Year-round evaluation of the conservation potential of seed-rich field margins under agri-environmental schemes for farmland birds, European hares, and common hamsters

Field margins on arable land, such as seed-rich strips (SRS), are an important and widely implemented conservation measure under agri-environment schemes. They are intended to contribute to the provision of scarce food resources and shelter for various farmland species. Although SRS are primarily designed to provide critical resources for wildlife during the winter, they may also contribute to biodiversity conservation throughout the year and across the full annual cycle of farmland species. However, empirical evaluation of their conservation potential over the annual cycle and across multiple taxa is missing. Therefore, in this study, we conducted a year-round assessment of the conservation potential of SRS for several avian (farmland birds and seed-eating species in particular) and mammalian (European hares and common hamsters) farmland species in arable-dominated agricultural landscapes. Moreover, we investigated the role of the habitat context (i.e., SRS placed along farmland h..., , # Year-round evaluation of the conservation potential of seed-rich field margins under agri-environmental schemes for farmland birds, European hares, and common hamsters

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.m0cfxpph1](10.5061/dryad.m0cfxpph1)

## Description of the data and file structure

This dataset contains data on the year-round abundance and diversity of farmland birds in relation to seed-rich strips (SRS) and control plots in intensively-managed arable landscapes of Central Moravia, Czech Republic. The data were collected as part of an assessment of the conservation potential of SRS for avian biodiversity under agri-environment schemes.

### Files and variables

#### File: dataset_2025-08-19.csv

**Description:** The dataset contains monthly records of bird or mammal abundance at each study transect, including information on habitat type, landscape context, species identity, and spatial coordinates.

##### Variables

* Code: Unique identifier for each study site.
* SRS_C: Habitat type of...,