Interactions Between Cover Crops and Wildlife Ray Wright Research Specialist University of Missouri -Columbia

Bradford Mission: The Bradford Research Center Provides land, equipment and facilities for research at the plant/ soil/environmental interface through field laboratory settings. One of our goals is to provide quality wildlife habitat while managing a production agriculture operation. Other goals include education of the public on systems that promote both agriculture and the environment.

The Big Picture Populations are expected to be nine billion in 2050, currently we are at seven billion. Technological advances have increased agricultural productivity, but expansion of new agricultural areas will be limited. To provide sustainable food and fiber to sustain our population, land management practices must be made more efficient while protecting soil, water and the environment.

Trends In Agriculture Farm Policy.com ; March 2013

Trends in Wildlife

Missouri statewide average number of quail counted per 30-mile route from 1983-2012.

Studies Pollinator Use of Ecotypes vs. Non-Ecotype Native Plants: Missouri Department of Conservation Alternative Native Planting for Newly Established Water Ways: Missouri Department of Conservation Building Drought Resiliency through Soil Health: Conservation Innovation Grant Building Potential Wildlife Habitat Through Planned Cover Cropping Systems: National Wildlife Foundation

Benefits Potential huge impact in acreage of available habitat. Understanding the relationship between wildlife and cover crops is critical for maximizing the interface between agricultural needs and wildlife needs. Learning the challenges of conducting studies on these systems. Developing the most cost benefitting approaches for future studies.

The Layout Nesting numbers and success Incident of trap habitat where cover crops result in nest losses due to providing habitat that is subsequently destroyed for planting commodity crop Forage availability and impact on various wildlife and availability population Impacts on pollinator health and habitat

Britt Farm near Salisbury shortly after termination of cover crop.

. Wildlife Habitat Assessment Guide (WHAG) results for Missouri 2014 Cover Crop Study. Higher percentages equal higher ranking value for wildlife suitability. Britt Farm June 3 % Seat Farm June 26 Seat Farm August 11 Britt Farm August 13 Assoc. Electric August 13 Boone Co. Traditional Cropping August 19 Cropland Community 40/51 0.78 18/51 0.35 24/51 0.47 37/51 0.7 3 5/51 0.09 Other Agricultural Land 17/20 0.85 10/20 0.5 12/20 0.6 5/20 0.01 Early Succession 58/95 0.61 68/95 0.72 70/95 0.74 76/95 0.8 17/95 0.18 Bobwhite Quail (In- field) 53/100 0.53 59/100 0.59 77/100 0.77 72/100 83/100 0.8 3 49/100 0.49 Grand Total 168/266 0.63 162/266 0.71 180/266 0.67 208/266 0.7 8 147/266 0.55

*Data separated from Bradford and recorded as B. County Summer Call Counts: Values represent quail calls recorded at designated points on cover crop study areas. *Data separated from Bradford and recorded as B. County Britt Farm Bradford Farms Associated Electric B. County Farm B. county Farm Seat 6/24 7/11 6/22 6/30 6/24/ 6/28   Point 1 3 * 1.3 1.6 1 Point 2 1.7 Point 3 4.3 Point 4 0.8 0.5 2 Point 5 4.4 Point 6 2.2 Point 7 5 Point 8 AVG 1.8 2.9 3.1 2.5 .7 .8 .5 1.25 .75 Grand Average 2.4 2.8 .83

Incidental trap habitat where cover crops result in nest losses due to providing critical habitat that is subsequently destroyed for planting commodity crop. Planting Technique Cover Crop Type % Nest Success 30” Row Spacing Summer 41 100 Fall 44 Fall/Mowed 15” Row Spacing None Summer Cover Crop : Sunflower, Sesbania, Winter Pea, Hairy Vetch, Cereal Rye, Crimson Clover Fall Cover Crop : Winter Pea, Hairy vetch, Cereal Rye, Crimson Clover

Exclusion cages developed to determine wildlife grazing pressure in cover crop fields.

Cage Exclusion Study 2014 to determine the grazing pressure of wildlife on cover crops. Data reported in tons/acre. Cover Crop Corn Cover Crop Beans Cover Crop Wheat Cover Crop Planting Cover Crop Planting Re Harvest Harvest Date 31-Jul-14 15-May-14 20-Aug-14   Rep. 1: In Cage 2.0 1.2 0.6 1.4 0.9 Rep. 1: Out Cage 1.1 0.4 0.5 1.0 0.8 Rep. 2: In Cage 0.3 1.3 Rep. 2: Out Cage 0.2 0.7 Rep. 3: In Cage Rep. 3: Out Cage Rep. 4: In Cage Rep. 4: Out Cage *Tons/Acre Average In Cage Average Out Cage

Seat Conservation Area, northwest Missouri, 2014. Insect sweep collections of two cover cropping operations and one brome grass field for Seat Conservation Area, northwest Missouri, 2014. Seat Conservation Area 2014 Crop Type 15" Milo 30" Milo Brome Grass Sample dates 6/14/14 8/11/2014 Coleoptera (Beetle) 1 Aranae (Spiders) 3 Diptera (Flies) 8 7 Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, & Wasps) 2 6 Orthoptera (Grasshoppers & Crickets) Hemiptera (True Bugs) Homoptera (Leafhoppers & Treehoppers) Total Number of Insects 5 21 12

Conclusion Funds for this study have provided an excellent stepping stone for future studies exploring the interactions of cover crops and potential critical habitat for wildlife. Currently we are working with Columbia College interns conducting nesting studies as part of their graduation requirements. Future studies looking at these interactions are being explored by many agencies. If cover cropping systems are adopted the opportunities for managing wildlife on production agriculture farms are greater than ever before.