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Sowing enriched pastures for extensive livestock enhances the abundance of birds and arthropods in Mediterranean grasslands

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Abstract

A great number of farmland wildlife species has shown a sharp population decline in European countries, mainly caused by changes in agricultural practices leading to habitat alterations. Within this scenario, the identification of agricultural practices providing economic benefits to farmers and, at the same time, favoring higher biodiversity levels is a key challenge. This is especially interesting in Mediterranean livestock farming environments where bird numbers decrease due to intensification. Aiming at assessing the benefit to biological diversity of certain types of management practices in grasslands, we experimentally planted enriched pastures. Through a monitoring program of the bird and arthropod communities performed in Extremadura (W Spain) during 2 years (2016–2018), we compared relative richness of birds, abundance, and density values of birds and arthropods between treatment (three plots with enriched pastures) and control areas (six plots of natural grasslands). We found that enriched pastures had higher levels of relative abundance and density of wildlife with respect to natural grasslands and provided a greater variability and availability of trophic resources to birds. Habitat use by birds and arthropods not only depended on the type of pastures but also on the season, the study area, the presence of livestock and the vegetation height. Sowing enriched pastures constitutes a proactive measure stimulating biodiversity in Mediterranean extensive livestock farms that is also beneficial at the socioeconomic level. Therefore, co-financing this measure within the framework of subsidies from the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union, as well as its inclusion in the future operational programs approved by the authorities, are essential.

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Acknowledgements

R. Higuero, M. Abascal, J. Caldera, and L. M. González helped in different phases of the study. The Junta de Extremadura provided essential help and authorized the implementation of the project. The managers of the farms in which the fieldwork was performed (Casatejada, Mingalozana y Martinagómez) collaborated fruitfully so we are obliged to all of them. This work was carried out within the framework of the project Developing management guidelines in areas of ecological interest on agricultural lands, commissioned by the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and developed by TRAGSATEC. Two anonymous reviewers improved the first versions of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, E-28071, Madrid, Spain

    Rubén Moreno-Opo

  2. Evolution and Conservation Biology Research Group, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Rubén Moreno-Opo

  3. TRAGSATEC, Madrid, Spain

    Manuel Pina

  4. Junta de Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain

    Agustín Mogena

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  1. Rubén Moreno-Opo
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  2. Manuel Pina
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  3. Agustín Mogena
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Correspondence to Rubén Moreno-Opo.

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Moreno-Opo, R., Pina, M. & Mogena, A. Sowing enriched pastures for extensive livestock enhances the abundance of birds and arthropods in Mediterranean grasslands. Eur J Wildl Res 67, 40 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-021-01486-2

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