scholarly journals Indicators of Forest Biodiversity: Which Bird Species Predict High Breeding Bird Assemblage Diversity in Boreal Forests at Multiple Spatial Scales?

2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 457-476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timo Pakkala ◽  
Andreas Lindén ◽  
Juha Tiainen ◽  
Erkki Tomppo ◽  
Jari Kouki
2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 20140930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin J. P. Sullivan ◽  
Stuart E. Newson ◽  
James W. Pearce-Higgins

A long-standing aim of ecologists is to understand the processes involved in regulating populations. One such mechanism is the buffer effect, where lower quality habitats are increasingly used as a species reaches higher population densities, with a resultant average reduction in fecundity and survival limiting population growth. Although the buffer effect has been demonstrated in populations of a number of species, a test of its importance in influencing population growth rates of multiple species across large spatial scales is lacking. Here, we use habitat-specific population trends for 85 bird species from long-term national monitoring data (the UK Breeding Bird Survey) to examine its generality. We find that both patterns of population change and changes in habitat preference are consistent with the predictions of the buffer effect, providing support for its widespread operation.


Biologia ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Korňan

AbstractThe structure of a breeding bird assemblage of a primeval alder swamp in the Šúr National Nature Reserve (the Danube Basin) was studied in the period 1992–1995. A 16 ha forest interior study plot was established for bird censusing. Population abundances were estimated by a combined version of the mapping method from the end of March to the beginning of July. Altogether, 42 breeders were recorded and the mean total density of species total across years was 125.15 ± 12.73 pairs/10 ha (CV = 10.17%). Two species were eudominant (≥ 10%): Sturnus vulgaris and Anas platyrhynchos, and six species were dominant (5% ≤ 10% <): Ficedula albicollis, Fringilla coelebs, Phylloscopus collybita, Parus major, Sylvia atricapilla, Erithacus rubecula. The Shannon diversity index (H′) varied between 3.98–4.10 bites. The evenness index (J′) reached values between 0.79–0.81. Expected species diversity in a random sample of 100 pairs calculated by rarefaction [E (S 100 pairs)] was 21.35 ± 0.92 species derived as a mean value from the years 1992–1995. The mean rarefaction estimate on the area [E (S 10 ha)] was 22.75 ± 1.58 species. Bird species richness and diversity were significantly higher in the study plot in comparison to the mean value of European wet alder forests. These results are comparable with the values of structural assemblage parameters of the primeval stands dominated by alder within the Białowieża National Park, Poland.


Author(s):  
Vital V. Sakhvon ◽  
Karyna A. Fedorynchik

We studied the dynamics of the composition and diversity of breeding bird assemblage within the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus in Minsk during 2016–2019 and compared with census data from breeding seasons of 1982–1985 and 1991–1992. Total 86 species were recorded and the breeding was confirmed for 59 of them. The interannual dynamics of breeding density for 42 species is analysed. Overall bird densities varied from 2.03 pairs/ha to 8.76 pairs/ha during single year; 16 species (Fringilla coelebs, Erithacus rubecula, Turdus merula, T. philomelos, T. pilaris, Parus major, Cyanistes caeruleus, Sylvia atricapilla, S. borin, S. curruca, Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Ph. collybita, Ph. trochilus, Sturnus vulgaris, Pica pica and Columba palumbus) were shown to be the dominants in assemblage during these years. We found that there was increased in species richness (17 new breeding species appeared, 2 breeding species disappeared) and the overall breeding bird density (by almost 3– 4 times) since 1982. The main factors explaining the dynamics of some assemblage characteristics such as synurbization of some bird species and change in habitat structure are discussed.


The Auk ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 123 (4) ◽  
pp. 1110-1128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer C. Allen ◽  
Sharlene M. Krieger ◽  
Jeffrey R. Walters ◽  
Jaime A. Collazo

AbstractWe determined the effects of fire history and a riparian-upland gradient on the breeding bird community at Fort Bragg Military Installation in North Carolina, one of the largest remnant areas of the endangered longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem. Study sites were classified into two treatments: fire-intense (areas experiencing growing-season burns) and fire-suppressed (areas lacking fires). Within each treatment, bird and vegetation data were recorded at point-count stations positioned at three distances from streamhead pocosins to characterize the riparian-upland habitat gradient: 0, 75, and ≥150 m. Total bird abundance and species richness varied significantly along the riparian-upland gradient, with pocosins contributing greatly to avian biodiversity. Our data revealed strong effects of fire history and riparian-upland gradient on bird species, which we described in terms of breeding-bird assemblages. Members of the open longleaf assemblage (e.g., Red- cockaded Woodpecker [Picoides borealis], Bachman's Sparrow [Aimophila aestivalis]) were most common in fire-intense areas and at upland locations. Members of the fire-suppressed assemblage (e.g., Wood Thrush [Hylocichla mustelina], Ovenbird [Seiurus aurocapilla]) were confined to pocosins in fire-intense areas, but became more abundant in fire-suppressed areas. Members of the pocosin assemblage (e.g., Eastern Towhee [Pipilo erythropthalamus], Common Yellowthroat [Geothlypis trichas]) were largely confined to pocosins and, in some cases, were most abundant in fire-intense pocosins. Fire suppression increased structural diversity of vegetation and promoted one breeding-bird assemblage (fire-suppressed), but at the expense of two others (open longleaf, pocosin). Continued management of Fort Bragg to promote longleaf pine restoration is essential for supporting conservation of the open-longleaf bird assemblage; in addition, it will benefit the pocosin assemblage.Asociaciones de Aves Reproductivas con Áreas Influenciadas por el Fuego y con Gradientes Ribereños-Tierras Altas en un Ecosistema de Pinus palustris


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Morelli ◽  
Yanina

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.


2019 ◽  
Vol 612 ◽  
pp. 29-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
NR Evensen ◽  
C Doropoulos ◽  
KM Morrow ◽  
CA Motti ◽  
PJ Mumby

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document