Unused railway lines for conservation of pollinators in the intensively managed agricultural landscape

Dangerous and useful at the same time: management strategies for the invasive black locust The North American black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is considered controversial as many other introduced tree species because of its both positive and negative properties. Based on a literature review and own data we analyze the occurrence of black locust in Czechia and Switzerland and present the management approaches in place. In both countries, black locust is on the blacklist of invasive introduced species. It can grow in a wide range of habitats from urban and agricultural landscape to dry grassland and forest. Meanwhile, the species became in many places part of the environment and human culture, so that neither unrestricted cultivation nor large-scale eradication is feasible. We suggest a context-dependent management which respects the different needs and takes into account the local environmental conditions, land-use, habitat type, risk of spread as well as economic, cultural and biodiversity aspects. To this purpose we propose three management strategies: 1) control respectively gradual suppression of black locust in forests where the species is not welcome, 2) its eradication in sensitive ecosystems as dry grasslands or clear and dry forests and 3) its tolerance in intensively managed agricultural landscapes and in urban environment.

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Floodplains as a source of fine sediment in grazed landscapes: Tracing the source of suspended sediment in the headwaters of an intensively managed agricultural landscape

Geomorphology ◽

10.1016/j.geomorph.2018.01.022 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 308 ◽

pp. 278-292 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Mingjing Yu ◽

Bruce L. Rhoads

Keyword(s):

Suspended Sediment ◽

Agricultural Landscape ◽

Fine Sediment ◽

Intensively Managed

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Spatial distribution of soils determines export of nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon from an intensively managed agricultural landscape

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-9-4513-2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (11) ◽

pp. 4513-4525 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

T. Wohlfart ◽

J.-F. Exbrayat ◽

K. Schelde ◽

B. Christen ◽

T. Dalgaard ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Carbon ◽

Dissolved Organic Carbon ◽

Agricultural Landscape ◽

Agricultural Land ◽

Stream Water ◽

Organic Soils ◽

Total N ◽

Small Catchment ◽

Landscape Characteristics ◽

Intensively Managed

Abstract. The surrounding landscape of a stream has crucial impacts on the aquatic environment. This study pictures the hydro-biogeochemical situation of the Tyrebækken creek catchment in central Jutland, Denmark. The intensively managed agricultural landscape is dominated by rotational croplands. The small catchment mainly consist of sandy soil types besides organic soils along the streams. The aim of the study was to characterise the relative influence of soil type and land use on stream water quality. Nine snapshot sampling campaigns were undertaken during the growing season of 2009. Total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), nitrate (NO3−), ammonium nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations were measured, and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) was calculated for each grabbed sample. Electrical conductivity, pH and flow velocity were measured during sampling. Statistical analyses showed significant differences between the northern, southern and converged stream parts, especially for NO3− concentrations with average values between 1.4 mg N l−1 and 9.6 mg N l−1. Furthermore, throughout the sampling period DON concentrations increased to 2.8 mg N l−1 in the northern stream contributing up to 81% to TDN. Multiple-linear regression analyses performed between chemical data and landscape characteristics showed a significant negative influence of organic soils on instream N concentrations and corresponding losses in spite of their overall minor share of the agricultural land (12.9%). On the other hand, organic soil frequency was positively correlated to the corresponding DOC concentrations. Croplands also had a significant influence but with weaker correlations. For our case study we conclude that the fractions of coarse textured and organic soils have a major influence on N and DOC export in this intensively used landscape. Meanwhile, the contribution of DON to the total N losses was substantial.

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Habitat Associations of Bats in an Agricultural Landscape: Linear Features Versus Open Habitats

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10101856 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. 1856 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Domhnall Finch ◽

Henry Schofield ◽

Fiona Mathews

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Agricultural Landscape ◽

Survey Design ◽

Habitat Associations ◽

Agricultural Fields ◽

Linear Features ◽

Bat Activity ◽

Linear Feature ◽

Species Groups ◽

Intensively Managed

1. Bats are important components of agricultural ecosystems. However, little is known about the extent to which bats use linear features when foraging and commuting in agricultural settings, when compared to the interior of fields. 2. As part of a large-scale citizen science project, bat detectors were placed in the centre of agricultural fields (arable and pasture) and along linear features (intensively managed hedgerows, sympathetically managed hedgerows and treelines). 3. Our results show that all 10 of the bat species groups identified were found both along linear features and in the middle of agricultural fields. Of the five species groups analysed further, all had significantly more bat activity along linear features compared to the middle of fields, except for Nyctalus noctula. However, our results showed that 29% of calls from Rhinolophus ferrumequinum were recorded in the middle of agricultural fields, compared to only 10% for Pipistrellus pipistrellus. Bat activity was more likely to be associated with treelines compared to other linear feature types. 4. Our results highlight the importance of linear feature management to bat conservation, but also the need to consider field centres during survey design and Environmental Impact Assessments.

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Harbouring pests: rabbit warrens in agricultural landscapes

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr11051 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 38 (8) ◽

pp. 756 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

I. C. Barrio ◽

R. Villafuerte ◽

F. S. Tortosa

Keyword(s):

Spatial Pattern ◽

Agricultural Landscape ◽

Linear Models ◽

Agricultural Practices ◽

Agricultural Landscapes ◽

Southern Spain ◽

Wild Rabbit ◽

Habitat Features ◽

Intensively Managed ◽

Key Resources

Context Warrens are central to rabbit biology and available warren space can set a limit to the number of rabbits living in an area. Therefore, quantifying and analysing the distribution of rabbit warrens is a key step towards the management of the species in agricultural lands where it causes significant damage to crops. Aims The present study investigates the distribution and spatial pattern of wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) warrens in an intensively managed agricultural landscape within the rabbit’s native range in semiarid southern Spain, where rabbits constitute an emerging pest problem. Methods All natural rabbit warrens within two sites were mapped, and information on their size, use and protection was recorded. The effects of environmental variables (e.g. habitat features and distances to key resources) in determining warren occurrence were evaluated using binomial generalised linear models (GLM). Key results The main variable explaining warren occurrence was the distance to the nearest neighbouring warren. Habitat variables and the distances to key resources played only a secondary role, and were mainly related to frequent ploughing linked to agricultural practices that prevent warren construction. Conclusions Habitat instability resulting from agricultural practices (i.e. frequent ploughing and intensive human disturbance) promotes warren construction on stable grounds only and partly explains the clumped spatial pattern found. However, warren occurrence in intensively managed agricultural areas seems to be more constrained by the proximity of neighbouring warrens that would facilitate rabbit recolonisation from patches nearby. Despite becoming increasingly scarce as a result of agricultural intensification, these unploughed remnants may act as safe islands for digging warrens. Implications The management of unploughed patches and the connectivity among them in semiarid agroecosystems of southern Spain is therefore of utmost importance to the management of rabbits as an agricultural pest.

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Determination of atmospheric nitrogen deposition to a semi-natural peat bog site in an intensively managed agricultural landscape

Atmospheric Environment ◽

10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.08.034 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 97 ◽

pp. 296-309 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Miriam Hurkuck ◽

Christian Brümmer ◽

Karsten Mohr ◽

Ludger Grünhage ◽

Heinz Flessa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Deposition ◽

Agricultural Landscape ◽

Peat Bog ◽

Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition ◽

Atmospheric Nitrogen ◽

Intensively Managed

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Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) mortality in relation to fodder harvest in agricultural landscape

Mammalia ◽

10.1515/mammalia-2018-0002 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 83 (5) ◽

pp. 461-469 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jan Cukor ◽

František Havránek ◽

Zdeněk Vacek ◽

Karel Bukovjan ◽

Vilém Podrázský ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cultural Landscape ◽

Agricultural Landscape ◽

Roe Deer ◽

Capreolus Capreolus ◽

Search Method ◽

Innovative Methods ◽

Hunting Dogs ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽

Intensively Managed

Abstract In the agricultural landscape, thousands of animals are killed yearly as a result of agricultural machinery innovation, mostly because of a higher harvesting speed and wider cutting bars. Harvesting machines besides predation by red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) on roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) in the intensively managed cultural landscape are the most crucial factor in fawn mortality. This article offers an evaluation of the mostly used preventive methods, which aim to drive roe deer does along with their fawns out of fodder meadows prepared for harvest in the Czech Republic. Evaluation of efficiency and effectiveness of the different methods was made based on the questionnaire survey published in a professional hunting journal. The assessment of responses from a survey was followed by a field-based investigation conducted before fodder harvesting. The devices studied for efficiency were acoustic, optical and scent deterrents in comparison to the traditional search method combined with volunteers and hunting dogs. The results show differences in the number of fawns saved per hectare. A significant difference was found only between the optical deterrent method (0.4 fawns saved per hectare) and traditional search method (0.09 fawns saved per hectare). This study found no substantial difference among various deterring devices in terms of their effectiveness in reducing the mortality of roe deer fawns. Thus, it is important to explore the innovative methods in the future that can work most effectively for saving not only deer fawns, but also other game animals in the cultural landscape.

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