Insectivorous birds consume an estimated 400-500 million tons of prey annually.

摘要: In this paper, we present an estimate of the predation impact global population insectivorous birds based on 103 (for most part) published studies prey consumption (kg ha−1 season−1) in seven biome types. By extrapolation—taking into account land cover various biomes—an annual world’s was obtained. We biomass consumed by to be somewhere between 400 and 500 million metric tons year−1, but likely at lower end range (corresponding energy ≈ 2.7 × 1018 J year−1 or ≈ 0.15% terrestrial net primary production). Birds forests for > 70% (≥ 300 million tons year−1), whereas other biomes (savannas grasslands, croplands, deserts, Arctic tundra) are less significant contributors (≥ 100 million tons year−1). Especially during breeding season, when adult feed their nestlings protein-rich prey, large numbers herbivorous insects (i.e., primarily orders Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera) supplemented spiders captured. The estimates presented paper emphasize ecological economic importance suppressing potentially harmful insect pests a scale—especially forested areas.