Build artificial bird perches to encourage seed dispersal

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

20%
Certainty

20%
Harms

1%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Artificial bird perches may help to restore peatland forests. Perches are placed near to remaining forest patches to encourage birds to fly out, perch and defecate onto degraded land. The seeds transported in this way might belong to peatland plants (especially tropical swamp forest trees) that would otherwise not disperse into degraded land. Consequently, the abundance and diversity of seedlings may increase in areas with perches (Agra et al. 2016).

Key peatland types where this action may be appropriate: bogs, fens/fen meadows, tropical peat swamps.

Related action: directly introduce herb seeds, shrub/tree seeds, or vegetation fragments containing seeds.

_{Agra H., Carmel Y., Smith R.K. & Ne’eman G. (2016) Forest Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.}

Study locations

Key messages

One study evaluated the effects on peatland vegetation of building artificial bird perches. The study was in a tropical peat swamp.
Vegetation cover (1 study): One replicated, paired, controlled study in a peat swamp forest in Indonesia found that artificial bird perches had no significant effect on seedling abundance.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated, paired, controlled study in 2007–2008 in a degraded, burned, peat swamp forest in Kalimantan, Indonesia (Graham et al. 2011) found that installing artificial bird perches along a forest edge had no effect on tree seedling abundance. After one year, seedling density was not significantly different under artificial perches (2–6 seedlings/m²) and in adjacent plots not under perches (1–2 seedlings/m²). Most seedlings under the perches were tampohot Syzygium sp. (79% of all seedlings). In July 2007, ten 8 m tall artificial bird perches were erected in logged and burned peatland, 50 to 200 m from the edge of a remnant forest patch. Two 1 m² plots were monitored for each perch: one directly underneath the perch and one next to it. All seedlings initially present were marked. In July 2008, new tree seedlings were counted.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Graham L.L.B. & Page S.E. (2011) Artificial bird perches for the regeneration of degraded tropical peat swamp forest: a restoration tool with limited potential. Restoration Ecology, 20, 631-637.

Please cite as:

Taylor, N.G., Grillas, P. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Peatland Conservation. Pages 367-430 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Peatland Conservation

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Stabilize peatland surface to help plants colonize Action Link	Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)	1	Synopsis Link
Roughen peat surface to create microclimates (without planting) Action Link	No evidence found (no assessment)	0	Synopsis Link
Add mixed vegetation to peatland surface Action Link	Beneficial	18	Synopsis Link