Perched on a razor's edge: Woodlark <i>Lullula arborea</i> preference for vanishing land-uses in a traditional sub-Pannonian landscape

Conservation and restoration of extensively managed grasslands in the Goričko (Slovenia) Natura 2000 site is crucial for reversing the negative population trend of Woodlarks. The population of Woodlarks, listed as a Natura 2000 species for Goričko, decreased by more than 65% over the past 25 years, and we examined its habitat use to identify the most important landscape features, to form conservation recommendations. We visited all known sites of Woodlarks in Goričko, in north-east Slovenia, and recorded their presence and activity during several visits. We divided breeding sites into square plots and surveyed 23 land-use and landscape variables within them, and also in randomly selected control plots in the west of the study area where Woodlarks were absent, then modelled habitat selection using boosted regression trees. In the mosaic agricultural landscape of Goričko, Woodlarks preferred extensive and mesotrophic meadows, where as little as 3–5% cover considerably increased the probability of their presence, and also dirt roads and some forest cover of 30–75%, all located on gentle south-oriented slopes and hilltops, while avoiding traditional orchards and intensive meadows. Conservation efforts for Woodlarks in Goričko should focus on maintaining existing extensive meadows and expanding their range.针对斯洛文尼亚戈里奇科（Goričko）Natura 2000保护地内的粗放经营草原开展保护与修复工作，对扭转林百灵（Woodlark）的种群衰退趋势至关重要。 作为戈里奇科Natura 2000保护地的重点保护物种，林百灵的种群数量在过去25年间降幅超过65%。本研究通过调查其栖息地利用模式，明确关键景观特征并制定针对性保护建议。 研究团队对斯洛文尼亚东北部戈里奇科境内所有已知的林百灵分布点开展多次实地考察，记录其出现状况与活动行为。将林百灵的繁殖栖息地划分为方形样方，对样方内的23项土地利用与景观变量进行调查；同时在研究区域西部无林百灵分布的区域选取随机对照样方开展相同调研，随后采用提升回归树（boosted regression trees）模型对其栖息地选择偏好进行建模分析。 在戈里奇科的镶嵌式农业景观中，林百灵偏好粗放经营的中营养型草甸：仅3%-5%的该类草甸覆盖度即可显著提升其出现概率；同时它们也会选择土路以及覆盖度为30%-75%的林地区域，且这些区域均位于坡度平缓的南向坡地与山顶地带，而会规避传统果园与集约经营的草甸。 针对戈里奇科境内林百灵的保护工作，应重点维持现有粗放经营草甸的规模，并扩大其适宜栖息地的分布范围。