Management of U.S. Agricultural Lands Differentially Affects Avian Habitat Connectivity

Abstract

Despite frequently being implicated in species declines, agricultural lands may nonetheless play an important role in connecting wildlife populations by serving as movement corridors or stopover sites between areas of high-quality habitat. For many North American bird species, agricultural intensification over the past half century has substantially impacted populations, yet recent studies have noted the potential for supporting avian biodiversity on agricultural lands through the promotion of functional connectivity. To support avian conservation efforts on agricultural lands across the United States, we used publicly available data from eBird to quantify and map the effects of agriculture on habitat suitability (using random forest models) and functional connectivity (via circuit theory) for three focal species that have experienced agriculture-linked declines or range contractions in recent decades: Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), American Black Duck (Anas rubripes), and Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). Our analysis drew on novel, remotely sensed estimates of agricultural management intensity to quantify the effects of management practices on avian habitat and movement, revealing complex, species-specific relationships between agriculture and habitat value for the three focal species. Rangelands and croplands exhibited relatively high connectivity values for Greater Sage-grouse and Bobolink, respectively, mirroring these species’ strong habitat preferences for open sagebrush and cultivated grasslands. By contrast, American Black Duck migratory connectivity was low on all agricultural cover types. Mapping our model results across each species’ geographic range in the U.S. revealed key areas for agricultural management action to preserve high-quality habitat and connectivity, and we link these spatial recommendations to government incentive programs that can be used to increase wildlife-friendly management on U.S. agricultural lands.

Improved random forest classification model combined with C5.0 algorithm for vegetation feature analysis in non-agricultural environments

“…They emphasized the need to protect and optimize the structure of non-agricultural vegetation to provide suitable habitats and food resources, reducing the dependence of deer on agricultural fields and minimizing conflicts with humans 5 . Suraci et al 6 employed a novel remote sensing estimation approach to quantify the impacts of agricultural management practices on bird habitats and migration. They revealed complex relationships between agriculture and key species, underscoring the influence of agricultural management on species habitats.…”

“…They revealed complex relationships between agriculture and key species, underscoring the influence of agricultural management on species habitats. Their study provided spatial recommendations for guiding agricultural management actions, contributing to the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity and ecosystem functionality in non-agricultural environments, and promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and nature 6 . Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as effective tools for estimating grassland biomass or vegetation cover, with diverse applications in studying vegetation characteristics 7 .…”