TY - JOUR

T1 - The combined effects of remnant vegetation and tree planting on farmland birds

AU - Cunningham, Ross B.

AU - Lindenmayer, David B.

AU - Crane, Mason

AU - Michael, Damian

AU - MacGregor, C.

AU - Montague-Drake, R.

AU - Fischer, J.

N1 - Times Cited: 16

PY - 2008/6

Y1 - 2008/6

N2 - Biodiversity conservation on agricultural land is a major issue worldwide, We estimated separate and joint effects of remnant native woodland vegetation and recent tree plantings on birds on farms (approximately 500-1000 ha) in the heavily cleared wheat and sheep belt of southern Australia. Much of the variation (> 70%) in bird responses was explained by 3 factors: remnant native-vegetation attributes (native grassland, scattered paddock trees, patches of remnant native woodland); presence or absence of planted native trees; and the size and shape of tree plantings. In terms of the number of species, remnant native vegetation was more important than tree planting, in a 3:1 ratio, approximately. Farms with high values for remnant native vegetation were those most likely to support declining or vulnerable species, although some individual species of conservation concern occurred on farms with large plantings. Farm management for improved bird conservation should account for the cumulative and complementary contributions of many components of remnant native-vegetation cover (e.g., scattered paddock trees and fallen timber) as well as areas of restored native vegetation.

AB - Biodiversity conservation on agricultural land is a major issue worldwide, We estimated separate and joint effects of remnant native woodland vegetation and recent tree plantings on birds on farms (approximately 500-1000 ha) in the heavily cleared wheat and sheep belt of southern Australia. Much of the variation (> 70%) in bird responses was explained by 3 factors: remnant native-vegetation attributes (native grassland, scattered paddock trees, patches of remnant native woodland); presence or absence of planted native trees; and the size and shape of tree plantings. In terms of the number of species, remnant native vegetation was more important than tree planting, in a 3:1 ratio, approximately. Farms with high values for remnant native vegetation were those most likely to support declining or vulnerable species, although some individual species of conservation concern occurred on farms with large plantings. Farm management for improved bird conservation should account for the cumulative and complementary contributions of many components of remnant native-vegetation cover (e.g., scattered paddock trees and fallen timber) as well as areas of restored native vegetation.

KW - Biology

KW - farmland birds

KW - landscape restoration

KW - native remnant woodlands

KW - replanted native vegetation

KW - Environmental planning

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=44949246382&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2008.00924.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2008.00924.x

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 18477028

VL - 22

SP - 742

EP - 752

JO - Conservation Biology

JF - Conservation Biology

SN - 0888-8892

IS - 3

ER -