Sowing enriched pastures for extensive livestock enhances the abundance of birds and arthropods in Mediterranean grasslands

Abstract

A great number of farmland wildlife species has shown a sharp population decline in European countries, mainly caused by changes in agricultural practices leading to habitat alterations. Within this scenario, the identification of agricultural practices providing economic benefits to farmers and, at the same time, favoring higher biodiversity levels is a key challenge. This is especially interesting in Mediterranean livestock farming environments where bird numbers decrease due to intensification. Aiming at assessing the benefit to biological diversity of certain types of management practices in grasslands, we experimentally planted enriched pastures. Through a monitoring program of the bird and arthropod communities performed in Extremadura (W Spain) during 2 years (2016–2018), we compared relative richness of birds, abundance, and density values of birds and arthropods between treatment (three plots with enriched pastures) and control areas (six plots of natural grasslands). We found that enriched pastures had higher levels of relative abundance and density of wildlife with respect to natural grasslands and provided a greater variability and availability of trophic resources to birds. Habitat use by birds and arthropods not only depended on the type of pastures but also on the season, the study area, the presence of livestock and the vegetation height. Sowing enriched pastures constitutes a proactive measure stimulating biodiversity in Mediterranean extensive livestock farms that is also beneficial at the socioeconomic level. Therefore, co-financing this measure within the framework of subsidies from the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union, as well as its inclusion in the future operational programs approved by the authorities, are essential.