scholarly journals Grazer density and songbird counts in a restored conservation area

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e10657
Author(s):  
Lilla Lovász ◽  
Fränzi Korner-Nievergelt ◽  
Valentin Amrhein
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Large Herbivores ◽  
Gps Collars ◽  
Bird Density ◽  
Heterogeneous Habitat ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Animal Communities ◽  
Stocking Rates

Grazing by large herbivores is increasingly used as a management tool in European nature reserves. The aim is usually to support an open but heterogeneous habitat and its corresponding plant and animal communities. Previous studies showed that birds may profit from grazing but that the effect varies among bird species. Such studies often compared bird counts among grazed areas with different stocking rates of herbivores. Here, we investigated how space use of Konik horses and Highland cattle is related to bird counts in a recently restored conservation area with a year-round natural grazing management. We equipped five horses and five cattle with GPS collars and correlated the density of their GPS positions on the grazed area with the density of bird observations from winter through the breeding season. We found that in the songbirds of our study site, both the overall density of bird individuals and the number of species increased with increasing density of GPS positions of grazers. Correlations of bird density with horse density were similar to correlations with cattle density. Of the eight most common songbird species observed in our study area, the Eurasian Skylark and the Common Starling had the clearest positive correlations with grazer density, while the Blackbird showed a negative correlation. Skylarks and Starlings in our study area thus seem to profit from year-round natural grazing by a mixed group of horses and cattle.

scholarly journals Cleaner birds: an overview for the Neotropics

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 195-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Sazima ◽  
Cristina Sazima
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
The Body ◽  
Domestic Dog ◽  
Large Herbivores ◽  
Broad Category ◽  
Organic Debris ◽  
Marine Reptiles ◽  
Black Vulture ◽  
Do So

Several bird species feed on a variety of external parasites and epibionts, organic debris, dead and wounded tissue, clots and blood, and secretions from the body of other vertebrates (hosts or clients). We present an overview of so called cleaner birds from the Neotropics based on field records, literature, and photo survey. We found that 33 bird species in 16 families practice cleaning even if some of them do so very occasionally. The birds range from the Galápagos ground finch Geospiza fuliginosa to the widespread black vulture Coragyps atratus. Clients mostly are large herbivores such as capybaras, deer, and livestock, but also include medium-sized herbivores such as iguanas and tortoises, and carnivores such as boobies and seals - a few bird species associate with these latter marine mammals. No carnivorous terrestrial mammal client is recorded to date except for a domestic dog, from whose hair black vultures picked organic debris. Some clients adopt particular inviting postures while being cleaned, whereas others are indifferent or even disturbed by the activity of cleaner birds. Capybaras, giant tortoises, and iguanas are among the inviting clients, whereas boobies try to dislodge the 'vampire' finch Geospiza difficilis. Most of the Neotropical cleaner birds may be lumped in one broad category (omnivores that dwell in open areas and associate with large to medium-sized herbivores). A second, restricted category accommodates some species from Patagonia and the Galápagos Islands (omnivores that dwell in open areas and associate with carnivorous marine mammals, or seabirds and marine reptiles). Two still more restricted categories accommodate the following: 1) forest-dwelling cleaner birds; and 2) marine coastal cleaners. Additional records of Neotropical cleaner birds will mostly fall in the broad category.

scholarly journals Organizational Factors as Predictors of Knowledge Management Practices in Federal University Libraries in Nigeria

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 48-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cyprian Ifeanyi Ugwu
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Management Support ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Internal Reliability ◽  
Knowledge Management Practices ◽  
Positive Correlations

Abstract Objective – University libraries in Nigeria are facing challenges arising from poor funding, increasing user demands, and a competitive information environment. Knowledge management has been accepted by information professionals as a viable management tool, but issues surrounding its application require empirical investigation. The aim of this study is to determine the organizational factors that are correlates and predictors of knowledge management practices in federal university libraries in Nigeria. Methods – The study was based on a correlational research design. Twenty heads of university libraries in Nigeria responded to a structured questionnaire developed by the researcher. The questionnaire was validated by experts and its internal reliability was 0.78 obtained through Cronbach’s alpha procedures. The data collected were analyzed using Mean, Standard Deviation, One-Way ANOVA, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation Coefficient, and regression analysis. Results – The study found that management support and collaboration were the most significant predictors of knowledge management practices in federal university libraries in Nigeria.  Even though human resources policy and rewards systems had positive correlations with knowledge management practices, their correlation coefficients were not significant. Conclusion – The success of knowledge management in university libraries in Nigeria depends on some contextual factors such as the support given by the management staff and the extent of collaboration among staff.

scholarly journals An Assessment on Bird’s Diversity in Bagmati River Corridor

1970 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-40
Author(s):  
Saroj Thapa ◽  
Shambhu Paudel ◽  
Dipak BK
Keyword(s):  
Public Perception ◽  
Habitat Degradation ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Habitat Destruction ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Point Count ◽  
The Public ◽  
One Year ◽  
Bagmati River ◽  
River Corridor

Bagmati River is considered as a potential conservation area in terms of the bio-diversity conservation due to its unique and diversified habitat distribution. Due to various causes, the river is being polluted and hence habitat degradation rate is increasing. As a consequence, the direct effect is seen on birds inhabiting there. Aiming the assessment of bird's diversity, one year survey was conducted in Bagmati River from Tilganga Bridge to chobhar Gorge Bridge (here after termed as Bagmati river corridor) by applying the point count method .In the total enumeration, 100 of birds species were recorded among which 7 are listed in CITES appendix. The bird species that are regarded as globally threatened are not recorded in the study area. In this report, some potential patches in the study area, are described as hot spots, considering the higher probability of recording maximum number of birds species. The public voice is also collected to find out the public perception on the present status of birds of Bagmati river corridor using the questionaire method. Some causes of habitat destruction and some potential conservation measures are also mentioned. Key Words: Bagmati river corridor, Birds, Conservation, Hotspots, Diversity, Habitat   DOI: 10.3126/init.v2i1.2520 The Initiation Vol.2(1) 2008 pp34-40

scholarly journals Bird richness and composition in a Cerrado fragment in the State of São Paulo

2010 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
LT Manica ◽  
M Telles ◽  
MM Dias
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Status ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Bird Community ◽  
Sao Paulo ◽  
The State ◽  
São Paulo ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Bird Richness

Bird species richness is an important measure for monitoring biodiversity changes. We analysed avifauna richness and composition in a 472 ha protected cerrado fragment and surroundings at Fazenda Canchim (RL-CPPSE), São Carlos, in the State of São Paulo (SP). We carried out 95.1 hours of observation (22 visits) at irregular intervals from May 2004 to December 2006. Qualitative surveys were done walking through tracks inside the fragment and on the roads at its edge. We recorded 160 species, six of which were endemic to Cerrado domain, 22 migratory, seven threatened within the State of São Paulo, and two globally threatened. We found 28 species in the cerradão, 110 in the cerrado sensu stricto, 13 in the gallery forest, 26 in the reservoir border, 26 in pasturelands and sugar cane monoculture and 55 in an anthropic area. Most of the species had low frequency of occurrence in all vegetation forms. Insectivores were the major trophic category (46.9%), which is typical in tropical regions, and it is also related to resource availability. Omnivores followed with 19.4%, granivores with 8.8% and frugivores with 7.5%. We conclude that, despite its size and conservation status, our study area has a remarkable bird community and must be considered as a priority conservation area to preserve bird species in Sao Paulo State.

scholarly journals A Fixed-radius Point Count Method for Nonbreeding and Breeding Season Use

The Auk ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 593-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Hutto ◽  
Sandra M. Pletschet ◽  
Paul Hendricks
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Bird Abundance ◽  
Point Count ◽  
Bird Density ◽  
Count Method ◽  
Species Abundances ◽  
Fixed Radius ◽  
Point Count Method ◽  
A Site

Abstract We provide a detailed description of a fixed-radius point count method that carries fewer assumptions than most of the currently popular methods of estimating bird density and that can be used during both the nonbreeding and breeding seasons. The method results in three indices of bird abundance, any of which can be used to test for differences in community composition among sites, or for differences in the abundance of a given bird species among sites. These indices are (1) the mean number of detections within 25 m of the observer, (2) the frequency of detections within 25 m of the observer, and (3) the frequency of detections regardless of distance from the observer. The overall ranking of species abundances from a site is similar among the three indices, but discrepancies occur with either rare species that are highly detectable at great distances or common species that are repulsed by, or inconspicuous when near, the observer. We argue that differences in the behavior among species will preclude an accurate ranking of species by abundance through use of this or any other counting method in current use.

scholarly journals Can Topographic Variation in Climate Buffer against Climate Change-Induced Population Declines in Northern Forest Birds?

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raimo Virkkala ◽  
Juha Aalto ◽  
Risto K. Heikkinen ◽  
Ari Rajasärkkä ◽  
Saija Kuusela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Temperature Variation ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Forest Birds ◽  
Local Temperature ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Northern Forest ◽  
Bird Density ◽  
Topographic Variation

Increased attention is being paid to the ecological drivers and conservation measures which could mitigate climate change-induced pressures for species survival, potentially helping populations to remain in their present-day locations longer. One important buffering mechanism against climate change may be provided by the heterogeneity in topography and consequent local climate conditions. However, the buffering capacity of this topoclimate has so far been insufficiently studied based on empirical survey data across multiple sites and species. Here, we studied whether the fine-grained air temperature variation of protected areas (PAs) affects the population changes of declining northern forest bird species. Importantly to our study, in PAs harmful land use, such as logging, is not allowed, enabling the detection of the effects of temperature buffering, even at relatively moderate levels of topographic variation. Our survey data from 129 PAs located in the boreal zone in Finland show that the density of northern forest species was higher in topographically heterogeneous PAs than in topographically more homogeneous PAs. Moreover, local temperature variation had a significant effect on the density change of northern forest birds from 1981–1999 to 2000–2017, indicating that change in bird density was generally smaller in PAs with higher topographic variation. Thus, we found a clear buffering effect stemming from the local temperature variation of PAs in the population trends of northern forest birds.

scholarly journals Evaluating the potential impact of bird predation on the SW Atlantic fiddler crab Leptuca uruguayensis

2019 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo D. Ribeiro ◽  
Diego D. Navarro ◽  
Luciano M. Jaureguy ◽  
Pedro Daleo ◽  
Oscar O. Iribarne
Keyword(s):  
Field Data ◽  
Fiddler Crab ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Simulation Methods ◽  
Bird Predation ◽  
Feeding Site ◽  
Bird Density ◽  
Crab Density ◽  
Sw Atlantic ◽  
Potential Impact

Abstract The southernmost permanent population of the fiddler crab Leptuca uruguayensis occurs along the Samborombón Bay (36°22′S, 56°45′W, Argentina), an important feeding site for many bird species, including ruddy turnstones (Arenaria interpres), whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus), grey plovers (Pluvialis squatarola), american golden plovers (Pluvialis dominica) and gull-billed terns (Gelochelidon nilotica). Although all these birds are known to prey on many fiddler crab species worldwide, there is no estimation of their joint predation impacts, probably due to the difficulty in conducting experiments on an appropriate spatial scale. In these situations, computer simulation methods are useful tools. By using Monte Carlo methods and field data, we modeled the decrease of a fiddler crab population due to bird predation. The model found that under current bird occurrences and crab densities, birds do not consume more than 0.03% of the studied fiddler crab populations. Birds only consume more than 10% of the population if crab density is below 0.02 crabs m2, or if bird occurrences are at least 3 orders of magnitude higher than currently observed. Both situations are unlikely, as mean crab density is 140 crabs m2, and bird density is never so high. Furthermore, by monitoring three different fiddler crab patches, we found that bird predation cannot account for temporal density changes, suggesting that other population processes are more important than bird predation. In conclusion, even though fiddler crabs may exhibit strong predator-avoidance behavior, direct lethal effects of bird predation are currently small.

Can correlated population trends among forest bird species be predicted by similarity in traits?

2012 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne M. Hoare ◽  
Adrian Monks ◽  
Colin F. J. O'Donnell
Keyword(s):  
Indicator Species ◽  
Species Concept ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Population Trends ◽  
Ecological Traits ◽  
Introduced Predators ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
Using Data

Context Many conservation decisions rely on the assumption that multiple populations will respond similarly to management. However, few attempts have been made to evaluate correlated population responses to management or to identify traits that could be used to predict correlations. These assumptions are central to the use of the ‘population indicator-species concept’ (the idea that population trends of one species can be used as an index of trends in other species) for measuring the effects of key ecological drivers. Aims We investigated correlations among bird population trends in a mixed podocarp–hardwood forest in New Zealand in which introduced mammalian pests are controlled. We analysed trends in the abundance of 18 bird species (primarily passerines) over a 10-year period, using data from 5-min bird counts. Methods We used a Bayesian modelling approach to identify short-term correlations in population trends among species and to investigate whether ecological traits can be used to predict these correlated trends. Key results Population increases were detected in 9 of the 18 bird species over the 10-year period of the study. Population trends were correlated for 10% of species pairs (of which 81% were positive correlations). Correlations among seven of the nine species that increased in abundance were always positive; these species form a potential indicator pool. However, traits were not useful for predicting correlated population trends. Conclusions Bird species affected by a shared ecological driver (predation) can exhibit correlated population trends when introduced predators are controlled, but correlations cannot be predicted by similarity in ecological traits. Implications We advocate for testing consistency of correlations at multiple sites so as to validate the evidence-based use of the population indicator-species concept as a cost-effective alternative to monitoring whole communities.

scholarly journals Distribution and density of oxpeckers on giraffes in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roxanne Gagnon ◽  
Cheryl T. Mabika ◽  
Christophe Bonenfant
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Food Resource ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Large Mammals ◽  
Large Herbivores ◽  
Aggregation Behaviour ◽  
Hwange National Park ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Parasite Dynamics

AbstractOxpeckers (Buphagus sp.) are two bird species closely associated to large mammals, including giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis). We tested whether oxpeckers distributed themselves at random across individuals or aggregated on individual giraffes, and if birds select the host’s body parts with the expected greatest amount of ticks. By counting oxpeckers on giraffe’s body from photographs, we quantified the distribution of birds per hosts and over predefined zones on the giraffe body. Oxpeckers displayed a strong aggregation behaviour with few hosts carrying many birds while many carried a limited number or no birds, a pattern that was most exaggerated for males. Oxpeckers were disproportionately found on the mane and back, where the density of ticks is presumably the highest. This high aggregation level of birds is typical of parasitic species and could suggest that oxpecker distribution may mirror the distribution of ticks, their primary food resource, on giraffes. Abundance of ticks appears as a major driver of the oxpecker foraging behaviour, and the oxpecker–large herbivores system proves to be highly relevant for the study of host–parasite dynamics.

scholarly journals Preliminary Checklists of Birds for the Fura and Furagosa Wildlife Community Based Conservation Area, in Mirab-Abaya District, Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

2021 ◽  
Vol 04 (04) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amare Gibru ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Southern Ethiopia ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Conservation Area ◽  
Collection Method ◽  
Data Collection Method ◽  
Community Based Conservation ◽  
Bird List

The field visit was conducted at Fura and Furagosa community based wildlife conservation area in February 2021. The survey aims to prepare a primary bird checklist. Transect walk data collection method was employed. The record of bird list was presented in a descriptive statics. 37 bird species were recorded during the survey time. Of the species recorded, 25 species were residents, 10 species Palearctic migrants and 2 Intra-African migrants. The survey suggests that further systematic studies of biodiversity are needed.

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