Occurrence and productivity of songbirds in prairie farmland under conventional versus minimum tillage regimes

Martin, Pamela A.; Forsyth, Douglas J.

doi:10.1016/s0167-8809(02)00234-7

Cited by 28 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…A few other prairie-nesting bird species that readily nest in cropland are Horned Larks (Eremophila alpestris), longspurs (Owens and Myre 1973, McMaster and Davis 2001, Martin and Forsyth 2003, Killdeers (Charadrius vociferus;Higgins 1975), Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus; Devries et al 2010), and Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa; Garvey et al 2013). Because of the prevalence of cropland on the prairies, a substantial proportion of the population of these species could nest in cropland.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural destruction of Northern Pintail nests on cropland in prairie Canada

Duncan¹,

Devries²

2018

ACE

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ABSTRACT. It has been postulated that the decline of the Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) population is related to the propensity of female pintails to nest in cropland. Using spatial modeling at multiple scales, we estimated that the long-term average breeding population of Northern Pintails in prairie Canada would have initiated a mean of 974,260 nests/year, of which 47% (457,900 +/-43,270) would have been in cropland. Nest success rates are very low (5%) in spring-seeded cropland with predation and agricultural activity responsible for approximately 78% and 22% of the nest loss, respectively. We estimated that a long-term mean of 94,750 (+/-19,680) nests representing 524,725 pintail eggs would have been destroyed by agricultural seeding and tillage operations on cropland annually. The number of nests/eggs lost in any given year would vary by an order of magnitude dependent primarily upon the size of the pintail population nesting on the prairies in that year. Our estimate of incidental take is quite robust because it is based on multiple, long-term studies using data from across the Canadian prairies. Our analysis provides additional support for the theory that the pintail's habit of nesting in cropland is the probable reason for the decline in the pintail population, irrespective of the cause of nest loss. Although predation is the primary cause of the loss of pintail nests in cropland, the proportion of nests lost to predation in cropland is similar to that in other upland habitats on the prairies. Thus the additional loss from agriculture could well be incremental and may be the proximate causative factor in the pintail population's decline and failure to recover in recent decades. Destruction de nids de Canard pilet causée par l'agriculture sur les terres cultivées des Prairies canadiennesRÉSUMÉ. Une des raisons avancées pour expliquer la diminution de la population de Canard pilet (Anas acuta) est en lien avec la propension des femelles à nicher sur les terres cultivées. Au moyen de modélisation spatiale à de multiples échelles, nous avons estimé que la population nicheuse moyenne de longue date de Canard pilet des Prairies canadiennes aurait initié une moyenne de 974 260 nids/année, dont 47 % (457 900 +/-43 270) se seraient trouvés sur les terres cultivées. Le taux de succès des nids est très faible (5 %) sur les terres à culture de printemps, où la prédation et les activités agricoles sont responsables de 78 % et de 22 % des pertes de nids, respectivement. Nous avons estimé qu'une moyenne de 94 750 (+/-19 680) nids équivalant à 524 725 oeufs de pilets auraient été détruits annuellement par les opérations de travail du sol et d'ensemencement sur les terres cultivées. Le nombre de nids/oeufs détruits au cours d'une année donnée variait d'abord en fonction de la taille de la population de pilets nichant dans les Prairies cette année-là. Notre estimation de la prise accessoire est assez fiable parce qu'elle est fondée sur de multiples recherches de longue date utilisant des données provenant des Prairies ca...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Agricultural destruction of Northern Pintail nests on cropland in prairie Canada

Duncan¹,

Devries²

2018

ACE

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“…Good grazing management is consistent with profits for producers (Holechek et al 1999 and society benefits not only from increases in forage production but also from build-up of soil organic matter and sequestered atmospheric carbon (Conant et al 2001). Minimum-tillage fields are better than conventional fields in terms of abundance, nest densities, and productivity of birds (Martin and Forsyth 2003) and offer producers improved economics through reduced field operations and maximum use of limited moisture. Conservation objectives can be achieved with little economic cost or conflict (Polasky et al 2005).…”

Section: Crp (Johnson and Igl 2001a) And Saskatchewan Native Grass (Dmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation of Grassland Birds in North America: Understanding Ecological Processes in Different Regions: "Report of the AOU Committee on Conservation"

Askins¹,

Chávez-Ramírez²,

Dale³

et al. 2007

Ornithological Monographs

209

225

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“…Some studies in North America have observed higher productivity by nesting passerines and higher densities of birds in minimally tilled land compared with conventionally tilled crop land (Lokemoen & Beiser 1997, Martin & Forsyth 2003). These findings are supported in a study showing that fields established by NIT had a greater diversity of birds in the summer, although this was not the case in the autumn, winter or spring (Flickinger & Pendleton 1994).…”

Section: Non‐inversion Tillage (Nit)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Non‐inversion tillage and farmland birds: a review with special reference to the UK and Europe

Cunningham¹,

Chaney²,

Bradbury³

et al. 2004

Ibis

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This paper reviews the current knowledge of the effects of non-inversion tillage (NIT) on farmland birds and their food resources. NIT is a method of establishing a crop without using a mouldboard plough and is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. NIT generally disturbs the soil to shallower depths than conventional tillage and is therefore expected to have beneficial effects on biodiversity on arable land as compared with mouldboard ploughing. The diets of farmland birds change throughout the year, and many species take invertebrates over the breeding season. Seeds are also important for many species of farmland birds throughout the year and especially over the winter months. The effects of NIT on these farmland bird food resources, in particular ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae), spiders (Arachnida: Araneae), earthworms (Annelida) and seeds (arable weeds and cereal crops) are reviewed.

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Occurrence and productivity of songbirds in prairie farmland under conventional versus minimum tillage regimes

Cited by 28 publications

References 24 publications

Agricultural destruction of Northern Pintail nests on cropland in prairie Canada

Agricultural destruction of Northern Pintail nests on cropland in prairie Canada

Conservation of Grassland Birds in North America: Understanding Ecological Processes in Different Regions: "Report of the AOU Committee on Conservation"

Non‐inversion tillage and farmland birds: a review with special reference to the UK and Europe

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