The conservation island effect of commercial hunting of red-legged partridges in agricultural landscapes

Abstract

The global biodiversity crisis, driven by habitat changes to meet escalating food demands, is particularly evident in Mediterranean Europe through agricultural intensification and rural abandonment. Counterintuitively, commercial hunting of red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) may benefit biodiversity managing estates for habitat quality rather than for profit. This approach, featuring food and water supplementation, legal predator control, and reduced hunting of European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), fosters favorable biodiversity conditions. Our study in central Spain compared biodiversity in ten commercial partridge hunting estates (treatment areas) with ten agriculture focused landscapes (controls). We detected 75 bird species, 63 in treatment and 52 in control areas. Transect surveys indicated higher bird species richness in treatment areas, alongside extended raptor sightings Muscicapidae and Turdidae were more frequent in treatment areas, likely due to superior habitat conditions. Additionally, rabbits were more abundant in treatment areas, and the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) was exclusively detected there. Non-target species, including rabbits (44.93%) and birds (20.68%), were attracted to partridge feeders and waterers. Our findings suggest that commercial partridge hunting lands by preserving habitat and supporting prey, enhance biodiversity, potentially acting as “conservation islands” with positive effects on biodiversity beyond their borders.