Importance of Native Bamboo for Understory Birds in Chilean Temperate Forests

AbstractIn South American temperate rainforests, five endemic understory birds (four Rhinocryptidae and one Furnariidae) are often associated with the main understory plant, the native bamboo Chusquea valdiviensis (Poaceae: Bambusoideae). We studied the effects of bamboo cover on species abundance and richness of those understory birds and explored the functions of bamboo as food resource and escape cover. In Chiloé Island (42°S), southern Chile, we selected four old-growth forest patches >100 ha and in each patch conducted bird surveys in six plots with >70% understory cover. Three plots were dominated by native bamboo and three plots had a sparse bamboo cover. Bird abundance (point counts) was significantly correlated with both total understory cover and percentage of bamboo cover but was not correlated with other kinds of understory plant cover. Bird species richness was positively correlated with bamboo cover and negatively correlated with other kinds of understory cover but unrelated to total understory cover. Leaf-gleaners Magellanic Tapaculos (Scytalopus magellanicus), Ochre-flanked Tapaculos (Eugralla paradoxa), and Des Murs's Wiretails (Sylviorthorhynchus desmursii), and the ground-gleaner Chucao Tapaculos (Scelorchilus rubecula) were more abundant in high-bamboo plots; but the ground-gleaner Black-throated Huet-huet (Pteroptochos tarnii) was recorded more times in plots with low-bamboo cover.Availability of invertebrates per unit of understory dry mass did not differ between high- and low-bamboo plots; but plant biomass was greater in high-bamboo plots, so total invertebrate abundance per plot was higher there. Ground-litter invertebrate abundance was similar in all plots. To examine escape-cover preferences, nine captured Chucao Tapaculos were released in front of two different understory scenarios (high-bamboo cover or bamboo-free understory); 88% of released birds moved into bamboo cover. We suggest that the structure of native bamboo understory is critical for the maintenance of four of those species, and retaining bamboo cover in managed stands may help minimize the effect of logging on understory birds.

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Winter bird abundance, species richness and functional guild composition at Delhi’s ponds: does time of day and wetland extent matter?

Journal of Urban Ecology ◽

10.1093/jue/juab001 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Prakhar Rawal ◽

Swati Kittur ◽

Murali Krishna Chatakonda ◽

K S Gopi Sundar

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Species Abundance ◽

Bird Species ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Conservation Priorities ◽

Bird Abundance ◽

Functional Guilds ◽

Β Diversity ◽

Functional Guild ◽

Guild Composition

Abstract Urbanisation can limit species persistence and bias composition of functional guilds with serious consequences for ecosystem functioning and conservation planning. Standardised biodiversity surveys are missing at most tropical urban cities where biodiversity levels are high alongside rapidly increasing rates of urbanisation. We explored the utility of time-bound surveys to document winter birds at ponds (wetlands ≤ 5 ha) in Delhi, India at two different times of the day (morning and evening) and in areas with varying extents of wetlands. Systematic surveys at 39 ponds during January–March 2020 yielded an estimated 173 ± 22 bird species (∼37% of Delhi’s birds). The total bird species assemblage at ponds did not vary significantly with time of day, but β-diversity increased marginally with increasing extent of wetlands. Total bird abundance and species richness varied substantially with time of day, with differences apparent across several species rich functional feeding and habitat guilds. Abundance and species richness of some guilds, including species-poor guilds, varied in ponds located in areas with differing extent of wetlands. Reliable and comparable measures of species abundance and species richness (both total and across functional guilds)— metrics commonly used to set research and conservation priorities—in urban habitats can be obtained after appropriately standardising field effort. Such standardised efforts can help underscore the importance of maintaining and improving erstwhile-ignored habitats such as unprotected ponds that are providing refugia to hundreds of bird species in mega-cities like Delhi.

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Avian Reporting Rates in Chugcheongnam Province, South Korea Depend on Distance from Forest Edge, Size of Trees, and Size of Forest Fragments

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10050364 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 364

Author(s):

Jang ◽

Seol ◽

Chung ◽

Sagong ◽

Lee

Keyword(s):

South Korea ◽

Size Structure ◽

Species Abundance ◽

Bird Species ◽

Forest Edge ◽

Forest Area ◽

Forest Fragments ◽

Bird Abundance ◽

Forest Condition ◽

Abundance And Diversity

Forests provide bird communities with various resources, including food and habitats. Thus, forest attributes, such as size, structure, and species composition, influence the distribution and dynamics of bird species. This study was conducted to examine the association between forest condition, bird species abundance, and diversity within Chungcheongnam Province, South Korea. Zero-inflated binomial regression models were used to analyze a total of 1646 sampling points of abundance and diversity. Forest area, distance to forest edge, and tree size class were selected as covariates. Negative associations between forest area and overall bird abundance and species richness were indicated, whereas distance to forest edge was not a significant factor. This insignificance may be attributed to the relatively small, fragmented, and homogenous forest areas across the studied region. Results for individual bird species indicated that six out of the 35 major bird species had significant associations to the forest edge and three species showed a preference for the interior of the forest. The results of this study imply that other factors, such as food availability and biotic interaction, are more important when determining habitat preference in a relatively homogenous area with a long history of human disturbance.

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Community characteristics of forest understory birds along an elevational gradient in the Horn of Africa: A multi-year baseline

The Condor ◽

10.1093/ornithapp/duab009 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Kyle D Kittelberger ◽

Montague H C Neate-Clegg ◽

Evan R Buechley ◽

Çağan Hakkı Şekercioğlu

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Species Turnover ◽

Survival Rates ◽

Elevational Gradient ◽

Forest Understory ◽

Bird Abundance ◽

Tropical Mountains ◽

Demographic Rates ◽

Understory Birds ◽

Over Time

Abstract Tropical mountains are global hotspots for birdlife. However, there is a dearth of baseline avifaunal data along elevational gradients, particularly in Africa, limiting our ability to observe and assess changes over time in tropical montane avian communities. In this study, we undertook a multi-year assessment of understory birds along a 1,750 m elevational gradient (1,430–3,186 m) in an Afrotropical moist evergreen montane forest within Ethiopia’s Bale Mountains. Analyzing 6 years of systematic bird-banding data from 5 sites, we describe the patterns of species richness, abundance, community composition, and demographic rates over space and time. We found bimodal patterns in observed and estimated species richness across the elevational gradient (peaking at 1,430 and 2,388 m), although no sites reached asymptotic species richness throughout the study. Species turnover was high across the gradient, though forested sites at mid-elevations resembled each other in species composition. We found significant variation across sites in bird abundance in some of the dietary and habitat guilds. However, we did not find any significant trends in species richness or guild abundances over time. For the majority of analyzed species, capture rates did not change over time and there were no changes in species’ mean elevations. Population growth rates, recruitment rates, and apparent survival rates averaged 1.02, 0.52, and 0.51 respectively, and there were no elevational patterns in demographic rates. This study establishes a multi-year baseline for Afrotropical birds along an elevational gradient in an under-studied international biodiversity hotspot. These data will be critical in assessing the long-term responses of tropical montane birdlife to climate change and habitat degradation.

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Predicting the Future Distribution of Ara rubrogenys, an Endemic Endangered Bird Species of the Andes, Taking into Account Trophic Interactions

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13020094 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 94

Author(s):

Alain Hambuckers ◽

Simon de Harenne ◽

Eberth Rocha Ledezma ◽

Lilian Zúñiga Zeballos ◽

Louis François

Keyword(s):

Food Resource ◽

Bird Species ◽

Co2 Concentration ◽

Distribution Models ◽

Plant Resources ◽

Term Survival ◽

The Andes ◽

Vegetation Models ◽

Fertilizing Effect ◽

The Impact

Species distribution models (SDMs) are commonly used with climate only to predict animal distribution changes. This approach however neglects the evolution of other components of the niche, like food resource availability. SDMs are also commonly used with plants. This also suffers limitations, notably an inability to capture the fertilizing effect of the rising CO2 concentration strengthening resilience to water stress. Alternatively, process-based dynamic vegetation models (DVMs) respond to CO2 concentration. To test the impact of the plant modelling method to model plant resources of animals, we studied the distribution of a Bolivian macaw, assuming that, under future climate, DVMs produce more conservative results than SDMs. We modelled the bird with an SDM driven by climate. For the plant, we used SDMs or a DVM. Under future climates, the macaw SDM showed increased probabilities of presence over the area of distribution and connected range extensions. For plants, SDMs did not forecast overall response. By contrast, the DVM produced increases of productivity, occupancy and diversity, also towards higher altitudes. The results offered positive perspectives for the macaw, more optimistic with the DVM than with the SDMs, than initially assumed. Nevertheless, major common threats remain, challenging the short-term survival of the macaw.

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Prey, management and landscape requirements of an endangered population of the Woodlark Lullula arborea in Southwest Germany

Journal of Ornithology ◽

10.1007/s10336-021-01862-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Verena Rösch ◽

Pascal Aloisio ◽

Martin H. Entling

Keyword(s):

Food Resource ◽

Bird Species ◽

Ground Cover ◽

Main Food ◽

Vegetation Height ◽

Endangered Population ◽

Rhine Valley ◽

Territory Selection ◽

Main Food Source ◽

Upper Rhine

AbstractVineyards can be valuable habitats for biodiversity conservation. For example, in Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany) over a third of the state’s critically endangered Woodlark (Lullula arborea) population breeds in vineyards along the western margin of the Upper Rhine Valley. We here aim to elucidate how local ground cover management, food availability and the proximity to settlements affect territory selection by this bird species in the region. As climate, site conditions and management differ greatly from more continental or Mediterranean wine-growing areas, conditions for Woodlark conservation may differ as well.We compared 26 Woodlark territories in vineyards with 26 nearby reference areas from which Woodlarks were absent. We recorded vineyard ground cover in the inter-rows (% cover) as well as vegetation height and composition (forbs vs. grasses). Arthropods were sampled using pitfall traps, since they are the main food resource of Woodlarks during the breeding season. In addition, the distance to built-up areas was measured. The vegetation in Woodlark territories was shorter (mean 14.2 vs. 19.6 cm) and more dominated by forbs (39% vs. 27% cover) than in absence areas. The vegetation cover in the inter-rows had no effect on Woodlark territory presence or absence. Woodlarks also favoured areas with a higher abundance of arthropods (mean abundance 69.1 vs. 57.5) and a greater distance to built-up areas (mean distance 554 vs. 373 m). We conclude that to promote the Woodlark in wine-growing areas, short, forb-rich swards should be created, facilitating arthropod detectability. This is likely to require low levels of nitrogen fertilization since fertilizers favour tall-growing grasses that outcompete forbs. Pesticide applications should be kept at a minimum to enhance arthropods as the main food source for Woodlarks and their chicks. In addition, the expansion of settlements into breeding areas of Woodlarks should be avoided.

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Fruiting phenology and consumption by birds in Ficus calyptroceras (Miq.) Miq. (Moraceae)

Brazilian Journal of Biology ◽

10.1590/s1519-69842002000200018 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 62 (2) ◽

pp. 339-346 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

J. RAGUSA-NETTO

Keyword(s):

Food Resource ◽

Bird Species ◽

Dry Season ◽

Dry Forest ◽

Wet Season ◽

Frugivorous Birds ◽

Fruiting Phenology ◽

Dry Seasons ◽

Seed Dispersers ◽

Wet And Dry Seasons

Figs are a remarkable food resource to frugivores, mainly in periods of general fruit scarcity. Ficus calyptroceras Miq. (Moraceae) is the only fig species in a type of dry forest in western Brazil. In this study I examined the fruiting pattern as well as fig consumption by birds in F. calyptroceras. Although rainfall was highly seasonal, fruiting was aseasonal, since the monthly proportion of fruiting trees ranged from 4% to 14% (N = 50 trees). I recorded 22 bird species feeding on figs. In the wet season 20 bird species ate figs, while in the dry season 13 did. Parrots were the most important consumers. This group removed 72% and 40% of the figs consumed in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. No bird species increases fig consumption from dry to wet season. However, a group of bird species assumed as seed dispersers largely increases fig consumption from wet to dry season, suggesting the importance of this resource in the period of fruit scarcity. The results of this study points out the remarkable role that F. calyptroceras plays to frugivorous birds, in such a dry forest, since its fruits were widely consumed and were available all year round.

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Relationships of NDVI, Biomass, and Leaf Area Index (LAI) for six key plant species in Barrow, Alaska

10.7287/peerj.preprints.913v1 ◽

2015 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Santonu Goswami ◽

John Gamon ◽

Sergio Vargas ◽

Craig Tweedie

Keyword(s):

Leaf Area Index ◽

Leaf Area ◽

Plant Species ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Plant Biomass ◽

Plant Cover ◽

Strongly Correlated ◽

Area Index ◽

Spectral Bands ◽

Biomass Plant

Here we investigate relationships between NDVI, Biomass, and Leaf Area Index (LAI) for six key plant species near Barrow, Alaska. We explore how key plant species differ in biomass, leaf area index (LAI) and how can vegetation spectral indices be used to estimate biomass and LAI for key plant species. A vegetation index (VI) or a spectral vegetation index (SVI) is a quantitative predictor of plant biomass or vegetative vigor, usually formed from combinations of several spectral bands, whose values are added, divided, or multiplied in order to yield a single value that indicates the amount or vigor of vegetation. For six key plant species, NDVI was strongly correlated with biomass (R2 = 0.83) and LAI (R2 = 0.70) but showed evidence of saturation above a biomass of 100 g/m2 and an LAI of 2 m2/m2. Extrapolation of a biomass-plant cover model to a multi-decadal time series of plant cover observations suggested that Carex aquatilis and Eriophorum angustifolium decreased in biomass while Arctophila fulva and Dupontia fisheri increased 1972-2008.

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Preferred temperature and thermal breadth of birds wintering in peninsular Spain – the limited effect of temperature on species distribution

10.7287/peerj.preprints.1880 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Luis M. Carrascal ◽

Sara Villén-Pérez ◽

David Palomino

Keyword(s):

Species Abundance ◽

Bird Species ◽

Effect Of Temperature ◽

Response Curves ◽

Large Variability ◽

Preferred Temperature ◽

Mean Temperature ◽

The Mean ◽

Thermal Preferences ◽

Peninsular Spain

Background. Availability of environmental energy, as measured by temperature, is expected to limit the abundance and distribution of endotherms wintering at temperate latitudes. A prediction of this hypothesis is that birds should attain their highest abundances in warmer areas. However, there may be a spatial mismatch between species preferred habitats and species preferred temperatures, so some species might end-up wintering in sub-optimal thermal environments. Methods. We model the influence of minimum winter temperature on the relative abundance of 106 terrestrial bird species wintering in peninsular Spain, at 10x10 Km2 resolution, using 95%-quantile regressions. We analyze general trends across species on the shape of the response curves, the environmental preferred temperature (at which the species abundance is maximized), the mean temperature in the area of distribution and the thermal breadth (area under the abundance-temperature curve). Results. There is a large interspecific variability on the thermal preferences and specialization of species. Despite this large variability, there is a preponderance of positive relationships between species abundance and temperature, and on average species attain their maximum abundances in areas 1.9 ºC warmer than the average temperature available in peninsular Spain. The mean temperature in the area of distribution is lower than the thermal preferences of the species, although both parameters are highly correlated. Discussion. Most species prefer the warmest environments to overwinter, which suggests that temperature imposes important restrictions to birds wintering in the Iberian Peninsula. However, most individuals overwinter in locations colder than the species thermal preferences, probably reflecting a limitation of environments combining habitat and thermal preferences. Beyond these general trends, there is a high inter-specific variation in the versatility of species using the available thermal space .

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Habitat and Landscape Suitability as Indicators of Bird Abundance in Created and Restored Wetlands

ISRN Ecology ◽

10.5402/2011/297684 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jordan W. Mora ◽

John N. Mager III ◽

Douglas J. Spieles

Keyword(s):

Bird Species ◽

Land Development ◽

Logistic Models ◽

Field Measurements ◽

Road Density ◽

Bird Abundance ◽

Aerial Photos ◽

Landscape Variables ◽

Buffer Width ◽

Landscape Scales

We used aerial photography, field measurements, and bird surveys to evaluate 7 Ohio mitigation wetlands for their capacity to support avian guilds at both local and landscape scales. At the local scale, we assessed each wetland with habitat suitability indices (HSI) for eight wetland-dependent bird species as indicators for four guilds: wading, diving, dabbling, and emergent dependent. We characterized landscapes within 2.5 km of each wetland by measuring the buffer width, road density, connectedness, and anthropogenic land development. The changes in landscape variables over time were determined by comparison of aerial photos taken near the time of wetland construction and near the time of this study. Bird abundance data were poorly correlated with HSI scores but were well described with logistic models of buffer width, wetland area, and road density. Our results suggest that landscape variables are better predictors of bird abundance than HSI scores for these guilds in these wetlands.

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Quantification of biogeomorphic interactions between small-scale sediment transport and primary vegetation succession on proglacial slopes of the Gepatschferner, Austria

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-16278 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Stefan Haselberger ◽

Lisa-Maria Ohler ◽

Jan-Christoph Otto ◽

Robert R. Junker ◽

Thomas Glade ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sediment Transport ◽

Sediment Yield ◽

Plant Cover ◽

Species Abundance ◽

Small Scale ◽

Vegetation Composition ◽

Mechanical Erosion ◽

Successional Stages ◽

Three Stages ◽

Specific Sediment Yield

Proglacial slopes provide suitable conditions to observe the co-development of abiotic and biotic systems. The frequency and magnitude of geomorphic processes and composition of plants govern this interplay, which is described in the biogeormorphic feedback window for glacier forelands. The study sets out to quantify small-scale sediment transport via mechanical erosion plots along a plant cover gradient and to investigate the multidirectional interactions between abiotic and biotic processes. We aim to generate quantitative data to test the biogeomorphic feedback window.Small-scale biogeomorphic interactions were investigated on 30 test plots of 2 x 3 m size on proglacial slopes of the Gepatschferner (Kaunertal) in the Austrian Alps during snow-free summer months over three consecutive years. The experimental plots were established on slopes along a plant cover gradient. A detailed vegetation survey was carried out to capture biotic conditions and specific sediment yield was measured at each plot. Species abundance and composition at each site, as well as plant functional types reflected successional stages.We observed a strong decline in geomorphic activity on plots with above 30% plant cover. Mean monthly rates of specific sediment yield decreased from 111 g m-2 to 37 g m-2. Non-metric multidimensional scaling showed distinct vegetation composition for the three stages of biogeomorphic succession. Quantified process rates and observed vegetation composition support the concept of biogeomorphic feedback windows. The findings help to narrow down a stage during succession where the importance of biotic processes start to dominate.

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