The Effect of Agricultural Landscape Structure on Food Resources and Survival of Grey Partridge Perdix Perdix Chicks in Poland

Abstract

1. The relationships between the agricultural landscape structure, as a function of arable field size and the occurrence of permanent cover, and the abundance of insect food and partridge chick survival were studied in two areas of Poland. One area had small and large fields (Czempin) and the other had only small fields (Kutno). Brood size was used as an index of chick survival and the number of plant bugs (Heteroptera) as an index of chick food resources. 2. The number of plant bugs in cereals increased with permanent cover in Czempin, but no relationship was found in Kutno where there was more permanent cover and smaller field sizes. 3. The average number of plant bugs was higher in small arable fields than in large fields. However, the number of insects near permanent cover in small and large arable fields did not differ. 4. The mean brood size of partridges in small arable fields increased with permanent cover in Czempin, but not in Kutno. No differences were found in mean brood size between small and large arable fields. 5. Simplifying the agricultural landscape structure could be an important feature of agricultural intensification that results in lower partridge chick survival.