Predation of Lapwing Vanellus vanellus nests on lowland wet grassland in England and Wales: effects of nest density, habitat and predator abundance

MacDonald, Michael A.; Bolton, Mark

doi:10.1007/s10336-008-0303-0

Cited by 37 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…In line with other studies, eggshell remains and temperature data loggers revealed that carnivorous mammals were the main predators of Lapwing nests in all three areas (Beintema and Müskens 1987;Langgemach and Bellebaum 2005;MacDonald and Bolton 2008). Fox breeding density predicted nest predation rates only to some extent.…”

Section: Effects On Nest Predationsupporting

confidence: 81%

“…Carnivore predation was a major cause for the low breeding success in our study, and the large number of studies reporting high carnivore predation of wet grassland wader nests (Langgemach and Bellebaum 2005;MacDonald and Bolton 2008) suggests that this is true for the majority of wet grassland areas in Europe. Reducing fox densities, if possible, might help to increase nest survival, but without additional habitat management it will probably not guarantee a higher breeding success.…”

Section: Management Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 63%

“…Decreased hatching and fledging success has been identified as the mechanism behind the decline in the Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, the most widespread meadowbreeding wader in Europe (Shrubb 2007). In reserves and grassland managed under AES where losses due to farming operations are reduced, high rates of nest and chick predation by ground predators are the major cause of breeding failure in waders (Langgemach and Bellebaum 2005;Teunissen et al 2005;Bolton et al 2007;MacDonald and Bolton 2008). To counteract the predation-dependent losses, two strategies have been developed, (1) intensive culling of predators in addition to AES (Bolton et al 2007), and (2) creating high water tables which should limit the abundance and activity of mammalian predators and hence predation rates (Belting et al 1997;Langgemach and Bellebaum 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Influence of ground predators and water levels on Lapwing Vanellus vanellus breeding success in two continental wetlands

Bellebaum

Bock²

2008

J Ornithol

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Insufficient productivity has driven population declines in grassland breeding waders with high levels of predation limiting productivity in many wetland reserves. We studied hatching and fledging success of Lapwings Vanellus vanellus in two continental river floodplains (Havel and Oder) differing in water regime and density of Red Foxes Vulpes vulpes to assess the effects of increased water tables as a management option. Nest predation rates were high on dry sites as well as on flooded grasslands in all areas irrespective of fox litter density. Carnivores formed the majority of the predators identified and eggshell remains suggested that mustelids took proportionally more nests at low fox densities. At unsuccessful nests on flooded grassland, an increasing incidence of nocturnal disturbances prior to predation indicated an influx of carnivores as the sites dried out. Brood survival depended on the availability of wet features, and productivity was thus linked to water tables in June in one area (Havel). Productivity was insufficient to maintain local populations in all areas and years except for two occasions related to increased water tables. Retaining high water tables throughout the breeding season therefore remains an important management option for waders on continental wet grasslands.

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Section: Effects On Nest Predationsupporting

confidence: 81%

Section: Management Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 63%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Influence of ground predators and water levels on Lapwing Vanellus vanellus breeding success in two continental wetlands

Bellebaum

Bock²

2008

J Ornithol

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“…2007, MacDonald & Bolton 2008, Teunissen m.fl. 2008, har det desuden vaeret af vaesentlig interesse også at få undersøgt basale forhold omkring raevenes bestandsbiologi, fødebiologi og fødesøgningsadfaerd i Tøndermarskområdet, herunder isaer betydningen af fugle for raevenes bestandsdynamik og adfaerd.…”

Section: Lokale Versus Regionale Bestande Af Raevunclassified

Habitat preference of geese is affected by livestock grazing ‐ seasonal variation in an experimental field evaluation

et al. 2014

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The number of staging geese in northwestern Europe has increased dramatically. Growing goose numbers put strong grazing pressure on agricultural pastures. Damage to agricultural land may be mitigated by managing nature reserves in order to optimally accommodate large numbers of grazing geese. Livestock grazing has been shown to facilitate foraging geese; we take the novel approach of determining the effects of four different livestock grazing treatments in a replicated experiment on the distribution of geese. We present experimental field evidence that livestock grazing of a salt marsh in summer affects the habitat preference of foraging geese during autumn and spring staging. In an experimental field set‐up with four different livestock grazing treatments we assessed goose visitation through dropping counts, in both autumn and spring. Grazing treatments included 0.5 or 1 horse ha‐1 and 0.5 or 1 cattle ha‐1 during the summer season. The livestock grazing regime affected goose distribution in autumn, just after livestock had been removed from the salt marsh. In autumn, goose visitation was highest in the 1 head ha‐1 grazing treatments, where grazing intensity by livestock was also highest. In line with this result, goose visitation was lowest in the 0.5 head ha‐1 livestock grazing treatments, where the grazing intensity by livestock was lowest. The differences in goose visitation among the experimental treatments in autumn could not be explained by the canopy height. In spring we did not find any effect of livestock grazing treatment on goose visitation. Differences in the distribution of geese over the experiment between autumn and spring may be explained by changes in the availability of nutrient‐rich vegetation. Livestock summer grazing with a high stocking density, especially with horses, can be used to attract geese to salt marshes in autumn and potentially reduces damage caused by geese to inland farmland. From a nature conservation interest point of view, however, variation in structure of the vegetation is a prerequisite for other groups of organisms. Hence, we recommend grazing of salt marshes with densities of 0.5 head ha‐1 of livestock when goose conservation is not the only management issue.

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“…MacDonald and Bolton (2008), for example, show that Lapwings suffer from lower predation rates when nesting at high densities, possibly through a mobbing effect, deterring predators. Therefore, nest loss due to trampling may lead to lower nest densities and higher predation rates.…”

Section: Effect Of Different Grazing Treatments On Artificial Nestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Livestock grazing and trampling of birds’ nests: an experiment using artificial nests

et al. 2013

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Take-down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Abstract The purpose of this study is to experimentally determine the differences between four grazing treatments on the trampling of nests. Additionally, we examine to what extent the trampling probability of nests is higher close to a source of fresh water. We compare the trampling of artificial nests in five different grazing treatments in an experimental design. We use buried clay pigeon targets as artificial mimics of bird nests to obtain reliable estimates of trampling risk and compare these with real nests. We find that horses trample significantly more artificial nests than cattle resulting in lower survival rates of artificial nests under horse grazing than under cattle grazing. For both horses and cattle, we find a clear trend, approaching significance, towards more trampling at higher numbers of livestock. We found that more artificial nests are trampled closer to a freshwater tank. The survival probability of artificial nests in cattle grazed treatments in this study is found to be in the same range as real nests in the study area and very close to the survival probability of Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) nests under cattle grazing in a different system. We recommend that horses should not be used as grazers for management purposes in areas with high densities of birds' nests in order to minimize the risk of nests being trampled.Additionally, we confirm that the location of freshwater tanks has an important effect on the distribution of livestock and hence on trampling of nests.

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Predation of Lapwing Vanellus vanellus nests on lowland wet grassland in England and Wales: effects of nest density, habitat and predator abundance

Cited by 37 publications

References 25 publications

Influence of ground predators and water levels on Lapwing Vanellus vanellus breeding success in two continental wetlands

Influence of ground predators and water levels on Lapwing Vanellus vanellus breeding success in two continental wetlands

Habitat preference of geese is affected by livestock grazing ‐ seasonal variation in an experimental field evaluation

Livestock grazing and trampling of birds’ nests: an experiment using artificial nests

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