Habitat management effects on Prealpine grassland bird communities
Abstract: Currently, land abandonment constitutes a serious threat for many species tied to semi-natural grasslands. In southern Europe, the conservation of many grassland bird communities largely depends on low-intensity mountain farming. In this study, we analysed the effects of the main farming p...
Published in: | Italian Journal of Zoology |
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Taylor and Francis Ltd.
2015
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/2434/335405 https://doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2014.983566 http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/11250003.asp |
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ftunivmilanoair:oai:air.unimi.it:2434/335405 2024-02-04T09:52:24+01:00 Habitat management effects on Prealpine grassland bird communities G. Bazzi N. Saino D. Rubolini C. Foglini M. Brambilla G. Bazzi C. Foglini M. Brambilla N. Saino D. Rubolini 2015 http://hdl.handle.net/2434/335405 https://doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2014.983566 http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/11250003.asp eng eng Taylor and Francis Ltd. info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000353501900014 volume:82 issue:2 firstpage:251 lastpage:261 numberofpages:11 journal:THE ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY http://hdl.handle.net/2434/335405 doi:10.1080/11250003.2014.983566 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-84928628110 http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/11250003.asp Agricultural subsidie Alauda arvensi Anthus triviali grazing mowing Animal Science and Zoology Settore BIO/07 - Ecologia info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2015 ftunivmilanoair https://doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2014.983566 2024-01-09T23:33:23Z Abstract: Currently, land abandonment constitutes a serious threat for many species tied to semi-natural grasslands. In southern Europe, the conservation of many grassland bird communities largely depends on low-intensity mountain farming. In this study, we analysed the effects of the main farming practices promoting grassland maintenance, i.e. grazing and mowing, on species richness of a Prealpine grassland bird community and on the breeding densities of the two commonest grassland species, the skylark (Alauda arvensis Linnaeus, 1758) and the tree pipit (Anthus trivialis Linnaeus, 1758). The two study sites were located between 1100 and 2000 m above sea level in the Italian central Prealps. Grassland species richness was positively affected by grazing, and increased with increasing distance from the nearest woodland. Skylark density was positively influenced by mowing, grassland cover extent and distance from woodland, with the latter effect occurring only at a single study site. Finally, tree pipit density was positively affected by grazing. Our findings suggest that, in order to maintain open grasslands below the natural treeline and enhance the biodiversity of grassland bird communities, grazing should be preferred over mowing. Moreover, woodland edge effects may have a negative impact on mountain grassland bird communities. Advancing woodlands and abandonment of low-intensity farming and grazing practices may therefore constitute a serious threat for open-habitat specialist bird species of the Alpine region. Article in Journal/Newspaper Alauda arvensis The University of Milan: Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca (AIR) Italian Journal of Zoology 1 11 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Milan: Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca (AIR) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivmilanoair |
language |
English |
topic |
Agricultural subsidie Alauda arvensi Anthus triviali grazing mowing Animal Science and Zoology Settore BIO/07 - Ecologia |
spellingShingle |
Agricultural subsidie Alauda arvensi Anthus triviali grazing mowing Animal Science and Zoology Settore BIO/07 - Ecologia G. Bazzi N. Saino D. Rubolini C. Foglini M. Brambilla Habitat management effects on Prealpine grassland bird communities |
topic_facet |
Agricultural subsidie Alauda arvensi Anthus triviali grazing mowing Animal Science and Zoology Settore BIO/07 - Ecologia |
description |
Abstract: Currently, land abandonment constitutes a serious threat for many species tied to semi-natural grasslands. In southern Europe, the conservation of many grassland bird communities largely depends on low-intensity mountain farming. In this study, we analysed the effects of the main farming practices promoting grassland maintenance, i.e. grazing and mowing, on species richness of a Prealpine grassland bird community and on the breeding densities of the two commonest grassland species, the skylark (Alauda arvensis Linnaeus, 1758) and the tree pipit (Anthus trivialis Linnaeus, 1758). The two study sites were located between 1100 and 2000 m above sea level in the Italian central Prealps. Grassland species richness was positively affected by grazing, and increased with increasing distance from the nearest woodland. Skylark density was positively influenced by mowing, grassland cover extent and distance from woodland, with the latter effect occurring only at a single study site. Finally, tree pipit density was positively affected by grazing. Our findings suggest that, in order to maintain open grasslands below the natural treeline and enhance the biodiversity of grassland bird communities, grazing should be preferred over mowing. Moreover, woodland edge effects may have a negative impact on mountain grassland bird communities. Advancing woodlands and abandonment of low-intensity farming and grazing practices may therefore constitute a serious threat for open-habitat specialist bird species of the Alpine region. |
author2 |
G. Bazzi C. Foglini M. Brambilla N. Saino D. Rubolini |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
G. Bazzi N. Saino D. Rubolini C. Foglini M. Brambilla |
author_facet |
G. Bazzi N. Saino D. Rubolini C. Foglini M. Brambilla |
author_sort |
G. Bazzi |
title |
Habitat management effects on Prealpine grassland bird communities |
title_short |
Habitat management effects on Prealpine grassland bird communities |
title_full |
Habitat management effects on Prealpine grassland bird communities |
title_fullStr |
Habitat management effects on Prealpine grassland bird communities |
title_full_unstemmed |
Habitat management effects on Prealpine grassland bird communities |
title_sort |
habitat management effects on prealpine grassland bird communities |
publisher |
Taylor and Francis Ltd. |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/2434/335405 https://doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2014.983566 http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/11250003.asp |
genre |
Alauda arvensis |
genre_facet |
Alauda arvensis |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000353501900014 volume:82 issue:2 firstpage:251 lastpage:261 numberofpages:11 journal:THE ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY http://hdl.handle.net/2434/335405 doi:10.1080/11250003.2014.983566 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-84928628110 http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/11250003.asp |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1080/11250003.2014.983566 |
container_title |
Italian Journal of Zoology |
container_start_page |
1 |
op_container_end_page |
11 |
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1789973255429292032 |