scholarly journals Population Densities and Community Structure of Birds in Jackson Hole: A Reassessment After 25 Years

1992 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 3-20
Author(s):  
Martin Cody
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
The United States ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Yellow Warbler ◽  
Quarter Century ◽  
Jackson Hole

There is a wide literature in bird community ecology that bears on questions of species composition and species densities, and the variations in these attributes within habitats between years and between different geographic regions, and between habitat types both locally and regionally (Cody 1975, 1985; Diamond & Case 1986). While there has always been considerable debate on the constancy of bird communities within habitats and among years, and the extent to which community attributes are predictable and deterministic, rather than variable, stochastic or even chaotic (e.g. Wiens 1985, 1988), recently other developments have accentuated the need for measuring and evaluating bird distributions and densities. There is a fast-developing literature that documents recent (ca. the last decade or two) declines in bird species' distributions and densities at both local and regional scales, and emphasizes in particular evidence for recent reductions in the ranges and densities of bird species that are neotropical migrants (e.g. Hutto 1980, 1986; Keast & Morton 1980; Terborgh 1989; Smithsonian 1991). Given especially the concern that bird species breeding in North American sites and overwintering at lower latitudes (where habitat destruction and fragmentation are particularly rapid), data on status changes in breeding bird communities need to be carefully monitored. The best, perhaps the only, way of doing this is to collect current data, to contrast with comparable data collected in a similar fashion in earlier periods. Thus the rationale for this study is apparent: during 1966-68 I obtained extensive data on the bird communities at two sites in Jackson Hole within Grand Teton National Park, located near the site of the old Research Station on the north side of the Snake River below the dam at Jackson Lake. During two field seasons 1991-92 I reassessed the bird communities at these two sites, with the major objective being a documentation of whether, in which ways, and to what extent, the bird communities of the two sites had changed over the 25-year period. The birds in Jackson Hole are particularly appropriate for this 25-year, then-and-now comparison, since none of the dominant species at the two study sites is resident. But while some species winter almost wholly within the United States (e.g. Fox sparrow (Passerella ilaca), other species winter in northern Mexico in desert habitats (e.g. Brewer's sparrow Spizella breweri, Chipping sparrow Spizella passerina) or west-coastal second growth habitats (e.g. Yellow warbler Dendroica petechia, Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas), and yet others winter much further south into Central America (e.g. MacGillivray's warbler Oporornis tolmei, Wilson's warbler Wilsonia pusilla). The results of the comparison are presented in this report, where differences in species composition and density are revealed in both the short-term (adjacent years) and the longer term (between censuses over 25 years apart). But despite such variations, it will be noted that the overall community structure and composition of the sites has changed little over the quarter century.

Bird communities and vegetation associations across a treeline ecotone in the Mealy Mountains, Labrador, which is an understudied part of the boreal forest

2015 ◽  
Vol 93 (6) ◽  
pp. 477-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith P. Lewis ◽  
Brian M. Starzomski
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Tree Cover ◽  
Strong Impact ◽  
Avian Diversity ◽  
Bird Abundance ◽  
Treeline Ecotone ◽  
Point Counts ◽  
Deciduous Shrub

We examined the factors structuring bird communities across a complex subarctic treeline in the Mealy Mountains, Labrador, Canada. Using point counts of bird abundance in 2007 and 2008, we show that changes in vegetation driven by elevation are strongly correlated with avian community structure in this treeline ecotone system. Overall, avian diversity was higher in the forest compared with other habitat classes (krummholz, deciduous shrub, and alpine). There were strong correlations between avian diversity and vegetation richness, as well as structure, among and within habitat class in 2008. Numerous habitat types (subset of habitat class) were correlated with avian composition, although some species were clearly habitat generalists. Contrary to expectation, avian species composition was associated with physiognomy (vegetation structure) in alpine and deciduous shrub, and with either physiognomy or floristics (vegetation species composition) in krummholz and forest. Given the strong impact of elevation on vegetation and the demonstrated influence on bird communities, we note that for bird species whose near-southernmost populations are found in the Mealy Mountains, climate change is likely to have a strong negative effect if alpine tundra habitat is lost. Furthermore, forest bird species are likely to benefit from the increased tree cover as treeline moves poleward and upward.

Mesostigmatic mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) in nests of the Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) in Croatia

Biologia ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerzy Błoszyk ◽  
Tvrtko Dražina ◽  
Dariusz Gwiazdowicz ◽  
Bruce Halliday ◽  
Bartłomiej Gołdyn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Birds Of Prey ◽  
Griffon Vulture ◽  
Gyps Fulvus

AbstractWe examined the species composition and community structure of mites of the order Mesostigmata (Acari) in nests of the Eurasian griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus Hablizl, 1783) in Croatia. Material collected from 18 nests included 565 mites belonging to seven species. The most abundant species were Leiodinychus orbicularis (C.L. Koch, 1839) (Trematuridae) and Androlaelaps casalis (Berlese, 1887) (Laelapidae). The results were compared with the community structure and frequency of dominant species of Mesostigmata in nests of 32 other bird species. Leiodinychus orbicularis occurred in the nests of 13 species of birds. It is a typical nidicolous species which occurs most frequently in the perennial nests of birds of prey. In contrast, A. casalis rarely occurs in the nests of birds of prey.

scholarly journals Transformation of the community of nesting birds in the process of reorganization of the forest ecosystem into a park

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. A. Gaychenko ◽  
T. V. Shupova
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Forest Ecosystem ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Natural State ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
Ecological Groups ◽  
Anthropogenic Landscapes

Changes in nesting conditions cause a change in the number of individual species, ecological groups, and, consequently, the structure of the bird community. The purpose of the study is to analyze the possibilities and directions – the transformations of the communitys of nesting birds in the process of reorganization of the forest ecosystem into a park. The material was collected in the territory of one of the forest parks in the Kiev city. Forest is an mixed based on Quercus robur L., Carpinus betulus L., Acer platanoides L., Tilia cordata L., Fraxinus excelsior L. There are individual trees Pinus Syvestris L. The territory of the forest park have different degrees transformed, and includes anthropogenic landscapes and forests plots that have been preserved almost in their natural state. Studies were conducted in the nesting period (April-June) 2012–2017. For analysis average data were used. The number and distribution of the birds were determined by the method of counting on the transects, in the 3 model plots. There are 71 species of birds of 11 orders. Of these, 63 species are nesting. The number of nested species of communities in model plots does not depend on the gradient of anthropogenic transformation, but a average density of nesting birds decrease: 2.91±0.66→2.54±0.67→2.10±0.48 pairs / km of the transect. Nesting birds are distributed between 9 faunogenetic complexes. Of these, in each model plot is represented by 8. Dominated by birds of the European nemoral complex. On the gradient of habitat transformation, a change in the fauna-genetic structure of bird communities in the direction of increasing the proportion of birds of the European nemoral and European forest-steppe complexes, birds of desert-mountain and tropical groups. Boreal and ancient species are superseded. Strengthening the transformation in forest plots, the distribution of birds in community on the ecological groups does change not much. But when the forest ecosystem is replaced by a park ecosystem, the proportion of sclerophiles increases 3–4 times. In all communities is dominated by woody nesters bird. On the gradient of transformation, the number of species of the tree canopies nesters birds (from 21 to 18), ground nesters birds (from 6 to 0), species that use many types of nesting stations (from 4 to 1) are decreases; the number of bird species that nesting in the buildings increases from 0 to 6, and the number of alien species from 0 to 4 (Streptopelia decaocto, Dendrocopos syriacus, Phoenicurus ochruros, Serinus serinus). In the park ecosystems, a decrease in the species composition of woodpeckers, does not entail a significant decrease in the species composition and abundance of secondary hollows nesters birds. Birds of the synanthropic subpopulations are nesting in cavities in park buildings. Most of the indices show an equivalent ά-diversity of all bird communities. The β-diversity of breeding birds during the transformation of the forest ecosystem into a park is reduced by half. Ranked distribution curves of the abundance of species are indicate abrupt changes in the balance of dominance-diversity in communities when a transformation are in the forest ecosystem. The dominant species pressure high are give in community, its abundance is 2.2–2.7 times higher than the abundance of the second species by the abundance. In a slightly transformed forest, this indicator is 1.1 times. Ranked curves of relative abundance of species are a more sensitive index of community transformation than data of indices by the dominance and of species distribution. The introduction into the forest ecosystem of even a small number of anthropogenic structures leads to a significant increase in the relative abundance of synanthropic birds. In our study, in to 2 times. On the gradient of the transformation the absolute number of nesting species of the synanthropic birds increases gradually: 30–33–36; the obligate synanthropic species more stronger: 0–2–7; the index of community synanthropization increases 1.5 times: 0.63–0.72–0.92.

scholarly journals Big Bird Plots: Benchmarking Neotropical Bird Communities to Address Questions in Ecology and Conservation in an Era of Rapid Change

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Douglas Robinson ◽  
Dan Errichetti ◽  
Henry S. Pollock ◽  
Ari Martinez ◽  
Philip C Stouffer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Large Network ◽  
Bird Abundance

Extensive networks of large plots have the potential to transform knowledge of avian community dynamics through time and across geographical space. In the Neotropics, the global hotspot of avian diversity, only six 100-ha plots, all located in lowland forests of Amazonia, the Guianan shield and Panama, have been inventoried sufficiently. We review the most important lessons learned about Neotropical forest bird communities from those big bird plots and explore opportunities for creating a more extensive network of additional plots to address questions in ecology and conservation, following the model of the existing ForestGEO network of tree plots. Scholarly impact of the big bird plot papers has been extensive, with the papers accumulating nearly 1,500 citations, particularly on topics of tropical ecology, avian conservation, and community organization. Comparisons of results from the plot surveys show no single methodological scheme works effectively for surveying abundances of all bird species at all sites; multiple approaches have been utilized and must be employed in the future. On the existing plots, abundance patterns varied substantially between the South American plots and the Central American one, suggesting different community structuring mechanisms are at work and that additional sampling across geographic space is needed. Total bird abundance in Panama, dominated by small insectivores, was double that of Amazonia and the Guianan plateau, which were dominated by large granivores and frugivores. The most common species in Panama were three times more abundant than those in Amazonia, whereas overall richness was 1.5 times greater in Amazonia. Despite these differences in community structure, other basic information, including uncertainty in population density estimates, has yet to be quantified. Results from existing plots may inform drivers of differences in community structure and create baselines for detection of long-term regional changes in bird abundances, but supplementation of the small number of plots is needed to increase generalizability of results and reveal the texture of geographic variation. We propose fruitful avenues of future research based on our current synthesis of the big bird plots. Collaborating with the large network of ForestGEO tree plots could be one approach to improve understanding of linkages between plant and bird diversity. Careful quantification of bird survey effort, recording of exact locations of survey routes or stations, and archiving detailed metadata will greatly enhance the value of benchmark data for future repeat surveys of the existing plots and initial surveys of newly established plots.

scholarly journals First records of the Crested Black-Tyrant (Knipolegus lophotes, Tyrannidae) in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurício Neves Godoi ◽  
Marco de Barros Costacurta ◽  
Alessandro Pacheco Nunes ◽  
Eduardo Weffort Patrial ◽  
José Carlos Morante Filho
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
The State ◽  
Distribution Range ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Mato Grosso Do Sul

The Crested Black-Tyrant (Knipolegus lophotes) is a member of the Tyrannidae family that occurs throughout open areas in central, southeastern and southern Brazil. Although this species occurs in regions that surround the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, there had never been a recorded sighting in the state. Thus, information on its distribution across Brazil's midwestern region is scarce. In this study, we report the first sightings of K. lophotes in Mato Grosso do Sul. These records extend the known distribution range of the species in midwestern Brazil and contribute to expanding knowledge of bird species composition in this region. We believe that the absence of K. lophotes from the lists of bird species recorded in different localities in Mato Grosso do Sul may be a reflection of its local rarity and the lack of bird inventory efforts in this region, which underscores the need for further research into bird communities in this poorly known region of Brazil.

scholarly journals Diversity of bird communities of the forest in the Boyarska experimental station at the gradient of anthropic load

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
V.A. Gaychenko ◽  
◽  
T.V. Shupova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Parus Major ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Experimental Station ◽  
Α Diversity ◽  
Synanthropization Index

Bird communities was researched according to the transect method in the nesting period of 2013 and 2015. 4 model forest plots in the Boyarskaya Experimental Station were selected. All of them are culturelphytocenoses based onPinus sylvestris L., Quercus robur L., Q. rubra L. The species composition of birds, their abundance, α-diversity indices, synanthropization index of bird communities (to Jedryctkowski) were analyzed. The similarity of bird communities was determined using cluster analysis in "Origin Pro 9.0". 65 bird species of 11 orders were recorded. 35 species of them live in the species reserve. On model plots that not have conservation status, the number of species in bird communities is 20–27. In plots with a dominance of Q. robur, 42 species were recorded, with a dominance of P. sylvestris - 35 species of the birds. Dominants in bird communities Parus major L. and Fringilla coelebs L. The presence in the list of subdominants Anthus trivialis L. and Phylloscopus sibilatrix Bechstein is a positive characteristic of the forest. The synanthropic of bird communities increases according to the increase in anthropic load: the synanthropization index from 0.4 to 0.65, the relative abundance of synanthropic birds in communities from 0.66 to 0.81. There are no alien birds. The species diversity and the number of bird species in the communities decreases along the gradient of increasing anthropic load. The similarity of bird communities and their α-diversity depends by the anthropic load, and not by the ratio of the species composition of the forest trees. The distribution of relative abundance of species in bird communities, on the contrary, is associated with the ratio of the species composition of trees. In forest plots dominated by P. sylvestris, bird communities are balanced, in plots with a predominance of Q. robur, disturbances in the development of bird communities are noticeable.

A habitat-based approach to determining the effects of drought on aridland bird communities

The Auk ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel G Roberts ◽  
David P Thoma ◽  
Dustin W Perkins ◽  
Elizabeth L Tymkiw ◽  
Zachary S Ladin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Deficit ◽  
National Parks ◽  
Water Availability ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
The United States ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Bird Density ◽  
Annual Water

Abstract Aridland breeding bird communities of the United States are among the most vulnerable to drought, with many species showing significant population declines associated with decreasing precipitation and increasing temperature. Individual breeding bird species have varied responses to drought which suggests complex responses to changes in water availability. Here, we evaluated the influence of water deficit, an integrative metric of drought stress, on breeding bird communities within 3 distinct aridland habitat types: riparian, pinyon-juniper, and sagebrush shrubland. We used 12 years of breeding bird survey data from 11 national parks and monuments in the Northern Colorado Plateau Inventory and Monitoring Network (NCPN). We used a multivariate community-level approach to test for the effect of annual water deficit on the bird communities in the 3 habitats. We found that bird communities responded to water deficit in all 3 habitat types, and 70% of the 30 species–habitat combinations show significant relationships between density and variation in water deficit. Our analyses revealed that the direction and magnitude of species responses to water deficit were habitat-dependent. The habitat-specific responses we observed suggest that the adaptive capacity of some species depends on the habitat in which they occur, a pattern only elucidated with our habitat-based approach. The direction and magnitude of the relationships between predicted densities and annual water deficit can be used to predict the relative sensitivity of species within habitat climate changes. These results provide the first attempt to determine how the indirect effect of changes in water availability might affect aridland breeding birds in distinct habitat types. Linking breeding bird density to annual water deficit may be valuable for predicting changes in species persistence and distribution in response to climate change.

Functional evenness of bird communities varies along the elevational gradient in Europe: Conservation implications

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Morelli ◽  
Yanina
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Negative Association ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Breeding Bird ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
Large Spatial Scale ◽  
Functional Evenness

ContextThe negative association between elevation and species richness is a well-recognized pattern in macro-ecology. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate changes in functional evenness of breeding bird communities along an elevation gradient in Europe. MethodsUsing the bird data from the EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds we estimated an index of functional evenness which can be assumed as a measure of the potential resilience of communities.ResultsOur findings confirm the existence of a negative association between elevation and bird species richness in all European eco regions. However, we also explored a novel aspect of this relationship, important for conservation: Our findings provide evidence at large spatial scale of a negative association between the functional evenness (potential community resilience) and elevation, independent of the eco region. We also found that the Natura2000 protected areas covers the territory most in need of protection, those characterized by bird communities with low potential resilience, in hilly and mountainous areas.ConclusionsThese results draw attention to European areas occupied by bird communities characterized by a potential lower capacity to respond to strong ecological changes, and, therefore, potentially more exposed to risks for conservation.

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