Interactions Between Cover Crops and Wildlife Ray Wright Research Specialist University of Missouri...
-
Upload
shon-booker -
Category
Documents
-
view
221 -
download
1
Transcript of Interactions Between Cover Crops and Wildlife Ray Wright Research Specialist University of Missouri...
Interactions Between Cover Crops and
Wildlife Ray Wright
Research SpecialistUniversity of Missouri -Columbia
Bradford Mission:
The Bradford Research Center Provides land, equipment and facilities for research at the plant/ soil/environmental interface through field laboratory settings.• One of our goals is to provide quality wildlife habitat while managing
a production agriculture operation.• Other goals include education of the public on systems that promote
both agriculture and the environment.
The Big Picture
Populations are expected to be nine billion in 2050, currently
we are at seven billion. Technological advances have increased
agricultural productivity, but expansion of new agricultural areas
will be limited. To provide sustainable food and fiber to sustain
our population, land management practices must be made more
efficient while protecting soil, water and the environment.
Trends In Agriculture
Farm Policy.com ; March 2013
Trends in Wildlife
Quail Harvested in Illinois
0
500000
1000000
1500000
2000000
2500000
3000000
Year
Qu
ail
Har
vest
ed
Studies
Pollinator Use of Ecotypes vs. Non-Ecotype Native Plants: Missouri Department of Conservation
Alternative Native Planting for Newly Established Water Ways: Missouri Department of Conservation
Building Drought Resiliency through Soil Health: Conservation Innovation Grant
Building Potential Wildlife Habitat Through Planned Cover Cropping Systems: National Wildlife Foundation
Benefits
• Potential huge impact in acreage of available habitat.• Understanding the relationship between wildlife and cover crops is
critical for maximizing the interface between agricultural needs and wildlife needs.• Learning the challenges of conducting studies on these systems.• Developing the most cost benefitting approaches for future studies.
The Layout
• Nesting numbers and success • Incident of trap habitat where cover crops result in nest losses due to
providing habitat that is subsequently destroyed for planting commodity crop • Forage availability and impact on various wildlife and availability
population • Impacts on pollinator health and habitat
Wildlife Habitat Assessment Guide (WHAG) results for Missouri 2014 Cover Crop Study. Higher percentages equal higher
ranking value for wildlife suitability.
Britt Farm June 3
% Seat Farm June 26
% Seat Farm August 11
% Britt Farm August 13
Assoc. Electric August 13
% Boone Co. Traditional Cropping August 19
%
Cropland Community
40/51 0.78 18/51 0.35 24/51 0.47 40/51 0.78 37/51 0.73
5/51 0.09
Other Agricultural Land
17/20 0.85 17/20 0.85 17/20 0.85 10/20 0.5 12/20 0.6 5/20 0.01
Early Succession
58/95 0.61 68/95 0.72 70/95 0.74 58/95 0.61 76/95 0.8 17/95 0.18
Bobwhite Quail (In-field)
53/100 0.53 59/100 0.59 77/100 0.77 72/100 0.72 83/100 0.83
49/100 0.49
Grand Total 168/266 0.63 162/266 0.61 162/266 0.71 180/266 0.67 208/266 0.78
147/266 0.55
.
Britt Farm Bradford Farms Associated Electric B. County Farm
B. county Farm
Seat Seat Seat
6/24 7/11 6/22 6/30 6/24/ 7/11 6/24 6/28 Point 1 0 3 * * 1.3 1.6 0 0 0 1 0Point 2 1 1.7 * * 0 0 0 0 0 1 1Point 3 4.3 1 * * 0 3 0 1 0Point 4 0.8 0.5 2 2 2Point 5 4.4 0 Point 6 2.2 2 Point 7 5 5 Point 8 3 5 AVG 1.8 2.9 3.1 2.5 .7 .8 0 1 .5 1.25 .75Grand Average
2.4 2.8 0.8 0.5 .83
Summer Call Counts: Values represent quail calls recorded at designated points on cover crop study areas. *Data separated from Bradford and recorded as B. County
Planting Technique
Cover Crop Type % Nest Success
30” Row Spacing
Summer 41
30” Row Spacing
Summer 100
30” Row Spacing
Fall 44
30” Row Spacing
Fall/Mowed 0
15” Row Spacing
None 0
Summer Cover Crop : Sunflower, Sesbania, Winter Pea, Hairy Vetch, Cereal Rye, Crimson Clover
Fall Cover Crop : Winter Pea, Hairy vetch, Cereal Rye, Crimson Clover
Incidental trap habitat where cover crops result in nest losses due to providing critical habitat that is subsequently destroyed for planting commodity crop.
Cage Exclusion Study 2014 to determine the grazing pressure of wildlife on cover crops. Data reported in tons/acre.
Cover Crop Corn
Cover Crop Beans
Cover Crop Wheat Cover Crop Planting Cover Crop Planting Re Harvest
Harvest Date 31-Jul-14 31-Jul-14 31-Jul-14 15-May-14 20-Aug-14
Rep. 1: In Cage 2.0 1.2 0.6 1.4 0.9Rep. 1: Out Cage 1.1 0.4 0.5 1.0 0.8 Rep. 2: In Cage 0.3 1.0 0.9 1.3 0.6Rep. 2: Out Cage 0.2 0.8 0.6 0.7 0.7 Rep. 3: In Cage 0.7 1.1 0.7 0.7 0.4Rep. 3: Out Cage 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.3 0.3
Rep. 4: In Cage 1.4 Rep. 4: Out Cage 1.1 *Tons/Acre Average In Cage 1.0 1.1 0.7 1.2 0.6Average Out Cage 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.6
Seat Conservation Area 2014
Crop Type 15" Milo 30" MiloBrome Grass
Sample dates 6/14/14 8/11/2014 6/14/14 8/11/2014 6/14/14 8/11/2014Coleoptera (Beetle) 0 1 0 0 0 0Aranae (Spiders) 0 0 0 0 0 3Diptera (Flies) 0 0 3 0 8 7
Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, & Wasps) 0 2 0 0 6 1
Orthoptera (Grasshoppers & Crickets) 0 1 0 0 1 0Hemiptera (True Bugs) 0 1 0 0 0 0
Homoptera (Leafhoppers & Treehoppers) 0 0 0 1 6 1Total Number of Insects 0 5 3 1 21 12
Insect sweep collections of two cover cropping operations and one brome grass field for Seat Conservation Area, northwest Missouri, 2014.
Conclusion
Funds for this study have provided an excellent stepping stone for future studies exploring the interactions of cover crops and potential critical habitat for wildlife. Currently we are working with Columbia College interns conducting nesting studies as part of their graduation requirements. Future studies looking at these interactions are being explored by many agencies. If cover cropping systems are adopted the opportunities for managing wildlife on production agriculture farms are greater than ever before.