Abundance of invertebrate prey for birds on organic and conventional arable farms in the Netherlands
As a result of agricultural intensification, populations of farmland birds have been in steep decline for several decades. Reduction in food abundance has been mentioned as one factor behind these declines. Extensive farm management, such as use of organic methods, is expected to provide more food f...
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ftunivwagenin:oai:library.wur.nl:wurpubs/412064 2024-02-04T09:52:24+01:00 Abundance of invertebrate prey for birds on organic and conventional arable farms in the Netherlands Kragten, S. Tamis, W.L.M. Gentenaar, E. Midcap Ramiro, S.M. van der Poll, R.J. Wang, J. de Snoo, G.R. 2011 application/pdf https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/abundance-of-invertebrate-prey-for-birds-on-organic-and-conventio https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959270910000079 en eng https://edepot.wur.nl/184868 https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/abundance-of-invertebrate-prey-for-birds-on-organic-and-conventio doi:10.1017/S0959270910000079 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Wageningen University & Research Bird Conservation International 21 (2011) 1 ISSN: 0959-2709 agricultural intensification breeding success diversity farmland birds hirundo-rustica landscape northern europe populations skylarks alauda-arvensis vanellus-vanellus info:eu-repo/semantics/article Article/Letter to editor info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2011 ftunivwagenin https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959270910000079 2024-01-10T23:22:18Z As a result of agricultural intensification, populations of farmland birds have been in steep decline for several decades. Reduction in food abundance has been mentioned as one factor behind these declines. Extensive farm management, such as use of organic methods, is expected to provide more food for birds. In this study we compared invertebrate prey abundance for birds during the breeding season between organic and conventional arable farms. We made comparisons for three different groups of birds: (1) birds feeding on soil-living invertebrates (earthworms), (2) birds feeding on ground-dwelling invertebrates and (3) birds feeding on aerial invertebrates. Invertebrate abundance was compared between organic and conventional farms, crop and non-crop habitats, and between crop and non-crop habitats under the same farm management. On organic sites, earthworm abundance was 2–4 times higher than on conventional sites, but no differences were found between crop types. Total abundance of ground-dwelling invertebrates did not differ between organic and conventional sites, but positive effects were found for several individual taxonomic groups, such as carabid beetles and spiders. On organic farms, invertebrate abundance was higher in carrots, cereals and onions compared to other crops; on conventional farms this was true for onions. When compared with most crops, ground-dwelling invertebrate abundance was low in uncropped field margins and on ditch banks. On organic farms, aerial invertebrate abundance was approximately 70% higher than on conventional farms. On cereal fields, aerial invertebrates were especially abundant Article in Journal/Newspaper Alauda arvensis Vanellus vanellus Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library Bird Conservation International 21 1 1 11 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library |
op_collection_id |
ftunivwagenin |
language |
English |
topic |
agricultural intensification breeding success diversity farmland birds hirundo-rustica landscape northern europe populations skylarks alauda-arvensis vanellus-vanellus |
spellingShingle |
agricultural intensification breeding success diversity farmland birds hirundo-rustica landscape northern europe populations skylarks alauda-arvensis vanellus-vanellus Kragten, S. Tamis, W.L.M. Gentenaar, E. Midcap Ramiro, S.M. van der Poll, R.J. Wang, J. de Snoo, G.R. Abundance of invertebrate prey for birds on organic and conventional arable farms in the Netherlands |
topic_facet |
agricultural intensification breeding success diversity farmland birds hirundo-rustica landscape northern europe populations skylarks alauda-arvensis vanellus-vanellus |
description |
As a result of agricultural intensification, populations of farmland birds have been in steep decline for several decades. Reduction in food abundance has been mentioned as one factor behind these declines. Extensive farm management, such as use of organic methods, is expected to provide more food for birds. In this study we compared invertebrate prey abundance for birds during the breeding season between organic and conventional arable farms. We made comparisons for three different groups of birds: (1) birds feeding on soil-living invertebrates (earthworms), (2) birds feeding on ground-dwelling invertebrates and (3) birds feeding on aerial invertebrates. Invertebrate abundance was compared between organic and conventional farms, crop and non-crop habitats, and between crop and non-crop habitats under the same farm management. On organic sites, earthworm abundance was 2–4 times higher than on conventional sites, but no differences were found between crop types. Total abundance of ground-dwelling invertebrates did not differ between organic and conventional sites, but positive effects were found for several individual taxonomic groups, such as carabid beetles and spiders. On organic farms, invertebrate abundance was higher in carrots, cereals and onions compared to other crops; on conventional farms this was true for onions. When compared with most crops, ground-dwelling invertebrate abundance was low in uncropped field margins and on ditch banks. On organic farms, aerial invertebrate abundance was approximately 70% higher than on conventional farms. On cereal fields, aerial invertebrates were especially abundant |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kragten, S. Tamis, W.L.M. Gentenaar, E. Midcap Ramiro, S.M. van der Poll, R.J. Wang, J. de Snoo, G.R. |
author_facet |
Kragten, S. Tamis, W.L.M. Gentenaar, E. Midcap Ramiro, S.M. van der Poll, R.J. Wang, J. de Snoo, G.R. |
author_sort |
Kragten, S. |
title |
Abundance of invertebrate prey for birds on organic and conventional arable farms in the Netherlands |
title_short |
Abundance of invertebrate prey for birds on organic and conventional arable farms in the Netherlands |
title_full |
Abundance of invertebrate prey for birds on organic and conventional arable farms in the Netherlands |
title_fullStr |
Abundance of invertebrate prey for birds on organic and conventional arable farms in the Netherlands |
title_full_unstemmed |
Abundance of invertebrate prey for birds on organic and conventional arable farms in the Netherlands |
title_sort |
abundance of invertebrate prey for birds on organic and conventional arable farms in the netherlands |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/abundance-of-invertebrate-prey-for-birds-on-organic-and-conventio https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959270910000079 |
genre |
Alauda arvensis Vanellus vanellus |
genre_facet |
Alauda arvensis Vanellus vanellus |
op_source |
Bird Conservation International 21 (2011) 1 ISSN: 0959-2709 |
op_relation |
https://edepot.wur.nl/184868 https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/abundance-of-invertebrate-prey-for-birds-on-organic-and-conventio doi:10.1017/S0959270910000079 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Wageningen University & Research |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0959270910000079 |
container_title |
Bird Conservation International |
container_volume |
21 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
1 |
op_container_end_page |
11 |
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1789973382288113664 |