Agricultural land‐use and the spatial distribution of granivorous lowland farmland birds

摘要: Current agricultural practices are believed to have contributed the declines of many farmland bird species, especially seed-eaters, throughout Europe. We investigated associations between spatial distribution fourteen granivorous species and land-use in Britain, using breeding atlas data national statistics. Analyses were spatially-referenced by 10 x km square variation due broad-scale geography auto-correlation was controlled for. Generalized linear modelling analyses used select models describing explained available variables. The results show that relationships agriculture tend be species-specific, but some general effects can identified. Features intensive arable farming including large areas sugar beet, wheat oilseed rape tended associated with low frequencies occurrence for 9-11 while younger (re-seeded) grassland high sheep stocking densities pastoral up 12 species. One key feature lower intensity farming, presence larger fallow land, positively related frequency index 11 proportion barley sown spring diversity each a range complex across probably reflecting combinations positive influences artefacts scale geography. A variable heterogeneity (the extent which it is mix land-use) negatively eight other suggested mixed at smaller widely beneficial. reveal suggest both hypotheses causes population change directions management action. However, on several features practice (such as pesticide use) unavailable, so their could not tested, variables included separated from those factors subject geographical variation. Experimental comparisons farm needed investigate such confounded occurrence.