Field margins as foraging habitat for skylarks (Alauda arvensis) in the breeding season
Agri-environment schemes have been established in many European countries to counteract the ongoing decline of farmland birds. In this study, the selection of foraging habitat by breeding skylarks was examined in relation to agri-environmental management on Dutch farmland. Field margin use was quant...
Published in: | Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2013
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/field-margins-as-foraging-habitat-for-skylarks-alauda-arvensis-in https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2013.03.001 |
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author | Kuiper, M.W. Ottens, H.J. Cenin, L. Schaffers, A.P. van Ruijven, J. Koks, B.J. Berendse, F. de Snoo, G.R. |
author_facet | Kuiper, M.W. Ottens, H.J. Cenin, L. Schaffers, A.P. van Ruijven, J. Koks, B.J. Berendse, F. de Snoo, G.R. |
author_sort | Kuiper, M.W. |
collection | Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library |
container_start_page | 10 |
container_title | Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment |
container_volume | 170 |
description | Agri-environment schemes have been established in many European countries to counteract the ongoing decline of farmland birds. In this study, the selection of foraging habitat by breeding skylarks was examined in relation to agri-environmental management on Dutch farmland. Field margin use was quantified and, based on the observed flight distances, the appropriateness of the current spatial arrangement of field margins in the study landscape was evaluated. Skylarks preferred field margins for foraging over all other habitat types relative to their surface area within the territories. The visiting rate of field margins decreased with increasing distance to the nest, and especially dropped markedly when the distance between the nest and a field margin exceeded 100 m. Analysis of the current spatial arrangement of field margins in the landscape suggested that the area of skylark breeding habitat within 100 m of a field margin could be increased by 46%. This was due to the placement of field margins alongside unsuitable breeding habitat and to the positioning of field margins at short distances from each other. The efficiency of agri-environmental management for skylarks can likely be improved by a more careful spatial arrangement of field margins in the landscape. |
format | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
genre | Alauda arvensis |
genre_facet | Alauda arvensis |
id | ftunivwagenin:oai:library.wur.nl:wurpubs/439630 |
institution | Open Polar |
language | English |
op_collection_id | ftunivwagenin |
op_container_end_page | 15 |
op_doi | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2013.03.001 |
op_relation | https://edepot.wur.nl/258980 doi:10.1016/j.agee.2013.03.001 |
op_rights | Wageningen University & Research |
op_source | Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 170 (2013) ISSN: 0167-8809 |
publishDate | 2013 |
record_format | openpolar |
spelling | ftunivwagenin:oai:library.wur.nl:wurpubs/439630 2025-02-16T14:56:57+00:00 Field margins as foraging habitat for skylarks (Alauda arvensis) in the breeding season Kuiper, M.W. Ottens, H.J. Cenin, L. Schaffers, A.P. van Ruijven, J. Koks, B.J. Berendse, F. de Snoo, G.R. 2013 application/pdf https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/field-margins-as-foraging-habitat-for-skylarks-alauda-arvensis-in https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2013.03.001 en eng https://edepot.wur.nl/258980 doi:10.1016/j.agee.2013.03.001 Wageningen University & Research Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 170 (2013) ISSN: 0167-8809 agri-environment schemes agricultural intensification biodiversity ecological effectiveness farmland birds food resources invertebrates landscape context management population trends Article/Letter to editor 2013 ftunivwagenin https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2013.03.001 2025-01-22T02:01:01Z Agri-environment schemes have been established in many European countries to counteract the ongoing decline of farmland birds. In this study, the selection of foraging habitat by breeding skylarks was examined in relation to agri-environmental management on Dutch farmland. Field margin use was quantified and, based on the observed flight distances, the appropriateness of the current spatial arrangement of field margins in the study landscape was evaluated. Skylarks preferred field margins for foraging over all other habitat types relative to their surface area within the territories. The visiting rate of field margins decreased with increasing distance to the nest, and especially dropped markedly when the distance between the nest and a field margin exceeded 100 m. Analysis of the current spatial arrangement of field margins in the landscape suggested that the area of skylark breeding habitat within 100 m of a field margin could be increased by 46%. This was due to the placement of field margins alongside unsuitable breeding habitat and to the positioning of field margins at short distances from each other. The efficiency of agri-environmental management for skylarks can likely be improved by a more careful spatial arrangement of field margins in the landscape. Article in Journal/Newspaper Alauda arvensis Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 170 10 15 |
spellingShingle | agri-environment schemes agricultural intensification biodiversity ecological effectiveness farmland birds food resources invertebrates landscape context management population trends Kuiper, M.W. Ottens, H.J. Cenin, L. Schaffers, A.P. van Ruijven, J. Koks, B.J. Berendse, F. de Snoo, G.R. Field margins as foraging habitat for skylarks (Alauda arvensis) in the breeding season |
title | Field margins as foraging habitat for skylarks (Alauda arvensis) in the breeding season |
title_full | Field margins as foraging habitat for skylarks (Alauda arvensis) in the breeding season |
title_fullStr | Field margins as foraging habitat for skylarks (Alauda arvensis) in the breeding season |
title_full_unstemmed | Field margins as foraging habitat for skylarks (Alauda arvensis) in the breeding season |
title_short | Field margins as foraging habitat for skylarks (Alauda arvensis) in the breeding season |
title_sort | field margins as foraging habitat for skylarks (alauda arvensis) in the breeding season |
topic | agri-environment schemes agricultural intensification biodiversity ecological effectiveness farmland birds food resources invertebrates landscape context management population trends |
topic_facet | agri-environment schemes agricultural intensification biodiversity ecological effectiveness farmland birds food resources invertebrates landscape context management population trends |
url | https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/field-margins-as-foraging-habitat-for-skylarks-alauda-arvensis-in https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2013.03.001 |