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Time to rethink the management intensity in a Mediterranean oak woodland: the response of insectivorous birds and leaf-chewing defoliators as key groups in the forest ecosystem

  • Original Paper
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Abstract

• Context

The Iberian cork oak Quercus suber montados are dynamic agro-silvo-pastoral systems, contrasting with the abandonment trend of other Mediterranean forested areas.

• Aims

We aimed to identify the effect of management type and vegetation features on breeding insectivorous birds and leaf-chewing defoliator insects.

• Methods

In central Portugal, we selected two groups of 20 sites: dense montados (DM, high cover of cork oaks and low cattle impact) and sparse montados (SM, low cover of oaks and high cattle impact). We collected variables associated with vegetation features, bird community and chewing defoliators.

• Results

The two systems differed significantly in oak trunk diameter, oak and shrub cover, tree and shrub diversity. Ground bird densities were higher in SM with fragmented shrub cover. In DM, higher woody vegetation cover and diversity can promote shrub birds and leaf warblers. Oak defoliation was mainly attributed to the sawfly Periclista andrei. Sawfly defoliation was significantly higher in SM and negatively correlated with shrub cover.

• Conclusions

Our results highlight (1) the relevance of management activities conducted at the shrubby layer, (2) the need of an increase in tree diversity and density and (3) the maintenance of a mosaic landscape in order to improve the bird community richness and reduce the defoliation impact in montado system.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Eng. Rui Alves (Forestry and Natural Resources Department, Companhia das Lezírias S.A.) for all logistic support. We appreciated the comments and suggestions of fellow researchers, which helped to improve the scientific value of the study: Rita Azedo, Sara Santos, Pedro Salgueiro and Rui Lourenço. The authors are thankful to two anonymous referees for their valuable comments and suggestions to an earlier version of the manuscript.

Funding

This study was totally funded by Companhia das Lezírias S.A. under the European Business and Biodiversity initiative (project designation: CL/UE-B&B2008/12—Biodiversity Valorisation of Companhia das Lezírias).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LabOr—Laboratório de Ornitologia, Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas, University of Évora, 7002-544, Évora, Portugal

    Pedro Pereira, Carlos Godinho, Inês Roque, Ana Marques & João Eduardo Rabaça

  2. Departamento de Engenharia Florestal, Instituto Superior Agronomia, Technical University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal

    Manuela Branco

Authors
  1. Pedro Pereira
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  2. Carlos Godinho
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  3. Inês Roque
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  4. Ana Marques
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  5. Manuela Branco
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  6. João Eduardo Rabaça
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pedro Pereira.

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Handling Editor: Francois Lieutier

Contribution of the co-authors

Pedro Pereira designed the experiment, conducted field work, data analysis and manuscript writing. Carlos Godinho designed the experiment, conducted field work and manuscript reviewing. Inês Roque designed the experiment and manuscript reviewing. Ana Marques reviewed the manuscript. Manuela Branco designed the experiment and reviewed the manuscript. João Eduardo Rabaça designed the experiment, coordinated the research project and reviewed the manuscript.

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Pereira, P., Godinho, C., Roque, I. et al. Time to rethink the management intensity in a Mediterranean oak woodland: the response of insectivorous birds and leaf-chewing defoliators as key groups in the forest ecosystem. Annals of Forest Science 71, 25–32 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-012-0227-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-012-0227-y

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