Habitat selection guiding agri‐environment schemes for a farmland specialist, the brown hare

摘要: Habitat improvements through agri-environment schemes are the most important tool for reversing biodiversity declines in European farmland. However, little is known about their impact on mammals, including brown hare, a priority species conservation UK. We studied radio-collared hares 13 months mixed agricultural area using ‘homing in’ to provide high spatial-resolution fixes. Hares selected field margins during both active and inactive periods used areas middle of large fields less frequently than those closer boundaries. Blocks woods lines trees were as resting sites while sheep-grazed generally avoided throughout year. suggest that targeted at creating increasing non-farmed habitat features associated with boundaries reducing sward depletion intensive or grazing regimes could prove beneficial populations this