Quantification of the Starling Population, Estimation and Mapping of the Damage to Olive Crops in the Apulia Region
The presence of wildlife in areas with a high concentration of farming activities can create a conflict between conservation objectives and productive purposes. Near Brindisi (Apulia, S-E Italy), a substantial amount of cash compensation claims for damages reported by local farmers and attributed to...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-04-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/4/1119 |
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| author | Francesco Bozzo Simona Tarricone Alessandro Petrontino Prospero Cagnetta Giacomo Maringelli Giuseppe La Gioia Vincenzo Fucilli Marco Ragni |
| author_facet | Francesco Bozzo Simona Tarricone Alessandro Petrontino Prospero Cagnetta Giacomo Maringelli Giuseppe La Gioia Vincenzo Fucilli Marco Ragni |
| author_sort | Francesco Bozzo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The presence of wildlife in areas with a high concentration of farming activities can create a conflict between conservation objectives and productive purposes. Near Brindisi (Apulia, S-E Italy), a substantial amount of cash compensation claims for damages reported by local farmers and attributed to starlings (<i>Sturnus vulgaris</i>) has been registered. The aim of this study was to quantify the starling population wintering in the Apulia region, in order to assess the potential damage to crop production caused by this species. Our analysis was conducted over three years and included three main activities: a study of starling abundance and movements, the identification of areas and crops affected by damages, and a determination of the damage to the agricultural system in terms of quantity and concentration (heatmap). The study showed a loss of expected production that was coherent with the eating capacity of starlings wintering in the region. This means a loss, in terms of gross profitable production, of around 550,000 euros concentrated in a few narrow areas close to the roosts. Results on species behavior, damage quantification, and mapping are useful elements aimed to activate trade-off measures to preserve production and protection objectives, and to allow policymakers to address enforcement interventions and to establish parameters for financial compensation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:21:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-410a466b320f49cba735052de1613ed0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T12:21:02Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-410a466b320f49cba735052de1613ed02023-11-21T15:29:19ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-04-01114111910.3390/ani11041119Quantification of the Starling Population, Estimation and Mapping of the Damage to Olive Crops in the Apulia RegionFrancesco Bozzo0Simona Tarricone1Alessandro Petrontino2Prospero Cagnetta3Giacomo Maringelli4Giuseppe La Gioia5Vincenzo Fucilli6Marco Ragni7Department of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, ItalyOr.Me. via Saponaro 7, 73100 Lecce, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125 Bari, ItalyThe presence of wildlife in areas with a high concentration of farming activities can create a conflict between conservation objectives and productive purposes. Near Brindisi (Apulia, S-E Italy), a substantial amount of cash compensation claims for damages reported by local farmers and attributed to starlings (<i>Sturnus vulgaris</i>) has been registered. The aim of this study was to quantify the starling population wintering in the Apulia region, in order to assess the potential damage to crop production caused by this species. Our analysis was conducted over three years and included three main activities: a study of starling abundance and movements, the identification of areas and crops affected by damages, and a determination of the damage to the agricultural system in terms of quantity and concentration (heatmap). The study showed a loss of expected production that was coherent with the eating capacity of starlings wintering in the region. This means a loss, in terms of gross profitable production, of around 550,000 euros concentrated in a few narrow areas close to the roosts. Results on species behavior, damage quantification, and mapping are useful elements aimed to activate trade-off measures to preserve production and protection objectives, and to allow policymakers to address enforcement interventions and to establish parameters for financial compensation.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/4/1119starling monitoringolive cropsagriculturedamagesspatial analysis |
| spellingShingle | Francesco Bozzo Simona Tarricone Alessandro Petrontino Prospero Cagnetta Giacomo Maringelli Giuseppe La Gioia Vincenzo Fucilli Marco Ragni Quantification of the Starling Population, Estimation and Mapping of the Damage to Olive Crops in the Apulia Region Animals starling monitoring olive crops agriculture damages spatial analysis |
| title | Quantification of the Starling Population, Estimation and Mapping of the Damage to Olive Crops in the Apulia Region |
| title_full | Quantification of the Starling Population, Estimation and Mapping of the Damage to Olive Crops in the Apulia Region |
| title_fullStr | Quantification of the Starling Population, Estimation and Mapping of the Damage to Olive Crops in the Apulia Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantification of the Starling Population, Estimation and Mapping of the Damage to Olive Crops in the Apulia Region |
| title_short | Quantification of the Starling Population, Estimation and Mapping of the Damage to Olive Crops in the Apulia Region |
| title_sort | quantification of the starling population estimation and mapping of the damage to olive crops in the apulia region |
| topic | starling monitoring olive crops agriculture damages spatial analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/4/1119 |
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