Impact of landscape improvement by agri-environment scheme options on densities of characteristic farmland bird species and brown hare (Lepus europaeus)

2014 ◽  
Vol 189 ◽  
pp. 101-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim S. Meichtry-Stier ◽  
Markus Jenny ◽  
Judith Zellweger-Fischer ◽  
Simon Birrer
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Lepus Europaeus ◽  
Brown Hare ◽  
Farmland Bird

scholarly journals A preliminary study on the detection of potential contaminants in the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) by suspect and microplastics screening

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 100045
Author(s):  
Romana Hornek-Gausterer ◽  
Herbert Oberacher ◽  
Vera Reinstadler ◽  
Christina Hartmann ◽  
Bettina Liebmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lepus Europaeus ◽  
Brown Hare ◽  
European Brown Hare ◽  
Preliminary Study

scholarly journals Developing indicators for European birds

2005 ◽  
Vol 360 (1454) ◽  
pp. 269-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard D Gregory ◽  
Arco van Strien ◽  
Petr Vorisek ◽  
Adriaan W Gmelig Meyling ◽  
David G Noble ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Level ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Farmland Birds ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Field Methods ◽  
Biodiversity Indicators ◽  
Farmland Bird

The global pledge to deliver ‘a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss by 2010’ is echoed in a number of regional and national level targets. There is broad consensus, however, that in the absence of conservation action, biodiversity will continue to be lost at a rate unprecedented in the recent era. Remarkably, we lack a basic system to measure progress towards these targets and, in particular, we lack standard measures of biodiversity and procedures to construct and assess summary statistics. Here, we develop a simple classification of biodiversity indicators to assist their development and clarify purpose. We use European birds, as example taxa, to show how robust indicators can be constructed and how they can be interpreted. We have developed statistical methods to calculate supranational, multi-species indices using population data from national annual breeding bird surveys in Europe. Skilled volunteers using standardized field methods undertake data collection where methods and survey designs differ slightly across countries. Survey plots tend to be widely distributed at a national level, covering many bird species and habitats with reasonable representation. National species' indices are calculated using log-linear regression, which allows for plot turnover. Supranational species' indices are constructed by combining the national species' indices weighted by national population sizes of each species. Supranational, multi-species indicators are calculated by averaging the resulting indices. We show that common farmland birds in Europe have declined steeply over the last two decades, whereas woodland birds have not. Evidence elsewhere shows that the main driver of farmland bird declines is increased agricultural intensification. We argue that the farmland bird indicator is a useful surrogate for trends in other elements of biodiversity in this habitat.

Predation Risk Drives Habitat-Specific Sex Ratio in a Monomorphic Species, the Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus)

Ethology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 121 (6) ◽  
pp. 593-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Hušek ◽  
Marek Panek ◽  
Piotr Tryjanowski
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Predation Risk ◽  
Lepus Europaeus ◽  
Brown Hare

scholarly journals Modelling the Impacts of Habitat Changes on the Population Density of Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) Based on Its Landscape Preferences

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 306
Author(s):  
Nándor Csikós ◽  
Péter Szilassi
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Landscape Patterns ◽  
Percentage Error ◽  
Alauda Arvensis ◽  
Rural Landscapes ◽  
Farmland Bird ◽  
Shape Complexity

The dramatic decline of the abundance of farmland bird species can be related to the level of land-use intensity or the land-cover heterogeneity of rural landscapes. Our study area in central Europe (Hungary) included 3049 skylark observation points and their 600 m buffer zones. We used a very detailed map (20 × 20 m minimum mapping unit), the Hungarian Ecosystem Basemap, as a land-cover dataset for the calculation of three landscape indices: mean patch size (MPS), mean fractal dimension (MFRACT), and Shannon diversity index (SDI) to describe the landscape structure of the study areas. Generalized linear models were used to analyze the effect of land-cover types and landscape patterns on the abundance of the Eurasian skylark (Alauda arvensis). According to our findings, the proportions of arable land, open sand steppes, closed grassland patches, and shape complexity and size characteristics of these land cover patches have a positive effect on skylark abundance, while the SDI was negatively associated with the skylark population. On the basis of the used statistical model, the abundance density (individuals/km*) of skylarks could be estimated with 37.77% absolute percentage error and 2.12 mean absolute error. We predicted the skylark population density inside the Natura 2000 Special Protected Area of Hungary which is 0–6 individuals/km* and 23746 ± 8968 skylarks. The results can be implemented for the landscape management of rural landscapes, and the method used are adaptable for the density estimation of other farmland bird species in rural landscapes. According to our findings, inside the protected areas should increase the proportion, the average size and shape complexity of arable land, salt steppes and meadows, and closed grassland land cover patches.

scholarly journals Glorious past, uncertain present, bad future? Assessing effects of land-use changes on habitat suitability for a threatened farmland bird species

2010 ◽  
Vol 143 (11) ◽  
pp. 2770-2778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattia Brambilla ◽  
Fabio Casale ◽  
Valentina Bergero ◽  
Giuseppe Bogliani ◽  
G. Matteo Crovetto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Farmland Bird ◽  
Effects Of Land Use

Habitat selection of an endangered European farmland bird, the Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana, in two contrasting landscapes: implications for management

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 144-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARTIN ŠÁLEK ◽  
VÍT ZEMAN ◽  
RADOVAN VÁCLAV
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Habitat Heterogeneity ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Woody Vegetation ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Habitat Features ◽  
Farmland Bird ◽  
Emberiza Hortulana ◽  
Ortolan Bunting

SummaryEffective conservation measures for any bird species across their distribution ranges require detailed knowledge of landscape-specific differences in habitat associations. The Ortolan Bunting Emberiza hortulana is a farmland bird species, which experienced massive population declines during the recent decades and has become a conservation priority in many European countries. Thus, identification of the key habitat features is an important prerequisite for the conservation of the species. Here we investigate habitat associations of the Ortolan Bunting for the remaining breeding population of the species in the Czech Republic. This population is remarkable by its distribution in two markedly different environments – farmland and post-mining landscapes. The main objectives of this study were to identify habitat features associated with Ortolan Bunting occurrence within the two contrasting landscapes and at two spatial scales. Our results reveal a high degree of habitat plasticity by Ortolan Buntings in the Czech Republic which was revealed by the landscape- and scale- specific habitat associations. Habitat heterogeneity, in terms of compositional and configurational diversity, and the cover of bare ground were the most important predictors of Ortolan Bunting occurrence in both landscape types. In farmland, the species occurrence was positively associated with shrub and woody vegetation, poppy fields and set-asides, and negatively associated with grasslands, gardens/orchards, seedlings and urban habitats. In the post-mining landscape, the cover of herb vegetation and greater slope steepness and terrain ruggedness were most important habitat features. Ortolan Buntings in the post-mining landscape appear to avoid patches with a higher cover of shrub and woody vegetation, forests, seedlings and urban areas. We propose that conservation measures for Ortolan Buntings should focus on enhancing farmland habitat heterogeneity, but also on regulating the rate of succession in disturbed environments, such as post-mining landscapes.

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