RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Local habitat and landscape influence high predation of bird nests on afforested Mediterranean cropland
A1 Sánchez Oliver, Juan Salvador
A1 Rey Benayas, José María
A1 Carrascal, Luis M.
K1 Artificial nests
K1 Farmland habitat
K1 Land use types
K1 Magpie abundance
K1 Pine plantations
K1 Medio Ambiente
K1 Environmental science
AB Afforestation programs such as the one promoted by the EU Common Agrarian Policy have contributed to spread tree plantations on former cropland. Nevertheless these afforestations may cause severe damage to open habitat species, especially birds of high conservation value. We investigated predation of artificial bird nests at young tree plantations and at the open farmland habitat adjacent to the tree plantations in central Spain. Predation rates were very high at both tree plantations (95.6%) and open farmland habitat (94.2%) after two and three week exposure. Plantation edge/area ratio and development of the tree canopy decreased predation rates and plantation area and magpie (Pica pica) abundance increased predation rates within tree plantations, which were also affected by land use types around plantations. The area of nearby tree plantations (positive effect), distance to the tree plantation edge (negative effect), and habitat type (mainly attributable to the location of nests in vineyards) explained predation rates at open farmland habitat. We conclude that predation rates on artificial nests were particularly high and rapid at or nearby large plantations, with high numbers of magpies and low tree development, and located in homogenous landscapes dominated by herbaceous crops and pastures with no remnants of semi-natural woody vegetation. Landscape planning should not favour tree plantations as the ones studied here in Mediterranean agricultural areas that are highly valuable for ground-nesting bird species.
SN 1146-609X
YR 2014
FD 2014
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10017/38567
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10017/38567
LA eng
NO Ministerio de Ciencia y Educación
DS MINDS@UW
RD 24-abr-2024