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Home / Equine Research Bank / PeerJ / Natural grazing by horses and cattle promotes bird diversity...
PeerJ2024; 12; e17777; doi: 10.7717/peerj.17777

Natural grazing by horses and cattle promotes bird diversity in a restored European alluvial grassland.

Abstract: A challenge in grassland conservation is to maintain both the openness and the heterogeneity of the habitat to support the diversity of their animal communities, including birds-a taxon that is known to be sensitive to disturbance. An increasingly used management tool in European grassland conservation, especially in rewilding projects, is grazing by large herbivores such as horses and cattle. These grazers are believed to create and maintain patchy landscapes that promote diversity and richness of other species, but their influence on birds is often debated by conservationists, who raise concerns about the impact of disturbance by the grazers. Unassigned: Our aim was to examine the relationship between the abundance and species richness of birds across four foraging guilds and the area utilization patterns of Highland cattle and Konik horses in an alluvial grassland in France. We also aimed to examine the influence of land cover and season on the spatial distribution, including abundance and species richness, of different bird guilds present in the grazed area. Unassigned: We used GPS-collars on all grazers and recorded their positions on an hourly basis over a study period of 1.5 years, assessing patterns of area usage. We counted birds weekly along three transects to describe their distribution within the grazed area and carried out land-cover surveys to describe the habitat. To assess how species richness and abundance of birds of different guilds were related to grazer density, season, and habitat characteristics, we used GAMM models in a spatially explicit framework. We also compared bird numbers at our main study site with a nearby non-grazed control area. Unassigned: The number of birds in the grazed area was about twice the number in the non-grazed control area. Within the grazed area, the abundance of open-area foraging birds increased with increasing grazer density. The number of woodland-foraging birds was also positively correlated with grazer density but less so than open-area foraging birds. The number of individuals in the aerial and wetland bird guilds was not correlated with the density of grazers. Most bird species and individuals were observed on open landscapes scattered with woody patches and waterbodies, and on areas with moderate grazer density. Unassigned: Low-intensity grazing represents a potentially important management tool in creating heterogeneity in alluvial grasslands, thereby promoting suitable habitat for a diverse assemblage of bird species.
©2024 Lovász et al.
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Publication Date: 2024-07-19 PubMed ID: 39040934PubMed Central: PMC11262302DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17777Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article explores how natural grazing by horses and cattle can promote bird diversity in restored European alluvial grasslands, a topic that’s often debated within conservationist circles due to concerns about disturbance caused by these large grazers.

Objective and Methodology

  • The research aimed to identify any correlation between the abundance and variety of bird species across four feeding groups and the area utilization patterns of Highland cows and Konik horses in a French alluvial grassland.
  • The study also considered how land cover and seasonality influenced the spatial distribution of different bird groups in the grazed area.
  • To gather data, the team used GPS collars on all grazers over 1.5 years to identify area usage patterns, conducted weekly bird counts along three transects to determine their distributions in the grazed land, and carried out land cover surveys to describe the habitats.
  • Advanced statistical GAMM models were used within a spatial framework to explore relationships between bird richness and abundance and various factors such as grazer density, seasonal changes, and habitat characteristics.
  • The researchers also compared bird numbers between the primary study area and a nearby non-grazed control area.

Findings

  • The study uncovered that the number of birds in the grazed area was approximately twice that in the non-grazed control area.
  • The population of open-area foraging birds increased with a higher grazer density, as was the case with woodland-foraging birds to a lesser extent.
  • The number of birds in the aerial and wetland groups wasn’t influenced by grazer density.
  • Most birds, both in terms of species and individual numbers, were observed in open landscapes interspersed with patches of woodland and bodies of water, as well as areas featuring moderate grazer density.

Conclusion

  • Based on the findings, the researchers concluded that low-intensity grazing could be a crucial management tool for creating habitat heterogeneity in alluvial grasslands, thereby enhancing the habitat suitability for a variety of bird species.

Cite This Article

APA
Lovász L, Korner-Nievergelt F, Amrhein V. (2024). Natural grazing by horses and cattle promotes bird diversity in a restored European alluvial grassland. PeerJ, 12, e17777. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17777

Publication

PeerJ
ISSN: 2167-8359
NlmUniqueID: 101603425
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 12
Pages: e17777

Researcher Affiliations

Lovász, Lilla
  • Research Station Petite Camargue Alsacienne, Saint Louis, France.
  • Department of Environmental Sciences, Universität Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Korner-Nievergelt, Fränzi
  • Department of Environmental Sciences, Universität Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
  • Oikostat GmbH, Ettiswil, Switzerland.
Amrhein, Valentin
  • Research Station Petite Camargue Alsacienne, Saint Louis, France.
  • Department of Environmental Sciences, Universität Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Birds / physiology
  • Grassland
  • Biodiversity
  • Cattle
  • Conservation of Natural Resources
  • Horses
  • Herbivory
  • France
  • Seasons

Conflict of Interest Statement

Fränzi Korner-Nievergelt is employed by oikostat GmbH.

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