RJB (Rik) Waenink MSc

The value of strip cropping for farmland birds

Most farmland birds in The Netherlands are in decline. Increasing crop diversity in the landscape through strip cropping may help these bird species. In this strip cropping, different crops are grown at short distance from each other, so that they all fall within the reach of a farmland bird. What does this cultivation method mean for farmland birds? I am trying to find an answer to that question in my PhD research.

Yellow wagtails or skylarks mostly breed in cereal, which are included in the strip cropping. In a strip cropping field, these birds are in other crops within a few wingbeats to collect insects for its young. Do bird in strip cropping indeed fly shorter distances to collect food? And does strip cropping ensure a higher and more diverse insect availability? And are there more birds breeding on strip cropping? These are all exciting questions that are addressed in the research.

Another research example is the use of strip cropping by partridges. Partridge can in theory forage in the open strips and shelter in the denser neighbouring strips. Does this happen in practice? That is what we are going to find out.

The research results ultimately provide guidelines for farmers and policymakers and contribute to the transition to nature-inclusive arable farming. This research is a collaboration between Wageningen University and the University of Groningen, and is part of the multidisciplinary research program on crop diversity 'CropMix' (www.cropmix.nl).

I am happy to answer questions about strip cropping and biodiversity (rik.waenink@wur.nl). Are you a student looking for a thesis? Feel free to send a message; there is always something exciting to do.