Mixed effects of landscape structure and farming practice on bird diversity

C. Fischer^1*, A. Flohre¹, L. W. Clement², P. Batary¹, W. W. Weisser², T. Tscharntke¹ and C. Thies¹

Abstract
Bird abundance, species richness and diversity of bird communities were analysed on 59 plots during breeding season and 61 plots during winter (500 m × 500 m around winter wheat fields) in two contrasting regions of Germany differing in land-use history (West vs. East), landscape structural complexity (40–100% arable land) and farming practice (organic vs. conventional).

Abundance, species richness and diversity were higher in West Germany, presumably due to the higher overall habitat-type diversity, and decreased with decreasing landscape complexity, this being marked for farmland and forest birds. In contrast, abundances of openland bird species were higher in East Germany during both seasons and increased with decreasing landscape complexity.

During breeding season (but not in winter) organic farming enhanced the species richness of all bird groups, presumably due to more and diverse food resources.

Farmland and forest bird species in agricultural landscapes therefore appear to be mainly enhanced by landscape complexity owing to the availability of nesting and sheltering places in non-crop habitats, while openland bird species require high proportions of arable land.


Source
Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment (2011) 141: 119-125
DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2011.02.021


Author Locations and Affiliations
(1) Agroecology, Department of Crop Sciences, Georg-August-University, Grisebachstr. 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
(2) Institute of Ecology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Dornburger Str. 159, 07743 Jena, Germany
* Corresponding author, E-mail  Christina.Fischer@zalf.de


Posted May 2011