Avian Conservation Practices Strengthen Ecosystem Services in California Vineyards

摘要: Insectivorous Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana) occupy vineyard nest boxes established by California winegrape growers who want to encourage avian conservation. Experimentally, the provision of available sites serves as an alternative exclosure methods for isolating potential ecosystem services provided foraging birds. We compared abundance and species richness foragers removal rates sentinel prey in treatments with songbird controls without boxes. The average insectivores increased over 50 percent controls. bird density nearly quadrupled, primarily due a tenfold increase Bluebird abundance. In contrast, there was no significant difference omnivorous or granivorous some which opportunistically forage on grapes. experiment, 2.4 times more live beet armyworms (Spodoptera exigua) were removed box treatment than control. As estimate maximum insectivorous birds, we found that larval measured immediately below occupied averaged 3.5 greater Consequently presence strengthened growers, illustrating benefit agroecological conservation practices. Predator addition experiments lack disadvantages predator exclusion robust methodologies detecting services.