Avian Use of Dairy Farm Ponds and Landowners’ Perceptions of Their Management for Wildlife Conservation

Luc Bélanger,Jean Rodrigue,Charles Maisonneuve

doi:10.3390/birds2040035

Luc Bélanger, Jean Rodrigue + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/birds2040035

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Abstract

Farm ponds are among the last remaining lentic wetland habitats in human-dominated agricultural and suburban landscapes. However, their wildlife value and farmers’ willingness to maintain them for the conservation of regionally declining biodiversity are often both poorly documented. The objectives of this study of 61 dairy farm ponds located in Southern Quebec (Canada) were to (1) describe their biophysical features and birds’ use, (2) determine habitat and landscape characteristics that influence the bird community, and (3) assess the willingness of farmers to support wildlife use. The studied ponds were small (0.17 ha) and had rectangular shape with rocky/muddy steeply slopes (21°), surrounded by 3 m wide riparian strips and pastures, hayfields, and fallows. They were located about 300 m from farmhouses, buildings, streams, and adjacent ponds. A total of 1963 individuals belonging to 46 bird species were observed. The abundance of all bird species, of species with declining populations, and of crop damaging species were positively related to the area of fallow land and to the width of riparian strips; the areas of cereals and of mixed-wood forest had a negative influence. Only two habitat variables had influence on species richness: the width of riparian strips (+) and the distance to the closest farm buildings (–). Most pond landowners (>80%) were in favour of increasing wildlife use if they were given access to associated financial support and logistical assistance. Wider riparian strips and adjacent uncultivated field margins are recommended.

Highlights

IntroductionAgricultural intensification leading to an increase in land clearing for urbanization and other anthropogenic needs in rural areas has resulted in the fragmentation, loss, and
Thereby, 74% of grassland species are declining, the largest magnitude of total population loss among the North American avifauna [4], whereas the populations of 57 of 77 farmland-associated bird species have decreased since the 1960s as a result of rapid changes in farming practices to low tillage systems, heavy pesticide use, and widespread conversion of grassland habitat to cropland in North America [5]
More agroecological and social science studies are needed to include wildlife-oriented management and restoration guidelines for farm ponds in existing sustainable agriculture programs. This could include the possibility of having an individual farm-based bird conservation action plan implemented by a partner biodiversity conservation organization [19,38]

Summary

Introduction

Agricultural intensification leading to an increase in land clearing for urbanization and other anthropogenic needs in rural areas has resulted in the fragmentation, loss, and. A lot of attention has been devoted to sound agroecological management of the residual natural terrestrial habitats on agricultural land (such as hedges and riparian strips), in order to prevent soil erosion, maintain water quality, and provide additional habitats for biodiversity [6,7]. Given the alarming loss of wetlands in human-dominated areas, more attention has been focused on farm ponds, which are often the only remaining lentic freshwater habitats in drained agricultural landscapes [8,9]. Individually small in size, farm ponds collectively represent a very significant acreage of potential habitats

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