scholarly journals Can a common bird species be used as a surrogate to draw insights for the conservation of a rare species? A case study from the fragmented Taita Hills, Kenya

Oryx ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 239-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mwangi Githiru ◽  
Erik Matthysen ◽  
Luc Lens ◽  
Leon A. Bennun
Keyword(s):  
Related Species ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Effective Population ◽  
Dispersal Capacity ◽  
Taita Hills ◽  
Independent Evaluation ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Patterns And Processes

AbstractSound knowledge of underlying mechanisms is essential for understanding how species respond to habitat fragmentation. Because most threatened species are typically the first ones to suffer local extinctions with forest fragmentation, studying why they fare poorly at the broader landscape scale is difficult. Related, sympatric but common species may be useful surrogates if they can provide insights germane for the conservation of rarer species. We illustrate this using a case study from the highly fragmented Taita Hills forests, south-eastern Kenya, of the Critically Endangered Taita thrush Turdus helleri and the more common white-starred robin Pogonocichla stellata as the surrogate. The responses of the thrush to habitat disturbance were in the same direction as the surrogate robin (e.g. higher fluctuating asymmetry, lower effective population densities and male-biased sex ratios), albeit they were detected sooner and were more severe because of its lower dispersal capacity. The key conservation measures proposed from the surrogate study largely matched those based on an independent evaluation of the thrush data. Additionally, the surrogate provided extra insights into the potential solutions for problems facing the thrush, and provided a base that could be used as a template for restoring the thrush populations in this area. Thus, our findings support the use of surrogate species in the conservation of sympatric related species in fragmented landscapes. We contend that this approach is also applicable for allopatric related species where landscapes are similar, provided that detailed data on population patterns and processes for the surrogate are available.

scholarly journals Knowledge of birds and willingness to support their conservation: an Australian case study

2005 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
CLEVO WILSON ◽  
CLEM TISDELL
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Information Provision ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Conservation Implications ◽  
The Status ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Australian Case ◽  
Balanced Information

This case study concentrates on the extent of knowledge among the Australian public of Australia's tropical bird species, and their willingness to support their conservation. In order to place this issue in context, we provide background information on the status of Australian bird species, focusing attention on species that occur in tropical Australia. Then, using questionnaire survey results, we consider the hypothesis that the public's support for the conservation of different bird species depends on their understanding of the species' existence and status. Based on results from a sample of residents in Brisbane, Queensland, we found that knowledge of bird species that occur exclusively in the Australian tropics (including tropical Queensland) was very poor compared with that of those occurring in the Brisbane area that are relatively common. Experimental results indicated that when respondents in the sample had an option to allocate A$1,000 between 10 bird species listed in the survey, they allocated more funds to the better-known and more common species, unless they were provided with balanced information about all the selected species. With balanced information, the average allocation to bird species confined mostly to the Australian tropics, particularly those threatened, increased. This demonstrates the conservation implications of information provision about bird species. The results showed that public education can play a crucial role in attempts to conserve bird species that are poorly known and threatened.

scholarly journals Association between Green Space Structure and the Prevalence of Asthma: A Case Study of Toronto

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5852
Author(s):  
Yuping Dong ◽  
Helin Liu ◽  
Tianming Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Chronic Inflammatory Disease ◽  
Space Structure ◽  
Tree Diversity ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Index Tree

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that can be caused by various factors, such as asthma-related genes, lifestyle, and air pollution, and it can result in adverse impacts on asthmatics’ mental health and quality of life. Hence, asthma issues have been widely studied, mainly from demographic, socioeconomic, and genetic perspectives. Although it is becoming increasingly clear that asthma is likely influenced by green spaces, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear and inconsistent. Moreover, green space influences the prevalence of asthma concurrently in multiple ways, but most existing studies have explored only one pathway or a partial pathway, rather than the multi-pathways. Compared to greenness (measured by Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, tree density, etc.), green space structure—which has the potential to impact the concentration of air pollution and microbial diversity—is still less investigated in studies on the influence of green space on asthma. Given this research gap, this research took Toronto, Canada, as a case study to explore the two pathways between green space structure and the prevalence of asthma based on controlling the related covariates. Using regression analysis, it was found that green space structure can protect those aged 0–19 years from a high risk of developing asthma, and this direct protective effect can be enhanced by high tree diversity. For adults, green space structure does not influence the prevalence of asthma unless moderated by tree diversity (a measurement of the richness and diversity of trees). However, this impact was not found in adult females. Moreover, the hypothesis that green space structure influences the prevalence of asthma by reducing air pollution was not confirmed in this study, which can be attributed to a variety of causes.

scholarly journals Is Sexual Conflict a Driver of Speciation? A Case Study With a Tribe of Brush-footed Butterflies

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Paula S Carvalho ◽  
Ryan A St Laurent ◽  
Emmanuel F A Toussaint ◽  
Caroline Storer ◽  
Kelly M Dexter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Conflict ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Evolutionary Mechanisms ◽  
Diversification Rates ◽  
Exon Capture ◽  
Key Driver ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Analytical Approaches ◽  
Acting In Concert

Abstract Understanding the evolutionary mechanisms governing the uneven distribution of species richness across the tree of life is a great challenge in biology. Scientists have long argued that sexual conflict is a key driver of speciation. This hypothesis, however, has been highly debated in light of empirical evidence. Recent advances in the study of macroevolution make it possible to test this hypothesis with more data and increased accuracy. In the present study, we use phylogenomics combined with four different diversification rate analytical approaches to test whether sexual conflict is a driver of speciation in brush-footed butterflies of the tribe Acraeini. The presence of a sphragis, an external mating plug found in most species among Acraeini, was used as a proxy for sexual conflict. Diversification analyses statistically rejected the hypothesis that sexual conflict is associated with shifts in diversification rates in Acraeini. This result contrasts with earlier studies and suggests that the underlying mechanisms driving diversification are more complex than previously considered. In the case of butterflies, natural history traits acting in concert with abiotic factors possibly play a stronger role in triggering speciation than does sexual conflict. [Acraeini butterflies; arms race; exon capture phylogenomics; Lepidoptera macroevolution; sexual selection; sphragis.]

scholarly journals The local knowledge of the rural people on species, role and hunting of birds: Case study in Karangwangi Village, West Java, Indonesia

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHAN ISKANDAR ◽  
BUDIAWATI SUPANGKAT ISKANDAR ◽  
RUHYAT PARTASASMITA
Keyword(s):  
Local Knowledge ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Conservation ◽  
West Java ◽  
Cultural Changes ◽  
Rural People ◽  
Time Activity ◽  
Folk Classification

Iskandar J, Iskandar BS, Partasasmita R. 2016.The Local knowledge of the rural people on species, role, and hunting of birds: case study in Karangwangi village, Cidaun, West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 17: 435-446. Based on the ecological history, in the past many villages of in Indonesia including in West Java had a high diversity of birds. Nowadays, however, the diversity of birds in some villages of West Java has tended to decrease due to many factors, namely habitat loss, the use of pesticides, and intensive illegal bird hunting. The objective of this paper is to elucidate the local knowledge of Karangwangi village, West Java on species, role, and hunting of birds. Method used in this study is the qualitative and ethnoornithological approach with descriptive analysis. Results of study show that the Karangwangi people have a very good knowledge on bird species, particularly on level species/specific. Various bird species are traditionally classified into nine local categories (folk classification), namely based on distinctive voice/vocalization, morphological characteristic, special color, distinctive behavior, time activity, special common habitat, migrant, nest characteristics, and role in the ecosystem. Based on the rural people perception, the role of birds can be divided into two categories, namely notorious and beneficial birds. The diversity of rural birds has tended decrease over time due to various factors, including illegal bird hunting for various purposes of the village people, such as keep a bird in cages and bird trading. The study suggests the perception of rural people on birds have changed caused of socio-economic and cultural changes. Nowadays the bird hunting in the rural area has tended to shift from a purely subsistence form towards a more commercial form and, thus, to conserve bird species the study on ethnoornithology considered as a very important, and socio-economic and cultural rural people aspects might be integrated to national as well as international bird conservation programs.

Problems with Avian Point Counts for Estimating Density of Northern Bobwhite—A Case Study

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger D. Applegate ◽  
Robert E. Kissell ◽  
E. Daniel Moss ◽  
Edward L. Warr ◽  
Michael L. Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Count Data ◽  
Distance Sampling ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Northern Bobwhite ◽  
Model Fit ◽  
Point Count ◽  
Point Counts ◽  
Occupancy Estimation ◽  
Detection Probabilities

Abstract Point count data are used increasingly to provide density estimates of bird species. A favored approach to analyze point count data uses distance sampling theory where model selection and model fit are important considerations. We used uniform and half normal models and assessed model fit using χ2 analysis. We were unsuccessful in fitting models to 635 northern bobwhite Colinus virginianus observations from 85 avian point locations spanning 6 y (P ≤ 0.05). Most observations (74%) occurred in the outermost (>100-m) distance radius. Our results violated the assumptions that all observations at the point are detected. The assumption that birds were assigned to the correct distance interval also was probably violated. We caution managers in implementing avian point counts with distance sampling when estimating northern bobwhite population density. We recommend exploring other approaches such as occupancy-estimation and modeling for estimating detection probabilities.

scholarly journals A Fixed-radius Point Count Method for Nonbreeding and Breeding Season Use

The Auk ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 593-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Hutto ◽  
Sandra M. Pletschet ◽  
Paul Hendricks
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Bird Abundance ◽  
Point Count ◽  
Bird Density ◽  
Count Method ◽  
Species Abundances ◽  
Fixed Radius ◽  
Point Count Method ◽  
A Site

Abstract We provide a detailed description of a fixed-radius point count method that carries fewer assumptions than most of the currently popular methods of estimating bird density and that can be used during both the nonbreeding and breeding seasons. The method results in three indices of bird abundance, any of which can be used to test for differences in community composition among sites, or for differences in the abundance of a given bird species among sites. These indices are (1) the mean number of detections within 25 m of the observer, (2) the frequency of detections within 25 m of the observer, and (3) the frequency of detections regardless of distance from the observer. The overall ranking of species abundances from a site is similar among the three indices, but discrepancies occur with either rare species that are highly detectable at great distances or common species that are repulsed by, or inconspicuous when near, the observer. We argue that differences in the behavior among species will preclude an accurate ranking of species by abundance through use of this or any other counting method in current use.

Prevalence and consequences of ants and other arthropods in active nests of Midwestern birds

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (8) ◽  
pp. 696-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.C. Gibson ◽  
A.V. Suarez ◽  
D. Qazi ◽  
T.J. Benson ◽  
S.J. Chiavacci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Negative Association ◽  
Nest Material ◽  
Ant Colonies ◽  
Tapinoma Sessile ◽  
Odorous House Ant ◽  
Ephemeral Resources

Many organisms build nests which create unique microhabitats that are exploited by other animals. In turn, these nest colonizers may positively or negatively influence nest owners. Bird nests are known to harbor communities that include both harmful and possibly beneficial species. We quantified the nest arthropod communities of 10 bird species in Illinois, USA, along a land-use gradient, focusing on ant prevalence. We found eight ant species in nests, and for three species, at least part of their colonies inhabited nests. The odorous house ant (Tapinoma sessile (Say, 1836)) was the most common species and maintained the largest colonies in nest material. Forest-cover percentage surrounding bird nests best predicted ant-colony presence. There was little evidence that ant presence influenced abundance or prevalence of other arthropods within nests with the exception of Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum (Linnaeus, 1758)) nests, where a negative association between T. sessile presence and abundance of fly larvae was found. Breeding success did not differ between nests with and without ant colonies for any bird species. Ant species that exhibit polydomy and nomadism may be more likely to occupy ephemeral resources like bird nests than other ants. How widespread this phenomenon is and the degree of commensalism that both parties experience is unclear and warrants further investigation.

scholarly journals A Sustainable Metropolis: Perspectives of Population, Productivity and Parity

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 4264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youngho Chang ◽  
Zheng Fang ◽  
Shigeyuki Hamori ◽  
Dawn Chow
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Government Budget ◽  
Upward Trend ◽  
Natural Systems ◽  
Sustainability Index ◽  
Integrated Studies ◽  
The Government ◽  
Patterns And Processes

Research on countries’ sustainable development has called for more complete assessments of sustainability. Indeed, integrated studies coupling human and natural systems reveal new and complex patterns and processes not evident when studied in isolation. In line with the need to construct an index that takes into account a more holistic notion of sustainability, this study investigates the overall sustainable development of a metropolis through three dimensions, population, productivity and parity, and takes Singapore as a case study. We incorporate these three dimensions in our construction of a total sustainability index. We find that the population dimension has remained relatively unchanged, while the productivity dimension has gradually moved towards sustainability. The parity dimension has moved towards sustainability before 2002, but it shows ups and downs until 2012 when an upward trend toward sustainability appeared again. Results from this study imply that the government should pay attention to controlling the size of the population of temporary residents, and increasing the government budget for the environment.

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