The low survival rate of European hare leverets in arable farmland: evidence from the predation experiment
The result's identifiers
Result code in IS VaVaI
<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68081766%3A_____%2F24%3A00586335" target="_blank" >RIV/68081766:_____/24:00586335 - isvavai.cz</a>
Alternative codes found
RIV/60460709:41320/24:98725 RIV/60460709:41330/24:98725 RIV/60076658:12310/24:43908458 RIV/00020702:_____/24:N0000008
Result on the web
<a href="https://peerj.com/articles/17235.pdf" target="_blank" >https://peerj.com/articles/17235.pdf</a>
DOI - Digital Object Identifier
<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17235" target="_blank" >10.7717/peerj.17235</a>
Alternative languages
Result language
angličtina
Original language name
The low survival rate of European hare leverets in arable farmland: evidence from the predation experiment
Original language description
The low survival rate of leverets may significantly contribute to steep population declines and slow recovery of European hares (Lepus europaeus). However, the leveret survival rate in farmlands with different landscape structures is poorly understood, and the existing evidence comes mainly from Western Europe. In this study, we explored the survival of leveret hare dummies along linear semi-natural habitats in homogeneous Central European arable farmland during the main part of the European hare reproduction period (March–April) in 2019 and 2020. The survival rate of hare leverets during the 14-day period was only 22.2%, and all predation events were recorded during the first six days of the experiment. Mammalian predators were responsible for 53.1% of predation events, avian predators for 40.8%, and agricultural operations for 6.1%. The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) was the dominant predator in our study area and was the primary cause of leveret dummy mortality (32.7%), but it also had the highest use-intensity and visit frequency of all of the study plots. Predation by avian predators was associated with patches of lower vegetation height and cover (such as plowed fields) and during daylight hours, whereas the opposite was true for mammalian predators. We propose that improving the habitat quality of arable landscapes by increasing the proportion and quality of extensively used non-farmed habitats (e.g., set-asides, wildflower areas, extensive meadows, fallow land, and semi-natural habitats on arable land) providing cover and shelter for leverets could be an effective management measure for reducing predation risk on leverets.
Czech name
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Czech description
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Classification
Type
J<sub>imp</sub> - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database
CEP classification
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OECD FORD branch
10618 - Ecology
Result continuities
Project
<a href="/en/project/SS05010238" target="_blank" >SS05010238: Conservation measures for fragmented populations of European hare (Lepus europaeus) in contrasting farmlands: from research to applied conservation</a><br>
Continuities
I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace
Others
Publication year
2024
Confidentiality
S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů
Data specific for result type
Name of the periodical
PeerJ
ISSN
2167-8359
e-ISSN
2167-8359
Volume of the periodical
12
Issue of the periodical within the volume
4
Country of publishing house
US - UNITED STATES
Number of pages
16
Pages from-to
e17235
UT code for WoS article
001335920000006
EID of the result in the Scopus database
2-s2.0-85193477672