Jun

25

2007
 
 

Hare today, gone tomorrow



Agri-environment schemes benefit common species but not rare ones

running to stand stillAgri-environment schemes are commonly supposed to promote biodiversity, but a recently published study claims they don’t deliver. Writing in the Journal of Applied Ecology, Queen’s University Belfast biologist Neil Reid and colleagues present evidence that the Environmentally Sensitive Area scheme in Northern Ireland has resulted in greater numbers of commonplace rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus and foxes Vulpes vulpes, but has done little for the much rarer Irish hares Lepus timidus. That’s exactly what shouldn’t happen: rabbits graze endangered plants and foxes have a taste for threatened ground-nesting birds. In the period between 1999 and 2003, some 24 billion Euros have been plowed into Europe’s agri-environment schemes. Maybe it’s time to think again… Source: Reid N, McDonald RA & Montgomery I (2007) Mammals and agri-environment schemes: hare haven or pest paradise? Journal of Applied Ecology DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2007.01336.x

Related story in Conservation magazine: Agriculture versus Biodiversity

Image © Markus Divis

Filed Under Endangered species, Habitat, Invasive species, Restoration, Monitoring, Economics and conservation, Socio-political issues | 

Email This Post Email This Post

Comments

Leave a Reply