scholarly journals Weather and agricultural intensification determine the breeding performance of a small generalist predator

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula M. Orozco-Valor ◽  
Juan M. Grande
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Intensification ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Intensive Agriculture ◽  
Generalist Predator ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Breeding Performance ◽  
Avian Reproduction ◽  
American Kestrel ◽  
American Kestrels

AbstractLand-use changes due to agricultural intensification and climatic factors can affect avian reproduction. We use a top predator of agroecosystems, the American kestrel (Falco sparverius) breeding in nest boxes in Central Argentina as a study subject to identify if these two drivers interact to affect birds breeding. We analyzed their breeding performance across a gradient of agricultural intensification from native forest, traditional farmland to intensive farmland. The surface devoted to soybean was used as a proxy of agriculture intensification; however, it did not affect the breeding performance of American kestrels. Even though the presence of pastures was important to determine the probability of breeding successfully. Climatic variables had strong effects on the species breeding timing, on the number of nestlings raised by breeding pairs and on the probability of those pairs to breed successfully (raising at least one fledgling). Our results highlight the relevance of pastures and grasslands for American kestrel reproduction. These environments are the most affected by land-use change to intensive agriculture, being transformed into fully agricultural lands mostly devoted to soybean production. Therefore, future expansion of intensive agriculture may negatively affect the average reproductive parameters of American Kestrels, at least at a regional scale. Further research will be needed to disentangle the mechanisms by which weather variables affect kestrel breeding parameters.

Ancient Settlement, Urban Gardening, and Environment in the Gulf Lowlands of Mexico

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 385-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara L. Stark ◽  
Alanna Ossa
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Water Table ◽  
Agricultural Intensification ◽  
Urban Settlement ◽  
Settlement Density ◽  
Urban Gardening ◽  
Agrarian Societies ◽  
Seasonally Flooded ◽  
Flooded Areas

Urban settlement in the western lower Papaloapan River basin in the Gulf lowlands was dispersed and likely employed intensive gardening near domiciles. Land surrounding homes also may have played a symbolic role in these agrarian societies. Water works—formal ponds associated with temple platforms and other prominent structures as well as with many residential mounds—support the idea of symbolic as well as practical functions in land use around buildings. Dispersed occupation occurs in low elevations suited to recessional planting, a technique that takes advantage of dry season ground moisture in low areas where rain and flood waters recede as the water table drops. We analyze elevational zones to show greater settlement density in the low-lying Blanco River delta than in higher elevations upriver. Analysis of distances between archaeological residences and wetlands and drainages shows that residences generally were close to seasonally flooded areas. We also highlight anthropogenic qualities in the alluvial landscape, offering a land use perspective distinct from other views of agricultural intensification. The settlement pattern is compatible with Mesoamerican forms of urbanism.

Climate and land use change impacts on water resources in Sardinia (Italy)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dario Ruggiu ◽  
Salvatore Urru ◽  
Roberto Deidda ◽  
Francesco Viola
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Potential Evapotranspiration ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Annual Runoff ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Land Use Scenarios ◽  
Near Future

<p>The assessment of climate change and land use modifications effects on hydrological cycle is challenging. We propose an approach based on Budyko theory to investigate the relative importance of natural and anthropogenic drivers on water resources availability. As an example of application, the proposed approach is implemented in the island of Sardinia (Italy), which is affected by important processes of both climate and land use modifications. In details, the proposed methodology assumes the Fu’s equation to describe the mechanisms of water partitioning at regional scale and uses the probability distributions of annual runoff (Q) in a closed form. The latter is parametrized by considering simple long-term climatic info (namely first orders statistics of annual rainfall and potential evapotranspiration) and land use properties of basins.</p><p>In order to investigate the possible near future water availability of Sardinia, several climate and land use scenarios have been considered, referring to 2006-2050 and 2051-2100 periods. Climate scenarios have been generated considering fourteen bias corrected outputs of climatic models from EUROCORDEX’s project (RCP 8.5), while three land use scenarios have been created following the last century tendencies.</p><p>Results show that the distribution of annual runoff in Sardinia could be significantly affected by both climate and land use change. The near future distribution of Q generally displayed a decrease in mean and variance compared to the baseline.   </p><p>The reduction of  Q is more critical moving from 2006-2050 to 2051-2100 period, according with climatic trends, namely due to the reduction of annual rainfall and the increase of potential evapotranspiration. The effect of LU change on Q distribution is weaker than the climatic one, but not negligible.</p>

scholarly journals Climate impact on the development of Pre-Classic Maya civilisation

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 1253-1273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kees Nooren ◽  
Wim Z. Hoek ◽  
Brian J. Dermody ◽  
Didier Galop ◽  
Sarah Metcalfe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Agricultural Intensification ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Climate Impact ◽  
Classic Period ◽  
Beach Ridge ◽  
Maya Lowlands ◽  
The North ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. The impact of climate change on the development and disintegration of Maya civilisation has long been debated. The lack of agreement among existing palaeoclimatic records from the region has prevented a detailed understanding of regional-scale climatic variability, its climatic forcing mechanisms and its impact on the ancient Maya. We present two new palaeo-precipitation records for the central Maya lowlands, spanning the Pre-Classic period (1800 BCE–250 CE), a key epoch in the development of Maya civilisation. A beach ridge elevation record from world's largest late Holocene beach ridge plain provides a regional picture, while Lake Tuspan's diatom record is indicative of precipitation changes at a local scale. We identify centennial-scale variability in palaeo-precipitation that significantly correlates with the North Atlantic δ14C atmospheric record, with a comparable periodicity of approximately 500 years, indicating an important role of North Atlantic atmospheric–oceanic forcing on precipitation in the central Maya lowlands. Our results show that the Early Pre-Classic period was characterised by relatively dry conditions, shifting to wetter conditions during the Middle Pre-Classic period, around the well-known 850 BCE (2.8 ka) event. We propose that this wet period may have been unfavourable for agricultural intensification in the central Maya lowlands, explaining the relatively delayed development of Maya civilisation in this area. A return to relatively drier conditions during the Late Pre-Classic period coincides with rapid agricultural intensification in the region and the establishment of major cities.

The influence of Trichinella pseudospiralis infection on the behaviour of captive, nonbreeding American kestrels (Falco sparverius)

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (7) ◽  
pp. 1685-1692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michèle D. Saumier ◽  
Manfred E. Rau ◽  
David M. Bird
Keyword(s):  
Falco Sparverius ◽  
Competitive Fitness ◽  
American Kestrel ◽  
Behavioural Changes ◽  
Trichinella Pseudospiralis ◽  
Behavioural Effects ◽  
American Kestrels ◽  
Muscle Larvae ◽  
Adult Phase ◽  
Muscle Groups

Trichinella pseudospiralis infections induced mild behavioural changes in the American kestrel host (Falco sparverius) within the first 5 days postinoculation, a period that corresponds to the adult phase of the infection. However, more severe effects on mobility were precipitated as the larvae migrated and became established in the musculature. The debilitation persisted for at least 5 weeks postinoculation and involved a reduction in exercising, flying, elevated perching, and preening, and was accompanied by an increase in the frequency of walking and floor perching. Such behavioural effects, attributable to the presence of muscle larvae, may reduce the competitive fitness of infected individuals. The muscle larvae were randomly distributed among various muscle groups.

scholarly journals Quality of surface water related to land use: a case study in a catchment with small farms and intensive vegetable crop production in southern Brazil

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 656-668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karina Hacke Ribeiro ◽  
Nerilde Favaretto ◽  
Jeferson Dieckow ◽  
Luiz Cláudio de Paula Souza ◽  
Jean Paolo Gomes Minella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Total Nitrogen ◽  
Total Phosphorus ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Lower Percentage ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Particulate Nitrogen

Water degradation is strongly related to agricultural activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of land use and some environmental components on surface water quality in the Campestre catchment, located in Colombo, state of Parana, Brazil. Physical and chemical attributes were analyzed (total nitrogen, ammonium, nitrate, total phosphorus, electrical conductivity, pH, temperature, turbidity, total solids, biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand and dissolved oxygen). Monthly samples of the river water were taken over one year at eight monitoring sites, distributed over three sub-basins. Overall, water quality was worse in the sub-basin with a higher percentage of agriculture, and was also affected by a lower percentage of native forest and permanent preservation area, and a larger drainage area. Water quality was also negatively affected by the presence of agriculture in the riparian zone. In the summer season, probably due to higher rainfall and intensive soil use, a higher concentration of total nitrogen and particulate nitrogen was observed, as well as higher electrical conductivity, pH and turbidity. All attributes, except for total phosphorus, were in compliance with Brazilian Conama Resolution Nº 357/2005 for freshwater class 1. However, it should be noted that these results referred to the base flow and did not represent a discharge condition since most of the water samples were not collected at or near the rainfall event.

scholarly journals ANALISIS SINERGITAS TARIK ULUR KEPENTINGAN DALAM PRODUKSI PERTANIAN DAN JASA LINGKUNGAN

AGRICA ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Agustinus JP Ana Saga
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Intensive Agriculture ◽  
Environmental Services ◽  
Land Capability ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Earthworm Biomass ◽  
Intensive Land Use ◽  
Earthworm Populations

Synergi analysis of the tugging of interest  in agricultural production and envirometal services. Conversion of land functions into intensive agriculture can cause degradation or declining land capability. This is because farmers' orientation is always on production and ignoring environmental services. Intensive agriculture always causes environmental problems, resulting in a tug of war in agricultural production and environmental services. The purpose of this study is to find out how much intensive land use has resulted in a deterioration of environmental services. This research was carried out on intensive agricultural land (Horticulture) (PI), AF-CK (cloves), AF-KK (cocoa), AF-KM (candlenut), AF-KP (coffee), owned by farmers and AF-HS (forest secondary) in Tn. Kelimutu National. This research uses interviews and exploration methods. The results showed that the level of intensification of horticultural land use in Kelimutu was classified as very intensive with an R-value and an LUI index = 79, the survey results showed that the density of earthworm populations in SPL-AF was as low as the population in SPL-HS, on average only 3 tails m-2, while in SPL-PI the average is only 0.24 m 2. The earthworm biomass in AF is about 69% smaller than the worms found in SPL-HS; earthworm biomass average in SPL-AF 15 g m-2 while in SPL-HS an average of 47 g m-2; and the smallest worm biomass found in SPL-PI averaging about 2.3 g m-2. The diversity of earthworms is significantly different between land uses. The average diversity of earthworms (H ') reaches 0.88; Index R = 0.34; and Index E = 0.92. The four species that dominate are 1). Pontoscolex (endogeik, INP = 48.52), 2). Megascolex (endogeik; INP 44,61), 3). Pheretima (epigeic, INP 35.29), and 4). Lumbricus (epigeic, INP = 13.01)

scholarly journals Analysis of complex trophic networks reveals the signature of land-use intensification on soil communities in agroecosystems

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliette M. G. Bloor ◽  
Sara Si-Moussi ◽  
Pierre Taberlet ◽  
Pascal Carrère ◽  
Mickaël Hedde
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Food Web ◽  
Agricultural Intensification ◽  
Environmental Dna ◽  
Trophic Group ◽  
Interaction Networks ◽  
Land Use Intensity ◽  
Food Web Structure ◽  
Trophic Networks ◽  
Management Intensity

AbstractIncreasing evidence suggests that agricultural intensification is a threat to many groups of soil biota, but how the impacts of land-use intensity on soil organisms translate into changes in comprehensive soil interaction networks remains unclear. Here for the first time, we use environmental DNA to examine total soil multi-trophic diversity and food web structure for temperate agroecosystems along a gradient of land-use intensity. We tested for response patterns in key properties of the soil food webs in sixteen fields ranging from arable crops to grazed permanent grasslands as part of a long-term management experiment. We found that agricultural intensification drives reductions in trophic group diversity, although taxa richness remained unchanged. Intensification generally reduced the complexity and connectance of soil interaction networks and induced consistent changes in energy pathways, but the magnitude of management-induced changes depended on the variable considered. Average path length (an indicator of food web redundancy and resilience) did not respond to our management intensity gradient. Moreover, turnover of network structure showed little response to increasing management intensity. Our data demonstrates the importance of considering different facets of trophic networks for a clearer understanding of agriculture-biodiversity relationships, with implications for nature-based solutions and sustainable agriculture.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document