Journal
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
Volume 28, Issue 5, Pages 1168-1181Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/eap.1716
Keywords
aviation risk; biomass; bird strike; conservation; grassland birds; Panicum virgatum
Categories
Funding
- Federal Aviation Administration
- USDA-APHIS National Wildlife Research Center [1374390735CA]
- USDA NRCS
- USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program
- Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES)
- Forest and Wildlife Research Center
- College of Forest Resources at Mississippi State University
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Growing concerns about climate change, foreign oil dependency, and environmental quality have fostered interest in perennial native grasses (e.g., switchgrass [Panicum virgatum]) for bioenergy production while also maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function. However, biomass cultivation in marginal landscapes such as airport grasslands may have detrimental effects on aviation safety as well as conservation efforts for grassland birds. In 2011-2013, we investigated effects of vegetation composition and harvest frequency on seasonal species richness and habitat use of grassland birds and modeled relative abundance, aviation risk, and conservation value of birds associated with biomass crops. Avian relative abundance was greater in switchgrass monoculture plots during the winter months, whereas Native Warm-Season Grass (NWSG) mixed species plantings were favored by species during the breeding season. Conversely, treatment differences in aviation risk and conservation value were not biologically significant. Only 2.6% of observations included avian species of high hazard to aircraft, providing support for semi-natural grasslands as a feasible landcover option at civil airports. Additionally, varied harvest frequencies across a mosaic of switchgrass monocultures and NWSG plots allows for biomass production with multiple vegetation structure options for grassland birds to increase seasonal avian biodiversity and habitat use.
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