Effects of climate change on species turnover and body mass frequency distributions of South African bird communities

2014 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno A. Walther ◽  
Adriaan van Niekerk
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South African ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Frequency Distributions

scholarly journals Time turnover of species in bird communities: the role of landscape diversity and climate change

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-444
Author(s):  
O. I. Koshelev ◽  
V. O. Koshelev ◽  
M. P. Fedushko ◽  
O. V. Zhukov
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Salt Marshes ◽  
Aquatic Ecosystems ◽  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Bird Community ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Average Annual Temperature ◽  
Landscape System

The challenge of searching for patterns of species turnover dynamics in communities of living organisms is directly related to solving problems of stability and functioning of ecosystems. Avian communities are an essential structural and functional component of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems which are highly diverse and play an important role in a wide range of ecosystem functions. The issue of changes in the dynamics of amphibiotic landscape complexes, where terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems conjugate, is practically not solved. In this connection, a study was carried out within a landscape system, which presents terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems that were in different degrees of anthropogenic transformation. The dynamics of bird communities was considered in the context of recent global climate change. The investigation was conducted in the landscapes of the south and south-east of Ukraine in the nesting seasons 1988–2018. Within the landscape system associated with the Molochny estuary, the ten most important types of ecosystems were distinguished, which included : agricultural lands, artificial forest belts, meadows, islands and spits, reed beds, urban areas, solonchaks, steppe, cliffs, artificial forests. The temporal turnover of the bird communities was decomposed into two parts: the first term (D1) related to the amount of change in community composition, and the second term (D2) being dependent only on the amount of change in community size sensu its abundance. The contribution ratio of the species and of the environment variable were calculated to identify drivers that influence the turnover measure. The average annual temperature and the sum of annual temperatures were considered as environment variables. The bird metacommunity of the studied landscape system was represented by 132 species from 86 genera, 42 families and 13 orders. During the research period the average annual temperature varied from 9.5 to 12.5 ˚C. and the temperature dynamics were subject to the linear trend. An oscillatory component was also present in the temperature dynamics. The annual rainfall ranged 220–761 mm. A coherent change in precipitation and temperature was observed in the period until 2011. After that, the temperature growth stabilized and the amount of precipitation began to fall sharply. The steppe bird community was represented by an extremely small number of species, but demonstrated the ability to maintain a stable structure for a long time. The main fluctuations of the community were quantitative changes in abundance, while the turnover of species was practically absent. Species of the community replace each other cyclically, but there were no targeted changes in community structure. Temperature and precipitation were the main drivers of the bird community in the steppe. The bird communities on salt marshes were characterized by a stable abundance, but a constant directed turnover of species. Reduced water levels and the disappearance of islands in the salt marshes increased the risk of threats from predators, which could lead to a decrease in the abundance of some species. The islands and spits were characterized by high species turnover with quasi-cyclical population dynamics. The main feature of the community dynamics was a decrease in the role of precipitation and an increase in the role of the time factor. The role of temperature remained stably low. The species richness of bird communities in agrarian lands was higher than in steppe communities. The turnover measure was significant because of the increased abundance of Alauda arvensis. Over time, the role of precipitation in the community dynamics has been decreasing and the role of time has been increasing. The value of temperature varied, but was at a stationary level. The turnover of species was compensated by an increase in the abundance of bird communities. The obtained results are in line with findings indicating that despite more stable land use intensities in recent years, climate change has not overtaken land use intensities as the main driver of bird population dynamics.

Climate Change Surge: Implementing Stringent Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies in South Africa

2010 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-183
Author(s):  
Kola Odeku ◽  
Edson Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South African ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Mitigation Measures ◽  
African Government ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation ◽  
Vulnerability To Climate Change ◽  
Mitigation And Adaptation Strategies

AbstractThis article examines how the South African government, realizing the country's vulnerability to climate change, deemed it necessary to strengthen adaptation and mitigation measures and put in place legal and institutional frameworks to ensure implementation and compliance. Government must take responsibility for industry's inaction by implementing policies on climate change and, more importantly, through a visible change in government policy to hold industry accountable. The stringent policies and strategies being put in place are reducing vulnerability and also enhancing a broad spectrum of capacity in responding to environmental, climatic, resource and economic perturbations. The article further reviews state of the art methods and tools available to strengthen mitigation and adaptation strategies and measures in the areas of the existing frameworks regarding climate change. It also considers various measures by Eskom in particular, and strategies embarked upon by South Africa's national and local governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

scholarly journals Appetite regulation genes are associated with body mass index in black South African adolescents: a genetic association study

BMJ Open ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. e000873 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zané Lombard ◽  
Nigel J Crowther ◽  
Lize van der Merwe ◽  
Punita Pitamber ◽  
Shane A Norris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Association Study ◽  
South African ◽  
Genetic Association ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Genetic Association Study ◽  
Appetite Regulation ◽  
Black South African

Exposure to climate change drives stability or collapse of desert mammal and bird communities

Science ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 371 (6529) ◽  
pp. 633-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. A. Riddell ◽  
K. J. Iknayan ◽  
L. Hargrove ◽  
S. Tremor ◽  
J. L. Patton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Flux ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Mojave Desert ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Climate Projections ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
High Exposure ◽  
Species Occupancy ◽  
Mammal Communities

High exposure to warming from climate change is expected to threaten biodiversity by pushing many species toward extinction. Such exposure is often assessed for all taxa at a location from climate projections, yet species have diverse strategies for buffering against temperature extremes. We compared changes in species occupancy and site-level richness of small mammal and bird communities in protected areas of the Mojave Desert using surveys spanning a century. Small mammal communities remained remarkably stable, whereas birds declined markedly in response to warming and drying. Simulations of heat flux identified different exposure to warming for birds and mammals, which we attribute to microhabitat use. Estimates from climate projections are unlikely to accurately reflect species’ exposure without accounting for the effects of microhabitat buffering on heat flux.

scholarly journals Sex Differences Independent of Other Psycho-sociodemographic Factors as a Predictor of Body Mass Index in Black South African Adults

2012 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annamarie Kruger ◽  
Maria P Wissing ◽  
Gordon W Towers ◽  
Colleen M Doak
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
South African ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Black South African

Proximate weather patterns and spring green-up phenology effect Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) body mass and reproductive success: the implications of climate change and topography

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 1311-1324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruairidh D. Campbell ◽  
Chris Newman ◽  
David W. Macdonald ◽  
Frank Rosell
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Castor Fiber ◽  
Weather Patterns ◽  
Eurasian Beaver

scholarly journals Diversity and species turnover on an altitudinal gradient in Western Cape, South Africa: baseline data for monitoring range shifts in response to climate change

Bothalia ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Agenbag ◽  
K. J. Elser ◽  
G. F. Midgley ◽  
C. Boucher
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Growth Form ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Moisture Gradient ◽  
Range Shifts ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Growth Responses ◽  
Succulent Karoo ◽  
Species Ranges

A temperature and moisture gradient on the equator-facing slope of Jonaskop on the Riviersonderend Mountain. Westem Cape has been selected as an important gradient for monitoring the effects of climate change on fynbos and the Fynbos- Succulent Karoo ecotone. This study provides a description of plant diversity patterns, growth form composition and species turnover across the gradient and the results of four years of climate monitoring at selected points along the altitudinal gradient.The aim o f this study is to provide data for a focused monitoring strategy for the early detection of climate change-related shifts in species’ ranges, as well as gaining a better understanding of the role of climate variability in shaping species growth responses, their distributions, and other ecosystem processes.

Frequency distributions of transient regional climate change from perturbed physics ensembles of general circulation model simulations

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 357-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Harris ◽  
D. M. H. Sexton ◽  
B. B. B. Booth ◽  
M. Collins ◽  
J. M. Murphy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
General Circulation Model ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
Regional Climate Change ◽  
Frequency Distributions ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Perturbed Physics ◽  
Perturbed Physics Ensembles

Climate change could leave South African tourism high and dry

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-25
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
South African
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