Use of unimproved and improved lowland grassland by wintering birds in the UK

被引:36
作者
Barnett, PR
Whittingham, MJ
Bradbury, RB
Wilson, JD
机构
[1] Edward Grey Inst Field Ornithol, Dept Zool, Oxford OX1 3PS, England
[2] Royal Soc Protect Birds, Sandy SG19 2DL, Beds, England
[3] RSPB, REPB Scotland Headquarters, Edinburgh EH4 3TP, Midlothian, Scotland
基金
英国自然环境研究理事会;
关键词
bird conservation; extensive farming; foraging birds; intensive farming;
D O I
10.1016/S0167-8809(03)00278-0
中图分类号
S [农业科学];
学科分类号
09 ;
摘要
In the last 50 years, intensification of agricultural grassland management has led to over 97% of all grassland being 'improved' in the UK. Despite grassland being an important habitat for birds in Europe, both in terms of area and preference by several species of conservation concern, the impact of grassland intensification on both breeding and wintering birds is poorly understood. This study compared habitat characteristics and bird diversity, in winter, between improved and unimproved lowland grassland in England comprising 44 unimproved fields (350ha) and 59 improved fields (290ha) at 7 paired sites. Key habitat differences were found between grassland types. These included, on improved fields, a denser sward, less surface water, more dung flies and more fields with seeding grass. Species that are dependent on soil invertebrates (particularly earthworms) were found to be more numerous on unimproved grassland, whilst generalist insectivores such as corvids were much more numerous on improved grassland. Grassland improvement may have been one important factor behind the recent increases in numbers of some corvid species in the UK. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
引用
收藏
页码:49 / 60
页数:12
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