Document: TOU-3-53-2

Importance of rice fields for waterbirds in the Camargue wetland complex, southern France.

TOURENQ, C.* ^1,2, R.E.BENNETTS ¹, F.MESLÉARD ¹ and J.MARTIN ²

Station Biologique de la Tour du Valat, Le Sambuc, 13200 Arles, France ¹
CEFE-CNRS, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France ²

Abstract:
The loss of natural wetlands throughout the Mediterranean Region, correlated with human population growth, urbanisation and conversion of land to agriculture, made rice fields attractive for waterbird species of national or international conservation concern. The Camargue, southern France, is a wetland complex comprising 145,000 ha renowned for its important numbers of wintering and breeding waterbirds. Since the Second World War, an intensive use of the land has replaced an extensive use for grazing cattle and horses, some 40 000 ha of the natural wetlands being converted into rice fields and industrial zones. However, compared to other intensive rice cultivation areas in Europe, such as the Po Valley in Italy or the Ebro Delta in Spain, natural wetlands still cover a good proportion of the surface (40%) of the Camargue compared to rice fields(16%). In this study, we explore the question of the importance of these artificial wetlands for waterbirds within the Camargue landscape mosac. Using a one-year data set, we first compared the diversity and richness of waterbirds communities in rice fields and natural marshes, and secondly, we investigated the selection of natural marshes and rice fields by waterbirds. We observed about 50% fewer bird species in rice fields than in natural marshes. The relative species richness is greater in natural marshes than in rice fields. In spring, however, richness of both habitats is comparable. This is mainly due to waders and larids which use rice fields at the beginning of flooding in early breeding season. Our results suggest that when they have the choice, waterbirds avoid rice fields and select natural wetlands. Only herons show a significative selection for rice fields throughout the year.

Keywords: rice fields, wetlands, waterbirds, agriculture landscape, habitat selection, Camargue, France

This abstract is being presented at: 11:30 AM in session:
Oral Session #3: Avian Ecology.