Who Is Who in the City? Bird Species Richness and Composition in Urban Latin America

Abstract Urbanization is one of the major causes of biodiversity loss worldwide. Some species are able to adapt to urbanization, whereas others perish. Studies on long-term effects of the impact of urbanization on species diversity and abundance patterns are especially lacking from tropical cities. We seek to assess the relationship between urbanization and species richness of lake-dependent birds in Bangalore, a tropical mega-city in Southern India. We specifically ask: (i) How is bird species richness related to the size of the lake? (ii) How is bird species richness in Bangalore’s lakes related to the degree of urbanization? We used data from 2014 to 2019, collected from eBird—an online database that collates information on bird observations globally. Both lake area and distance from the city centre are correlated to species richness, with larger lakes supporting more bird species. As distance from the city centre increased (i.e. urbanization decreases), bird richness increased. Overall, in the city of Bangalore, migratory birds have declined while many lake-dependent resident birds seem to be increasing over the past 5 years. We hypothesize that birds that roost and nest in trees appear to be increasing. To confirm this, further research taking a trait-based approach is required. Urbanization appears to have species-specific impacts on lake-dependent birds in this tropical city, with certain groups of birds faring better than others. This research adds to the significant paucity of studies of the impact of urbanization on biodiversity in the urban tropics.

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Features of formation bird population structure in Minsk in the time aspect

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Biological Series ◽

10.29235/1029-8940-2021-66-4-412-425 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 66 (4) ◽

pp. 412-425

Author(s):

V. V. Sakhvon ◽

M. E. Nikiforov

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Bird Species ◽

Urban Ecosystems ◽

Breeding Bird ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

European Continent ◽

Bird Population ◽

Mixed Origin ◽

Large Water ◽

The City

The structure of bird population of urbanized areas is determined by the diversity of habitats within the city, the diversity of bird species in suburban biotopes, and regional processes of dispersal of birds closely associated with human settlements. The analysis of the dynamics of the breeding bird species richness in Minsk showed that its formation progressed in different ways. All in all, since 1946, 141 bird species have been recorded nesting (including allegedly) in the territory of Minsk.The breeding bird assemblages is dominated by dendrophilous (45.0 % of all species) as well as wetland and semi-aquatic (29,3 %) bird species, with more than half of all the breeding bird species (50.3 %) associated with trees and shrubs. In different periods, the breeding bird species richness varied, by now, it has noticeably increased (from 77 to 132 species). This happened due to the expansion of the administrative boundaries of the city with the inclusion of bird species of suburban habitats, an increase in the diversity of habitats suitable for bird nesting (for example, the formation of large water bodies) as well as due to active colonization of urban ecosystems by various bird species. At the same time, after 2000, 9 bird species stopped nesting and 17 bird species started nesting. Active processes of synurbization of some bird species on the European continent observed in recent decades have become the reason for the addition of new species to the avifauna in Minsk, although the basis of the current structure of bird population was formed back in 1986–1999. At the same time, the synurbized groups of various bird species may be of autochthonous, allochthonous, or mixed origin.

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Noisy environments: untangling the role of anthropogenic noise on bird species richness in a Neotropical city

Avian Research ◽

10.1186/s40657-020-00218-5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Cecilia Odette Carral-Murrieta ◽

Michelle García-Arroyo ◽

Oscar H. Marín-Gómez ◽

J. Roberto Sosa-López ◽

Ian MacGregor-Fors

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Vegetation Cover ◽

Bird Species ◽

Anthropogenic Noise ◽

Maximum Point ◽

Noise Levels ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Point Count ◽

Bird Richness ◽

The City

Abstract Background Among urban stimuli, anthropogenic noise has been identified to be one of the behavioral drivers of species that rely on acoustic signals for communication. Studies have shown both species-specific and assemblage responses to urban noise, ranging from the modulation of their acoustic frequencies and spatiotemporal adjustments to declines in species richness. In this study, we assessed the citywide relationship between two anthropogenic noise variables (noise levels recorded during bird surveys and daily average noise levels) and vegetation cover with bird species richness. Methods This study was conducted in the city of Xalapa (Mexico) through a 114 citywide point-count survey. We recorded bird communities at each sampling site. We measured noise levels using a sound level meter while performing point-counts. Then, we generated a map of average daily noise of the city using an array of 61 autonomous recording units distributed across the city of Xalapa and calculated daily noise levels for the 114 points. We ran a linear model (LM) to assess potential relationships between both point-count and daily (24 h) noise values and vegetation cover with bird richness. Results Results from the LM show: (1) a negative relationship between maximum point-count noise and avian species richness, (2) no relationship between 24 h noise and bird species richness, and (3) a positive relationship between vegetation cover and bird species richness. Conclusions Results provide evidence that decreases in urban bird species richness do not necessarily imply the permanent absence of species, suggesting that birds can temporarily fly away from or avoid sites when noisy, become cryptic while noisy events are occurring, or be undetected due to our inability to record them in the field during noisy events.

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Functional evenness of bird communities varies along the elevational gradient in Europe: Conservation implications

10.32942/osf.io/sx9n8 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Federico Morelli ◽

Yanina

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Elevation Gradient ◽

Bird Species ◽

Elevational Gradient ◽

Negative Association ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Breeding Bird ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Large Spatial Scale ◽

Functional Evenness

ContextThe negative association between elevation and species richness is a well-recognized pattern in macro-ecology. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate changes in functional evenness of breeding bird communities along an elevation gradient in Europe. MethodsUsing the bird data from the EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds we estimated an index of functional evenness which can be assumed as a measure of the potential resilience of communities.ResultsOur findings confirm the existence of a negative association between elevation and bird species richness in all European eco regions. However, we also explored a novel aspect of this relationship, important for conservation: Our findings provide evidence at large spatial scale of a negative association between the functional evenness (potential community resilience) and elevation, independent of the eco region. We also found that the Natura2000 protected areas covers the territory most in need of protection, those characterized by bird communities with low potential resilience, in hilly and mountainous areas.ConclusionsThese results draw attention to European areas occupied by bird communities characterized by a potential lower capacity to respond to strong ecological changes, and, therefore, potentially more exposed to risks for conservation.

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Patterns of bird species richness explained by annual variation in remotely sensed Dynamic Habitat Indices

Ecological Indicators ◽

10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107774 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 127 ◽

pp. 107774

Author(s):

Martina L. Hobi ◽

Laura S. Farwell ◽

Maxim Dubinin ◽

Dmitrij Kolesov ◽

Anna M. Pidgeon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Annual Variation ◽

Bird Species ◽

Remotely Sensed ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Dynamic Habitat

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Can clearcuts increase bird species richness in managed forests?

Journal of Forest Science ◽

10.17221/787-jfs ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 54 (No. 4) ◽

pp. 189-193

Author(s):

M. Żmihorski

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Bird Species ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Cumulative Number ◽

Managed Forests ◽

Managed Forest ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Forest Interior ◽

Transect Counts ◽

The Difference

Clearcuts are one of the results of forest management. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of clearcuts on bird communities in a managed forest in Western Poland. I applied the method of point transect counts. 20 points were located near clearcuts (less than 100 m from the nearest clearcut) and 25 points in the forest interior. In total, 36 bird species were recorded. On average, I found 9.20 bird species at points located near clearcuts and 6.72 species at points situated in the forest interior, and the difference was significant. The cumulative number of bird species for a given number of sampling points in the vicinity of clearcuts was higher than in the forest interior. The obtained results indicate that in managed, even-aged forests the generation of clearcuts can lead to an increase in local bird species richness.

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Bird species richness and abundance in riparian vegetation invaded by exotic Reynoutria spp.

Biologia ◽

10.2478/s11756-013-0296-x ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 69 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Lenka Hajzlerová ◽

Jiří Reif

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Plant Species ◽

Riparian Vegetation ◽

Bird Species ◽

Plant Invasions ◽

Alien Plant ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

River Bank ◽

Management Actions ◽

Acrocephalus Palustris

AbstractImpacts of invasive alien plant species are threatening biodiversity worldwide and thus it is important to assess their effects on particular groups of organisms. However, such impacts were studied mostly in case of plant or invertebrate communities and our understanding the response of vertebrate species to plant invasions remains incomplete. To improve our knowledge in this respect, we studied bird communities in riparian vegetation along the rivers with different levels of Reynoutria spp. invasion in the Czech Republic. These findings will be interesting for basic ecology enhancing our knowledge of consequences of plant invasions, as well as for conservation practice. We surveyed understory bird species in 26 vegetation blocks along parts of three rivers running from the Beskydy Mountains in spring 2011. We used principal component analysis to assess vegetation structure of particular blocks and the first axis ordinated the blocks according to the degree of invasion by Reynoutria spp. Using generalized linear mixed-effects models we found that counts of Motacilla cinerea, Cinclus cinclus and Sylvia borin, as well as the total bird species richness, significantly decreased with increasing degree of Reynoutria spp. invasion, while Acrocephalus palustris showed the opposite pattern. These results suggest that Reynoutria spp. impacts negatively on the species strictly bond with river banks and habitats specialists, whereas habitat generalist species like Sylvia atricapilla were not affected. Preference of Acrocephalus palustris for Reynoutria spp. corroborates affinity of this species to large invasive herbs observed also in other studies. Our study showed that Reynoutria spp. invasion can reduce species richness of understory birds in riparian communities. Although the distribution of this plant species is still quite limited in central Europe, our results suggest that its more widespread occurrence could potentially threat some river bank bird species. Therefore, we urge for development of management actions that will act counter the Reynoutria spp. invasion.

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Modelling avian biodiversity using raw, unclassified satellite imagery

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2013.0197 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 369 (1643) ◽

pp. 20130197 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Véronique St-Louis ◽

Anna M. Pidgeon ◽

Tobias Kuemmerle ◽

Ruth Sonnenschein ◽

Volker C. Radeloff ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Habitat Heterogeneity ◽

Bird Species ◽

Image Texture ◽

Spectral Mixture Analysis ◽

Mixture Analysis ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Habitat Composition ◽

Avian Biodiversity ◽

Spectral Mixture

Applications of remote sensing for biodiversity conservation typically rely on image classifications that do not capture variability within coarse land cover classes. Here, we compare two measures derived from unclassified remotely sensed data, a measure of habitat heterogeneity and a measure of habitat composition, for explaining bird species richness and the spatial distribution of 10 species in a semi-arid landscape of New Mexico. We surveyed bird abundance from 1996 to 1998 at 42 plots located in the McGregor Range of Fort Bliss Army Reserve. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index values of two May 1997 Landsat scenes were the basis for among-pixel habitat heterogeneity (image texture), and we used the raw imagery to decompose each pixel into different habitat components (spectral mixture analysis). We used model averaging to relate measures of avian biodiversity to measures of image texture and spectral mixture analysis fractions. Measures of habitat heterogeneity, particularly angular second moment and standard deviation, provide higher explanatory power for bird species richness and the abundance of most species than measures of habitat composition. Using image texture, alone or in combination with other classified imagery-based approaches, for monitoring statuses and trends in biological diversity can greatly improve conservation efforts and habitat management.

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