| Summary: | The loss of biodiversity is accepted as a vital area of research and habitat destruction due to human activity is a major cause of such biodiversity loss. Agriculture has resulted in widespread modification of the natural landscape. In these highly modified landscapes, however, remnants of semi natural habitat remain, potentially providing key refugia for biodiversity. Riparian areas are potentially relatively species rich zones, due to the ecotone of habitats ranging from fully terrestrial to aquatic. The present research investigated response patterns of species diversity in riparian environments of agricultural areas. At rivers locations across Northern Ireland, situated in permanent grassland agriculture, were selected, surveys of species richness were carried out for mammals, both carnivores and bats, birds, fish and invertebrates with a focus on carabid beetles. The analysis of patterns of diversity and habitat associations within in each group was investigated and comparison made across taxa. An information thoretic approach is used to develop models of species habitat association and emerging community analysis approaches used to examine community patterens: Contrasting patterns of species richness were observed, both within and between taxa. The implications for conservating biodiveristy in riparain habitats is discussed.
|
|---|
