Effects of crop type and harvest on nest survival and productivity of dickcissels in semi-natural grasslands

Conkling, Tara J.; Belant, Jerrold L.; DeVault, Travis L.; Martin, James A.

doi:10.1016/j.agee.2017.01.028

Cited by 16 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 97 publications

(112 reference statements)

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“…Additionally, because switchgrass was rarely used as breeding habitat (Conkling et al. ), mid‐season harvest of switchgrass plots to optimize biomass production may have a limited effect on breeding grassland birds.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As such, a mosaic of both treatment types could provide airport managers simultaneous opportunities for landcover management, biomass production, and avian conservation (Conkling et al. ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Growing switchgrass concurrently with NWSG plots instead of as a monoculture allows for biomass production while still providing multiple cover and habitat options for grassland birds. Additionally, because switchgrass was rarely used as breeding habitat (Conkling et al 2017), mid-season harvest of switchgrass plots to optimize biomass production may have a limited effect on breeding grassland birds.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Both NWSG and switchgrass provided sufficient vegetative structure to minimize the presence of high-hazard, flocking avian species while also providing quality overwintering and breeding habitat for grassland birds. As such, a mosaic of both treatment types could provide airport managers simultaneous opportunities for landcover management, biomass production, and avian conservation (Conkling et al 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impacts of biomass production at civil airports on grassland bird conservation and aviation strike risk

Conkling

Belant

DeVault

et al. 2018

Ecological Applications

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Growing concerns about climate change, foreign oil dependency, and environmental quality have fostered interest in perennial native grasses (e.g., switchgrass [Panicum virgatum]) for bioenergy production while also maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function. However, biomass cultivation in marginal landscapes such as airport grasslands may have detrimental effects on aviation safety as well as conservation efforts for grassland birds. In 2011-2013, we investigated effects of vegetation composition and harvest frequency on seasonal species richness and habitat use of grassland birds and modeled relative abundance, aviation risk, and conservation value of birds associated with biomass crops. Avian relative abundance was greater in switchgrass monoculture plots during the winter months, whereas Native Warm-Season Grass (NWSG) mixed species plantings were favored by species during the breeding season. Conversely, treatment differences in aviation risk and conservation value were not biologically significant. Only 2.6% of observations included avian species of high hazard to aircraft, providing support for semi-natural grasslands as a feasible landcover option at civil airports. Additionally, varied harvest frequencies across a mosaic of switchgrass monocultures and NWSG plots allows for biomass production with multiple vegetation structure options for grassland birds to increase seasonal avian biodiversity and habitat use.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impacts of biomass production at civil airports on grassland bird conservation and aviation strike risk

Conkling

Belant

DeVault

et al. 2018

Ecological Applications

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“…Furthermore, to the extent that such switchgrass stands replace row crops, the benefits will be positive for grassland‐dependent birds (Blank et al ). A number of studies have found that grassland‐dependent birds may exploit switchgrass biomass production fields at some level (Murray and Best , Roth et al , West et al , Conkling et al ). Modifications to a native‐based biomass model could be developed, including incorporation of legumes as an alternate nitrogen source (Ashworth et al ), multispecies mixes (McIntosh et al , Conkling et al ), or grazing (Harper et al , Backus et al ) that could enhance wildlife habitat quality.…”

Section: Barriers To Implementing a Working‐lands Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eastern grasslands: Conservation challenges and opportunities on private lands

et al. 2019

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Grasslands were once common in the eastern United States and provided habitat for numerous grassland-dependent wildlife. However, native grasslands in this region have largely been eliminated as a result of conversion to other land uses (e.g., urban development, row-crops), altered disturbance regimes (e.g., lack of fire and grazing), or conversion to introduced grasses for livestock production. Consequently, many wildlife species adapted to these environments have experienced protracted population declines, notably, northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), and other grassland-dependent bird species. Restoration of native grasslands with appropriate native plant species composition, structure, and disturbance regimes will be key to restoring at-risk wildlife. Indeed, the region still includes >20 million ha of grasslands, but these are dominated by introduced grass species and focused on cattle (Bos taurus) production. Any successful restoration strategy must engage the agricultural community, provide profitable forage production, and benefit habitat for wildlife. Furthermore, grassland ecosystems in humid regions (i.e., >95 cm annual rainfall) require frequent disturbance to prevent succession to forested conditions. Historically, these native grasslands were maintained by fire, herbivory, and their interaction. Consequently, wildlife communities in humid, native grasslands are adapted to those same disturbances and the conditions they create. Improving species composition by replacing introduced, sod-forming grass species commonly used in production agriculture (e.g., tall fescue [Schedonorus arundinaceus] and bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon]) with native grasses can be beneficial but must be accompanied by appropriate disturbance to achieve and maintain improved habitat. Therefore, developing a business case for producers to incorporate native grasses into regional agro-grasslands that include disturbance through grazing may foster large-scale improvements in habitat quality. Although Farm Bill conservation practices can make important contributions to conservation of eastern grassland-dependent wildlife, such programs are dependent on uncertain and limited federal budgets and, to provide appropriate disturbance, require management intervention at a net cost to landowners and Farm Bill programs. Thus, there exists an opportunity to improve habitat at a scale that has the potential to sustain viable populations of grassland-dependent wildlife. Therefore, we discuss the potential of a new conservation paradigm, one based on grazing systems that utilize native grasses, for filling that conservation gap.

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Why do sea turtle nests fail? Modeling clutch loss across the southeastern United States

2022

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Understanding the relative influence of environmental conditions and disturbance types on species' nest success is imperative to our estimation of current and future population trajectories of vulnerable species, especially ectotherms. The reproductive output of oviparous species is highly dependent on the location of a nest in terms of the environment experienced by incubating embryos and the risk of disturbance events. Climate change may present a particular danger to oviparous species because eggs cannot behaviorally regulate and avoid extreme temperatures. Hierarchical Bayesian models offer a powerful tool for utilizing available long‐term datasets to predict current and future species–environment relations in a manipulatable framework. We modeled the probability of depredation and inundation events occurring during incubation and how these disturbances, along with local climate, predict total clutch failure for loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) using a dataset of over 9000 nest inventories from five nesting areas that span the latitudinal extent of primary nesting locations in the United States. We found that nesting distance from the high waterline was important in determining the probability of inundation and depredation disturbance events, as well as clutch failure. Nests that experienced at least one inundation event were more likely to have no emergence than nests that experienced at least one depredation event, which may be the result of concerted efforts to control highly destructive nest predators in our study sites or the magnitude of inundation disturbances. Extreme high‐temperature events increased the probability of clutch failure, but the probability of clutch failure decreased with increasing average temperatures up to a critical threshold. The results of these models have clear implications for conservation management decisions on where to deploy predator deterrents and relocate nests, as well as the potential for predicting future changes in nest productivity across the broad nesting range of loggerhead sea turtles.

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Effects of crop type and harvest on nest survival and productivity of dickcissels in semi-natural grasslands

Cited by 16 publications

References 97 publications

Impacts of biomass production at civil airports on grassland bird conservation and aviation strike risk

Impacts of biomass production at civil airports on grassland bird conservation and aviation strike risk

Eastern grasslands: Conservation challenges and opportunities on private lands

Why do sea turtle nests fail? Modeling clutch loss across the southeastern United States

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