| Title | The occurrence of a flagship raptor species in intensive agroecosystems is associated with more diverse farmland bird communities: Opportunities for market-based conservation |
| Abstract | Traditional livestock systems have supported farmland biodiversity for millennia. However, modern intensive
husbandry is challenging wildlife persistence in agroecosystems. We assessed the multiscale determinants of the
species richness of breeding bird communities, as well as the occurrence of a flagship raptor species, the lesser
kestrel Falco naumanni, in an intensive agroecosystem mostly dedicated to the production of the world-renowned
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. We relied on three avian community richness metrics reflecting a gradient of
increasing association with farmed landscapes, i.e. the overall breeding bird species richness, the richness of
farmland species, and the richness of ground-nesters (i.e. species that mostly breed within crops) and tested their
association with the landscape, agricultural, and pedological variables as well as with lesser kestrel occurrence.
We showed that environmental variables determining overall richer avian assemblages did not coincide with
those shaping farmland and ground-nesting species richness, thus challenging the potential effectiveness of
conservation actions. However, such actions could be optimized by taking into account different spatial scales
affecting different species groups. Indeed, landscape heterogeneity, semi-natural/marginal habitats, and a
moderate cover of build-up areas enhanced overall species richness at a small spatial scale. At a broader scale,
landscape heterogeneity enhanced farmland species richness, whereas fragmentation determined by urbanization
negatively affected ground-nesters. Avian community richness metrics were maximized at an intermediate
cover of three prevailing crops (winter, summer, and hay crops), increasing when they co-occurred, i.e., in the
presence of crop rotation. Lesser kestrel occurrence was associated with richer assemblages of ground-nesting
species because this raptor and ground-nesters showed analogous ecological requirements. These findings suggest
that the lesser kestrel can be regarded as an ideal flagship for market-based conservation initiatives (e.g.,
tailored to the production of biodiversity-friendly agri-food products) in intensive agroecosystems since actions
aimed at improving the foraging habitats of the species are likely to benefit co-occurring farmland birds of
conservation interest. |
| Source | Agriculture, ecosystems & environment (Print) |
| Keywords | HAY CROPFALCO NAUMANNILANDSCAPE HETEROGENEITYLIVESTOCKPEDOLOGYSPATIAL SCALE |
| Journal | Agriculture, ecosystems & environment (Print) |
| Editor | Elsevier, Amsterdam, Paesi Bassi |
| Year | 2023 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.agee.2023.108441 |
| Authors | Giacomo Assandri a,*, Gaia Bazzi a, Leonardo Siddi b, Riccardo Nardelli a, Jacopo G. Cecere a, Diego Rubolini b,c, Michelangelo Morganti c |
| Text | 484807 2023 10.1016/j.agee.2023.108441 HAY CROP FALCO NAUMANNI LANDSCAPE HETEROGENEITY LIVESTOCK PEDOLOGY SPATIAL SCALE The occurrence of a flagship raptor species in intensive agroecosystems is associated with more diverse farmland bird communities Opportunities for market based conservation Giacomo Assandri a, , Gaia Bazzi a, Leonardo Siddi b, Riccardo Nardelli a, Jacopo G. Cecere a, Diego Rubolini b,c, Michelangelo Morganti c ISPRA; CNR IRSA; Univ.Milano; NBFC Traditional livestock systems have supported farmland biodiversity for millennia. However, modern intensive husbandry is challenging wildlife persistence in agroecosystems. We assessed the multiscale determinants of the species richness of breeding bird communities, as well as the occurrence of a flagship raptor species, the lesser kestrel Falco naumanni, in an intensive agroecosystem mostly dedicated to the production of the world renowned Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. We relied on three avian community richness metrics reflecting a gradient of increasing association with farmed landscapes, i.e. the overall breeding bird species richness, the richness of farmland species, and the richness of ground nesters i.e. species that mostly breed within crops and tested their association with the landscape, agricultural, and pedological variables as well as with lesser kestrel occurrence. We showed that environmental variables determining overall richer avian assemblages did not coincide with those shaping farmland and ground nesting species richness, thus challenging the potential effectiveness of conservation actions. However, such actions could be optimized by taking into account different spatial scales affecting different species groups. Indeed, landscape heterogeneity, semi natural/marginal habitats, and a moderate cover of build up areas enhanced overall species richness at a small spatial scale. At a broader scale, landscape heterogeneity enhanced farmland species richness, whereas fragmentation determined by urbanization negatively affected ground nesters. Avian community richness metrics were maximized at an intermediate cover of three prevailing crops winter, summer, and hay crops , increasing when they co occurred, i.e., in the presence of crop rotation. Lesser kestrel occurrence was associated with richer assemblages of ground nesting species because this raptor and ground nesters showed analogous ecological requirements. These findings suggest that the lesser kestrel can be regarded as an ideal flagship for market based conservation initiatives e.g., tailored to the production of biodiversity friendly agri food products in intensive agroecosystems since actions aimed at improving the foraging habitats of the species are likely to benefit co occurring farmland birds of conservation interest. Published version Articolo in rivista Elsevier 0167 8809 Agriculture, ecosystems environment Print Agriculture, ecosystems environment Print Agric. ecosyst. environ. Print Agriculture, ecosystems environment. Print Agriculture, ecosystems and environment Print RUBOLINI DIEGO michelangelo.morganti MORGANTI MICHELANGELO |
