Effects of fertilizer application on summer usage of cereal fields by farmland birds in central Hungary

Abstract

Capsule Despite negative effects of inorganic fertilizer on weeds and invertebrates in cereal fields, impacts on bird usage were weak and non-linear. Aim To assess the effects of inorganic fertilizer application to winter cereals on breeding-season usage by farmland birds. Methods We measured bird usage of winter-sown cereal fields across a gradient of inorganic fertilizer inputs and tested for influences of management intensity and availability of semi-natural habitat on species richness and abundance of farmland birds. Results Avian species richness and bird abundance were unrelated to fertilizer inputs, and declined at higher levels of total vegetation cover. Sky Lark abundance increased, while Yellow Wagtail counts declined with the extent of semi-natural habitat. Sky Lark abundance increased with vegetation cover and peaked at an intermediate level of weed species richness. Yellow Wagtail counts peaked at intermediate levels of fertilizer inputs. Conclusions Compared with much of western Europe, cereal production in central Hungary is characterized by modest fertilizer inputs and large areas of semi-natural habitat. There was little evidence that increased applications of fertilizer are likely to have negative impacts on farmland birds, although increased application might reduce habitat suitability for Yellow Wagtails. Loss of semi-natural habitat is likely to have negative impacts on Sky Larks.