Waterbirds in agricultural wetlands in Finland, 2000 - 2011

The data originates from national monitoring on the effects of the Finnish agri-environment support scheme (MYTVAS). The only breeding habitat waterbirds find in Finnish farmland is provided by larger ditches and drains, rivers which flow through the open landscape and ponds and lakes which happen to be situated in farmland. Since 1995, wetlands have been created for water protection purposes in farmland and, in recent years, many have been established for multifunctional purposes, including management of biodiversity. To study the impact of creation of wetlands in farmland, waterbirds in 16 such wetlands were censused in 2004, 11 of which had been covered also already in 2000. For background information waterbirds were censused also in farmland bird survey study areas.

The methods are described in the following publication:
Tiainen, J., Pitkänen, J., Rintala, J. & Seimola, T. 2010. Maatalousympäristön kosteikkojen merkitys vesilinnustolle. In: Aakkula, J., Manninen, T. & Nurro, M. (Eds.), Maatalouden ympäristötuen vaikuttavuuden seurantatutkimus (MYTVAS3). Maa- ja metsätalousministeriön julkaisuja 1/2010: 90–94.

An analysis on the impact of agri-environmental wetlands on waterbird abundance was analysed in the M.Sc. thesis: Pitkänen, J. 2008. Maatalousympäristöjen pienkosteikot vesilintujen elinympäristöinä. Pro gradu -tutkielma, Helsingin yliopisto, Metsäekologian laitos.