Functional response of leaf- and planthoppers to modern fertilisation and irrigation of hay meadows

Andrey, Aline; Humbert, Jean‐Yves; Arlettaz, Raphaël

doi:10.1016/j.baae.2016.07.002

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…A total of 1 m 3 of this solution contained 2.4 kg of available N, 0.87 kg of P and 6.64 kg of K. The amount of slurry applied per plot depended on the theoretical local hay production potential, calculated from pre‐experimental hay yield and site elevation (see appendix A in Andrey et al. ). Study sites were therefore divided into categories of similar potential productivity (Table ), which correlates strongly with elevation, with the amount of added fertilizer adjusted accordingly (Table ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiment‐based recommendations for biodiversity‐friendly management of mountain hay meadows

Lessard‐Therrien

Humbert

Arlettaz

2017

Applied Vegetation Science

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Question: The biodiversity of mountain hay meadows has historically been maintained through traditional, low-intensity farming practices. In recent decades, however, agricultural intensification for hay production has led to dramatic declines in their biodiversity. This study asks: which management practices can contribute to maintaining the biodiversity value of mountain hay meadows without jeopardizing agricultural revenue?Location: Eleven semi-natural meadows, canton of Valais, inner Alps, southwest Switzerland.Methods: We experimentally measured the effects of various intensities of fertilization (slurry) and aerial irrigation (sprinklers) on the taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity of plants. The experiment consisted of six different treatments, each randomly applied to one of six plots within a meadow. A plot therefore was (1) not irrigated and only fertilized with slurry, (2) not fertilized and only irrigated with a sprinkler, (3-5) receiving low, medium or high amounts of both fertilizer and water, respectively, or (6) receiving no input of irrigation or fertilizer (control plots).Results: After 4 yr, all biodiversity metrics were negatively impacted under the highest management intensity (irrigation combined with fertilization at concentrations corresponding to the input necessary to achieve maximum local hay yield, i.e. three-thirds of inputs). In contrast, at low-and mid-intensity management levels (irrigation combined with fertilization at one-third and two-thirds of the maximum concentration, respectively) most diversity metrics did not differ from the controls, except for forb species richness, which was already reduced under mid-intensity management compared to low-intensity and control plots. Neither irrigation nor fertilization alone had a negative impact on plant biodiversity.Conclusions: Low to moderate agricultural intensification of hay production does not appear to be detrimental to plant biodiversity among mountain meadows. These results suggest that sustainable management would be obtained via irrigation and fertilization corresponding to one-third to two-thirds of the quantity necessary to achieve maximum local hay yield.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiment‐based recommendations for biodiversity‐friendly management of mountain hay meadows

Lessard‐Therrien

Humbert

Arlettaz

2017

Applied Vegetation Science

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“…Second, the intensification of vast grassland areas – which have become more and more accessible to agricultural machinery – boosts tall and dense swards (Tasser and Tappeiner 2002), i.e. reduces both prey abundance (Britschgi et al 2006, Andrey et al 2016) and availability (which is abundance modified by accessibility). This contributes to generating conditions that are definitely adverse to the ground‐foraging strategy of the red‐billed chough.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Present in the western European Alps but absent in the eastern part: Can habitat availability explain the differences in red‐billed chough occurrence?

Braunisch

Vignali

Oggier³

et al. 2021

Journal of Avian Biology

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The absence of a species in apparently suitable regions is often attributed to habitat deterioration, which, according to the IUCN‐guidelines, would preclude reintroduction unless the habitat is sufficiently restored. The crux is therefore to determine species' key habitat requisites and to localize potentially restorable sites based on the habitat selection of thriving populations in similar environments. The distribution of the red‐billed chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax in the Alpine arch is currently restricted to its western side. The eastern Alps have only been occupied sporadically during past centuries, which triggered a discussion around reintroduction. The fact that the last confirmed pairs bred at middle elevation, in derelict buildings instead of alpine cliffs, suggested a lack of habitat suitability in the uplands. To test this hypothesis, we modelled seasonal foraging habitat (during winter, breeding and dispersal) and nest site‐selection in the western Swiss Alps using long‐term observation data together with a wide palette of environmental predictors. The models were extrapolated to eastern Switzerland to estimate the quality and extent of the available habitat. Both foraging and nesting habitats were predicted with a high level of accuracy (AUC > 0.8). Despite variation between seasons, south‐exposed dry meadows and extensively‐grazed pastures were always preferred as foraging habitat, while forested and snow‐covered areas were avoided. Availability of, and distance to suitable foraging habitats were the main determinants of nest‐site selection, probably reflecting strong energetic constraints during reproduction. However, the extrapolation to eastern Switzerland revealed an even higher overall amount and relative percentage of all habitat types. One explanation could be that our predictors were too coarse to encapsulate qualitative, structural or compositional differences of the grasslands. However, the results could also point to an alternative hypothesis, namely that post‐glacial recolonization patterns, in particular the absence of nearby source populations, precluded the occupation of the eastern Alps.

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“…3A). The former grasslands are managed with a low to intermediate level of fertilizers; and it may be that these grasslands host a higher biomass of invertebrate fauna than natural grasslands, despite the presence of rare fauna and flora in the latter (Andrey et al 2016).…”

Section: Multiple Habitat Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Improved ecological insights commission new conservation targets for a crepuscular bird species

Evens

Jacot

Artois

et al. 2020

Animal Conservation

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Knowledge on species' ecological requirements is the key to an effective evidencebased conservation. An adaptive approach can refine management recommendations following the outcomes of previous actions or as improved scientific knowledge about a species' ecology becomes available. Following severe population declines the majority of the Swiss European Nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) population is now restricted to a small core area in the canton of Valais, despite the local application of evidence-based restoration measures to the breeding habitats. The habitat use of this crepuscular bird species is presumed to be restricted to semiopen oak-pine scrublands and rocky steppe. By deploying miniature GPS loggers we assessed the spatial and habitat selection of 42 individuals (25 individuals in 2018 and 30 individuals in 2019; comprising 13 redeployments between years) in five study sites in the canton Valais. We highlight the importance of using finescaled movement data to obtain insight into complex multi-scale habitat requirements of a species. Nightjars used multiple habitats, indicating the importance of complementary resources to breed (e.g. open forest and shrub) and to forage (e.g. semi-extensive grasslands and vineyards). The connectivity between these resources was influenced by habitat configuration and composition. Given these new insights for future conservation strategies, our results also suggest that national-level land use changes, mainly due to agricultural intensification processes, have contributed to the long-term population declines in Switzerland. We therefore consider our result in the context of knowledge gaps for species that exploit complementary habitats and the potential shortcomings for conservation planning on discrete species showing complex ecological requirements.

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Functional response of leaf- and planthoppers to modern fertilisation and irrigation of hay meadows

Cited by 13 publications

References 30 publications

Experiment‐based recommendations for biodiversity‐friendly management of mountain hay meadows

Experiment‐based recommendations for biodiversity‐friendly management of mountain hay meadows

Present in the western European Alps but absent in the eastern part: Can habitat availability explain the differences in red‐billed chough occurrence?

Improved ecological insights commission new conservation targets for a crepuscular bird species

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