Study

An evaluation of Canada's Permanent Cover Program: habitat for grassland birds?

  • Published source details McMaster D.G. & Davis S.K. (2001) An evaluation of Canada's Permanent Cover Program: habitat for grassland birds?. Journal of Field Ornithology, 72, 195-210.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Restore or create grasslands

Action Link
Bird Conservation
  1. Restore or create grasslands

    A replicated, controlled study from May-July in 1998 in 629 restored grassland sites and 564 cropland sites (distributed amongst 81 eco-region clusters) in prairie habitat in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada (McMaster & Davis 2001), found that the average species richness was significantly higher in restored grassland  (PCP) sites than at cropland sites (2.5 compared to 1.3 species/site). Of the ten most common species, nine were found significantly more frequently at restored grassland sites, whereas just one occurred more frequently in cropland. Amongst restored grasslands, average species richness did not differ between hay and pasture sites but four species occurred more frequently in hay sites and two different species more often on pastures. Restored grasslands (planted in the early 1990s) comprised a combination of wheatgrass Agropryon spp., brome grass Bromus spp. and alfalfa Medicago spp. Cropland sites consisted of annually cultivated fields (mainly wheat).

     

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