Effects of Sustainable and Conventional Agriculture on Farm Wildlife

Effects of Sustainable and Conventional Agriculture on Farm Wildlife

Summary

There is increasing evidence that current crop production methods adversely affect wildlife and other natural resources. The decline of the northern bobwhite quail is frequently cited by the scientific community and wildlife advocacy groups as an event that reflects the negative impacts of current agricultural practices on natural resources. The disappearance of viable quail populations on farms is most often attributed to increased use of pesticides and decreased habitat diversity. Sustainable agriculture, with its emphases upon reduced pesticide usage, ecological soundness and enterprise diversity offers opportunities for reversing the quail dilemma. Accordingly, a multi-disciplinary effort is proposed that will quantify and contrast the effects of conventional and sustainable crop production methods on the population, habitat and behavior of quail and other wildlife species. Data will be collected via several methods that include radio-telemetry of wild quail, intensive field monitoring and the innovative use of imprinted quail chicks. Carefully controlled experiments will be conducted under realistic field conditions to predict exposure risks and document pesticide effects on bobwhite quail. The proposed project will also seek to enhance wildlife habitat in modern farming systems by developing the concept of "improved" filter strips and field borders. Economic costs and benefits associated with the response of wildlife to sustainable versus conventional agricultural systems will be determined and the economic potential of combined crop production/wildlife enterprises evaluated. The proposed project will involve unprecedented cooperation among university agronomists, wildlife scientists, pesticide experts and economists, state and federal wildlife managers, private wildlife interest groups, farmers and a foundation.