Breeding birds and changing farming conditions

Abstract

In this Project the avian community in farmland is investigated under different cultivation methods. Most new studies about farmland birds describe a large overall decline of these species under conventionell farming methods but there are no clear reasons the the decline. Since 2001the bird community has been mapped every year. After one year with conventional farming with predominating winter cereals two periods of conversion followed and since 2004 farming is carried out under organic methods. First results indicate coherence between breeding density of farmland birds and the quality of the vegetation, especially time of growing, hight and density.

Keywords

Breeding birds, arable land, breeding success, population development

Subproject Information

Project runtime: Since 2001-04-01

Scientific coordination: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Roweck

Scientific staff: Dipl. Biol. Bernd Koop