A5015831979- Avian ecology and behavior
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Economic and Environmental Valuation
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Sustainable Agricultural Systems Analysis
- Plant and animal studies
- Forest Management and Policy
- Agricultural Economics and Policy
- Agriculture and Rural Development Research
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Urban Green Space and Health
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Environmental Conservation and Management
- Agricultural Innovations and Practices
- Agricultural Systems and Practices
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Animal and Plant Science Education
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
British Trust for Ornithology
2016-2025
University of Nottingham
2013
University of Oxford
1998-2001
Ecology Letters (2011) 14: 101–112 Abstract Biodiversity in agricultural landscapes can be increased with conversion of some production lands into ‘more‐natural’– unmanaged or extensively managed – lands. However, it remains unknown to what extent biodiversity enhanced by altering landscape pattern without reducing production. We propose a framework for this problem, considering separately compositional heterogeneity (the number and proportions different cover types) configurational spatial...
Monitoring Land Use Land-use decisions are based largely on agricultural market values. However, such can lead to losses of ecosystem services, as the provision wildlife habitat or recreational space, magnitude which may overwhelm any benefits. In a research project forming part UK National Ecosystem Assessment, Bateman et al. (p. 45 ) estimate value these net losses. Policies that recognize diversity and complexity natural environment target changes different areas so radically improve land...
1. Widespread declines in the populations of many British farmland birds have occurred since early 1970s. We must understand causes these tomake recommendations about conservation and agricultural management, andthis can be approached by investigating relationships, across species, betweenabundance change. describe novel, quantitative approaches to interpretation abundance indices from which reliable inferences status made. 2. calculated Common Birds Census for 42 smoothed series reveal...
Agricultural landscape homogenization has detrimental effects on biodiversity and key ecosystem services. Increasing agricultural heterogeneity by increasing seminatural cover can help to mitigate loss. However, the amount of is generally low difficult increase in many intensively managed landscapes. We hypothesized that crop mosaic itself (hereafter "crop heterogeneity") also have positive biodiversity. In 8 contrasting regions Europe North America, we selected 435 landscapes along...
Knowledge of the direction, magnitude, and timing changes in bird population abundance is essential to enable species priority conservation concern be identified, reasons for understood. We give a brief review previous techniques analysis large-scale survey data present new approach based on generalized additive models (GAMs). GAMs are used model trend as smooth, nonlinear function time, they provide framework testing statistical significance abundance. In addition, second derivatives...
Experiences of nature provide many mental-health benefits, particularly for people living in urban areas. The natural characteristics city residents’ neighborhoods are likely to be crucial determinants the daily dose that they receive; however, which important remains unclear. One possibility is greatest benefits provided by most visible during day and so experienced people. We demonstrate five neighborhood tested, vegetation cover afternoon bird abundances were positively associated with a...
Agricultural intensification is one of the main causes for current biodiversity crisis. While reversing habitat loss on agricultural land challenging, increasing farmland configurational heterogeneity (higher field border density) and compositional crop diversity) has been proposed to counteract some loss. Here, we tested whether increased promote wild pollinators plant reproduction in 229 landscapes located four major western European regions. High-field density consistently bee abundance...
There is growing interest in the role that natural capital plays underpinning ecosystem services. Yet, there remain differences and inconsistencies conceptualisation of services humans play their delivery. Using worked examples a stocks flows systems approach, we show both (NC) human-derived (produced, human, social, cultural, financial) (HDC) are necessary to create at many levels. HDC three stages service Firstly, as essential elements combined social-ecological system potential service....
Summary 1. Agri‐environment schemes (AES) are used extensively across Europe to address biodiversity declines in farmland. In England, Environmental Stewardship (ES) was introduced 2005 the shortcomings of previous schemes, but as for other countries, assessments date have revealed little evidence national‐scale benefits. 2. Here, we assess efficacy ES driving changes national farmland bird populations over period 2002–2010, using BTO/JNCC/RSPB Breeding Bird Survey data. We tested...
Abstract Human activities are causing rapid environmental change at a global scale. Urbanization is responsible for some of the most extreme human‐altered habitats and known driver evolutionary change, but evidence understanding these processes limited. Here, we investigate potential underlying mechanisms contributing to contemporary evolution migration behaviour in Eurasian blackcap ( Sylvia atricapilla ). Blackcaps from central Europe have been wintering urban areas Britain with increasing...
Abstract Political institutions are keen to use the best available scientific knowledge in decision‐making. For environmental policy, relevant evidence can be complex and extensive, so expert judgment is frequently relied upon, without clear links itself. We propose a new transparent process for incorporating research into policy decisions, involving independent synopsis of relating all possible options combined with evaluation what means specific questions. illustrate using reforms European...
Abstract There is a multi-billion dollar global industry dedicated to feeding wild birds in residential gardens. This extraordinary boost food resources almost certainly reshaping entire bird communities, yet the large-scale, long-term impacts on community ecology remain unknown. Here we reveal 40-year transformation of communities using garden feeders Britain, and provide evidence suggest how this may have contributed national-scale population changes. We find that increases diversity at...
Natural pest and weed regulation are essential for agricultural production, but the spatial distribution of natural enemies within crop fields its drivers mostly unknown. Using 28 datasets comprising 1204 study sites across eight Western Central European countries, we performed a quantitative synthesis carabid richness, activity densities functional traits in relation to field edges (i.e. distance functions). We show that functions carabids strongly depend on traits, type and, lesser extent,...
Abstract To identify the environmental changes responsible for population trends, it is useful first to determine demographic mechanisms through which they have acted. We present new analyses of survival rates, using British ring-recovery data from 1962 1995, 31 farmland passerine species. Separate estimates rates adults and first-years and, where possible, males females, are calculated specific periods increase, stability decline identified objectively each species' Common Birds Census...
Summary 1. Changes in agriculture have been linked to widespread declines farmland bird populations. One approach the identification of causes observed population changes is investigate historical national demographic rates. 2. We analysed British Trust for Ornithology’s nest records database whether long‐term trends could driven by several components annual breeding performance 12 granivorous species. Clutch size, brood chick : egg ratio and daily failure rates were with respect blocks...
Summary 1. The reed bunting Emberiza schoeniclus is one of a suite granivorous farmland bird species that suffered major population decline in Britain during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Extensive monitoring data indicate large increase abundance buntings between 1963 1975, followed by 58% on 66% along linear waterways period 1975–83. Since 1983 numbers have remained relatively stable both habitats. 2. During decline, breeding declined rapidly arable mixed farms, but pastoral farms. was...
Agri‐environment schemes (AES) are central to the conservation of Europe’s farmland biodiversity. The UK Government’s Public Service Agreement target seeks reverse decline birds in England by 2020 through use AES. Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) scheme, introduced 2005, is first non‐competitive, broad‐uptake stewardship scheme designed deliver simple but effective environmental management on farms throughout England. Approximately 5 million hectares currently entered into Environmental (ES)...
Poor overwinter survival caused by low food availability represents the most likely mechanism behind decline, and failure to recover, of many farmland passerine populations. Management enhance resources is now in place via agri‐environment schemes (AESs) such as Environmental Stewardship England, but measures concerned probably fail provide a significant seed resource late winter. Landscape‐scale experimental feeding over six winters was used investigate variation demand for supplementary...
Summary 1. Species distribution models (SDMs) are increasingly used in applied conservation biology, yet the predictive ability of these is often tested only on detection/non‐detection data. The probability long‐term population persistence, however, depends not upon patch occupancy but more fundamental parameters such as mean density and stability over time. 2. Here, we test estimated occurrence scores generated from SDMs built using species data against independent empirical for 20 bird...
It has recently been proposed that losses in farmland habitat heterogeneity may have a primary driver of the profound declines exhibited by many bird species recent decades. However, it yet to be demonstrated which facets and what spatial scales are most important for birds. Here we analyse relationship between abundance features landscape at three (1, 9 25 km 2 ) 32 commonly associated with farmland. Heterogeneity was quantified using contrasting indices reflecting 1) mixing land uses, 2)...
Urban expansion increases fragmentation of the landscape. In effect, decreases connectivity, causes green space loss and impacts upon ecology function space. Restoration functionality often requires restoring ecological connectivity this within city matrix. However, identifying corridors that integrate different structural functional remains vague. Assessing for developing an network by using efficient models is essential to improve these networks under rapid urban expansion. This paper...
Understanding how species richness is distributed across landscapes and which variables may be used as predictors important for spatially targeting management interventions. This study uses finely resolved data over a large geographical area to explore relationships between land-use intensity, habitat heterogeneity of multiple taxa. It aims identify surrogate landscape metrics, valid range taxa, can map monitor High Nature Value farmland (HNV). Results show that variation in along two axes:...