Foraging ecology and reproductive biology of the Stonechat Saxicola torquata: comparison between a revitalized, intensively cultivated and a historical, traditionally cultivated agro-ecosystem |
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Authors: | Emmanuel Revaz Michael Schaub and Rapha?l Arlettaz |
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Institution: | (1) Swiss Ornithological Institute, Valais Field Station, Nature Centre, 3970 Salgesch, Switzerland;(2) Swiss Ornithological Institute, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland;(3) Zoological Institute, Conservation Biology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;(4) Ecology Centre, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia |
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Abstract: | An effective strategy to reintegrate biodiversity within otherwise intensively cultivated agroecosystems is to create set-aside
and wildflower areas. It remains largely unknown, however, whether the ecological performance of an agroecosystem revitalized
in this manner is comparable—from a species’ population biology perspective—to traditionally exploited farmland. To address
this question we compared, during two successive years, the trophic ecology and breeding performance of an insectivorous,
indicator passerine (the Stonechat Saxicola torquata) in a revitalized intensively cultivated farmland (RIC) and a traditional, extensively cultivated farmland (TEC) in southern
Switzerland. The chicks' diet and prey abundance did not differ between the RIC and TEC, with orthopterans, caterpillars (Lepidoptera)
and coleopterans predominating (approx. 80% of diet biomass). Although Stonechat pairs initiated more broods in TEC than in
the RIC, reproductive success (number of fledglings/territory × year) did not differ significantly between the TEC and RIC.
The chicks’ condition (body mass) was slightly better in TEC than in RIC, while no such effect could be shown for chick constitution
(tarsus length) in either year. The inter-site (RIC vs. TEC) variation fell well within the inter-annual variation of breeding
parameters, indicating that environmental stochasticity could be a greater determinant of reproductive output and young quality
than agroecosystem type. Although in need of replication, these results suggest that incentives for setting aside farmland
and creating wildflower areas within agroecosystems may not only enhance plant and invertebrate diversity, as has been demonstrated
earlier, but can also support functioning populations of vertebrates situated at higher trophic levels along the food chain. |
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Keywords: | Agroecosystems Ecological restoration Farmland Set-aside areas Species conservation Trophic niche Saxicola torquata |
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