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human-altered habitats have potential ecological value for wildlife.
The value of agro-ecosystems managed for wildlife is tremendous
considering that only a small portion of land can ever be "set-aside"
in reserves. Within Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick experienced
the most precipitous declines in farmland/grassland birds in the
last two decades. In the Canadian Maritimes, grassland/hayfield
habitats are often associated with rich coastal dykeland agricultural
soils, fresh- and salt-water wetlands, and impoundments.
For
species of such conservation importance, surprisingly little is
known of what agricultural management regimes best support populations
of grassland birds and grassland-associated species. Worldwide,
there has been an abundance of research conducted on birds in croplands,
but comparatively little on cultivated grasslands, especially in
eastern North America.
This
projet proposes to ameliorate some of those knowledge gaps to guide
future management initiatives that serve to provide stewardship
in agricultural grassland and wet meadow habitats. It will take
follow a manipulative experimental approach to model the area requirements,
habitat use, the value of non-grassland agricultural fields and
lands, and evaluate the efficacy of managed agro-ecosystems in the
region.
This project
will provide the necessary information so that a revised management
plan will be drafted for all Crown-owned and Eastern Habitat Joint
Venture agricultural lands in Nova Scotia. Such model agro-ecosystems
as Bellisle Marsh Wildlife Management Area will then be mimicked
in the creation of other such sites planned for in the Maritimes.
Scientific
reports from this project are now available:
abstract
(Journal of Ornithology)
article
(Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment)
For more information on this project,
please contact Joe Nocera, Doctoral Candidate, Biology Dept.,
University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick.
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