The low survival rate of European hare leverets in arable farmland: evidence from the predation experiment

Kód výsledku v 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>

Nalezeny alternativní kódy

RIV/60460709:41320/24:98725 RIV/60460709:41330/24:98725 RIV/60076658:12310/24:43908458 RIV/00020702:_____/24:N0000008

Výsledek na webu

<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>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

The low survival rate of European hare leverets in arable farmland: evidence from the predation experiment

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

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.

Název v anglickém jazyce

The low survival rate of European hare leverets in arable farmland: evidence from the predation experiment

Popis výsledku anglicky

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.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

10618 - Ecology

Projekt

<a href="/cs/project/SS05010238" target="_blank" >SS05010238: Podpora zbytkových populací zajíce polního (Lepus europaeus) v různých typech zemědělské krajiny: od výzkumu k aplikované ochraně</a><br>

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2024

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

PeerJ

ISSN

2167-8359

e-ISSN

2167-8359

Svazek periodika

12

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

4

Stát vydavatele periodika

US - Spojené státy americké

Počet stran výsledku

16

Strana od-do

e17235

Kód UT WoS článku

001335920000006

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-85193477672