Value of large-scale linear networks for bird conservation: a case study from Travelling Stock Routes, Australia
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In: Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, Vol. 141, No. 3-4, 05.2011, p. 302-309.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Value of large-scale linear networks for bird conservation
T2 - a case study from Travelling Stock Routes, Australia
AU - Lentini, Pia E.
AU - Fischer, Joern
AU - Gibbons, Phil
AU - Hanspach, Jan
AU - Martin, Tara
PY - 2011/5
Y1 - 2011/5
N2 - We investigated the potential role of the travelling stock route network, Australia, in the conservation of declining birds. We surveyed 32 linear remnants and 24 adjacent agricultural fields of crop, native pasture or exotic pasture, for woodland birds. Compared to surrounding agricultural fields, linear remnants provided better habitat for woodland birds. Within the remnants, vegetation structural complexity was a better predictor of woodland bird richness than remnant width. In the fields the highest number of species was found in native pastures, and there was also a positive association with the number of scattered trees retained. Interestingly, there was a negative association with the width of the stock route running next to the field, with narrower linear remnants providing a greater source of avian visitors to farmland. Our findings suggest that investments in woodland bird habitat may be best spent protecting smaller, better quality remnants, or enhancing structural complexity of the vegetation already present. Existing networks of linear remnants present a low cost opportunity for regional scale conservation across extensively cleared agricultural landscapes.
AB - We investigated the potential role of the travelling stock route network, Australia, in the conservation of declining birds. We surveyed 32 linear remnants and 24 adjacent agricultural fields of crop, native pasture or exotic pasture, for woodland birds. Compared to surrounding agricultural fields, linear remnants provided better habitat for woodland birds. Within the remnants, vegetation structural complexity was a better predictor of woodland bird richness than remnant width. In the fields the highest number of species was found in native pastures, and there was also a positive association with the number of scattered trees retained. Interestingly, there was a negative association with the width of the stock route running next to the field, with narrower linear remnants providing a greater source of avian visitors to farmland. Our findings suggest that investments in woodland bird habitat may be best spent protecting smaller, better quality remnants, or enhancing structural complexity of the vegetation already present. Existing networks of linear remnants present a low cost opportunity for regional scale conservation across extensively cleared agricultural landscapes.
KW - Ecosystems Research
KW - Corridor
KW - Ecosystem services
KW - Landscape supplementation
KW - Linear remnant
KW - Matrix
KW - Scattered tree
KW - Corridor
KW - Ecosystem services
KW - Landscape supplementation
KW - Linear remnant
KW - Matrix
KW - Scattered tree
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79958061202&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.agee.2011.03.008
DO - 10.1016/j.agee.2011.03.008
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 141
SP - 302
EP - 309
JO - Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment
JF - Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment
SN - 0167-8809
IS - 3-4
ER -