文章基本信息

标题：Ecological Infrastructures May Enhance Lepidopterans Predation in Irrigated Mediterranean Farmland, Depending on Their Typology and the Predator Guild
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作者：José Carlos Franco ; Manuela Branco ; Sofia Conde 等
期刊名称：Sustainability
印刷版ISSN：2071-1050
出版年度：2022
卷号：14
期号：7
页码：3874
DOI：10.3390/su14073874
语种：English
出版社：MDPI, Open Access Journal
摘要：Ecological infrastructures (EIs) are considered relevant components in agricultural landscapes to support biodiversity and ecosystem services. We used the predatory attacks on lepidopteran dummies as a proxy to assess predation rates in the agricultural matrix and different EIs types according to their location and vegetation structure. We aimed at comparing the effect of different types of EI on the predation intensity in two intensively irrigated agricultural areas located in the Sorraia and Tagus river valleys in central Portugal. We hypothesized that: (1) the predation rate would be higher near EIs compared with the agricultural matrix, (2) the positive effect of EIs on predation rate would differ with their typologies, and (3) the EIs’ proximity and proportion in the surrounding landscape would have a positive effect on the predation rate in agricultural fields. The EI typologies influenced differently the predator groups and the overall predation rate. Major differences were observed for bird predation, being higher in woody EIs. A positive correlation between predation rate and EIs area of the surrounding landscape, as well as a negative correlation with the distance to the nearest riparian and woody EIs, was observed for birds. The observed dissimilarities in the predators’ response may be related to habitat differences and its functional connectivity. The overall monthly low predation rates are possibly related to the intensive agricultural system and the small area occupied by EIs.