Positive relationship shown between riparian vegetation and birds in wood farming systems

European Business & Biodiversity Campaign - News

Positive relationship shown between riparian vegetation and birds in wood farming systems

Study evaluates impacts on birds of a management of olive groves and riparian galleries

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A study published in 2016 evaluated the impacts on birds of a management of olive groves and riparian galleries that promotes the heterogeneity of wood farming systems in Portugal. The study took place in the Serra de Grândola, in the Alentejo region (Southern Portugal). The group of researchers used a methodology based on models that combine population simulators with maps and describe alternative scenarios concerning the spatial distribution of landscape features.

To generate these models, estimates of the population density of 21 bird species and various habitat descriptors were used, combined with three different scenarios that varied in the coverage areas of riparian galleries and olive groves.

The results showed that a greater availability of riparian vegetation leads to the positive response of bird populations, with a third of the species studied benefiting from the increase in riparian galleries.

The majority of the yield of the landscapes dominated by cork oak woodland comes from the exploitation of cork, which is why the reduction of these areas is undesirable. However, the expansion and restoration of riparian galleries would be highly beneficial to birds and the loss of cork oak area would be minimal (from 2 to 5%). In addition, the maintenance of existing traditional olive groves will have positive effects on the bird community, without compromising the essential economic value of this type of system.

Publication available at www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1617138116300085
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