Changes in habitat selection patterns of the gray partridge Perdix perdix in relation to agricultural landscape dynamics over the past two decades
Résumé
1. Changes in agricultural practices have reshaped agricultural landscapes and triggered
a drastic decline in spatial and temporal heterogeneity leading to changes in
habitat quality and food resources for birds. However, the precise relationships
between landscape changes, spatial and temporal heterogeneity, and habitat preferences
in response to those changes remain poorly known.
2. We investigated patterns of habitat selection and causes for changes over the
years 1997–2017 for the gray partridge Perdix perdix, an iconic farmland species
which has experienced a severe decline since the 1950s. Using a long‐term (1997–
2017) dataset collected over 435 km2, we modeled relationships between annual
land‐cover maps and partridge sightings over 17 5‐year moving windows, assessing
the effects of landscape metrics, the strength of the relationships, and the
dynamics of habitat suitability.
3. We detected a shift in gray partridge habitat preferences over time, toward more
risky habitats. Avoidance of predator reservoirs (woodlands and buildings) has
weakened, and selection of human infrastructure, such as roads and tracks, has
increased. Since 1997, the mean size of suitable patches has also decreased by
about 26%.
4. We have interpreted these changes in habitat selection as being the result of decreasing
habitat quality and the increasing prevalence of captive‐reared birds, currently
released in their thousands in the study site.
5. Synthesis and applications. The gray partridge has not adjusted well to changes in
farming practices, and the low, still decreasing, population density suggests that it
is not sustainable, despite local initiatives and the investment in captive‐bird releases.
We emphasize that efforts must be redirected toward habitat improvement
to restore the density of refuge cover, insects, and seeds in the landscape,
hunting management to ensure self‐sustainable populations and massive releases
of high‐quality birds. Only integrated local management, involving hunters, farmers,
gamekeepers, and scientists can ensure the recovery of this species.
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