Evaluating Riparian Restoration Success: Long-Term Responses of the Breeding Bird Community in California’s Lower Putah Creek Watershed

Birds in roadside and remnant patches of vegetation in the Marburg district of south-eastern Queensland were studied from November 1989 to February 1990. Effects of the length, width and height of the tree, shrub and herb layers, and their major components, on the bird community were determined. In all, 43 species of birds were observed in roadside vegetation; 16 of these were abundant and widely distributed. Silvereyes were most frequently observed (240 observations), followed by superb fairy-wrens (59), yellow thornbills (53), double-barred finches (26), red-backed fairy-wrens (25) and Lewin's honeyeaters (20). Apart from silvereyes (20-654 of observations), and superb fairy-wrens on two roads (12 and 13%) and yellow thornbills on one (15%), no other species constituted more than 10% of observations on any road. In all, 48 species of birds were observed in remnant patches of vegetation, 14 in all of them. Rates of detection in remnant patches ranged from 2.7 to 5.3 birds per 5 min compared with a mean maximum rate for roadside vegetation of 1.3. The richness of the roadside avifauna increased significantly (P=0.001) as the volume (length x width x height) of the tree component, especially the softwood species, increased. The diversity of tree species in softwood remnants and the greater canopy density appear to be important factors that enhance the bird community. The number of birds was also correlated (P=0.05) with the volume of brigalow, Acacia harpophylla. The correlation of the volume of woody weeddshrubs with the number of birds was low (P=0.05), and with the number of species not significant, even though woody weeds were a major component of roadside vegetation. Although supporting fewer birds than remnant patches of vegetation, roadside vegetation contributes importantly to conservation of the avifauna in the Marburg district. Some simple management practices, such as maintaining a minimum width of undisturbed vegetation and retaining vegetation diversity, would ensure or enhance the long-term conservation benefits. Opportunities to regenerate softwood remnants could also be taken, particularly to enhance the value, and possibly prolong the life, of the associated remnants of brigalow.

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Breeding Bird Community Composition in Relation to Riparian Vegetation Structure in the Western United States

Journal of Wildlife Management ◽

10.2307/3802320 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 62 (2) ◽

pp. 461 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Todd A. Sanders ◽

W. Daniel Edge

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Community Composition ◽

Vegetation Structure ◽

Riparian Vegetation ◽

Bird Community ◽

Western United States ◽

Breeding Bird

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Long-term climate impacts on breeding bird phenology in Pennsylvania, USA

Global Change Biology ◽

10.1111/gcb.13363 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 22 (10) ◽

pp. 3304-3319 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Molly E. McDermott ◽

Lucas W. DeGroote

Keyword(s):

Climate Impacts ◽

Breeding Bird

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Long-Term Coastal Breeding Bird Monitoring in the Boston Harbor Islands, 2007–2019

Northeastern Naturalist ◽

10.1656/045.025.s909 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (sp9) ◽

Author(s):

Carol Lynn Trocki ◽

Aaron S. Weed ◽

Adam Kozlowski ◽

Kristin Broms

Keyword(s):

Boston Harbor ◽

Breeding Bird ◽

Bird Monitoring

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MAXIMIZING RESTORATION SUCCESS WHEN THE GOOD GROUND IS GONE

Journal of Green Building ◽

10.3992/1943-4618.12.3.115 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 115-123

Author(s):

Alex Zimmerman

Keyword(s):

Management Practices ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Construction Sites ◽

Repeated Cycle ◽

Restoration Success ◽

Fundamental Causes ◽

Essential Nutrient ◽

Living Organisms ◽

Construction Schedules

INTRODUCTION “The good ground is gone” often refers to the challenging nature of construction sites these days. Building on steeper slopes and within tighter boundaries while accelerating construction schedules is adding to the challenge of construction managers. Often the revegetation and restoration is unfortunately not planned or timed for successful long-term vegetation success. Site soil conditions are frequently overlooked and the timing necessary for seed germination, expression, and establishment are rarely factors in determining the schedule of seeding applications for optimum results. All too often less than desired results or failure is the accepted outcome. This will increase the future maintenance costs and encourage the repeated “finger pointing” while seeking to blame one cause or another. Typically, this often-repeated process fails to address the fundamental causes and thereby rarely fixes the problems moving forward. In an effort to break out of this all too often repeated cycle, let's break down the principle challenges and explore options for successful restoration of challenging sites. Successful, long-term revegetation starts with the soil. Without quality soil that takes years to accumulate naturally, revegetation efforts regularly fail or the outcomes are less than ideal. During construction, mining, and general land disturbing activities the soil will be degraded even while practicing the best topsoil harvesting and stock-piling management practices. Many areas where vegetation is desired are essentially mineral without any organic matter or biological activity. When available, stockpiled topsoil will also degrade; the environment within the pile will create conditions that microbes, essential for plant health, will be negatively affected. The longer the stripped soils are stockpiled, the more living organisms are lost. Recommendations and even requirements for limiting the depth of the pile to reduce the loss of beneficial microbes is rarely possible given the tight boundaries of project limits facing site operators. When the stockpile depth is able to be minimized, the pile must also be turned regularly to reduce the loss of the essential nutrient cycling microbiome present in healthy soils.

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Changes to the Population Status of Horned Grebes (Podiceps auritus) and Red-necked Grebes (Podiceps grisegena) in Southwestern Manitoba, Canada

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v131i4.2069 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 131 (4) ◽

pp. 317-324

Author(s):

Gord Hammell

Keyword(s):

Field Studies ◽

Quantitative Information ◽

Class Iii ◽

Population Status ◽

Breeding Bird ◽

Breeding Populations ◽

Trend Data ◽

Podiceps Grisegena ◽

Long Term Trend

Continental trend data for North America suggest that Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) breeding populations are declining and Red-necked Grebe (P. grisegena) populations are increasing. However, data reliability is low due to lack of survey routes in the northern boreal and taiga ecozones, areas encompassing much of the breeding range of both species. Locally in the southern Manitoba prairie ecozone, reliability of long-term trend data is also considered low and these data suggest that Horned Grebe populations are declining faster than the continental trend and that Red-necked Grebe populations are increasing rapidly. The lack of current quantitative information on population densities of these two species in southern Manitoba prompted me to compare 1970s historical data from two sites to recent data collected at the same locations in 2008–2016. I surveyed 42 (1970–1972) and 38 (2008–2016), and 144 (2009–2015) Class III-V wetlands at Erickson and Minnedosa, Manitoba, respectively. Historical Minnedosa data were available from previous field studies. At both locations, Horned Grebe breeding populations have fallen significantly, and Red-necked Grebe populations have risen significantly since the 1970s. The results of this study corroborate the Breeding Bird Survey’s trend data for Horned and Red-necked Grebes in southwestern Manitoba pothole habitat.

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Riparian Bird Community Structure in Portland, Oregon: Habitat, Urbanization, and Spatial Scale Patterns

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/105.2.288 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 105 (2) ◽

pp. 288-302 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Lori A. Hennings ◽

W. Daniel Edge

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Forest Canopy ◽

Urban Canopy ◽

Canopy Cover ◽

Bird Community ◽

Metropolitan Region ◽

Road Density ◽

Breeding Bird ◽

Bird Abundance ◽

Neotropical Migrant

Abstract In 1999, we surveyed breeding bird and plant communities along 54 streams in the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan region to link bird community metrics with structural and spatial characteristics of urban riparian areas. Canonical correspondence analysis produced two explanatory axes relating to vegetation and road density. Total and non-native bird abundance was higher in narrow forests. Native bird abundance was greater in narrow forests surrounded by undeveloped lands; native species richness and diversity were greater in less-developed areas. Native resident and short-distance-migrant abundance was higher in narrow forests, and diversity was positively associated with developed lands. Neotropical migrant abundance, richness, and diversity were greater in open-canopied areas with fewer roads. We examined spatial relationships by regressing bird variables on satellite-derived forest canopy cover, area of undeveloped lands, and street density in a series of 50-m buffers within a 500-m radius around study sites. Non-native bird abundance decreased with increasing canopy cover within 450 m, but most other relationships were strongest at smaller scales (50–100 m). Our results suggest that increasing urban canopy cover is the most valuable land management action for conserving native breeding birds. A hierarchical scheme for Neotropical migrant conservation might include increasing forest canopy within 450 m of streams to control non-native species and cowbirds; reducing street density within a 100-m radius of streams; and conserving or planting onsite native trees and shrubs. Estructura de Comunidades Riparias de Aves en Portland, Oregon: Hábitat, Urbanización y Patrones de Escala Espacial Resumen. Censamos las comunidades de aves reproductivas y plantas a lo largo de 54 arroyos en el área metropolitana de Portland, Oregon en 1999 para conectar medidas de comunidades de aves con características estructurales y espaciales de zonas riparias urbanas. Análisis de correspondencia canónica produjeron dos ejes explicativos relacionados con la vegetación y la densidad de carreteras. La abundancia total de aves y la de aves no nativas fueron mayores en bosques estrechos. La abundancia de aves nativas fue mayor en bosques estrechos rodeados por terrenos rurales y la riqueza y diversidad de especies fueron mayores en áreas menos desarrolladas. La abundancia de residentes nativas y migratorias de corta distancia fue mayor en bosques estrechos y su diversidad estuvo asociada positivamente con terrenos desarrollados. La abundancia, riqueza y diversidad de las migratorias neotropicales fueron mayores en áreas de dosel abierto y con pocas carreteras. Examinamos las relaciones espaciales mediante regresiones entre variables de aves y la cobertura del dosel derivada de imágenes satelitales, el área de terrenos sin desarrollar y la densidad de calles en una serie de áreas de 50 m de ancho en un radio de 500 m alrededor de los sitios de estudio. La abundancia de aves no nativas disminuyó con aumentos en la cobertura del dosel hasta 450 m, pero la mayoría de las demás relaciones fueron más fuertes a escalas menores (50–100 m). Nuestros resultados sugieren que el incremento de la cobertura del dosel en áreas urbanas es la estrategia de manejo más valiosa para conservar las aves nativas que se reproducen en el área. Un esquema jerárquico para la conservación de las migratorias neotropicales podría incluir aumentar la cobertura de bosque a menos de 450 m de los arroyos para controlar a las especies no nativas y a los Molothrus, reducir la densidad de calles dentro de un radio de 100 m alrededor de los arroyos y conservar o plantar árboles y arbustos nativos.

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