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Grazing animals as habitat engineers for ground-nesting birds – a review of the issues

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2017

K. Norris*
Affiliation:
Centre for Agri-Environmental Research;, School of Agriculture, Policy & Development; , University of Reading; Earley Gate; PO Box 237; Reading RG6 6AR, U.K.
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Extract

Habitats associated with livestock production systems are important in terms of avian biodiversity in the UK and across Europe. Livestock play an integral role in structuring grassland habitats, which in turn affects their suitability for different ground-nesting bird species. Such habitat engineering is driven mainly by the effect of grazing on plant species composition and vegetation structure. However, ground-nesting birds are also negatively affected by the presence of grazing animals since livestock destroy nests mainly through trampling.

Type
Theatre Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2005

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