Impact of Management on Avian Communities in the Scottish Highlands.

The protection of biodiversity is a key national and international policy objective. While protected areas provide one approach, a major challenge lies in understanding how the conservation of biodiversity can be achieved in the context of multiple land management objectives in the wider countryside...

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Main Authors: Scott Newey, Karen Mustin, Rosalind Bryce, Debbie Fielding, Steve Redpath, Nils Bunnefeld, Bronwen Daniel, R Justin Irvine
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2016-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4873258?pdf=render
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spelling doaj-0e8bfcdc56e8488f96f2134c72db62182020-11-25T02:48:24ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032016-01-01115e015547310.1371/journal.pone.0155473Impact of Management on Avian Communities in the Scottish Highlands.Scott NeweyKaren MustinRosalind BryceDebbie FieldingSteve RedpathNils BunnefeldBronwen DanielR Justin IrvineThe protection of biodiversity is a key national and international policy objective. While protected areas provide one approach, a major challenge lies in understanding how the conservation of biodiversity can be achieved in the context of multiple land management objectives in the wider countryside. Here we analyse metrics of bird diversity in the Scottish uplands in relation to land management types and explore how bird species composition varies in relation to land managed for grazing, hunting and conservation. Birds were surveyed on the heather moorland areas of 26 different landholdings in Scotland. The results indicate that, in relation to dominant management type, the composition of bird species varies but measures of diversity and species richness do not. Intensive management for grouse shooting affects the occurrence, absolute and relative abundance of bird species. While less intensive forms of land management appear to only affect the relative abundance of species, though extensive sheep grazing appears to have little effect on avian community composition. Therefore enhanced biodiversity at the landscape level is likely to be achieved by maintaining heterogeneity in land management among land management units. This result should be taken into account when developing policies that consider how to achieve enhanced biodiversity outside protected areas, in the context of other legitimate land-uses.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4873258?pdf=render
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Scott Newey
Karen Mustin
Rosalind Bryce
Debbie Fielding
Steve Redpath
Nils Bunnefeld
Bronwen Daniel
R Justin Irvine
spellingShingle Scott Newey
Karen Mustin
Rosalind Bryce
Debbie Fielding
Steve Redpath
Nils Bunnefeld
Bronwen Daniel
R Justin Irvine
Impact of Management on Avian Communities in the Scottish Highlands.
PLoS ONE
author_facet Scott Newey
Karen Mustin
Rosalind Bryce
Debbie Fielding
Steve Redpath
Nils Bunnefeld
Bronwen Daniel
R Justin Irvine
author_sort Scott Newey
title Impact of Management on Avian Communities in the Scottish Highlands.
title_short Impact of Management on Avian Communities in the Scottish Highlands.
title_full Impact of Management on Avian Communities in the Scottish Highlands.
title_fullStr Impact of Management on Avian Communities in the Scottish Highlands.
title_full_unstemmed Impact of Management on Avian Communities in the Scottish Highlands.
title_sort impact of management on avian communities in the scottish highlands.
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
series PLoS ONE
issn 1932-6203
publishDate 2016-01-01
description The protection of biodiversity is a key national and international policy objective. While protected areas provide one approach, a major challenge lies in understanding how the conservation of biodiversity can be achieved in the context of multiple land management objectives in the wider countryside. Here we analyse metrics of bird diversity in the Scottish uplands in relation to land management types and explore how bird species composition varies in relation to land managed for grazing, hunting and conservation. Birds were surveyed on the heather moorland areas of 26 different landholdings in Scotland. The results indicate that, in relation to dominant management type, the composition of bird species varies but measures of diversity and species richness do not. Intensive management for grouse shooting affects the occurrence, absolute and relative abundance of bird species. While less intensive forms of land management appear to only affect the relative abundance of species, though extensive sheep grazing appears to have little effect on avian community composition. Therefore enhanced biodiversity at the landscape level is likely to be achieved by maintaining heterogeneity in land management among land management units. This result should be taken into account when developing policies that consider how to achieve enhanced biodiversity outside protected areas, in the context of other legitimate land-uses.
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4873258?pdf=render
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