scholarly journals Avian recolonization of unrestored and restored bogs in Eastern Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
André Desrochers ◽  
Line Rochefort
Keyword(s):  
Vegetation Structure ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Species Assemblages ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Point Counts ◽  
Vegetation Surveys ◽  
Declining Species ◽  
Savannah Sparrows ◽  
Bird Species Diversity

Over the last several decades, peat has been extracted from bogs of temperate, populated regions of Eastern Canada, leaving large areas devoid of vegetation if unrestored. For the last 25 years, projects have been conducted in these regions to re-establish vegetation and facilitate recolonization by wildlife. We tested whether vegetation structure and bird species assemblages 10 to 20 years post extraction differ among natural, unrestored and restored bogs at the scales of individual sites and entire bogs. We conducted bird counts and vegetation surveys between 1993 and 2019, using both point counts (309 sites) and Autonomous Recording Units (80 sites). According to our vegetation surveys, restoration of sites that were previously used for peat harvesting accelerated the establishment of Sphagnum and herbaceous strata, but ericaceous and tree strata were unaffected over a 17-year period. None of the bird species with large home ranges were associated specifically to natural, unrestored, or restored areas at the bog level. Bird species diversity was similar in restored and natural sites, but lower in unrestored sites. Alder Flycatcher and American Goldfinch occupied restored and unrestored sites more frequently than natural sites, independent of the number of years post extraction. Occupancy of restored sites by Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers increased over the years, reaching levels similar to those in natural sites 20 years after restoration was implemented. Occupancy of restored sites by Song and Savannah sparrows increased from 1993-2019 and diverged from their declining occupancy of natural sites. Species assemblages of restored and unrestored sites differed significantly from those of natural sites soon after peat extraction ceased or post restoration. But assemblages from restored and unrestored sites became progressively similar to those of natural sites during the first 20 years, especially in restored sites. We conclude that bird species assemblages of restored bog sites are converging toward those of natural sites, and that restoration provides novel habitats for regionally declining species, e.g., Savannah Sparrows.

scholarly journals Park Structures as Determinant of Bird Species Diversity in Putrajaya

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (9) ◽  
pp. 115-124
Author(s):  
Hazlinda Abd Aziz ◽  
Mohd Hisyam Rasidi
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Vegetation Structure ◽  
Computer Aided Design ◽  
Publishing House ◽  
Distance Sampling ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Ecological Condition ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Aided Design ◽  
Bird Species Diversity

The presence of birds is important to verify ecological condition in cities since they respond well to the availability of habitat structure.  This study aims at investigating park structures which influence bird species diversity in Putrajaya.  The studied areas consist of six metropolitan parks.  Vegetation structure and bird species data were collected through distance sampling method.  Evaluations of overall 12 points were carried out to be mapped in the Standard Computer-aided Design (CAD) software.  The results reveal that park with higher density vegetation supports higher habitat variables including food, foraging substrate and nesting site for birds to survive in Putrajaya. Keywords: Vegetation structure, Bird diversity, Ecological guilds, Putrajaya eISSN 2514-751X © 2018. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/aje-bs.v5i17.47

Impacts of logging, fire and grazing regimes on bird species assemblages of the Pilliga woodlands of New South Wales

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Date ◽  
H. A. Ford ◽  
H. F. Recher
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Species Assemblages ◽  
Mature Trees ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
North West ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Declining Species

We investigated the composition and distribution of bird assemblages in the continuous Pilliga woodlands of north-west New South Wales in relation to floristic assemblages and disturbance (logging, fire and grazing) patterns. Box-ironbark woodlands contained high densities of White Cypress Pine Callitris glaucophylla and Narrow-leaved Ironbark Eucalyptus crebra, had a sparse, depauperate understorey, and were associated with frequent, intense logging and infrequent fires (due to fire exclusion and the use of grazing for fuel reduction). Box-ironbark woodlands were characterized by high frequencies of 12 bird species that occurred throughout the Pilliga and low frequencies of many other species. Blakely's Red Gum E. blakelyi woodlands typical of creeks and Broad-leaved Ironbark E. fibrosa woodlands typical of poor soils contained lower densities or smaller trees of C. glaucophylla and E. crebra, had a moderately dense, diverse understorey, and were associated with infrequent low-intensity logging and moderately frequent wildfire. Bird species assemblages of Broad-leaved Ironbark woodlands were similar to those of box-ironbark woodlands. Blakely's Red Gum woodlands were characterized by 36 bird species that were virtually absent from box-ironbark and Broad-leaved Ironbark woodlands, including 10 threatened and declining species. The 10 are among 48 woodland species that are known or thought to be declining and that are dependent on woodlands with mature trees and grassy or patchy grass/shrub understorey. We conclude that these species have declined in the Pilliga and will continue to decline under existing disturbance regimes, particularly in box-ironbark woodlands. We suggest adaptive management strategies for maintaining and rehabilitating their habitats.

scholarly journals Study of the Milky Stork Bird (Mycteria cinerea) Population in Rawa Pacing, Kibang Pacing Village, Menggala Timur Sub-District, Menggala Timur Regency, Lampung Province

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Faizal Mahdi Syamal ◽  
Sugeng Prayitno Harianto
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Vegetation Structure ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Point Count ◽  
Illegal Hunting ◽  
Point Counts ◽  
Point Count Method

Kibang Pacing Village with an area of 83.55 km2 had converted that lead to a change of the vegetation structure from multistrata into monostrata that could threaten the wildlife such as the milky stork bird (Mycteria cinerea) that classified as a threatened species. The objectives of this study were to determine the number of individual and distribution patterns of milky stork in Rawa Pacing at Kibang Pacing Village, Menggala Timur Sub-District, Tulang Bawang Regency. Data collection was conducted through direct observation using point count method at 3 (three) point counts. The results observed 513 encounters of the milky stork, showing the most encounter at Point Count 3. The higher encounter occurred in the morning than in the afternoon which because diurnal bird species generally started their daily activities to find foods in the morning. The abundance of milky stork population in Kibang Pacing Village was 126 individuals, showing the highest number at Point Count 3. Illegal hunting and other human activities in Rawa Pacing could potentially cause disruption on natural habitat that may threaten the existence and sustainability of the milky stork bird.  Keywords: milky stork, Mycteria cinerea, pacing swamp, population.

Die Brutvogelfauna eines Nadelwaldes der nördlichen Voralpen nach dem Sturm Lothar

2017 ◽  
Vol 168 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-66
Author(s):  
Pierre Mollet ◽  
René Hardegger ◽  
Res Altwegg ◽  
Pius Korner ◽  
Simon Birrer
Keyword(s):  
Forest Succession ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Mountain Forest ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Point Counts ◽  
Federal Institute ◽  
Central Switzerland ◽  
Bird Fauna

Breeding bird fauna in a coniferous forest in the northern Prealps after storm Lothar In a 70-hectare large coniferous forest located on the northern edge of the Alps in central Switzerland, Canton of Obwalden, at an altitude of 1260 to 1550 metres above sea level, we surveyed the local breeding bird fauna in 2002 and 2013 by means of point counts as well as additional area searches for rare species. In December 1999, hurricane Lothar caused two large windthrow areas and several smaller areas with scattered throws in the survey range. We found a total of 48 breeding bird species, which is a very diverse species composition for a mountain forest. In the eleven years between surveys, a decline in distribution or abundance was recorded for four species, while seven species showed an increase; a further four species showed no change. For the remaining species, the data sets were too small to reliably estimate changes. A comparison with forest structure data provided by the Swiss Federal Institute of Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL revealed that for five bird species, the changes in distribution or abundance could be explained at least partially by forest succession. In order to obtain realistic distribution and abundance values in this kind of breeding bird survey, it is essential to collect large enough samples and to consider the detection probability of each individual species using appropriate statistical methods.

Bird species assemblages differ, while functional richness is maintained across an urban landscape

2021 ◽  
Vol 212 ◽  
pp. 104094
Author(s):  
Monicah Mbiba ◽  
Cynthia Mazhude ◽  
Christo Fabricius ◽  
Hervé Fritz ◽  
Justice Muvengwi
Keyword(s):  
Urban Landscape ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Species Assemblages ◽  
Functional Richness

scholarly journals Changes in surface water drive the movements of Shoebills

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Acácio ◽  
Ralf H. E. Mullers ◽  
Aldina M. A. Franco ◽  
Frank J. Willems ◽  
Arjun Amar
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Optimal Foraging ◽  
Animal Movement ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Age Classes ◽  
Water Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Water Index ◽  
Conservation Actions

AbstractAnimal movement is mainly determined by spatial and temporal changes in resource availability. For wetland specialists, the seasonal availability of surface water may be a major determinant of their movement patterns. This study is the first to examine the movements of Shoebills (Balaeniceps rex), an iconic and vulnerable bird species. Using GPS transmitters deployed on six immature and one adult Shoebills over a 5-year period, during which four immatures matured into adults, we analyse their home ranges and distances moved in the Bangweulu Wetlands, Zambia. We relate their movements at the start of the rainy season (October to December) to changes in Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), a proxy for surface water. We show that Shoebills stay in the Bangweulu Wetlands all year round, moving less than 3 km per day on 81% of days. However, average annual home ranges were large, with high individual variability, but were similar between age classes. Immature and adult Shoebills responded differently to changes in surface water; sites that adults abandoned became drier, while sites abandoned by immatures became wetter. However, there were no differences in NDWI of areas used by Shoebills before abandonment and newly selected sites, suggesting that Shoebills select areas with similar surface water. We hypothesise that the different responses to changes in surface water by immature and adult Shoebills are related to age-specific optimal foraging conditions and fishing techniques. Our study highlights the need to understand the movements of Shoebills throughout their life cycle to design successful conservation actions for this emblematic, yet poorly known, species.

scholarly journals Do arthropod assemblages fit the grassland and savanna biomes of South Africa?

2016 ◽  
Vol Volume 112 (Number 9/10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monique Botha ◽  
Stefan J. Siebert ◽  
Johnnie van den Berg ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Multidimensional Scaling ◽  
Vegetation Structure ◽  
Species Assemblages ◽  
Trophic Groups ◽  
Arthropod Communities ◽  
Arthropod Species ◽  
Scaling Analyses ◽  
Suction Sampling ◽  
Functional Assemblages

Abstract The long-standing tradition of classifying South Africa’s biogeographical area into biomes is commonly linked to vegetation structure and climate. Because arthropod communities are often governed by both these factors, it can be expected that arthropod communities would fit the biomes. To test this hypothesis, we considered how well arthropod species assemblages fit South Africa’s grassy biomes. Arthropod assemblages were sampled from six localities across the grassland and savanna biomes by means of suction sampling, to determine whether the two biomes have distinctive arthropod assemblages. Arthropod samples of these biomes clustered separately in multidimensional scaling analyses. Within biomes, arthropod assemblages were more distinctive for savanna localities than grassland. Arthropod samples of the two biomes clustered together when trophic groups were considered separately, suggesting some similarity in functional assemblages. Dissimilarity was greatest between biomes for phytophagous and predacious trophic groups, with most pronounced differentiation between biomes at sub-escarpment localities. Our results indicate that different arthropod assemblages do fit the grassy biomes to some extent, but the pattern is not as clear as it is for plant species.

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