The distribution and status of the adder (<i>Vipera berus</i> L) in Scotland determined from questionnaire surveys

Reading, C. J.; Buckland, Stephen T.; McGowan, G.M.; Jayasinghe, G.; Gorzula, S; Balharry, D.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.1996.tb00026.x

Cited by 19 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…Questionnaire studies such as this are useful and cost‐effective for the collection of data on animal abundance and distribution (Reading et al . 1996) and on agricultural management (Medley et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat associations of European hares Lepus europaeus in England and Wales: implications for farmland management

Vaughan

Lucas²,

Harris

et al. 2003

Journal of Applied Ecology

115

111

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Summary Numbers of European haresLepus europaeus have declined throughout Europe as a result of agricultural intensification. Ecological research to inform agricultural management policy is needed. We aimed to identify agricultural land management practices that may benefit this species, which is of conservation concern and of value as a game animal. 2. A postal survey of farmers was used to investigate relationships between the abundance of hares on farmland and current land management, the abundance of a possible competitor (rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus ) and the abundance of two predators (buzzard Buteo buteo and fox Vulpes vulpes ). 3. Questionnaires were sent to 3000 farms in England and Wales selected from the annual agricultural census database held by the UK government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the National Assembly for Wales. Onethousand and fifty farmers (35%) responded. Non-respondents were statistically similar to respondents, so the questionnaire data were considered representative of the opinions of farmers in England and Wales. 4. Hares were relatively common on arable farms, especially on those with wheat Triticum aestivum , beet Beta vulgaris or fallow land. They were less common on pastural farms, where the likelihood of seeing hares was increased if improved grass, woodland or, in some cases, arable land was present. The association of relatively frequent sightings of hares with arable land was consistent at four spatial scales (farm, parish group, county and region). 5. Hares were seen rarely where foxes were seen frequently. Hares were generally only hunted on farms where they were common. Hence, records of numbers of hares shot may be used as indices of hare abundance but only in areas where hares are common. 6. Forty-two per cent of farmers believed that hares were declining. Hare numbers were most likely to be increasing on arable farms. 7. Synthesis and applications. Changes in land management that provide year-round cover and forage may make farms more attractive to hares. To benefit hares, pastural farms should have some woodland, improved grass and arable crops; arable farms should have wheat, beet and fallow land.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat associations of European hares Lepus europaeus in England and Wales: implications for farmland management

Vaughan

Lucas²,

Harris

et al. 2003

Journal of Applied Ecology

115

111

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“…In this sense, it is necessary to further develop alternative methods to obtain abundance data in an affordable and reliable way. We belief that LEK can play a relevant role in this issue (Reading et al 1996;Anadón et al 2009), although it is presently misused. In this sense, it is necessary to value social research tools and their potential role in biodiversity monitoring fairly (Folke 2004).…”

Section: Final Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Linking local ecological knowledge and habitat modelling to predict absolute species abundance on large scales

2009

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Assessing the spatial structure of abundance of a species is a basic requirement to carry out adequate conservation strategies. However, existing attempts to predict species abundance, particularly in absolute units and on large scales, are scarce and have led to weak results. In this work we present a scheme to obtain, in an affordable way, a predictive model of absolute animal abundance on large scales based on the modelling of data obtained from local ecological knowledge (LEK) and its calibration. To exemplify this scheme, we build and validate a predictive absolute abundance model of the endangered terrestrial tortoise Testudo graeca in Southeast Iberian Peninsula. For that purpose, we collected distribution and relative abundance data of T. graeca using a low cost methodology, such as LEK, by means of interviewing shepherds. The information from LEK was employed to build a predictive habitat-based model of relative abundance. The relative abundance model was transformed into an absolute abundance model by means of calibration with a classical absolute abundance sampling method such as distance sampling. The obtained absolute abundance model predicted the observed absolute abundances values well in independent locations when compared with other works (R 2 = 36%) and thus can offer a cost-effective predictive ability. Our results show that reliable habitatbased predictive maps of absolute species abundance on regional scales can be obtained starting from low cost sampling methods of relative abundance, such as LEK, and its calibration.

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“…This clearly differs from the situation in forest landscapes with big game hunting districts, where a majority of hunters will lack traditional local affiliation. Reading et al (1996) state in respect to their questionnaire survey on the status and distribution of adders Vipera berus that farmers, compared with other respondents, represent a more stable community, and are therefore more likely to have been familiar with their surroundings for a longer period of time and are thus more likely to notice changes in their environment. Observations are usually incidental records, but in the course of a year, these give a more or less clear picture of grey partridge presence.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do hunters tell the truth? Evaluation of hunters' spring pair density estimates of the grey partridge Perdix perdix

Tillmann¹,

Beyerbach²,

Strauß³

2012

Wildlife Biology

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Hunters' estimates of pair densities of the grey partridge Perdix perdix as derived from an annual questionnaire survey (‘Game Survey Lower Saxony’, WTE) were evaluated by comparison with detailed ground‐truthing censuses in 123 randomly chosen hunting districts representing 63,847 ha potential grey partridge habitat. Estimates and evaluation‐census‐densities were highly significantly correlated. The median of the hunters' estimate errors, disregarding the direction of the relative discrepancy, was 24.2%. Hunters underestimated the density per 100 ha potential habitat by 0.16 breeding pairs on average. The discrepancy increased with higher grey partridge densities and increasing size of the hunting district. The satisfactory agreement between the estimates of the hunters, in most cases local farmers, and the evaluation survey is explained by their comprehensive year‐round presence through their hunting, farming but also their leisure activities and their special interest in this charismatic bird combined with its site fidelity. We recommend the consultation of WTE data as a valuable source of basic information on distribution and abundance of grey partridges to identify spatial conservation priorities, to justify conservation initiatives and to adapt management practices.

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The distribution and status of the adder (Vipera berus L) in Scotland determined from questionnaire surveys

Cited by 19 publications

References 1 publication

Habitat associations of European hares Lepus europaeus in England and Wales: implications for farmland management

Habitat associations of European hares Lepus europaeus in England and Wales: implications for farmland management

Linking local ecological knowledge and habitat modelling to predict absolute species abundance on large scales

Do hunters tell the truth? Evaluation of hunters' spring pair density estimates of the grey partridge Perdix perdix

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