Pond management enhances the local abundance and species richness of farmland bird communities

Many studies have shown how intensification of farming is the main cause of loss biodiversity in these environments. During the last decades, agroecosystems in Europe have changed drastically, mainly due to mechanization of agriculture. In this work, species richness in bird communities was examined on a gradient of spatial heterogeneity of farmlands, in order to quantify its effects. Four categories of farmland spatial heterogeneity were defined, based on landscape and landuse parameters. The impact of features increasing the spatial heterogeneity was quantified comparing the similarity indexes between bird communities in several farmlands of Central Italy. The effects of environmental variables on bird richness were analyzed using GLM. The results highlighted that landscape features surrogates of high nature values (HNVs) of farmlands can increase more than 50% the bird species richness. The features more related to bird richness were hedgerows, scattered shrubs, uncultivated patches, and powerlines. The results confirm that the approach based on HNV for evaluating the farmlands is also suitable in order to study birds’ diversity. However, some species are more sensitive to heterogeneity, while other species occupy mainly homogeneous farmlands. As a consequence, different conservation methods must be considered for each farmland bird species.

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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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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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The effects of host-plant distribution and local abundance on the species richness of agromyzid flies attacking British umbellifers

Ecological Entomology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2311.1982.tb00665.x ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 257-265 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

SIMON V. FOWLER ◽

JOHN H. LAWTON

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Host Plant ◽

Plant Distribution ◽

Local Abundance

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Bird communities in three forest types in the Pernambuco Centre of Endemism, Alagoas, Brazil

Iheringia Série Zoologia ◽

10.1590/s0073-47212013000200002 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 103 (2) ◽

pp. 85-96 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Lahert W. Lobo-Araújo ◽

Mário T. F. Toledo ◽

Márcio A. Efe ◽

Ana C. M. Malhado ◽

Marcos V. C. Vital ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Bird Species ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Northeastern Brazil ◽

Forest Fragments ◽

Forest Types ◽

Risk Of Extinction ◽

Bird Fauna ◽

Richness Patterns ◽

Ombrophilous Forest

The Pernambuco Center of Endemism (PCE) in northeastern Brazil is highly fragmented and degraded. Despite its potential conservation importance the bird fauna in this area is still relatively unknown and there are many remnant fragments that have not been systematically surveyed. Here, we report the results of bird surveys in five forest fragments (one pioneer, two ombrophilous and two seasonal). In total, 162 taxa were recorded, 12 of which are endemic to the PCE. The frequency of endangered species was lower than what has been reported in studies from the same area and most of the taxa considered to be at risk of extinction were sub-species of uncertain taxonomic validity. The comparatively low number of endemic/threatened species may be due to the small size of the fragments in the present study - a consequence of the high levels of habitat loss in this region. Analysis of species richness patterns indicates that ombrophilous forest fragments are acting as refuges for those bird species that are most sensitive to environmental degradation.

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Islands in the forest: effects of patch size and isolation on farmland bird species richness and community composition of farmland patches in forest landscapes

Landscape Ecology ◽

10.1007/s10980-019-00920-w ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (12) ◽

pp. 2823-2836 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Svein Dale

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Community Composition ◽

Patch Size ◽

Bird Species ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Farmland Bird

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Composition and Functional Diversity in Bird Communities in a Protected Humid Coastal Savanna

Advances in Zoology ◽

10.1155/2015/864219 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alfan A. Rija ◽

Abubakari S. Mgelwa ◽

Robert B. Modest ◽

Shombe N. Hassan

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

National Park ◽

Bird Species ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Large Mammals ◽

Feeding Guild ◽

Bird Species Richness ◽

Heterogeneous Landscape ◽

Species Lists ◽

Associated Species

Our current understanding of the vertebrate communities of a newly gazetted Tanzanian coastal national park is limited and strongly taxonomically biased towards large mammals. We conducted bird assessments in three sites in Saadani National Park using species lists to analyze some parameters to inform biodiversity conservation in the area. We recorded 3112 individuals in 268 species falling in 66 families, including 2 endangered, 2 vulnerable, and 6 near threatened species. Both species richness and species diversity varied between sites. Species relative abundances were not different between the sites although some functional groups, especially granivores, were more abundant than others. Bird assemblages included 21 forest specialists (FF-species), 35 forest generalists (F-species), and 68 forest visitors (f-species) overlapping among bushland, wooded grassland, grassland, and thickets suggesting presence of important microhabitats for the forest-associated species in this ecosystem. Bird species richness in a feeding guild also showed marked overlap between habitats suggesting availability of rich food resources for the birds. This paper highlights the importance of maintaining a structurally heterogeneous landscape to sustain diverse bird communities in the area.

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Response of Understory Bird Feeding Groups to Deforestation Gradient in a Tropical Rainforest of Cameroon

Tropical Conservation Science ◽

10.1177/1940082920906970 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

pp. 194008292090697

Author(s):

Mélanie A. Tchoumbou ◽

Elikwo F. N. Malange ◽

Claire T. Tiku ◽

Brice Tibab ◽

Jerome Fru-Cho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Diversity Index ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Selective Logging ◽

Habitat Types ◽

Frugivorous Birds ◽

Oil Palm Plantation ◽

Logged Forest ◽

Abundance And Diversity

Birds are crucial in maintaining the balance of many ecosystems and provide various ecological services. Understanding their sensitivity to human disturbances should be prioritized in understudy areas for effective conservation practices. Using mist nets, this study characterized mostly understory bird communities (insectivorous, frugivorous, granivorous, and nectarivorous birds) in three habitat types (pristine forest, selectively logged forest, and young oil palm plantation) in the Talangaye rainforest, Southwest Cameroon. A total of 845 birds belonging to 27 families and 85 species were recorded in the three habitats after 294 h of mist netting. Overall, the mist-netted community was largely dominated by insectivores, followed by frugivores, nectarivores, granivores, and carnivores. Although mean species richness, abundance, and Simpson diversity index did not vary significantly among habitat types, mean species abundance and diversity index decreased in selectively logged forest and young oil palm plantation and species richness increased in both habitats. The species richness, abundance, and diversity index for insectivorous and frugivorous birds were lowest in the young oil palm plantations. For granivores, species richness and abundance increased following selective logging and the establishment of oil palm plantation. The highest mean species richness and diversity index in nectarivores were recorded in the young oil palm plantations. The study showed that selective logging and establishment of oil palm plantation had variable effects on the bird communities in the Talangaye rainforest. Also, the frugivorous birds appeared to be more sensitive to both types of disturbances, while the insectivores were more sensitive to habitat loss/conversion.

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