Comparative study of bird diversity and abundance in rangelands and agroecosystems of Elassona area, Greece

The landscape of the plain area of Dolihi, Elassona, includes rangelands and cultivations, with cereals being the predominant crop. In spring of 2003, we investigated the diversity and abundance of avifauna in relation to habitat type. More specifically, we recorded the number of breeding bird species in each habitat type, as well as the density of breeding pairs per hectare. These two parameters were compared among the habitat types that were available to birds in the area, i.e. rangelands, cereal fields, tobacco fields, ecotone (rangeland – cereal field), hedgerows, Robinia plantations. The results of the study indicate that rangeland hosts one of the highest numbers of breeding bird species (17), ecotone habitats host the highest number of breeding pairs (19), and the lowest number of species are found in cereal fields (3), tobacco fields (3), and Robinia pseudoacacia plantations (1). However, breeding pair density was highest in ecotone habitat (72.6 breeding pairs per hectare), in the tobacco fields (8.3 b.p./ha), and in rangelands 4.6 b.p./ha. From the results obtained we may conclude that the presence of rangeland habitats, whether pure or in conjunction with cereal fields in ecotones, exhibit a strong positive influence on bird diversity in the agricultural landscape of the area which is dominated by cereal fields, for which the parameters of biodiversity are low.