Wet Grasslands as a Green Infrastructure for Ecological Sustainability: Wader Conservationin Southern Sweden as a Case Study

Biosphere Reserves aim at being role models for biodiversity conservation. This studyfocuses on the unsuccessful conservation of waders (Charadrii) on wet grasslands in the KristianstadVattenrike Biosphere Reserve (KVBR) in southern Sweden. Predation on nests and young hasbeen proposed as one reason contributing to the decline of waders. We explored this hypothesisby comparing two landscapes, one with declining (KVBR) and one with stable (Östergötland)wader populations on managed wet grasslands in southern Sweden. Specifically, we tested threepredictions linked to predation on wader nests and young, namely that (1) the relative abundanceof avian predators and waders; (2) the avian predator abundance; and (3) the predation rate onartificial wader nests, should all be higher in declining versus stable populations. All predictionswere clearly supported. Nevertheless, predation may not be the ultimate factor causing waderpopulation declines. We discuss the cumulative effects of landscape change linked to increased foodresources for predators, reduced wet grassland patch size and quality. Holistic analyses of multiplewet grassland landscapes as social-ecological systems as case studies, including processes such aspredation and other factors affecting waders, is a promising avenue towards collaborative learningfor wet grasslands as a functional green infrastructure. However, if governance and managementapproaches can be improved is questionable without considerable investment in both ecological andsocial systems.
Funding agencies: Swedish research council FORMAS
avian predation; biosphere reserve; birds of prey; charadrii; corvids; Kristianstad Vattenrike; predation; shorebirds; wet meadows