Impact of grassland farming intensification on the breeding ecology of an indicator insectivorous passerine, the Whinchat Saxicola rubetra:: Lessons for overall Alpine meadowland management
Impact of grassland farming intensification on the breeding ecology of an indicator insectivorous passerine, the Whinchat Saxicola rubetra:: Lessons for overall Alpine meadowland management
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DOI：
10.1016/j.biocon.2005.12.013
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发表时间：
2006-06-01
影响因子：
5.9
通讯作者：
Arlettaz, Raphael
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Britschgi, Adrian;Spaar, Reto;Arlettaz, Raphael
食虫农田雀形目鸟类的减少主要是由于农业活动的加强导致全球节肢动物的减少。减少的高山Whinchat，曾经是一个广泛的食虫雀，已被归因于巢损失由于早期和更频繁的割草。然而，退化的节肢动物食物供应的潜在共轭效应还有待调查。我们比较了食物供应和雏鸟饮食集中与传统管理的草地。节肢动物的栖息地和多样性要低得多，在密集的地区，小尺寸的无脊椎动物，不进入雏鸟的饮食，也占主导地位。在集约化生境中繁殖的亲鸟比传统生境中的成鸟给雏鸟提供的生物量少。雏鸟的饮食是不太多样化，占主导地位的利润较低的猎物项目在密集比传统的栖息地。两种栖息地的觅食率没有差异，但集约化农田中觅食距离巢穴的距离往往更大。在窝卵数和孵化成功率方面没有显着差异的管理强度，但雏鸟的成功率较高，在传统的栖息地。最近的集约化耕作方式导致草地无脊椎动物的可用性减少，特别是重要的Whinchat雏鸟食物，影响父母的觅食效率和繁殖成功。保护行动不仅要通过推迟割草来减少鸟巢的损失，而且还应该促进对无脊椎动物危害较小的草地耕作。在研究地点占主导地位的有机草地农业似乎并没有为阿尔卑斯山Whinchats提供足够的条件。(c)2005爱思唯尔有限公司保留所有权利。
The decline of insectivorous farmland passerines has been attributed mostly to global decrease in arthropod availability, as a result of intensification of agricultural practices. The diminution of the Alpine Whinchat, once a widespread insectivorous passerine, has been ascribed to nest losses due to earlier and more frequent mowings. However, potential conjugated effects of deteriorated arthropod food availability had yet to be investigated. We compared food supply and nestling diet in intensively vs. traditionally managed grassland. Abundance and diversity of arthropods were much lower in intensive areas, where small-sized invertebrates, which do not enter nestling diet, were also predominant. Parents breeding in intensive habitats fed less biomass to nestlings than adults from traditional habitats. Nestling diet was less diverse and dominated by less profitable prey items in intensive than in traditional habitats. Feeding rate did not differ between the two habitats, but foraging distances from nest tended to be greater in intensive farmland. There were no significant differences in clutch sizes and hatching success with respect to management intensity, but fledging success was higher in traditional habitats. The recent intensification of farming practices has led to a decrease in the availability of grassland invertebrates, and of important Whinchat nestling food in particular, affecting parents' foraging efficiency and reproductive success. Conservation actions must not only reduce nest losses by postponing mowing, but should also promote grassland farming that is less detrimental to invertebrates. Dominant at the study site, organic grassland farming does seemingly not provide sufficient conditions for Alpine Whinchats. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.