Hugging the hedges: Might agri-environment manipulations affect landscape permeability for hedgehogs?

• Published in: Biological conservation Vol. 176; pp. 109 - 116
• Main Authors: Moorhouse, Tom P., Palmer, Stephen C.F., Travis, Justin M.J., Macdonald, David W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agri-environment scheme; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Erinaceus europaeus; Farming; Farmlands; Farms; Field margin; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agroecology; General agroecology. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development. Rural area planning. Landscaping; General agronomy. Plant production; General aspects. Techniques; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; Habitats; Hedge; Hedgerows; Individual-based modelling; Landscape permeability; Landscapes; Lowlands; Mathematical models; Methods and techniques (sampling, tagging, trapping, modelling...); Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; Pasture; Stochastic Movement Simulator; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; British Isles; Europe; Stochastic Movement Simulator; Hedge; Individual-based modelling; Pasture; Erinaceus europaeus; Field margin; Agri-environment scheme; Landscape permeability; Landscape; Ecology; Permeability; Modeling; Agroecology; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Field edge; Manipulation; Insectivora; Agri-environmental measure; Environmental protection

•Semi-natural agricultural habitats, and habitat connectivity, have declined since the 1950s.•We modelled how European hedgehog movement sizes relate to hedge, pasture and margin abundances.•Doubling hedge abundance from 25% (the current value) to 50%, increased hedgehog movement sizes.•Increasing h...