding habitats for many waterbird species (Navedo et al, 2015), thus providing a significant ecological benefit compared with other cultures. Migrant birds engage in a number of adaptations prior to onset of long-distance endurance flights.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The reduction or modification of natural wetlands as a consequence of human population increase and land conversion into urban and agricultural areas has been accompanied by an expansion of agricultural wetlands for rice production across its distribution range (Sutherland et al, 2012). In the Iberian Peninsula, rice fields provide lodging and artificial foraging habitat for large numbers of waterbirds, and particularly shorebirds, throughout the winter, including black-tailed godwits (Elphick et al, 2010;Lourenço et al, 2010;Navedo et al, 2015). This is particularly evident during their extended stopover in Iberian rice fields between January and February, when these birds efficiently forage almost exclusively on rice kernels, thereby relying on a carbohydrate-rich diet based on plant material for refueling Santiago-Quesada et al, 2009;Alves et al, 2010;Lourenço et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metabolic plasticity for subcutaneous fat accumulation in a long distance migratory bird traced by 2H2O

Viegas

Araújo

Rocha

et al. 2017

Journal of Experimental Biology

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The migrant black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa) traditionally used natural wetlands in the Iberian Peninsula to prepare for migratory flights by feeding mainly in estuaries. In recent decades, this species has become increasingly dependent on rice fields, thereby relying on a plant-based diet for fuelling. Dietary fatty acids (FA) seem to be determinant to the composition of accumulated subcutaneous fat in migratory birds. It is still unclear whether metabolic plasticity allows for modification and/or synthesis of FA, contributing to a lipid profile that enables a successful migratory performance. Deuterated water was administered to captive black-tailed godwits submitted to two diets (fly larvae versus rice) and the incorporation of deuterium ( 2 H) into subcutaneous triglycerides was analyzed by NMR. A recently developed localized biopsy method for sampling subcutaneous fat was employed with later successful release of all birds into the wild. The average chemical structure reflected mostly a mixture of saturated and monounsaturated 16-and 18-carbon FA, a profile frequently found in migrant birds. Significantly higher levels of polyunsaturated FA, as well as detectable levels of n-3 FA, were observed in fly-larvae-fed birds. Excess 2 H-enrichments in FA revealed significantly higher rates of fractional de novo lipogenesis and FA desaturation capacity in rice-fed birds. This novel and nonlethal tracer method revealed the capacity of this species to alter its lipid metabolism to compensate for a poorer dietary lipid contribution. Because of its versatility, adapting this method to other scenarios and/or other migratory species is considered feasible and costeffective.

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“…are known to feed almost exclusively in rice fields in Spain and Portugal (e.g. Navedo, et al, 2015) and unpublished data collected by researchers at Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC indicate that, with the exception of Anas clypeata, ducks are obtaining almost all their nutrition from the rice fields around VLP between October and February. Hence during this time, these ducks are omitted from the estimations of consumption.…”

Section: The Daily Energy Expenditure (Dee) = 3×bmr×cf×hmentioning

confidence: 99%

A model for the future: Ecosystem services provided by the aquaculture activities of Veta la Palma, Southern Spain

et al. 2015

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The lack of space and opportunity for development have been identified as key reasons behind the stagnation of the European aquaculture industry. With the historical loss and degradation of current European wetlands there is an opportunity for harnessing the commercial investment of the aquaculture industry in construction of dual purpose wetlands that incorporate both conservation and extensive aquaculture activities. These wetlands can be used to expand the area available to suitable aquaculture into ecologically sensitive areas, such as Natura 2000 sites. Veta la Palma (VLP) situated in the Doñana Natural Park (and a Natura 2000 site) is an example of such an aquaculture development and a possible model for future opportunities. In the current study some of the important ecosystem services that are provided by VLP are assessed. The provisioning services of VLP were the economic rationale for the investment and more than 820 tonnes yr -1 of fish and shrimp is produced, through a mixture of semi-extensive and extensive aquaculture. The regulating services include nutrient absorption, and the flow of river water through VLP and high primary production results in the absorption of 377 tonnes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen yr -1 , and 516 tonnes of C yr -1 . Supporting services include the provision of habitat for more than 94 bird and 21 fish species. The primary production that supports the birds, extensive and semiextensive aquaculture production was also estimated to be 167,000 t, 50,000 t and 133,000 t yr -1 , respectively. The losses to birds are substantial and these estimates indicate that almost half of the primary production supports the wetland birds which directly consume 249 tonnes of fish and 2578 tonnes of invertebrates per annum. However it is the ecological credentials of the farm that enable premium prices and hence ensure the economic viability of the farm. The study demonstrates the possibility of using aquaculture to mitigate the historical loss of wetlands, provide significant ecosystem services and contribute to achievement of the European environmental legislative goals, and furthers the opportunity for the expansion of aquaculture into sensitive but impacted habitats.

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Unravelling trophic subsidies of agroecosystems for biodiversity conservation: Food consumption and nutrient recycling by waterbirds in Mediterranean rice fields

Cited by 39 publications

References 61 publications

Identifying management actions to increase foraging opportunities for shorebirds at semi‐intensive shrimp farms

Identifying management actions to increase foraging opportunities for shorebirds at semi‐intensive shrimp farms

Metabolic plasticity for subcutaneous fat accumulation in a long distance migratory bird traced by 2H2O

A model for the future: Ecosystem services provided by the aquaculture activities of Veta la Palma, Southern Spain

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