The diploma thesis deals with the topic of birds of the agricultural landscape of the Rakovník district, covering an area of 930 km2, which is situated about 35 km west of Prague. The work focuses mainly on the occurrence of the Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) in this area. Between 2016 and 2018, a total of 19 sites were visited on which the occurrence of the Northern Lapwings had been monitored in the previous years. The Northern Lapwing was found only at four of these sites. The successful breeding of three Lapwing chicks was observed at one of the monitored sites - near the village Petrovice (11th May 2017). The diploma thesis analyzes the data obtained by monitoring the areas with proven (even non-nesting) occurrence of Northern Lapwing and is compared with the census of Milan Tichai from 2012 to 2016. The comparison shows that the numbers of the Northern Lapwing nesting in the Rakovník landscape are dwindling, even though the birds still pass through the area in relative abundance in migration. E.g. there were three cases of successful nesting recorded in the monitored localities in 2014, but only one at the time of my observation in 2017. The occurrence of the Northern Lapwing in the studied area is related to the state of the Rakovnik agricultural landscape. At the end of the thesis are...

Agriculture is the principal land use throughout Europe and agricultural intensification has been implicated in large reductions in biodiversity, with the negative effects on birds particularly well documented. The lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) is one such species where changes in farming practices has reduced the suitability and quality of breeding habitat, leading to a drop in population size that has been so severe as to warrant its addition to the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern in the UK. Lowland areas, where agricultural intensification has generally been most pronounced, have been worst affected, however, more recently declines in marginal upland areas, previously considered refuges for breeding wader populations, have been identified. An upland livestock farm in Stirlingshire that uses an in-bye system of fodder crop management and has unusually high densities of breeding lapwings provides a basis for this project to test causal hypotheses for the decline of upland lapwing populations and to identify potential conservation management solutions. Specifically this farm plants a forage brassica in an in-bye field for two consecutive years, followed by reseeding with grass and seven, out of sixteen, in-bye fields have undergone this regime at the study site since 1997. Fields that had undergone fodder crop management supported almost 60% more lapwings than comparable fields that had not previously been planted with the fodder crop. Lapwing density was highest in the year after the fodder crop was planted, once it had been grazed, which results in a high percentage of bare ground, likely to be attractive to nesting lapwings. Lapwing densities remained above that which occurred in fields that had not undergone fodder crop management for a further four years after the field had been returned to grass. The effect of management on lapwing food resources and nesting structure was tested through a field experiment; liming increased the abundance of Allolobophora chlorotica, an earthworm species that was associated with chick foraging location at the study site, suggesting that lapwings may benefit from liming conducted as part of fodder crop management. The relationship between lapwings and soil pH is further explored across 89 sites on mainland Scotland, using soil property data to improve the predictive power of habitat association models, something which has not previously been done for any farmland bird. Adding soil and topographical data to habitat models, based on established relationships between breeding lapwings and their habitat, improved model fit by almost 60%, indicating that soil properties influence the distribution of this species. The density of breeding lapwings was highest at higher altitude sites, but only when the soil was relatively less peaty and less acidic, providing further support for the hypothesis that agricultural liming benefits lapwings. In addition to assessing the conservation benefit of fodder crop management, the economic costs are also considered. Fodder crop management provides a source of livestock fodder in the autumn and winter during a period when forage demands outstrip grass growth, and ultimately improves the grazing quality of the grass that is replaced; this system currently operates outside of any agri-environment scheme (AES). However, at the study site, planting of the fodder crop and grass is delayed to avoid agriculture operations during the breeding season, which reduces yield and hence profitability. An initial estimate of £200 ha-1 is suggested as an incentive to encourage wider adoption of fodder crop management in a “lapwing friendly” manner, although further work is required to determine if this payment level is appropriate and the current method of AES implementation may limit the suitability of fodder crop management as an AES. The results indicate that agricultural liming could benefit breeding lapwings in pasture fields where soil pH falls below pH 5.2, by increasing earthworm abundance. Where soil pH is below pH 5.2, liming should provide a cost effective mechanism for farmers to improve grass yields. Regular soil testing and liming in response to low pH, within improved or semi-improved grassland fields, where management activities such as use of nitrogen fertiliser can contribute to soil acidification, should be advocated to farmers in marginal areas as a mechanism for improving grass productivity whilst potentially benefitting breeding lapwing and other species where earthworms contribute significantly to their diet.

This study is dealing with questions of environmental influences on predation risk in Northern Lapwings nests. I for example measured and evaluated nest krypsis and counting nest densities. I as well did marking of nests and dealed with question whether it has influence on nest predation. Another part of this resech was identifying of Lapwings nests predator.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T14:31:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_luciano_avancini.pdf: 1128794 bytes, checksum: 84f53c68ac05e202ba01bcdff9c6d5cb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-12-23 / Vanellus chilensis is a bird species of the family Charadriidae distributed across Central and South America. Despite its high abundance and broad distribution, there are few records of parasites on this species. Aiming to identify the helminths and arthropods that parasitize V. chilensis in southern Brazil, twenty eight birds were necropsied. For collection of ectoparasites, the birds were individually washed in water containing detergent. After that, they were necropsied and their organs were examined for helminths under a stereomicroscope. The helminths found and its respective prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity were: Brevithominx asperodorsus (Enoplida, Capilariidae) 53.6%, 4.5 and 8.4; Heterakis psophiae (Oxyurida, Heterakidae) 39.3%, 1.0 and 2.55; Dispharynx nasuta (Spirurida, Acuariidae) 28.6%, 4.11 and 14.38; Echinostoma aphylactum (Echinostomida, Echinostomatidae) 17.9%, 0.64 and 3.6; Stomylotrema vicarium (Plagiorchiida, Stomylotrematidae) 10.7%, 0.25 and 2.33; Neivaia cymbium (Cyclocoeloidea, Cyclocoelidae) 7.1%, 0.14 and 2.0; Gyrocoelia perversa (Cyclophyllidea, Dioecocestidae) 60.7%. The Phthiraptera found were Actornithopilus sp. (Amblycera, Menoponidae) and Quadraceps guimaraesi (Ischnocera, Philopteridae). Another arthropod collected was the nasal mite Rhinonyssus sp. (Acarina, Rhinonyssidae). H. psophiae is cited for the first time parasitizing the order Charadriiformes in RS. B. asperodorsus, E. aphylactum, N. cymbium represent new records for Charadiidae in the State. This is the first report of natural infection in Charadriidae by the parasite S. vicarium in the region of study. The cestode G. perversa and the nematode D. nasuta are cited for the first time parasitizing V. chilensis in RS. The lice Actornithopilus sp. and Quadraceps guimaraesi are new records in RS as parasites of V. chilensis, which is also reported as a new host for the nasal mite Rhinonyssus sp / Vanellus chilensis, quero-quero, tem distribuição na América do Sul e América Central, é uma ave muito comum na região sul do RS. Há poucos relatos a respeito de parasitos nesta espécie, o que incentivou o desenvolvimento deste trabalho. Com o objetivo de conhecer os helmintos e artrópodes que ocorrem em V. chilensis foram examinadas 28 aves, as quais foram lavadas, individualmente, em água com detergente para obtenção dos ectoparasitos e após necropsiadas para a coleta de helmintos. Os helmintos encontrados e respectivas prevalências, abundância média e intensidade média foram Brevithominx asperodorsus (Enoplida, Capilariidae) 53,6%, 4,5 e 8,4; Heterakis psophiae (Oxyurida, Heterakidae) 39,3%, 1,0 e 2,55; Dispharynx nasuta (Spirurida, Acuariidae) 28,6%, 4,11 e 14,38; Echinostoma aphylactum (Echinostomida, Echinostomatidae) 17,9%, 0,64 e 3.6; Stomylotrema vicarium (Plagiorchiida, Stomylotrematidae) 10,7%, 0,25 e 2,33; Neivaia cymbium (Cyclocoeloidea, Cyclocoelidae) 7,1%, 0,14 e 2,0; Gyrocoelia perversa (Cyclophyllidea, Dioecocestidae) 60,7%. Os Phthiraptera encontrados foram Actornithopilus sp. (Amblycera: Menoponidae) e Quadraceps guimaraesi (Ischnocera, Philopteridae), e o ácaro nasal Rhinonyssus sp. (Acarina: Rhinonyssidae). B. asperodorsus, E. aphylactum, N. cymbium, tem seu primeiro registro na família Charadriidae para o RS, H. psophiae tem seu primeiro registro na ordem Charadriiformes para o RS. Este é o primeiro registro de infecção natural por S. vicarium em Charadriidae para o RS. G. perversa e D. nasuta tem seu primeiro registro em V. chilensis no RS.

The populations of many farmland birds have severely declined during the past years. Even (formerly) common species such as the Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) and the Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) are strongly affected. The declines were mainly caused by agricultural intensification. In response to the declines, agri-environmental schemes (AES) that integrate protection objectives into agricultural practices are a promising strategy. Until 1992 all EU member states were obliged to develop agri-environment programmes and since this time, AES are widely used. AES are often criticised for being ineffective and expensive. However, good results have been achieved with measures targeted on one bird species and used in projects advising farmers where and how to apply AES. Despite legitimate criticism, AES can help to slow down the declines of farmland bird populations, at least for a transitional period until sustainable agriculture has been established. This requires species-specific AES which are easy to implement and work well for the target species. In the German federal state of Saxony, such AES were developed and tested from 2009 to 2013 in a state-wide conservation project for ground-nesting farmland birds. Two of the studies with AES for the Skylark (study 1) and the Lapwing (study 2), which were part of scientific research, are presented here. For the Skylark, Skylark plots were tested at conventionally managed fields with winter cereals (n=10) or winter oilseed rape (n=10). Each field was divided in a test site with skylark plots and a control site without treatment. Skylark plots are unsown plots about 20 m² in size and applied in a density of about two plots per hectare. Further ten fields with winter cereals were in the same way equipped with additional tramlines that were not used for crop management. Both measures aimed to open the otherwise closed crop canopy to allow Skylarks to reach the ground and improve habitat conditions. Skylark territory mapping was carried out to reveal effects of the treatment. For the Lapwing, 61 lapwing plots were established within conventionally managed winter wheat and winter oilseed rape fields. These unsown fallow plots, mostly 1-2 ha in size, were created during autumn tillage and left bare until next summer. They were meant to provide a breeding site and a habitat for rearing the young. Lapwings and other bird species were mapped at the lapwing plots and nearby control sites. Factors influencing the success of the plots were modelled to obtain information on the design of a well-working AES. All three measures proved to be working well for the target species. At sites with skylark plots or additional tramlines, Skylark territory densities were about twice as high as at untreated control sites. The lapwing plots were also used about twice as likely as the untreated control sites. The hatching success was significantly higher, too. Particularly successful were large (>2 ha), sparsely vegetated lapwing plots at damp sites traditionally used for breeding. Other species also benefitted, especially from lapwing plots. The measures are therefore promising to provide positive effects on Skylark or Lapwing populations. They are relatively easy to implement and were repeatedly applied by the farmers involved in the project. Furthermore, synergy effects for other bird and plant species as well as for the biotope network can be expected by establishing lapwing plots at damp sites. The measures are suitable AES which, if widely adopted, have the potential to slow down, stabilise or even reverse the negative population trends. To promote these and to ensure their correct implementation, advise of farmers seems to be necessary, particularly for lapwing plots. / Bei vielen Agrarvögeln waren in den vergangenen Jahren starke Bestandsrückgänge zu verzeichnen, wobei mit Kiebitz (Vanellus vanellus) und Feldlerche (Alauda arvensis) zwei der ehemals häufigsten Arten am stärksten betroffen sind. Hauptursache hierfür ist die Intensivierung der Landwirtschaft. Eine mögliche Gegenstrategie sind nutzungsintegrierte Artenschutzmaßnahmen, mit denen versucht wird, die Belange des Artenschutzes eng in den landwirtschaftlichen Produktionsprozess einzubetten. Bedeutendstes Umsetzungsinstrument sind hierbei die EU-geförderten Agrarumweltmaßnahmen (AUM), die es seit 1992 in allen Mitgliedsstaaten gibt. Diese erwiesen sich in der Praxis jedoch oft als teuer und wenig erfolgreich. Vielversprechende Resultate wurden meist dann erzielt, wenn die Maßnahmen eng auf die Erfordernisse der Zielart(en) zugeschnitten waren und die Landwirte Beratung und Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung erhielten. Trotz aller Kritik an den AUM können diese zumindest für eine Übergangsphase auf dem Weg zu einer tatsächlich nachhaltigen Landwirtschaft helfen, die drastischen Bestandsrückgänge vieler Agrarvogelarten zu vermindern. Dazu werden aber zielartenspezifische und einfach umsetzbare Maßnahmen benötigt. Im sächsischen Bodenbrüterprojekt wurden von 2009 bis 2015 nutzungsintegrierte Artenschutzmaßnahmen entwickelt und erprobt. Zwei der projektbegleitenden wissenschaftlichen Studien zu AUM für Feldlerche (Studie 1) und Kiebitz (Studie 2) sind in der vorliegenden Arbeit zusammengefasst. Für die Feldlerche erfolgten Siedlungsdichteuntersuchungen auf konventionell bewirtschafteten Feldern mit Wintergetreide (n=10) oder Winterraps (n=10), die jeweils etwa zur Hälfte mit Feldlerchenfenstern bestellt waren, während der Restschlag als Vergleichsfläche diente. Zehn weitere Felder, ausschließlich in Wintergetreide, dienten in gleicher Weise der Erprobung der Anordnung zusätzlicher, für die Bewirtschaftung nicht benötigter Fahrgassen. Feldlerchenfenster sind ca. 20 m² große Saatlücken, die in einer Dichte von etwa zwei Fenstern je Hektar, ebenso wie die zusätzlichen Fahrgassen, die ansonsten dichten Kulturbestände öffnen und dadurch die Besiedlung durch die Zielart erleichtern. Für den Kiebitz wurden 61 Kiebitzinseln in konventionell bewirtschafteten Wintergetreide- und Winterrapsfeldern angelegt. Dies waren selbstbegrünte, meist 1-2 ha große Brachen, die bei der Herbstbestellung zwar bearbeitet, aber nicht gesät wurden. Im folgenden Frühjahr sollten die Flächen der Brut und Jungenaufzucht dienen. Die Untersuchungen beinhalteten Erfassungen der Zielart und weiterer Vogelarten auf den Kiebitzinseln und Vergleichsflächen sowie die statistische Modellierung verschiedener Faktoren für den Erfolg der Flächen. Im Ergebnis erwiesen sich alle drei Maßnahmen als erfolgreich. Auf Flächen mit Feldlerchenfenstern und zusätzlichen Fahrgassen war die Territoriendichte der Zielart etwa doppelt so hoch wie auf den Vergleichsflächen ohne Maßnahme. Die Kiebitzinseln wurden gleichfalls annähernd doppelt so oft von Kiebitzen besiedelt wie die Kontrollflächen. Der Schlupferfolg war signifikant höher. Besonders erfolgreich waren große (ca. >2 ha), spärlich bewachsene Kiebitzinseln an traditionell als Brutplatz genutzten Nassstellen. Insbesondere im Falle der Kiebitzinseln profitierten auch andere Arten. Die untersuchten Maßnahmen sind daher grundsätzlich geeignet, positive Effekte auf die Bestände von Feldlerche oder Kiebitz zu entfalten. Sie sind zudem vergleichsweise einfach umsetzbar und wurden von den am Projekt beteiligten Landwirten wiederholt realisiert. Mit der Anlage von Kiebitzinseln an Nassstellen lassen sich zudem Synergieeffekte für andere Tier- und Pflanzenarten sowie für den Biotopverbund erzielen. Die untersuchten Maßnahmen stellen damit geeignete AUM dar, die bei hinreichender Anwendung das Potenzial haben, die derzeit negativen Bestandstrends der Zielarten zu verlangsamen, zu stabilisieren oder sogar umzukehren. Zur Förderung der Umsetzung erscheint insbesondere im Fall der Kiebitzinseln eine fachliche Beratung der Landwirte unabdingbar.

The variability of egg-size within a bird species reflects different reproductive investments and, besides the intrinsic constraints and particular female quality, it can be affected by environmental factors, too. Moreover, the egg-size predetermines the chick performance. The knowledge of factors influencing precocial chick survival is crucial for better understanding of life-history strategies as well as for endangered species conservation. The Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) represents a suitable model species for investigation of climate variables effects on egg-size and also to study factors influencing chick survival. Eggs in a total of 714 nests were measured during 13 breeding seasons over period 1988-2014 in South Bohemia and 293 lapwing chicks from 100 broods in 37 localities were monitored in 2013-2014. The mean egg-size through the whole season is positively affected by March precipitation, March clutches also negatively by minus temperatures in March. The higher intensity of rainfall there is during March, the bigger eggs are laid in March and the steeper is slope of decline in mean egg-size during season. This decline is more profound with lower rainfall in April. The effect of habitat is not significant. The body mass and condition of hatchlings is positively correlated with the...