Effects of farming specialisation on grassland birds in Mediterranean High Nature Value farmland
The benefits of low-intensity mixed livestock-crop farming systems for Mediterranean farmland biodiversity have been widely documented. However, little is known about the effects of farming specialisation, even though the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has promoted the replac...
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989425000198 |
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| author | Joana Santana Pedro J. Leitão Paulo Flores Ribeiro Pedro Beja Ângela Lomba Rui Pedroso Rui Morgado Ricardo C. Martins Inês Catry Ana Teresa Marques Luís Reino Francisco Moreira |
| author_facet | Joana Santana Pedro J. Leitão Paulo Flores Ribeiro Pedro Beja Ângela Lomba Rui Pedroso Rui Morgado Ricardo C. Martins Inês Catry Ana Teresa Marques Luís Reino Francisco Moreira |
| author_sort | Joana Santana |
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| description | The benefits of low-intensity mixed livestock-crop farming systems for Mediterranean farmland biodiversity have been widely documented. However, little is known about the effects of farming specialisation, even though the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has promoted the replacement of mixed systems by specialised livestock and crop systems. We investigated how specialisation affects birds in open farmland of southern Portugal, by analysing spatial associations between farming systems, land uses, and birds’ species richness and occurrence. We found a dominant landscape gradient contrasting specialisation in either sheep or cattle. The sheep system was positively related to woodland/shrubland-related species, Galerida larks and Melanocorypha calandra, while the cattle system was negatively related to these species. The specialised crop system, when associated with olive groves (< 10 % of the area), was negatively related to fallow-related species, M. calandra and Calandrella brachydactyla and positively so to overall species richness and that of woodland/shrubland-related species. Land uses had strong effects on birds, regardless of the farming systems in which they were embedded. Fodders were positively related to woodland/shrubland- and cereal-related species, Emberiza calandra and Cisticola juncidis. Rainfed grain cereals were positively related to cereal-related species, C. juncidis and Coturnix coturnix. Pastures were positively related to fallows- and ploughed-related species, M. calandra, Tetrax tetrax, and Galerida larks. Results suggest that programs for grassland conservation should consider both farming systems and land uses. CAP should promote diversified farming systems with reduced livestock densities along with high-quality habitats for grassland birds like pastures, fallows, rainfed grain cereals and semi-natural features. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj-art-251b0e92ca014276a303310e327d3d4f2025-01-23T05:27:06ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942025-01-0157e03418Effects of farming specialisation on grassland birds in Mediterranean High Nature Value farmlandJoana Santana0Pedro J. Leitão1Paulo Flores Ribeiro2Pedro Beja3Ângela Lomba4Rui Pedroso5Rui Morgado6Ricardo C. Martins7Inês Catry8Ana Teresa Marques9Luís Reino10Francisco Moreira11CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa 1349-017, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; Correspondence to: BIOPOLIS-CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal.Remote Sensing Centre for Earth System Research, University of Leipzig, Talstraße 35, Leipzig 04103, GermanyCEF, Forest Research Centre, Associate Laboratory TERRA, School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa 1349-017, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa 1349-017, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa 1349-017, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; REN Biodiversity Chair, CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, Vairão 4485-601, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa 1349-017, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa 1349-017, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; REN Biodiversity Chair, CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, Vairão 4485-601, Portugal; Centro de Ecologia, Evolução e Alterações Ambientais, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Edifício C2, Campo Grande, Lisboa 1749-016, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa 1349-017, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, PortugalCIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa 1349-017, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão 4485-661, Portugal; REN Biodiversity Chair, CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, Vairão 4485-601, PortugalThe benefits of low-intensity mixed livestock-crop farming systems for Mediterranean farmland biodiversity have been widely documented. However, little is known about the effects of farming specialisation, even though the European Union's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has promoted the replacement of mixed systems by specialised livestock and crop systems. We investigated how specialisation affects birds in open farmland of southern Portugal, by analysing spatial associations between farming systems, land uses, and birds’ species richness and occurrence. We found a dominant landscape gradient contrasting specialisation in either sheep or cattle. The sheep system was positively related to woodland/shrubland-related species, Galerida larks and Melanocorypha calandra, while the cattle system was negatively related to these species. The specialised crop system, when associated with olive groves (< 10 % of the area), was negatively related to fallow-related species, M. calandra and Calandrella brachydactyla and positively so to overall species richness and that of woodland/shrubland-related species. Land uses had strong effects on birds, regardless of the farming systems in which they were embedded. Fodders were positively related to woodland/shrubland- and cereal-related species, Emberiza calandra and Cisticola juncidis. Rainfed grain cereals were positively related to cereal-related species, C. juncidis and Coturnix coturnix. Pastures were positively related to fallows- and ploughed-related species, M. calandra, Tetrax tetrax, and Galerida larks. Results suggest that programs for grassland conservation should consider both farming systems and land uses. CAP should promote diversified farming systems with reduced livestock densities along with high-quality habitats for grassland birds like pastures, fallows, rainfed grain cereals and semi-natural features.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989425000198Agricultural practicesBiodiversity conservationFarmland managementGrassland birdsLow intensity farmingMixed farming |
| spellingShingle | Joana Santana Pedro J. Leitão Paulo Flores Ribeiro Pedro Beja Ângela Lomba Rui Pedroso Rui Morgado Ricardo C. Martins Inês Catry Ana Teresa Marques Luís Reino Francisco Moreira Effects of farming specialisation on grassland birds in Mediterranean High Nature Value farmland Global Ecology and Conservation Agricultural practices Biodiversity conservation Farmland management Grassland birds Low intensity farming Mixed farming |
| title | Effects of farming specialisation on grassland birds in Mediterranean High Nature Value farmland |
| title_full | Effects of farming specialisation on grassland birds in Mediterranean High Nature Value farmland |
| title_fullStr | Effects of farming specialisation on grassland birds in Mediterranean High Nature Value farmland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of farming specialisation on grassland birds in Mediterranean High Nature Value farmland |
| title_short | Effects of farming specialisation on grassland birds in Mediterranean High Nature Value farmland |
| title_sort | effects of farming specialisation on grassland birds in mediterranean high nature value farmland |
| topic | Agricultural practices Biodiversity conservation Farmland management Grassland birds Low intensity farming Mixed farming |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989425000198 |
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