APPLE ORCHARD PEST CONTROL STRATEGIES AFFECT BIRD COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHEASTERN FRANCE

Birds are regarded as appropriate biological indicators of how changes in agricultural practices affect the environment They are also Involved in the biocontrol of pests In the present study we provide an assessment of the impact of pest control strategies on bird communities in apple orchards in southeastern France We compared the structure (abundance species richness and diversity) of breeding bird communities in 15 orchards under conventional or organic pest control over a three year period (2003-2005) Pest control strategies and their evolution over time were characterized by analyzing farmers treatment schedules The landscape surrounding the orchards was characterized using a Geographic Information System We observed 30 bird species overall Bird abundance species richness and diversity were all affected by pest control strategies and were highest in organic orchards and lowest in conventional orchards during the three study years The pest control strategy affected insectivores more than granivores We further observed a tendency for bird communities in integrated pest management orchards to change over time and become increasingly different from communities in organic orchards which also corresponded to changes in treatment schedules These findings indicate that within orchard bird communities may respond quickly to changes in pesticide use and may in turn Influence biocontrol of pests by birds Environ Toxicol Chem 2011 30 212-219 (C) 2010 SETAC