The Effect of Above-Ground Medium Voltage Power Lines on Displaying Site Selection of the Great Bustard (Otis Tarda) in Central Hungary

SummaryCollisions with power lines represent an important mortality factor for Great Bustards Otis tarda throughout the distribution range of the species. This study evaluates the success of two conservation measures implemented in the West-Pannonian distribution range to reduce the number of power line collision casualties: (1) extensive underground cabling of 43.1 km power lines, and (2) marking of 89.7 km power lines starting in 2005 and 2006, respectively. The mortality rate of Great Bustards in our study area (covering 686.5 km2) decreased significantly between 2002 and 2011, predominantly caused by reduced mortality due to power line collisions. Univariate tests indicate that underground cabling and power line marking significantly decreased power line collision casualties. Generalised linear models (GLMs) highlighted the prominent effect of underground cabling. Our results indicate that five years after underground cabling and marking of power lines within core areas of the West-Pannonian distribution range of the Great Bustard, the population already benefited through a significantly decreased mortality rate. Both conservation measures most likely contributed strongly to the rapid recovery of the West-Pannonian Great Bustard population observed within the last decade.

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Effects of wing loading on take-off and turning performance which is a decisive factor in the selection of resting location of the Great Bustard (Otis tarda)

Biological Diversity and Conservation ◽

10.5505/biodicon.2019.69875 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 28-32

Author(s):

Göksel Keskin ◽

Seyhun Durmus ◽

Ünal Özelmas ◽

Muharrem Karakaya

Keyword(s):

Decisive Factor ◽

Wing Loading ◽

Great Bustard ◽

Otis Tarda ◽

Selection Of

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Nests built on power lines: Nest-site selection by long-tailed broadbills (Psarisomus dalhousiae) in Nonggang of Guangxi, China

Avian Biology Research ◽

10.1177/1758155920943005 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 63-69

Author(s):

Bo Zhou ◽

Changzhang Feng ◽

Wei Liang

Keyword(s):

Site Selection ◽

Nest Site ◽

Nest Site Selection ◽

Breeding Habitat ◽

Power Lines ◽

Nest Sites ◽

Site Characteristics ◽

Survival And Development ◽

Selection Of

The quality of breeding habitat may directly affect the survival and development of progeny. Therefore, the selection of a suitable nest-site is an important factor affecting the reproductive success of birds. The most important reason for a bird’s reproductive failure is nest predation. Predation may cause birds to change their nest-sites and even nest morphology. Here we investigated the nest-site characteristics by long-tailed broadbills ( Psarisomus dalhousiae) in Nonggang, Guangxi, southwestern China. Our results showed that long-tailed broadbills in Nonggang mainly build their nests on power lines (88.5%) and nest-site selection was mainly affected by predation pressure and food resources. At the same time, nest-site concealment was trade-off against predator avoidance. This anti-predator strategy effectively utilizes human infrastructure.

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Effects of Land Use and Wildfires on the Habitat Selection of Great Bustard (Otis tarda l.)-Implications for Species Conservation

Land Degradation and Development ◽

10.1002/ldr.2495 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 910-918 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Zsolt Végvári ◽

Orsolya Valkó ◽

Balázs Deák ◽

Péter Török ◽

Sándor Konyhás ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Habitat Selection ◽

Species Conservation ◽

Great Bustard ◽

Otis Tarda ◽

Effects Of Land Use ◽

Selection Of

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Effects of power lines on flight behaviour of the West-Pannonian Great Bustard Otis tarda population

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270910000432 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 142-155 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

RAINER RAAB ◽

PÉTER SPAKOVSZKY ◽

EIKE JULIUS ◽

CLAUDIA SCHÜTZ ◽

CHRISTIAN H. SCHULZE

Keyword(s):

Random Distribution ◽

Bird Species ◽

Power Lines ◽

Great Bustard ◽

Flight Behaviour ◽

Otis Tarda ◽

Flight Direction ◽

Eastern Austria ◽

The Mean ◽

Mean Vector

SummaryFlight directions of Great Bustards Otis tarda after take-off were used to analyse effects of power lines on spatial movements of this highly endangered bird species. Data on flight directions came from Great Bustard observations conducted in eastern Austria (northern and eastern parts of Lower Austria, northern part of Burgenland), western Slovakia and western Hungary. Flight directions were determined by a constructed line connecting take-off site and the bird’s position after a flown distance of 100 m. Up to a distance of 800 m from the nearest power line, mean flight direction of Great Bustards after take-off deviated significantly from a random distribution. The mean flight direction angles clearly indicate that take-off flight routes point away from power lines at an angle of approximately 180°. Furthermore, flight directions of bustards still deviated from a random distribution in two 200-m distance bands much further away from power lines (> 1,200–1,400 m, > 1,400–1,600 m), possibly suggesting that even at larger distances from power lines flight directions might still be affected by such artificial linear landscape structures. With increasing distance to nearest power lines, mean vector length r values of flight paths decrease significantly, while circular standard deviations S values increase significantly. Very similar results were achieved independently if all data were pooled or analysed separately for individual study areas for which the number of flight observations was large enough to conduct reliable analyses. Our study reports a strong effect of power lines on the flight behaviour of Great Bustards, at least up to a distance of 800 m, perhaps even up to 1,600 m. Although this may significantly reduce the risk of collision with power lines it most likely has severe consequences for the spatial movements of birds within the entire landscape and between potentially suitable breeding and foraging habitats.

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Human disturbance and conspecifics influence display site selection by Great Bustards Otis tarda

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270913000142 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 32-44 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

ROBERT J. BURNSIDE ◽

ZSOLT VÉGVÁRI ◽

RICHARD JAMES ◽

SANDOR KONYHÁS ◽

GÁBOR KOVÁCS ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Habitat Selection ◽

Habitat Quality ◽

Site Selection ◽

Human Disturbance ◽

Habitat Management ◽

Habitat Choice ◽

Social Cues ◽

Great Bustard ◽

Otis Tarda ◽

Social Species

SummaryUnderstanding habitat selection and assessing habitat quality have an important role in habitat management and prioritisation of areas for protection. However, interpretations of habitat selection and habitat quality can be confounded by social effects such as conspecific attraction. Using 7 years’ data from a well monitored Great Bustard Otis tarda population in Central Europe, we investigated the roles of human disturbance and social cues in display site selection of male Great Bustards Otis tarda. The spatial distribution of displaying males was best predicted by human disturbance. In addition, the number of males attending display sites was strongly correlated to the number of females present and not with disturbance. This suggests that abundance could be a misleading metric for habitat quality in social species. Our results highlight the roles of disturbance and social cues in male habitat choice, and suggest that social factors need to be taken into consideration for management of endangered populations.

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Nest site habitat selection and nesting performance of the Great Bustard Otis tarda in southern Portugal: implications for conservation

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270912000202 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 323-336 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

PEDRO ROCHA ◽

MANUEL B. MORALES ◽

FRANCISCO MOREIRA

Keyword(s):

Habitat Selection ◽

Clutch Size ◽

Great Bustard ◽

Otis Tarda ◽

Breeding Parameters ◽

Water Point ◽

Southern Portugal ◽

Hatching Percentage ◽

Cereal Fields ◽

Selection Of

SummaryWe present results on breeding parameters, nesting performance and nest habitat selection of the globally threatened Great Bustard Otis tarda, gathered during a 3-year study in Castro Verde (southern Portugal). A total of 107 nests were located. The estimated average onset of laying was 22 April (SD = 12 days, n = 8). The incubation period ranged from 25 March to 15 June. Nearly 95% of females incubated between 1 April and 31 May. Mean clutch size was 2.12 (SD = 0.69, n = 86), showing no significant inter-annual differences. There was no significant relationship between clutch size and average nest finding date, although, on average, nests were found later each year. Hatching occurred between 21 April and 26 June. The estimated proportion of eggs hatched per nest (hatching percentage) was 87.5% in 2002 (n = 8), 64.0% in 2003 (n = 33) and 75.8% in 2004 (n = 33). Overall nesting success for the three years was 71% (n = 107). The main causes of nesting failure were agricultural activities, mainly ploughing and harvesting, followed by corvid predation. Nests were spatially aggregated up to 800–1,500 m. At larger scales, the spatial distribution of nests can be considered random or uniform. Females showed a clear preference for nesting in cereal fields, followed by young fallows, old fallows, ploughed fields and then other habitats, although the intensity of selection of particular habitats varied between years. Nests were associated with both cereals and fallows, thus aggregating where those habitat types occurred within the study area. These results provide the first complete description of the nesting process in a Great Bustard population, as well as important cues to the assessment of conservation measures implemented in Castro Verde, an area holding around 80% of the Portuguese population of this species (application of EU agri-environmental schemes, power line signalling, water-point provision in dry years).

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Site Selection, Current Design and Management Practices for Land Treatment Units of Petroleum Wastes

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1991.0372 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 24 (12) ◽

pp. 83-91

Author(s):

D. C. P. Casarini ◽

E. Gloeden ◽

R. C. de A. Cunha

Keyword(s):

Site Selection ◽

Management Practices ◽

Design Management ◽

Hazardous Waste Management ◽

Land Treatment ◽

Management Technology ◽

Current Design ◽

Treatment Facilities ◽

Petroleum Refineries ◽

Selection Of

Land treatment is defined as the hazardous waste management technology related to application and incorporation of waste into the defined treatment zone of the soil where will occur the degradation, transformation and immobilization of the constituents contained in the applied waste, to ensure protection of surface water and groundwater. This paper describes some criteria for site selection of land treatment facilities used by petroleum refineries, as well as the engineering design, management practices to optimize the process and closure and post-closure techniques.

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