Piecing together cities to support bird diversity: Development and forest edge density affect bird richness in urban environments

Housing development beyond the urban fringe (i.e., exurban development) is one of the fastest growing forms of land-use change in the United States. Exurban development’s attraction to natural and recreational amenities has raised concerns for conservation and represents a potential threat to wildlife. Although forest-dependent species have been found particularly sensitive to low housing densities, it is unclear how the spatial distribution of houses affects forest birds. The aim of this study was to assess forest bird responses to changes in the spatial pattern of exurban development and also to examine species responses when forest loss and forest fragmentation were considered. We evaluated landscape composition around North American Breeding Bird Survey stops between 1986 and 2009 by developing a compactness index to assess changes in the spatial pattern of exurban development over time. Compactness was defined as a measure of how clustered exurban development was in the area surrounding each survey stop at each time period considered. We used Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis to detect the response of forest and forest-edge species in terms of occurrence and relative abundance along the compactness gradient at two spatial scales (400-m and 1-km radius buffer). Our results showed that most forest birds and some forest-edge species were positively associated with high levels of compactness at the larger spatial scale; the proportion of forest in the surrounding landscape also had a significant effect when forest loss and forest fragmentation were accounted for. In contrast, the spatial configuration of exurban development was an important predictor of occurrence and abundance for only a few species at the smaller spatial scale. The positive response of forest birds to compactness at the larger scale could represent a systematic trajectory of decline and could be highly detrimental to bird diversity if exurban growth continues and creates more compacted development.

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Landscape diversity and forest edge density regulate stream water quality in agricultural catchments

Ecological Indicators ◽

10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.09.001 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 72 ◽

pp. 627-639 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Francis Clément ◽

Julie Ruiz ◽

Marco A. Rodríguez ◽

Daniel Blais ◽

Stéphane Campeau

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Stream Water ◽

Forest Edge ◽

Landscape Diversity ◽

Edge Density ◽

Stream Water Quality ◽

Agricultural Catchments

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Breeding birds of ‘Nomentum’ nature reserve (central Italy): a forest remnant landscape surrounded by an agro-urbanized matrix

Rivista Italiana di Ornitologia ◽

10.4081/rio.2022.531 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Corrado Battisti ◽

Veridiana Barucci ◽

Valeria Concettini ◽

Giuseppe Dodaro ◽

Francesca Marini

Keyword(s):

Nature Reserve ◽

Central Italy ◽

Parus Major ◽

Habitat Diversity ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Correlated Data ◽

Species Number ◽

Local Composition ◽

Forest Remnant ◽

Bird Richness

We carried out a standardized breeding bird atlas of “Nomentum” nature reserve (central Italy), located in a fragmented hilly forest near a large urbanized area (Rome). In order to obtain data about local composition, occurrence, distribution and richness, we correlated data with environmental heterogeneity and vegetation structure variables. We recorded 58 species in 48 500x500 m-wide atlas units, with Parus major, Corvus cornix, Turdus merula, Sylvia atricapilla, Sylvia melanocephala, as the most occurring in frequency (> 80%). Although synanthropic species represent only slightly more than 20% in number and urban environments are relatively reduced in size, these species show a higher mean occurrence when compared to mosaic species, despite the fact that these last are higher in species number and mosaic habitats are widely diffused. Local urbanization may disrupt communities, facilitating opportunistic species linked to these environments (i.e. synantropic) and inducing a decline in mosaic species. Moreover, the homogenization induced by anthropization could, at least partially, explain the lack of correlation between habitat diversity and species richness, at local scale. Finally, tree density and diameter do not affect total bird richness at this spatial grain/scale. In this regard, further analyses could test for possible correlations between habitat variables and single ecological guilds.

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Forest Edges Negatively Affect Golden-Cheeked Warbler Nest Survival

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/109.3.628 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 109 (3) ◽

pp. 628-637

Author(s):

Rebecca G. Peak

Keyword(s):

Breeding Season ◽

Nest Survival ◽

Forest Edge ◽

Breeding Habitat ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Edge Density ◽

Parameter Estimates ◽

Theoretic Approach ◽

Explanatory Variables ◽

Information Theoretic Approach

Abstract Abstract. I used an information-theoretic approach to determine support for hypotheses concerning the effects of edge and temporal factors on Golden-cheeked Warbler (Dendroica chrysoparia) nest survival on Fort Hood Military Reservation, Texas, during 2003–2006. I predicted that nest survival would be greater earlier in the breeding season than later in the breeding season, in areas with less forest edge than in areas with more forest edge, and during the laying and incubation stages than during the nestling stage. I used the logistic-exposure method to model nest survival as a function of the explanatory variables and to produce model-based estimates of daily and period survival. The overall daily survival rate was 0.96 (95% CI: 0.94, 0.97) and overall period survival was 0.34 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.46). Forest edge density had the strongest effect on nest survival. Nest survival decreased as forest edge density increased. Period survival tended to decrease as the breeding season progressed, but the 95% confidence intervals of the model-averaged parameter estimates overlapped. These results demonstrate that effective conservation strategies designed to provide high-quality breeding habitat for this endangered species should include measures to reduce predation by edge-adapted predators.

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Habitat preferences of breeding Yellow Buntings Emberiza sulphurata in hilly rural areas following rice field abandonment in northern Japan

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270916000435 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 550-559 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

SHOTA DEGUCHI ◽

YUKIHIRO ISHIHARA ◽

HIDEO MIGUCHI

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Habitat Preferences ◽

Forest Edge ◽

Active Management ◽

Edge Density ◽

Tall Grass ◽

Landscape Characteristics ◽

Open Land ◽

Succession Stage ◽

Northern Japan

SummaryWe studied the habitat preferences of breeding Yellow Buntings Emberiza sulphurata, taking into account the effects of paddyfield abandonment in hilly rural areas within the heavy snow region of northern Japan. Across 30 transects located in valley bottoms, we investigated the relationship between Yellow Bunting abundance and landscape characteristics. The results of generalized linear mixed models showed that forest edge density and landslide sites positively affected Yellow Bunting abundance. These habitats were associated with bush vegetation (forest edge, shrub land, and tall grassland) and were adjacent to the forest. Paddyfield abandonment showed a hump-shaped effect with a peak at the middle succession stage, which was covered primarily with tall grass and some shrubs, but the effect on Yellow Bunting abundance was not statistically significant. To conserve Yellow Bunting habitats in hilly rural areas, it is necessary to protect the forest edge and landslide sites from urbanisation and exploitation. It is also necessary to continue crop cultivation in such areas, to maintain the edges between open land and forest. If cultivation can no longer be continued, the abandoned paddyfields should be kept bushy, using reed beds and shrubs, by active management.

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Landscape- and local- level variables affect monarchs in Midwest grasslands

10.21203/rs.3.rs-346846/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anna Skye Bruce ◽

Wayne E. Thogmartin ◽

Chris Trosen ◽

Karen Oberhauser ◽

Claudio Gratton

Keyword(s):

Habitat Restoration ◽

Patch Size ◽

Landscape Heterogeneity ◽

Local Level ◽

Forest Edge ◽

Edge Density ◽

Patch Quality ◽

Road Density ◽

Local Patch ◽

Migratory Population

Abstract Context It is estimated that over one billion milkweed stems need to be restored to sustain the eastern North American migratory population of monarch butterflies; where and in what context the stems should be placed on the landscape is key to addressing habitat deficits. Objectives We assessed how the amount of appropriate habitat surrounding a particular patch of monarch habitat affects monarch presence and reproduction. To ensure that habitat restoration efforts are targeted towards areas that maximize monarch population growth, it is important to understand the effects of landscape heterogeneity on monarch occurrence in habitat patches (i.e. grasslands with milkweeds) across the landscape. Methods Over two summers (2018-2019), we surveyed monarch adults, larvae, and eggs at sixty grassland sites in Wisconsin that varied in patch size and landscape context (proportion grassland, forest edge density, and road density). We also estimated milkweed density and floral richness to characterize local patch quality. Results Adult monarch abundance was highest at patches with the lowest proportion of surrounding grassland and lowest road density, and was heavily influenced by patch quality variables. Egg and larva density in a patch increased with milkweed density and floral richness within a patch. Patch size was unrelated to monarch abundance. Conclusions These results suggest that optimal sites for monarch habitat restoration are within landscapes with less surrounding habitat and that high milkweed density and floral richness should be conservation goals.

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Bird fauna encountered at the main campus of the Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza City, Palestine

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity ◽

10.13057/biodiv/d200242 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 604-614

Author(s):

ABDEL FATTAH N. ABD RABOU

Keyword(s):

Gaza Strip ◽

Bird Species ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Bird Diversity ◽

Main Campus ◽

Wildlife Species ◽

Direct Observations ◽

Bird Fauna ◽

The Gaza Strip

Abstract. Abd Rabou AN. 2019. Bird fauna encountered at the main campus of the Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza City, Palestine. Biodiversitas 20: 604-614. Birds are the most prominent and widespread wildlife species of both natural and urban environments worldwide. The strategic geographic position of Palestine at the meeting point of the three continents; Asia, Africa and Europe, is very crucial for the country's bird diversity. The Gaza Strip has never been studied for bird fauna in its urban environments. Thus, the current study comes to survey the bird fauna at the main campus (82,000 m2) of the Islamic University of Gaza (MC-IUG) as an urban environment. Birds were monitored using direct observations and binoculars for the lasted five years. Bird guidebooks and professional cameras were used throughout the succeeding stages of the study. A total number of 56 bird species, belonging to 26 families and 11 orders were encountered throughout the study at MC-IUG. Passeriformes was the largest order and comprised 35 (62.5%) of the recorded bird species, while the non-passerines constitute the remaining 21 species (37.5%). Muscicapidae was the largest among the recorded families, which was represented by 9 species (16.1%), followed by 8 species of Fringillidae (14.3%) and 5 species of Laniidae (8.9%). Finally, the greening strategy of the Gaza Strip should be adopted by Gazans and the local authorities due to the crucial role of vegetation cover in attracting more biodiversity components; especially bird fauna.

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Biodiversity of Birds in Urban Green Space for Support Ecotourism activities in Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University Thailand

Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism ◽

10.14505//jemt.v12.4(52).25 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 1131

Author(s):

Ichangdaw BORUAH ◽

Sasitorn HASIN ◽

Ananya POPRADIT ◽

Vanatpornratt SAWASDEE ◽

SOONTAREE CHEENTAM

Keyword(s):

Bird Species ◽

Common Species ◽

Early Morning ◽

Bird Diversity ◽

Frequency Of Occurrence ◽

Resident Species ◽

Point Count ◽

Bird Watching ◽

Recreation Areas ◽

Bird Richness

Bird watching is one of the attractive ecotourism activities for travelers and nature enthusiasts, which rapidly growing in Thailand. This study aims to: (1) explore bird diversity in various green spaces in ValayaAlongkorn Rajabhat University (VRU); and (2) examine which bird species dominates the study areas. Bird data were collected using point count techniques in two sessions; early morning, and late afternoon, at VRU from May 2020 to April 2021. Frequency of occurrence value (FQ) was analyzed for classifying status groups of birds in the VRU. Order Passeriformes was numerically the dominant order in our study area, with 22 species (47.7% of total represented species), while the other bird orders were the least dominant, represented by 1 to 5 species in range. A total of 47 species of birds belonging to 29 Families and 12 Orders were recorded. During this study, significantly, the highest bird richness was recorded in agriculture areas (35 ± 2.3 SD), followed by the species from recreation areas (27 ± 1.8 SD) and natural wetland (17 ± 1.7 SD) (P>0.05). Five migrant bird species and 35 resident species were observed, and 10 bird species were recorded in both the seasonal status as migrant and resident species. Most of the bird species are listed as of least concern, while only one species, Mycteria leucocephala, are listed as near-threatened. Nine bird species are classified as common species in the VRU with > 80 % of frequency of occurrence. The pattern of bird diversity in the VRU in general follows the natural condition of green area space in the VRU. Typical characteristics of birds, their habitat and appearing period can develop bird-watching objects, which become interesting attractions for travelers and nature enthusiasts, promoting ecotourism development and efforts to conserve bird diversity.

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Can exotic tree plantations preserve the bird community of an endangered native forest in the Argentine Pampas?

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/cjfr-2020-0300 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mariela Veronica Lacoretz ◽

Daniela María Depalma ◽

Sebastián A Torrella ◽

Cecilia Zilli ◽

Valentina Ferretti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vegetation Structure ◽

Bird Community ◽

Tree Plantations ◽

Bird Diversity ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Native Forest ◽

Native Forests ◽

Bird Richness ◽

Exotic Tree ◽

Argentine Pampas

Worldwide, the areas covered by native forests are declining while those of tree plantations are increasing. This has raised the question of whether tree plantations are able to preserve native forest species. In Argentina, the main native forests of the Pampas region, called talares, are endangered and their disappearance is imminent. Although exotic tree plantations are increasing in this region, their role in maintaining native bird diversity has not been studied in Argentine Pampas. We compared the bird community attributes and vegetation structure of talares native forest with those of tree plantations. Plantations exhibited markedly lower bird richness than talares, up to 80% lower, and all forest-dependent bird species were absent in plantations. Talares and plantations differed also in some aspects of vegetation structure, which usually are key determinants of bird abundance. Given the extreme importance of talares for forest birds, this bird community will be deeply affected if it continues to decline, as nearby plantations do not offer suitable habitat. In order to maintain the bird diversity of talares, and probably the diversity of other unstudied taxa related to them, we recommend management actions that should be applied urgently in these endangered forests of the Argentine Pampas.

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Spatial distribution and diversity of bird community in an urban area of Southeast Brazil

Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology ◽

10.1590/s1516-89132005000200016 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 285-294 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Marco Antônio Manhães ◽

Alan Loures-Ribeiro

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Ecological Model ◽

Distance Estimation ◽

Bird Community ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Bird Diversity ◽

Forest Fragments ◽

Point Counts ◽

Bird Richness ◽

Minas Gerais State

Since the campus of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, has different landscapes, it turns up to be a useful ecological model to evaluate the influence of habitat heterogeneity on bird communities. Our research goals were to know the local avifauna and compare its composition and bird diversity within the different landscapes. Species were identified in point counts without distance estimation, in four habitats: secondary woodlot, lake and surroundings, scrub/abandoned grazing areas and urban areas. One hundred and twenty-one species were identified, but no difference in diversity among the habitats was found. However, analyses indicated the existence of greater similarities among the sampling points belonging to the same kind of habitat. Results suggests that small and isolated forest fragments in urban areas fail to sustain a greater diversity than the adjacent areas, even though the environment's heterogeneous aspect favours local bird richness.

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