Effects of habitat quality and fragmentation on Woodlarks (Lullula arborea) and their invertebrate prey in intensively managed vineyards

2018

Vineyards in Switzerland are among the most intensively managed perennial crop systems. The vast majority of all parcels are treated with herbicides and do not have any ground vegetation cover, whereas only a small proportion of vineyards is managed extensively, allowing ground vegetation to grow. These contrasting management types lead to a fragmented and almost binary system of few vegetated parcels embedded within herbicide-treated ones. The Woodlark (Lullula arborea) is an endangered insectivorous bird species, which has its Swiss stronghold in this intensively managed agroecosystem. In a first study we assessed Woodlarks' habitat preferences during territory settlement and linked the b…