Natural habitat does not mediate vertebrate seed predation as an ecosystem dis-service to agriculture

Publikation: Beiträge in ZeitschriftenZeitschriftenaufsätzeForschungbegutachtet

Authors

Spillover of beneficial organisms from natural habitats to croplands can improve agro-ecosystem services, but wildlife can also negatively influence agricultural production. When managing agricultural landscapes to conserve biodiversity, we need to understand whether the availability of natural habitats increases ecosystem dis-services such as vertebrate seed predation to avoid risking higher costs than benefits. We studied whether vertebrates and their impact in crop seed predation are related to the percentage of natural (chaparral) and semi-natural habitat (planted forest with native and exotic trees) in an agricultural landscape of Israel. We selected 20 almond and 20 sunflower study sites within a landscape with varying percentages of natural (0-61%) and semi-natural (0-70%) habitats within a 1000 m radius of their surroundings. We observed birds, trapped rodents (in almond), counted seeds and noted feeding marks to obtain seed predation rates, at each site. Within the almond crops, we physically excluded birds, rodents and both to determine their relative and combined influence on seed predation. Neither vertebrate abundance nor species richness was influenced by the percentage of natural habitat. However, bird species richness increased with increasing percentage of semi-natural habitat. Seed predation across both crops was not influenced by natural or semi-natural habitat but increased significantly with increasing abundance and species richness of birds. This was also reflected by the exclusions of birds, vertebrates and both to the almond crop, leading to lowest seed predation when both groups were excluded. Synthesis and applications. Natural or semi-natural habitat did not influence the agro-ecosystem dis-service of seed predation by birds and rodents. Policymakers should consider promoting agri-environment schemes that include the conservation of natural habitats and the management of semi-natural habitats adjacent to cropland to enhance agro-ecosystem services meditated by beneficial organisms such as natural pest enemies and pollinators without fearing increased vertebrate seed predation. In order to provide more detailed management recommendations tackling the reduction of vertebrate dis-services, their feeding behaviour, metabolic needs, behaviour patterns and local abundances should be taken into account.

OriginalspracheEnglisch
ZeitschriftJournal of Applied Ecology
Jahrgang52
Ausgabenummer2
Seiten (von - bis)291-299
Anzahl der Seiten9
ISSN0021-8901
DOIs
PublikationsstatusErschienen - 04.2015

DOI

Zuletzt angesehen

Forschende

  1. Bettina Motschmann

Publikationen

  1. Einsamkeit und Freiheit
  2. Einführung in die Kulturphilosophie
  3. Biotechnologien für die „Dritte Welt“
  4. Nachhaltig transformativ?
  5. Interviews zum Komfort in der Flugzeugkabine
  6. Untersuchung des Abbaus der Zytostatika Ifosfamid und Cyclophosphamid mit dem Closed Bottle test (OECD 301).
  7. Effects of digital video-based feedback environments on pre-service teachers’ feedback competence
  8. Gender, Netzwerk, Aneignung. Professionalisierungsprozesse in digital-materieller Musikproduktion
  9. Das Gesetz zur Stärkung der Finanzmarktintegrität (FISG)
  10. Unternehmensrisiko Klimawandel
  11. The impact of external auditors on firms’ financial restatements.
  12. Unterrichtsqualität
  13. Frühzeitige Identifizierung des Qualifikationsbedarfes für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung und Gestaltung von Berufsprofilen
  14. Widerstand und Martyrium
  15. The influence of empowering leadership on repatriate knowledge transfer
  16. Weibliche Information und männliche Unterhaltung?
  17. Der Ökowald als Baustein einer Klimaschutzstrategie
  18. What can nudging offer to reduce workplace sexual harassment?
  19. Arbeiterkultur
  20. The renewable energy sector in Afghanistan
  21. Sapere aude: Bildung und Wissen im Widerstreit?
  22. Funktion und Profil von Lehrwerken in der Epoche von Standards und Kompetenzen
  23. Entrepreneurship as an area of psychology study
  24. Critique
  25. Sprachliche Prozeduren beim fachlichen Lernen: Begründen in Mathematik
  26. Weichenstellung Kohlekonsens
  27. Reale Utopien
  28. Walt O’Disney and the Little People
  29. Vielperspektivität auch in der Forschung?
  30. Begriffe und Perspektiven des Verbandsklagerechts
  31. Wer kommt (nicht) ins Paradies?
  32. § 287 Verantwortlichkeit während des Verzugs
  33. Hochschulgovernance im Dienste der Wissenschaft
  34. Another country, another city
  35. Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Energy