The European Turtle Dove in the ecotone between woodland and farmland: multi-scale habitat associations and implications for the design of management interventions

The European Turtle Dove (turtle dove) is globally threatened after undergoing a sustained and generalised decline across its breeding range, with habitat loss suggested as the main driver. Here, we reviewed the scientific literature on habitat associations across its European breeding range, in relation to distribution, breeding numbers, nesting substrates, food and foraging habitats, to identify optimal habitat management measures. Large-scale distribution seemed related to the availability, but not dominance, of woodland landscapes; abundance was generally higher in woodland than on farmland. However, abundance in woodland increased with additional structural diversity and proximity to farmland, and abundance on farmland increased with greater availability of non-farmland features. Nesting occurred most frequently on trees (secondarily on bushes) but we found geographical differences in the type of nesting substrate, with thorny bushes being used more frequently in the north, and open canopy trees in the south. Turtle doves fed on a wide spectrum of seeds with a predominance of wild, particularly early-flowering, plants; but we could not identify a single plant species whose abundance determined turtle dove numbers. Across the distribution range, a shift from wild to cultivated seeds occurred as the season progressed. However, interventions should favour the availability and access to wild seeds. Efficient management interventions depend on the dominant habitat; overall, interventions should seek to augment landscape heterogeneity by increasing the mixing of farmland and woodland. Combined forestry and agricultural policies must provide the right conditions for ecotone species like the Turtle dove.

Modeling the Climate Suitability of Northernmost Mangroves in China under Climate Change Scenarios

Mangroves are important wetland ecosystems on tropical and subtropical coasts. There is an urgent need to better understand how the spatial distribution of mangroves varies with climate change factors. Species distribution models can be used to reveal the spatial change of mangroves; however, global models typically have a horizontal resolution of hundreds of kilometers and more than 1 km, even after downscaling. In the present study, a maximum entropy model was used to predict suitable areas for the northernmost mangroves in China in the 2050s. An approach was proposed to improve the resolution and credibility of suitability predictions by incorporating land-use potential. Predictions were made based on two CMIP6 scenarios (i.e., SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5). The results show that the northern edge of the natural mangrove distribution in China would migrate from 27.20° N to 27.39° N–28.15° N, and the total extent of suitable mangrove habitats would expand. By integrating 30 m resolution land-use data to refine the model’s predictions, under the SSP1-2.6 scenario, the suitable habitats of mangroves are predicted to be 13,435 ha, which would increase by 33.9% compared with the current scenario. Under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, the suitable area would be 23,120 ha, with an increased rate of 96.5%. Approximately 40–44% of the simulated mangrove patches would be adjacent to aquacultural ponds, cultivated, and artificial land, which may restrict mangrove expansion. Collectively, our results showed how climate change and land use could influence mangrove distributions, providing a scientific basis for adaptive mangrove habitat management despite climate change.

The Host-Plant Origin Affects the Morphological Traits and the Reproductive Behavior of the Aphid Parasitoid Aphelinus mali

Diversifying agroecosystems through habitat management inside or outside production fields can provide alternative hosts and/or prey for natural enemies. In semi-natural habitats, parasitoids may find alternative host-plant complexes (HPC) that could allow their development when pest hosts are scarce in the field. However, morphological and physiological differences between alternative and targeted HPCs could affect the preference and fitness of the parasitoids, possibly altering their efficacy in regulating pests. In the present study, we examined two Aphelinus mali parasitoid populations developing on Eriosoma lanigerum from two host plants (Malus domestica-apple trees and Pyracantha coccinea). We hypothesized that A. mali from both HPCs will show different life history traits and behaviors because primary and alternative host-plants are known to induce variations in parasitoid biological performance. Our findings indicate that A. mali originating from E. lanigerum on P. coccinea parasitized more aphids and are smaller than those originating from E. lanigerum on apple. Furthermore, these parasitoids did not significantly vary their ability to attack and oviposit apple E. lanigerum, suggesting that P. coccinea could function as a suitable banker plant for A. mali. We discuss the potential use of P. coccinea in conservation biological control of E. lanigerum in apple orchards.

Eradication of a highly invasive bird, the Common Myna Acridotheres tristis, facilitates the establishment of insurance populations of island endemic birds

Summary Common Myna Acridotheres tristis is considered to be among the world’s most damaging invasive species through disturbance, predation, competition pathogen introduction to native birds and other taxa. Claimed impacts on native birds have often been based on anecdotal reports. More substantive evidence of interference with small-island endemic birds has been reported, but impacts have rarely been quantified or subjected to experimental manipulation. On Denis Island (Seychelles), up to 10% of Seychelles Warblers Acrocephalus sechellensis, and small numbers of Seychelles Fodies Foudia sechellesis and Seychelles Paradise Flycatchers Terpsiphone corvina had head injuries following myna attacks, stimulating an eradication of the mynas. Populations of four species of Seychelles’ endemic birds, introduced to the island to establish insurance populations, were estimated before, during and after the completion of the eradication, permitting assessment of the impact of myna removal on populations of the endemics. Numbers of all four endemics increased following introduction, but increases in the numbers of Seychelles Magpie Robins Copsychus sechellensis and Seychelles Paradise Flycatchers accelerated after >90% of the mynas had been removed. All endemic populations continued to increase during and after completion of the eradication in 2015, and injuries to Seychelles Warblers, Seychelles Fodies, and Seychelles Paradise Flycatchers ceased. Habitat management within a designated conservation zone on the island, into which the endemics were released and subsequently spread to occupy most of the island, also contributed to the endemic birds’ global populations and to their improved conservation status. This study confirms that mynas negatively impact small island populations of endemic birds and suggests that their potential impact has been underestimated. Myna eradication should be considered vital before endangered endemic birds and other taxa susceptible to their negative impacts are translocated to small islands for conservation reasons.

Characterization and management of human-wildlife conflicts in mid-hills outside protected areas of Gandaki province, Nepal

With the intent to better management human wildlife conflict (HWC) and wildlife conservation in mid-hills outside protected areas of Gandaki province, Nepal, we analyzed the patterns and drivers of HWC. Using data collected from literature, government records and questionnaire survey, we investigated temporal, seasonal and spatial distribution of human casualties caused by wildlife attacks. We also appraised the perception of local people towards wildlife conservation. We have recorded 77 cases (69 human injuries and 8 mortalities) during the period of nine year between 2011 and 2019. The number of wildlife attacks increased over this period. Wildlife attacks were more frequent in winter with 50% (42) of attacks occurred between September and December. Common leopard (Panthera pardus) and Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus laniger) were the major species involved in these conflicts. Common leopard was the most feared species that causes highest number of human mortalities (87%, n = 67); the most severe type of HWC outcome. Forty-eight percent (n = 37) attacks were reported at human settlement areas followed by 27% attacks in agriculture land (n = 21) and 24% (n = 19) in forest. Generalized linear model analysis on spatial variables showed that the probability of human attacks increases with decreasing elevation (β = -0.0021, Z = -1.762, p = 0.078) and distance from the forest (β = -0.608, Z = -0.789, p = 0.429). We recommend to decrease habitat degradation / fragmentation, carry out habitat management program within forest to increase prey availability to decrease the wildlife invasion into human settlement area, and decrease dependency of people on forest resources by providing alternative livelihood opportunities. Simplified relief fund distribution mechanism at local level also helps alleviate the impact of HWC. The knowledge obtained by this study and management measures are important for better human-wildlife co-existence.

Known but not called by name: recreational fishers’ ecological knowledge of freshwater plants in Hungary

Background Documenting local ecological knowledge (LEK) has recently become a topic of considerable interest. LEK can contribute to various areas of ecology, including habitat management and conservation biology. It has been recently revealed that recreational fishers’ ecological knowledge (FEK) can also provide valuable information about different organisms and habitats, while recreational fishers’ ecological knowledge is understudied in many aspects and regions of the world. Methods We aimed to record Hungarian recreational FEK on plant species related to freshwater habitats. Our research was conducted in three regularly fished water bodies in Hungary, namely Lake Velence, Keleti Main Canal, and Lake Látóképi, where a total of 72 interviews were conducted with recreational anglers. During interviews, 24 plant species occurring at freshwater habitats with common or sporadic distribution were shown to anglers as single species or in congeneric pairs. Miscellaneous plant-related knowledge of anglers was also collected. Results Anglers identified a total of 16 plant species. They used 45 botanical or folk names. An angler knew the name of 4.6 plants on average and recognized 7.4 other species without naming it. According to our detailed analysis, anglers were able to name or at least recognize those plant species which are somehow related to fishing activities, are salient, and/or common. Moreover, anglers at Lake Velence recognized less plant species; however, they also had less years of fishing experience compared to anglers of the other two locations. Conclusion We found that recreational FEK exists even in the case of freshwater plants which are not the main focus of anglers. It is highly presumable that recreational fishers would be able to provide reliable ecologically related data for scientific research establishing future citizen science projects of nature conservation.

Human-modified landscapes provide key foraging areas for a threatened flying mammal: The grey-headed flying-fox

Urban expansion is a major threat to natural ecosystems but also creates novel opportunities that adaptable species can exploit. The grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a threatened, highly mobile species of bat that is increasingly found in human-dominated landscapes, leading to many management and conservation challenges. Flying-fox urbanisation is thought to be a result of diminishing natural foraging habitat or increasing urban food resources, or both. However, little is known about landscape utilisation of flying-foxes in human-modified areas, and how this may differ in natural areas. Here we examine positional data from 98 satellite-tracked P. poliocephalus for up to 5 years in urban and non-urban environments, in relation to vegetation data and published indices of foraging habitat quality. Our findings indicate that human-modified foraging landscapes sustain a large proportion of the P. poliocephalus population year-round. When individuals roosted in non-urban and minor-urban areas, they relied primarily on wet and dry sclerophyll forest, forested wetlands, and rainforest for foraging, and preferentially visited foraging habitat designated as high-quality. However, our results highlight the importance of human-modified foraging habitats throughout the species’ range, and particularly for individuals that roosted in major-urban environments. The exact plant species that exist in human-modified habitats are largely undocumented; however, where this information was available, foraging by P. poliocephalus was associated with different dominant plant species depending on whether individuals roosted in ‘urban’ or ‘non-urban’ areas. Overall, our results demonstrate clear differences in urban- and non-urban landscape utilisation by foraging P. poliocephalus. However, further research is needed to understand the exact foraging resources used, particularly in human-modified habitats, and hence what attracts flying-foxes to urban areas. Such information could be used to modify the urban foraging landscape, to assist long-term habitat management programs aimed at minimising human-wildlife conflict and maximising resource availability within and outside of urban environments.

Regional Variation in Forest Canopy Height and Implications for Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) Habitat Mapping and Forest Management

Previous research has shown that the Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) prefers larger trees, potentially making this a key factor influencing koala habitat quality. Generally, tree height is considered at regional scales which may overlook variation at patch or local scales. In this study, we aimed to derive a set of parameters to assist in classifying koala habitat in terms of tree height, which can then be used as an overlay for existing habitat maps. To determine canopy height variation within a specific forest community across a broad area in eastern Australia, we used freely available Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data and adopted a straightforward approach by extracting maximum-height ALS returns within a total of 288 30 m × 30 m “virtual” ALS plots. Our findings show that while maximum tree heights generally fall within published regional-scale parameters (mean height 33.2 m), they vary significantly between subregions (mean height 28.8–39.0 m), within subregions (e.g., mean height 21.3–29.4 m), and at local scales, the tree heights vary in response to previous land-use (mean height 28.0–34.2 m). A canopy height dataset useful for habitat management needs to recognise and incorporate these variations. To examine how this information might be synthesised into a usable map, we used a wall-to-wall canopy height map derived from ALS to investigate spatial and nonspatial clustering techniques that capture canopy height variability at both intra-subregional (100s of hectares) and local (60 hectare) scales. We found that nonspatial K-medians clustering with three or four height classes is suited to intra-subregional extents because it allows for simultaneous assessment and comparison of multiple forest community polygons. Spatially constrained clustering algorithms are suited to individual polygons, and we recommend the use of the Redcap algorithm because it delineates contiguous height classes recognisable on a map. For habitat management, an overlay combining these height classification approaches as separate attributes would provide the greatest utility at a range of scales. In addition to koala habitat management, canopy height maps could also assist in managing other fauna; identifying forest disturbance, regenerating forest, and old-growth forest; and identifying errors in existing forest maps.