Niche partitioning of avian predators in northern grasslands amended by biosolids.

ABSTRACT: Many food webs are affected by bottom-up nutrient addition, as additional biomass or productivity at a given trophic level can support more consumers. In turn, when prey are abundant, predators may converge on the same diets rather than partitioning food resources. Here, we examine the diets and habitat use of predatory and omnivorous birds in response to biosolids amendment of northern grasslands used as grazing range for cattle in British Columbia, Canada. From an ecosystem management perspective, we test whether dietary convergence occurred and whether birds preferentially used the pastures with biosolids. Biosolids treatments increased Orthoptera densities and our work occurred during a vole (Microtus spp.) population peak, so both types of prey were abundant. American Kestrels

SUBMITTER: Ormrod AEC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8207157 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature