Biotic homogenisation in bird communities leads to large‐scale changes in species associations

AbstractRecent studies showed contrasting results about the homogenising force of urbanisation on bird community composition at large and regional scales. We studied whether urbanisation promotes the homogenisation of wintering bird communities and if this varies when comparing towns located within a specific region and towns located in two different biomes of two countries. We used both similarity indices based on the presence/absence data and the abundance data in comparing communities. Processes governing bird community dissimilarity between urbanisation levels were examined with the partitioning of Sörensen index in species turnover and nestedness. We made bird surveys in town centres and suburban habitats of three cities located in the Pampean region of Argentina and in the boreal region of Finland using a single-visit study plot method. Rarefacted species richness did not differ amongst the town centres between the countries, but it was higher in the suburban areas of Argentina than in Finland. At the country-level comparison, we found a higher similarity amongst the town centres than amongst the suburban areas; whereas at the regional comparison, similarity between town centres was comparable to the similarity between suburban areas. The use of an abundance-based index produced a higher similarity between town centre communities of both countries than when using a presence-based index. The dissimilarity between habitats in Argentina was related to nestedness and to species turnover in Finland. Our results indicate that urban-based biotic homogenisation of bird communities is dependent on the scale used, being more evident when comparing cities of different biomes where the same and abundant bird species, such as sparrows and doves, dominate. At the regional scale, quite a high beta-diversity can still be found within urban habitats. Processes of community dissimilarity between urban habitats may differ according to the regional pool of species, being more related to nestedness toward the tropics.

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On large-scale dynamics and community structure in forest birds: lessons from some eucalypt forests of southeastern Australia

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.1995.0171 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 350 (1334) ◽

pp. 369-379 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Necessary Conditions ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Bird Species ◽

Sympatric Species ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Individual Species ◽

Ecological Communities ◽

Individual Bird ◽

Southeastern Australia

Models of ecological communities, including coevolved patterns of resource use among sympatric species (for example, ‘resource partitioning’), are poor or inadequate representations of natural systems despite intense theoretical effort for many years. Some of these difficulties are due to a failure to recognize the necessary conditions for community patterns to develop, which are largely controlled by the dynamic characteristics of individual species. In continental bird communities — examples of which are considered here - these necessary conditions often will not be met owing to the mobility of most species. Here I document the degrees to which the large-scale dynamics (over hundreds of km) of individual bird species are expressed in community terms in five forest-habitat types throughout the year. These data demonstrate that continental bird communities are so dynamic that the conditions for the development of definite structure are unlikely to be met in either proximate or evolutionary time. The failure of community theories to account for and predict structure probably reflects too much concentration on mechanisms at inappropriate spatial scales.

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Changes in bird communities throughout succession following fire and harvest in boreal forests of western North America: literature review and meta-analyses

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x06-017 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 36 (5) ◽

pp. 1299-1318 ◽

Cited By ~ 86

Author(s):

Jim Schieck ◽

Samantha J Song

Keyword(s):

North America ◽

Populus Tremuloides ◽

Boreal Forests ◽

Large Scale ◽

Forest Type ◽

Bird Species ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Forest Birds ◽

Western North America ◽

Meta Analyses

Within boreal forests of western North America, the dominant large-scale natural disturbance is wildfire. Thus, harvesting that is as similar as possible to fire is expected to best maintain natural bird communities. We reviewed studies of birds (mainly grouse, woodpeckers, and songbirds) from boreal forests of western North America and conducted meta-analyses to compare the similarity of bird communities occurring postfire versus postharvest. We compared the bird communities at five seral stages and also summarized the effects of retaining large live trees at harvest. Bird communities immediately postharvest differed greatly from those postfire. Differences between disturbance types disappeared as the forest regenerated, and both disturbance types became dominated by relatively few bird species in 31- to 75-year-old forests. During the period 76125 years postdisturbance, old-forest birds became present and bird species richness increased. However, the trajectory of forest succession during this period influenced bird communities; old aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), old mixedwood, and old white spruce (Picea glauca Moench (Voss)) forests all had different bird communities. Retention of large live trees in cutblocks resulted in their use by many old-forest birds, but results were not consistent among studies. Although most bird species had clear peaks in abundance in a specific forest type, no species with more than five detections was limited to a single forest type.

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Habitat Selection of Wintering Birds in Farm Ponds in Taoyuan, Taiwan

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani9030113 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 113 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chia-Hsuan Hsu ◽

Jui-Yu Chou ◽

Wei-Ta Fang

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Functional Groups ◽

Large Scale ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Substantial Evidence ◽

Natural Conditions ◽

Farm Ponds ◽

Artificial Ponds ◽

Landscape Scales ◽

Selection Of

Farm ponds or irrigation ponds, providing a vital habitat for diverse bird communities, are an environmental feature with characteristics that cross over typical urban and natural conditions. In this study, the species richness and community structure of irrigation ponds were characterized on the local and landscape scales. Within a landscape complex in the Taoyuan Tableland of Taiwan, 45 ponds were surveyed, ranging in areas from 0.2 to 20.47 ha. In total, 94 species and 15,053 individual birds were identified after surveying four times. The association between ponds and birds was determined to establish the effect of pond dimensions on species richness and community composition in the complex by comparing the responses of functional groups to pond configurations. Seven avian functional groups were identified. Compared with landbirds (i.e., families Alcedinidae, Apodidae, Icteridae, and Sturnidae), waterbirds (i.e., families Anatidae, Ardeidae, Charadriidae, Podicipedidae, and Scolopacidae) exhibited a stronger correlation with pond variables. Our study provides substantial evidence that these artificial ponds have influenced wintering waterbirds. The final results of this study may help stakeholders and land managers identify areas not to establish large-scale solar facilities considering waterbird habitats in pond areas.

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Recovery of bird communities following the construction of a large-scale hydroelectric dam

Ecological Processes ◽

10.1186/s13717-021-00298-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Affan Nasruddin-Roshidi ◽

Mohammad Saiful Mansor ◽

Nor Adibah Ismail ◽

Ehwan Ngadi ◽

Mohd Izzat-Husna ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Habitat Degradation ◽

Bird Species ◽

Bird Community ◽

Peninsular Malaysia ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Habitat Modification ◽

Incremental Change ◽

Hydroelectric Dam ◽

Operation Phase

Abstract Background Habitat degradation is known to have a major impact on the composition of bird communities, yet how these communities recover following such disturbance is less understood. This study examined bird community changes from pre-logging to recovery over the course of habitat disturbance caused by the development of the Hulu Terengganu Hydroelectric Dam Project in Peninsular Malaysia, between 2007 and 2018. Bird surveys were conducted using point count observations and mist netting in the dam area from the pre-logging phase until the operation phase. Results It was observed that while bird species significantly declined after large-scale habitat clearance between the pre-logging and construction phases, they showed positive signs of recovery from the inundation to operation phases. These findings indicate that the bird community is still recovering, and the permanent loss of habitat required by most of the original species has not occurred, as evidenced by recolonisation. Bird species composition differed across phases due to varying habitat conditions. The turnover rate and immigration rate (recolonisation and newly recorded species) were higher between the construction and operation phases. It was also observed that insectivorous birds were more heavily affected than others by changes to the landscape, which highlights the versatility, survivability and tolerance of certain species to extreme disturbance and habitat modification. Conclusion Although the operation phase showed an incremental change in bird species richness due to recolonisation and newly recorded species, this value remains far from that of the pre-logging phase. We predict that bird species recovery will continue to increase for some time before reaching a plateau among the newly created islands, reservoir and catchment area of the dam.

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Longleaf Pine Restoration: Implications for Landscape-Level Effects on Bird Communities in the Lower Gulf Coastal Plain

Southern Journal of Applied Forestry ◽

10.1093/sjaf/27.2.107 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 107-121 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

James W. Tucker ◽

Geoffrey E. Hill ◽

Nicholas R. Holler

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Large Scale ◽

Longleaf Pine ◽

Bird Species ◽

Pinus Palustris ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Selective Logging ◽

Neotropical Migrants ◽

Individual Species ◽

Riparian Habitats

Abstract The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem of the southeastern United States is among the most heavily degraded of all ecosystems. Less than 1% of the original longleaf pine forests remain as old-growth stands. Eglin Air Force Base (Eglin) in northwest Florida contains the largest remaining extent of longleaf pine, but much of this habitat has been degraded through fire suppression, selective logging, and planting off-site species of pines. We examined the distribution of bird species among habitats during spring and fall 1994–1995 to assess the influence of large-scale habitat restoration on bird communities across the landscape. During both spring and fall, species richness and relative abundance of neotropical migrants were greatest in oak hammocks and riparian habitats. During spring, the abundance of resident species was greatest in barrier island scrub and flatwoods, but species richness of residents also was high in oak hammocks. During fall, both species richness and abundance of residents were greatest in oak hammocks and flatwoods. Analyses of abundance for individual species (both neotropical migrants and residents) suggested that each habitat examined was important for ≥1 species. An analysis examining the importance of habitats for conservation found that oak hammocks and riparian habitats were important for species of high management concern, but burned sandhills along with oak hammocks and riparian habitats were very important for species of the greatest management concern. Our results suggest that habitat modifications resulting from restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem will benefit many species of management concern. Bird species negatively affected by habitat modifications for longleaf pine restoration were abundant in other habitats. South. J. Appl. For. 27(2):107–121.

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Effects of stand, landscape, and spatial variables on bird communities in larch plantations and deciduous forests in central Japan

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x07-226 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 38 (5) ◽

pp. 1223-1243 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Yuichi Yamaura ◽

Kazuhiro Katoh ◽

Toshimori Takahashi

Keyword(s):

Breeding Season ◽

Large Scale ◽

Basal Area ◽

Bird Communities ◽

Deciduous Forests ◽

Dwarf Bamboo ◽

Central Japan ◽

Spatial Variables ◽

Landscape Variables ◽

Principal Coordinates

We examined the effects of stand, landscape, and spatial variables on bird communities in deciduous forests and Japanese larch ( Larix leptolepis (Sieb & Zucc.) Gord.) plantations in a montane region of Nagano Prefecture, central Japan. We used plot-transect methods at 97 sites: 33 in winter 2003 and 18 sites were added in the 2004 breeding season in deciduous forests, and 32 in winter 2004 and 14 sites were added in the 2005 breeding season in larch plantations. Bird–environment relationships were explored using partial redundancy analysis and partial regression analysis. We used spatial variables derived from principal coordinates of neighbor matrices as explanatory variables to detect nonrandom spatial structure of bird communities. Variation in bird communities was mainly explained by stand and spatial variables for both forest types, whereas the effects of landscape variables were small. In plantations, important stand variables for both seasons included stand height, elevation, and the basal area of vines, whereas shrubs, dwarf bamboo ( Sasa senanensis (Franch. & Savat.) Rehd.), and larch snags were important in the breeding season. In deciduous forests, the most important stand variable for both seasons was the basal area of northern Japanese hemlock ( Tsuga diversifolia (Maxim.) Mast.) and Nikko fir ( Abies homolepis Sieb. & Zucc.) trees. Spatial variables showed that bird communities had large-scale (>10 km) spatial variation that could not be explained by stand or landscape variables.

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Some comments about observations and image processing of comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

International Astronomical Union Colloquium ◽

10.1017/s0252921100031493 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 173 ◽

pp. 243-248

Author(s):

D. Kubáček ◽

A. Galád ◽

A. Pravda

Keyword(s):

Image Processing ◽

Large Scale ◽

Harvard College ◽

Oak Ridge ◽

Large Scale Structures ◽

Short Period Comet ◽

Short Period ◽

Scale Structures ◽

Harvard College Observatory ◽

Period Comet

AbstractUnusual short-period comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 inspired many observers to explain its unpredictable outbursts. In this paper large scale structures and features from the inner part of the coma in time periods around outbursts are studied. CCD images were taken at Whipple Observatory, Mt. Hopkins, in 1989 and at Astronomical Observatory, Modra, from 1995 to 1998. Photographic plates of the comet were taken at Harvard College Observatory, Oak Ridge, from 1974 to 1982. The latter were digitized at first to apply the same techniques of image processing for optimizing the visibility of features in the coma during outbursts. Outbursts and coma structures show various shapes.

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Evolution of Large-Scale Coronal Structures

International Astronomical Union Colloquium ◽

10.1017/s0252921100024945 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 144 ◽

pp. 29-33

Author(s):

P. Ambrož

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Field ◽

Field Line ◽

Large Scale ◽

Coronal Magnetic Field ◽

Source Surface ◽

Solar Cycles ◽

Characteristic Relationship ◽

The Magnetic Field ◽

Coronal Structures

AbstractThe large-scale coronal structures observed during the sporadically visible solar eclipses were compared with the numerically extrapolated field-line structures of coronal magnetic field. A characteristic relationship between the observed structures of coronal plasma and the magnetic field line configurations was determined. The long-term evolution of large scale coronal structures inferred from photospheric magnetic observations in the course of 11- and 22-year solar cycles is described.Some known parameters, such as the source surface radius, or coronal rotation rate are discussed and actually interpreted. A relation between the large-scale photospheric magnetic field evolution and the coronal structure rearrangement is demonstrated.

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Large-scale Motion of Solar Filaments

International Astronomical Union Colloquium ◽

10.1017/s0252921100064502 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 179 ◽

pp. 205-208

Author(s):

Pavel Ambrož ◽

Alfred Schroll

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Flux ◽

Proper Motion ◽

Time Scale ◽

Large Scale ◽

Accuracy Of Measurements ◽

Solar Filaments ◽

General Movement ◽

Scale Motion ◽

Velocity Scatter

AbstractPrecise measurements of heliographic position of solar filaments were used for determination of the proper motion of solar filaments on the time-scale of days. The filaments have a tendency to make a shaking or waving of the external structure and to make a general movement of whole filament body, coinciding with the transport of the magnetic flux in the photosphere. The velocity scatter of individual measured points is about one order higher than the accuracy of measurements.

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