Evaluating the conservation effects of 'Skylark Plots' on threatened farmland birds in SE Slovenia

Denac, Mitja (author), Trontelj, Peter (mentor), Scridel, Davide (comentor)

Skylark plots (SPs) are a targeted agri-environmental measure established in small-grain cereal fields to mitigate the long-term decline of the Eurasian Skylark (Alauda arvensis) across Europe. Their effects on other farmland species and the influence of habitat characteristics on their conservation potential remain poorly understood. We conducted a multiscale study in the Krško–Brežiško polje, SE Slovenia, between March and June 2025, using point-count surveys and camera traps to assess the effects of SPs on farmland birds. Fifty-one survey points (30 treatment, 21 control) were visited four times, and 29 SPs were monitored for 891,293 minutes with camera traps (one capture per minute). Our results indicate that SPs have potentially beneficial effects across all farmland biodiversity. Skylark abundance showed a positive correlation with the number of SPs within a 100 m radius, and individuals preferentially occupied plots with lower vegetation. Nevertheless, Skylark use of SPs largely reflected existing population distributions, suggesting that SPs alone may not compensate for landscape-scale habitat constraints. No population-level effects were detected for the Crested Lark (Galerida cristata), though frequent camera detections highlight the species’ potential to benefit from SPs with minimal vegetation cover. Additionally, SPs were associated with high activity of the Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava) and Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus), both of which favour sparse vegetation for foraging. SPs can represent an important conservation tool on arable fields, but protection of grasslands is likely more important for reversing the Skylark’s declining trend. Our results indicate that within-plot vegetation should be kept at minimum to boost their conservation potential, but further research is required to identify the best management solution.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Skylark plots, Skylark, Crested Lark, camera traps, remote sensing, Krško-Brežiško polje, farmland, conservation, management
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publisher: [M. Denac]
• Year: 2025
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177548
• UDC: 598.283.2:631.4(043.2)
• COBISS.SI-ID: 263548931
• Publication date in RUL: 24.12.2025

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Učinkovitost zaplat golih tal za poljskega škrjanca pri ohranjanju ptic kmetijske krajine v JV Sloveniji

Abstract

Zaplate neposejanih tal (v nadaljevanju zaplate) so varstveni ukrep na žitnih njivah, s katerim se v Evropi poskuša blažiti močan upad populacij poljskega škrjanca (Alauda arvensis). Vpliv zaplat na druge vrste ptic kmetijske krajine ni znan, kot tudi vpliv okoliškega habitata na njihovo učinkovitost. Med marcem in junijem 2025 smo na Krško-Brežiškem polju izvedli raziskavo, v kateri smo s točkovnimi popisi in kamerami ugotavljali vplive zaplat na ptice kmetijske krajine. Skupaj smo obiskali 51 popisnih točk (30 z zaplatami in 21 kontrolnih) štirikrat v sezoni, 29 zaplat pa smo 891,293 minut spremljali z lovskimi kamerami (ena fotografija na minuto). Zaznali smo pozitivno korelacijo med številčnostjo poljskega škrjanca in številom zaplat v polmeru 100 m okoli popisne točke, škrjanci pa so izbirali zaplate s čim nižjo vegetacijo. Kljub temu je pogostost rabe zaplat sledila razširjenosti poljskega škrjanca na raziskovalnem območju, kar kaže, da zaplate ne morejo v celoti izravnati vpliva habitatnih omejitev. Vpliva zaplat na številčnost čopastega škrjanca (Galerida cristata) nismo opazili, zaradi velikega števila detekcij s kamerami pa sklepamo, da so za vrsto koristne predvsem zaplate z velikim deležem golih tal. Rezultati prav tako kažejo, da so zaplate koristne za poljskega zajca (Lepus europaeus) in rumeno pastirico (Motacilla flava), ki se pogosto prehranjujeta na območjih z redkejšo vegetacijo. Zaplate neposejanih tal predstavljajo pomemben varstveni ukrep na njivah, vendar je za okrevanje populacije poljskega škrjanca ključno tudi ohranjanje travišč. Za povečanje učinkovitosti priporočamo vzdrževanje čim nižje vegetacije znotraj zaplat, testiranje različnih metod upravljanja pa mora biti predmet bodočih raziskav.

• Keywords: zaplate neposejanih tal, poljski škrjanec, čopasti škrjanec, kamere, daljinsko zaznavanje, Krško-Brežiško polje, kmetijska krajina, varstvo, upravljanje