Irrigation canals in a semi-arid agricultural landscape surrounded by wetlands: Their role as a habitat for birds during the breeding season
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
http://hdl.handle.net/10045/53032
Title: | Irrigation canals in a semi-arid agricultural landscape surrounded by wetlands: Their role as a habitat for birds during the breeding season |
---|---|
Authors: | López Pomares, Alejandro | López Iborra, Germán M. | Martín Cantarino, Carlos |
Research Group/s: | Grupo Interdisciplinario de Estudios Críticos y de América Latina (GIECRYAL) | Ecología Espacial y del Paisaje (EEP) | Zoología de Vertebrados |
Center, Department or Service: | Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología | Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef" |
Keywords: | Irrigation canals | Bird community | Semi-arid agrarian ecosystems | Reed | Mediterranean water bodies | Hierarchical partitioning analysis |
Knowledge Area: | Ecología |
Issue Date: | Jul-2015 |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Citation: | Journal of Arid Environments. 2015, 118: 28-36. doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2015.02.021 |
Abstract: | Traditional water supply systems in semi-arid agrarian ecosystems, mainly irrigation canals, contribute to the diversity of the landscape and influence the composition of species. To evaluate their effect on bird communities in the breeding season, we selected a rural area in southeastern Spain, where an intricate and extensive network of irrigation canals and cultivated areas is located between two wetlands declared as Natural Parks. Birds were counted at representative points distributed throughout the canal network at which we recorded several variables related to the physical features, the vertical and horizontal structure of associated vegetation, reed development (Phragmites australis) and land use in the neighboring areas. We detected 37 bird species, most of which were also breeding in the wetlands nearby. We used Hierarchical Partitioning analyses to identify the variables most strongly related to the probability of the presence of selected species and species richness. Vegetation cover and height close to the canals, together with reed development, were the most important types of variables explaining species presence and richness. We found that current management practices for reeds in canals are not well-suited for biodiversity conservation. We therefore propose alternatives that could be implemented in the area in cooperation with stakeholders. |
Sponsor: | This research has been supported by the Project WADI, INCOCT2005-015226, European Commission. |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/10045/53032 |
ISSN: | 0140-1963 (Print) | 1095-922X (Online) |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2015.02.021 |
Language: | eng |
Type: | info:eu-repo/semantics/article |
Rights: | © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. |
Peer Review: | si |
Publisher version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2015.02.021 |
Appears in Collections: | INV - GIECRYAL - Artículos de Revistas INV - EEP - Artículos de Revistas INV - ZV - Artículos Científicos INV - ECPCA - Artículos de Revistas |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
---|---|---|---|---|
2015_Lopez-Pomares_etal_JAridEnv_final.pdf | Versión final (acceso restringido) | 539,9 kB | Adobe PDF | Open Request a copy |
Items in RUA are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.