British Trust for Ornithology

About: British Trust for Ornithology is a nonprofit organization based out in Thetford, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Abundance (ecology). The organization has 280 authors who have published 1002 publications receiving 61110 citations. The organization is also known as: BTO.

Farmland biodiversity: is habitat heterogeneity the key?

Abstract: Agricultural intensification has led to a widespread decline in farmland biodiversity measured across many different taxa. The changes in agricultural practices affect many different aspects of the farmland habitat, but agricultural industry, policy and much previous research has tended to be concerned with specific sectors or practices (e.g. pesticide use or cereal husbandry). Here, we review the empirical literature to synthesize the research effort that has been directed to investigate specific practices or goals to make general statements regarding the causes and consequences of farmland biodiversity decline. We argue that the loss of ecological heterogeneity at multiple spatial and temporal scales is a universal consequence of multivariate agricultural intensification and, therefore, that future research should develop cross-cutting policy frameworks and management solutions that recreate that heterogeneity as the key to restoring and sustaining biodiversity in temperate agricultural systems.

Post‐war changes in arable farming and biodiversity in Great Britain

Abstract: Summary 1. Agriculture represents the dominant land use throughout much of western Europe, and a significant part of European biodiversity is associated with this habitat. We attempted to quantify the changes in agriculture and biodiversity in Britain since the 1940s. 2. There have been widespread declines in the populations of many groups of organisms associated with farmland in Britain and north-west Europe. The declines have been particularly marked amongst habitat specialists; many of the taxa still common on farmland are habitat generalists. 3. Farming practices have become increasingly intensive in the post-war period, with a dramatic reduction in landscape diversity. Since 1945, there has been a 65% decline in the number of farms, a 77% decline in farm labour and an almost fourfold increase in yield. Farms have become more specialized; the greatly increased use of machinery has made operations quicker and more efficient, but has resulted in the removal of 50% of the hedgerow stock. Autumn sowing of crops has become predominant, with winter stubbles now far less prevalent. The number and extent of chemical applications has increased greatly, but the net amount applied, and their persistence, has decreased in recent years. 4. Intensification has had a wide range of impacts on biodiversity, but data for many taxa are too scarce to permit a detailed assessment of the factors involved. Reduction in habitat diversity was important in the 1950s and 1960s; reduction in habitat quality is probably more important now. 5. As a case study, the declines in populations of seed-eating birds populations were assessed in relation to changing agricultural management. Generally, the declines were likely to be caused by a reduced food supply in the non-breeding season, although other factors may be important for particular species. 6. Agriculture will face a number of challenges in the medium term. While research into the mechanisms underlying species and habitat associations, and their interaction with scale, will be critical in under-pinning management, consideration of farmer attitudes and socio-economic factors is likely to be as important. Biodiversity may benefit from integrated farming techniques but these need to incorporate environmental objectives explicitly, rather than as a fringe benefit.

Functional landscape heterogeneity and animal biodiversity in agricultural landscapes

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 can be enhanced by altering landscape pattern without reducing agricultural production. We propose a framework for this problem, considering separately compositional heterogeneity (the number and proportions of different cover types) and configurational heterogeneity (the spatial arrangement of cover types). Cover type classification and mapping is based on species requirements, such as feeding and nesting, resulting in measures of 'functional landscape heterogeneity'. We then identify three important questions: does biodiversity increase with (1) increasing heterogeneity of the more-natural areas, (2) increasing compositional heterogeneity of production cover types and (3) increasing configurational heterogeneity of production cover types? We discuss approaches for addressing these questions. Such studies should have high priority because biodiversity protection globally depends increasingly on maintaining biodiversity in human-dominated landscapes.

Rare species, the coincidence of diversity hotspots and conservation strategies

Abstract: SPECIES conservation in situ requires networks of protected areas selected for high conservation interest1–3. Throughout most of the world, however, there are neither the resources nor the time to carry out detailed inventories for most taxa2,4 before designating protected areas. Site selection (on grounds other than availability) would be easier and more effective if two things were true: (1) habitats that are species-rich for one taxon are also species-rich for others5; and (2) rare1 species occur in, and therefore benefit from the conservation of, species-rich habitats. Diversity (usually, species richness) and the presence of rare species are the most frequently cited criteria for site selection by conservationists6–8. Here, we use data on British plants and animals held by the Biological Records Centre (BRC)9 and the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), mapped on a grid of 10 km × 10 km ('10 km squares') to examine the extent to which species-rich areas for different taxa coincide, and whether species-rich areas contain substantial numbers of rare species. The fine scale and high intensity of recording in Britain produces distributional datasets at least as good as and, in most cases, better than those available elsewhere. For Britain at least, we do not find strong support for either proposition. Species-rich areas ('hotspots'10) frequently do not coincide for different taxa, and many rare species do not occur in the most species-rich squares.

Biodiversity conservation: challenges beyond 2010.

Abstract: The continued growth of human populations and of per capita consumption have resulted in unsustainable exploitation of Earth’s biological diversity, exacerbated by climate change, ocean acidification, and other anthropogenic environmental impacts. We argue that effective conservation of biodiversity is essential for human survival and the maintenance of ecosystem processes. Despite some conservation successes (especially at local scales) and increasing public and government interest in living sustainably, biodiversity continues to decline. Moving beyond 2010, successful conservation approaches need to be reinforced and adequately financed. In addition, however, more radical changes are required that recognize biodiversity as a global public good, that integrate biodiversity conservation into policies and decision frameworks for resource production and consumption, and that focus on wider institutional and societal changes to enable more effective implementation of policy.