Anthropogenic disturbances, such as habitat modifications and machines, are associated with increased levels of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) in mammals, an indicator of a stress response. One human-caused process provoking incisive habitat alterations is harvesting arable crops. We investigated the effect of cereal harvest on fGCM concentrations in European hares (Lepus europaeus) in arable landscapes in lower Austria during the year 2018 by collecting 591 faecal samples before, during and after cereal harvest. fGCMs were analysed using an enzyme immunoassay, and data were analysed using linear mixed-effects models. We found that neither cereal harvest nor farming practice (organic vs. conventional) caused an overall increase in the hares’ stress level. Lower vegetation density and higher proportions of bare ground were negatively correlated with fGCM concentrations, whereas the proportion of stubble fields was significantly positively correlated with fGCM concentrations in European hares. A change to more open landscapes might decrease time spent avoiding predation, and fallen grains may provide a beneficial additional food source for the hares. This indicates that European hares are well adapted to an opening up of the landscape and short-term disturbances such as cereal harvesting. In conclusion, cereal harvest had no large impact on European hares’ adrenocortical activity in an arable landscape with small average field size and enough available non-farmed areas.

人为干扰，例如栖息地的改造和机器，与哺乳动物粪便糖皮质激素代谢物（fGCM）水平的升高有关，这是应激反应的指标。引发尖锐生境改变的一种人为过程是收获可耕作物。我们调查了谷物收获对欧洲野兔中fGCM浓度的影响（Lepus europaeus）在2018年下奥地利州的耕地景观中，在谷物收获之前，之中和之后收集591份粪便样品。使用酶免疫分析法分析了fGCM，并使用线性混合效应模型分析了数据。我们发现，谷物收成和耕作方式（有机与常规）均不会导致野兔的应激水平总体提高。较低的植被密度和较高的裸地比例与fGCM浓度呈负相关，而在欧洲野兔中，留茬田地的比例与fGCM浓度呈显着正相关。改用更开阔的景观可能会减少花在避免捕食上的时间，而掉落的谷物可能会为野兔提供有益的额外食物来源。这表明欧洲野兔很好地适应了自然景观的开放和谷物收割等短期干扰。总之，在平均田间面积较小且有足够的非耕地面积的可耕地上，谷物收成对欧洲野兔的肾上腺皮质活动没有太大影响。