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Broad HR, Dibnah AJ, Smith AE, Thornton A. Anthropogenic disturbance affects calling and collective behaviour in corvid roosts. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230185. [PMID: 38768208 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Acoustic communication plays an important role in coordinating group dynamics and collective movements across a range of taxa. However, anthropogenic disturbance can inhibit the production or reception of acoustic signals. Here, we investigate the effects of noise and light pollution on the calling and collective behaviour of wild jackdaws (Corvus monedula), a highly social corvid species that uses vocalizations to coordinate collective movements at winter roosting sites. Using audio and video monitoring of roosts in areas with differing degrees of urbanization, we evaluate the influence of anthropogenic disturbance on vocalizations and collective movements. We found that when levels of background noise were higher, jackdaws took longer to settle following arrival at the roost in the evening and also called more during the night, suggesting that human disturbance may cause sleep disruption. High levels of overnight calling were, in turn, linked to disruption of vocal consensus decision-making and less cohesive group departures in the morning. These results raise the possibility that, by affecting cognitive and perceptual processes, human activities may interfere with animals' ability to coordinate collective behaviour. Understanding links between anthropogenic disturbance, communication, cognition and collective behaviour must be an important research priority in our increasingly urbanized world. This article is part of the theme issue 'The power of sound: unravelling how acoustic communication shapes group dynamics'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah R Broad
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter , Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Alex J Dibnah
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter , Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales , Sydney, 2052 NSW, Australia
| | - Anna E Smith
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter , Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter , Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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2
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Durney C, Boussageon R, El-Mjiyad N, Wipf D, Courty PE. Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis with Rhizophagus irregularis DAOM197198 modifies the root transcriptome of walnut trees. MYCORRHIZA 2024:10.1007/s00572-024-01152-w. [PMID: 38801470 DOI: 10.1007/s00572-024-01152-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Walnut trees are cultivated and exploited worldwide for commercial timber and nut production. They are heterografted plants, with the rootstock selected to grow in different soil types and conditions and to provide the best anchorage, vigor, and resistance or tolerance to soil borne pests and diseases. However, no individual rootstock is tolerant of all factors that impact walnut production. In Europe, Juglans regia is mainly used as a rootstock. Like most terrestrial plants, walnut trees form arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses, improving water and nutrient uptake and providing additional ecosystem services. Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis on root gene regulation, however, has never been assessed. We analyzed the response of one rootstock of J. regia to colonization by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis DAOM197198. Plant growth as well as the nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in roots and shoots were significantly increased in mycorrhizal plants versus non-colonized plants. In addition, we have shown that 1,549 genes were differentially expressed, with 832 and 717 genes up- and down-regulated, respectively. The analysis also revealed that some rootstock genes involved in plant nutrition through the mycorrhizal pathway, are regulated similarly as in other mycorrhizal woody species: Vitis vinifera and Populus trichocarpa. In addition, an enrichment analysis performed on GO and KEGG pathways revealed some regulation specific to J. regia (i.e., the juglone pathway). This analysis reinforces the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis on root gene regulation and on the need to finely study the effects of diverse arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on root gene regulation, but also of the scion on the functioning of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus in heterografted plants such as walnut tree.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célien Durney
- Agroécologie INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000, Dijon, France
| | - Raphael Boussageon
- Plant-Soil Interactions, Department of Agroecology and Environment, Agroscope, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Noureddine El-Mjiyad
- Agroécologie INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000, Dijon, France
| | - Daniel Wipf
- Agroécologie INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000, Dijon, France
| | - Pierre-Emmanuel Courty
- Agroécologie INRAE, Institut Agro, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000, Dijon, France.
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3
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Moroń D, Beim M, Gudowska A, Angeoletto F, Celary W, Cwajna A, Indykiewicz P, Lenda M, Marjańska E, Menzel A, Skórka P, Tryjanowski P. Evaluating tramway infrastructure on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9394. [PMID: 38658624 PMCID: PMC11043073 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59460-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Tramways in urban areas for mass transit has been suggested to have a lower environmental footprint than roads. However, studies on the impact of tramways and the surrounding infrastructure on biodiversity is extremely rare despite the potential ecological effects associated with this anthropogenic feature. Surprisingly, we found fewer than 10 papers published on tramway-wildlife interactions, which is significantly lower (vs dozens of thousands) than that of other transportation methods. As tramways and stations may be managed sustainably by planting short vegetation on the track and roofs of tramway stations, they may be good examples of land-sharing policies in green urban planning, improving both biodiversity and people's well-being. The potential environmental benefits of green practices for commercially available tramways should be strictly tested and applied, especially in the context of the growing popularity of tramway systems worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawid Moroń
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Michał Beim
- Institute of Land Improvement, Environmental Development and Spatial Planning, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Piątkowska 94, 60-649, Poznań, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Gudowska
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland
| | - Fabio Angeoletto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Gestão e Technologia Ambiental da UFR, Avenida dos Estudantes 5055, 78735-901, Rondonópolis, MT, Brazil
| | - Waldemar Celary
- Institute of Biology, The Jan Kochanowski University, Uniwersytecka 7, 25-406, Kielce, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Cwajna
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland
| | - Piotr Indykiewicz
- Department of Biology and Animal Environment, Bydgoszcz University of Sciences and Technology, Mazowiecka 28, 85084, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Magdalena Lenda
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Emilia Marjańska
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland
| | - Annette Menzel
- TUM School of Life Sciences, Ecoclimatology, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, 85748, Garching, Germany
| | - Piotr Skórka
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Piotr Tryjanowski
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, 85748, Garching, Germany.
- Department of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland.
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4
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Raymond S, St Clair CC. Urban Magpies Frequently Feed on Coyote Scats and May Spread an Emerging Zoonotic Tapeworm. ECOHEALTH 2023; 20:441-452. [PMID: 38109036 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-023-01664-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Allocoprophagy, in which animals feed on the feces of other individuals or species, has been little studied in vertebrates, despite its relevance to parasite transmission. These relationships may be especially important in cities, where animal density, disease incidence, and spatial overlap of humans and wildlife increase. Our goal was to document the incidence and predictors of coprophagy by black-billed magpies (Pica hudsonia) at coyote (Canis latrans) scats in Edmonton, Canada. We detected scats by following coyote trails and recorded whether coprophagy had occurred. We used multiple logistic regression to determine the top contextual and environmental predictors of coprophagy. Of 668 coyote scats, 37.3% had apparently been fed on. Coprophagy was more likely in winter and when scats were not fresh and did not contain vegetation or garbage. Environmental predictors of coprophagy included proximity to other coyote scats and playgrounds, distance from water and maintained trails, abundant natural land cover, and proximity to encampments of people experiencing homelessness. Our results reveal that magpies frequently access coyote scat and often do so near human-use areas. In Edmonton, where > 50% of coyotes are infected with a zoonotic tapeworm, coprophagy likely causes magpies to transport parasites with implications for zoonotic disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sage Raymond
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 77 University Campus, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada.
| | - Colleen Cassady St Clair
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 77 University Campus, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2R3, Canada
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Abou Zeid F, Morelli F, Ibáñez-Álamo JD, Díaz M, Reif J, Jokimäki J, Suhonen J, Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki ML, Markó G, Bussière R, Mägi M, Tryjanowski P, Kominos T, Galanaki A, Bukas N, Pruscini F, Jerzak L, Ciebiera O, Benedetti Y. Spatial Overlap and Habitat Selection of Corvid Species in European Cities. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13071192. [PMID: 37048448 PMCID: PMC10093487 DOI: 10.3390/ani13071192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding habitat and spatial overlap in sympatric species of urban areas would aid in predicting species and community modifications in response to global change. Habitat overlap has been widely investigated for specialist species but neglected for generalists living in urban settings. Many corvid species are generalists and are adapted to urban areas. This work aimed to determine the urban habitat requirements and spatial overlap of five corvid species in sixteen European cities during the breeding season. All five studied corvid species had high overlap in their habitat selection while still having particular tendencies. We found three species, the Carrion/Hooded Crow, Rook, and Eurasian Magpie, selected open habitats. The Western Jackdaw avoided areas with bare soil cover, and the Eurasian Jay chose more forested areas. The species with similar habitat selection also had congruent spatial distributions. Our results indicate that although the corvids had some tendencies regarding habitat selection, as generalists, they still tolerated a wide range of urban habitats, which resulted in high overlap in their habitat niches and spatial distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah Abou Zeid
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (F.M.); (Y.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Federico Morelli
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (F.M.); (Y.B.)
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Z. Szafrana St. 1, 65-516 Zielona Góra, Poland; (L.J.); (O.C.)
| | | | - Mario Díaz
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (BGC-MNCN-CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Jiří Reif
- Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Benatska 2, 128 01 Praha, Czech Republic;
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Palacky University in Olomouc, 17. Listopadu 50, 771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Jukka Jokimäki
- Nature Inventory and EIA-Services, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, P.O. Box 122, 96101 Rovaniemi, Finland; (J.J.); (M.-L.K.-J.)
| | - Jukka Suhonen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland;
| | - Marja-Liisa Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki
- Nature Inventory and EIA-Services, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, P.O. Box 122, 96101 Rovaniemi, Finland; (J.J.); (M.-L.K.-J.)
| | - Gábor Markó
- Department of Plant Pathology, Institute of Plant Protection, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ménesi út 44, 1118 Budapest, Hungary;
| | | | - Marko Mägi
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, 50409 Tartu, Estonia;
| | - Piotr Tryjanowski
- Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625 Poznań, Poland;
| | - Theodoros Kominos
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (T.K.); (A.G.)
| | - Antonia Galanaki
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece; (T.K.); (A.G.)
| | - Nikos Bukas
- Plegadis, Riga Feraiou 6A, 45444 Ioannina, Greece;
| | | | - Leszek Jerzak
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Z. Szafrana St. 1, 65-516 Zielona Góra, Poland; (L.J.); (O.C.)
| | - Olaf Ciebiera
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Z. Szafrana St. 1, 65-516 Zielona Góra, Poland; (L.J.); (O.C.)
| | - Yanina Benedetti
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Prague, Czech Republic; (F.M.); (Y.B.)
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6
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Gray squirrels consume anthropogenic food waste most often during winter. Mamm Biol 2022; 103:69-81. [PMID: 36373055 PMCID: PMC9638426 DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00326-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Urban habitats provide wildlife with predictable, easily accessible and abundant food sources in the form of human food waste. Urban eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) are commonly observed feeding in trash bins, but we lack data regarding the type, quantity and seasonal changes in food waste usage. We observed five trash bins on an urban university campus during four different observation periods. We recorded the time squirrels spent on and inside trash bins and type of retrieved food items. We also recorded ambient temperature, human presence and trash bin filling. Moreover, we determined changes in squirrel population density in a natural and three anthropogenic habitats during the same periods. Trash bins were fuller when human presence was higher. The higher human presence, the more squirrels went on and inside the bin, but there was no effect on number of retrieved food items. Trash bin usage by squirrels decreased when ambient temperature and bin filling increased. Most food items were retrieved during the coldest observation period, a period of high human presence, and the majority of retrieved food items were starchy foods (e.g., bread, French fries). The relationship between the number of squirrels observed along transects and a measure of urbanization, the normalized difference built-up index, was negative in periods with high ambient temperatures and positive in periods with low ambient temperatures, indicating winter may be less challenging in urban areas, likely facilitated by the availability of anthropogenic food sources, allowing a higher level of activity throughout winter. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42991-022-00326-3.
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Jokimäki J, Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki ML, Suhonen J. Long-Term Winter Population Trends of Corvids in Relation to Urbanization and Climate at Northern Latitudes. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12141820. [PMID: 35883367 PMCID: PMC9311560 DOI: 10.3390/ani12141820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Corvids (e.g., crows, magpies and jays) are an important part of urban settlements, especially during winter. To understand the factors affecting the long-term population trends of corvids, we counted wintering corvids in 31 human settlements along a 920 km latitudinal gradient in Finland during four winters between 1991 and 2020. We detected a total of five corvid species, from which the Hooded Crow, the Eurasian Magpie and the Eurasian Jackdaw were found to be common. During the study period, the number of Eurasian Jackdaws increased, and their distribution range moved northwards. No corresponding changes were observed for the Hooded Crow or the Eurasian Magpie. Neither the local-level urban-, climate- nor food-related factors correlated with the changes in the numbers and growth rates of the corvids. No interspecific interactions were observed. We assume that the Eurasian Jackdaw has benefitted from the decreased persecution, and probably also from the large-scale climate warming. Our results suggest that urban settlements are quite stable wintering environments for generalist and omnivorous corvids. Abstract Corvids (crows, magpies, jays) live in a close association with humans, and therefore knowledge about their population status and changes will be an essential part of monitoring the quality of urban environments. Wintering bird populations can track habitat and climate changes more rapidly than breeding populations. We conducted a long-term (1991–2020) winter census of corvid species in 31 human settlements along a 920 km latitudinal gradient in Finland. We observed a total of five corvid species: the Eurasian Magpie (occurring in 114 surveys out of 122; total abundance 990 ind.), the Hooded Crow (in 96 surveys; 666 ind.), the Eurasian Jackdaw (in 51 surveys; 808 ind.), the Eurasian Jay (in 5 surveys; 6 ind.) and the Rook (in 1 survey; 1 ind.). Only the numbers of the Eurasian Jackdaw differed between the study winters, being greater at the end of the study period (2019/2020) than during the earlier winters (1991/1992 and 1999/2000). The average growth rate (λ) of the Eurasian Jackdaw increased during the study period, whereas no changes were observed in the cases of the Hooded Crow or the Eurasian Magpie. The growth rate of the Eurasian Jackdaw was greater than that observed in the Finnish bird-monitoring work, probably because our data came only from the core area of each human settlement. Even though the number of buildings and their cover increased in the study plots, and the winter temperature differed between winters, the average growth rate (λ) of corvid species did not significantly correlate with these variables. These results suggest that urban settlements are stable wintering environments for the generalist corvids. The between-species interactions were all positive, but non-significant. Despite the total number of winter-feeding sites being greater during the winter of 1991/1992 than during the winter of 2019/2020, the changes in the numbers of feeding stations did not correlate with the growth rates of any corvid species. We assume that the Eurasian Jackdaw has benefitted from the decreased persecution, and probably also from large-scale climate warming that our study design was unable to take in to account. Our results indicated that wintering corvid populations succeed well in the human settlements in Finland. We recommend conducting long-term corvid research, also during breeding season, to understand more detailed causes of the population changes of corvids along an urban gradient. Without year-round long-term monitoring data, the conservation and management recommendations related to the corvid species in urban habitats may be misleading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jukka Jokimäki
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, FI-96101 Rovaniemi, Finland;
- Correspondence:
| | | | - Jukka Suhonen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland;
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8
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Benmazouz I, Jokimäki J, Lengyel S, Juhász L, Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki ML, Kardos G, Paládi P, Kövér L. Corvids in Urban Environments: A Systematic Global Literature Review. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113226. [PMID: 34827957 PMCID: PMC8614296 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is one of the most prevalent drivers of biodiversity loss, yet few taxonomic groups are remarkably successful at adapting to urban environments. We systematically surveyed the global literature on the effects of urbanization on species of family Corvidae (crows, choughs, jackdaws, jays, magpies, nutcrackers, ravens, rooks, treepies) to assess the occurrence of corvids in urban environments and the factors affecting their success. We found a total of 424 primary research articles, and the number of articles has increased exponentially since the 1970s. Most studies were carried out in cities of Europe and North America (45.5% and 31.4%, respectively) and were directed on a single species (75.2). We found that 30 corvid species (23% of 133 total) regularly occur in urban environments. The majority (72%) of the studies reported positive effects of urbanization on corvids, with 85% of studies detecting population increases and 64% of studies detecting higher breeding success with urbanization. Of the factors proposed to explain corvids' success (availability of nesting sites and food sources, low predation and persecution), food availability coupled with diet shifts emerged as the most important factors promoting Corvidae to live in urban settings. The breeding of corvids in urban environments was further associated with earlier nesting, similar or larger clutches, lower hatching but higher fledging success, reduced home range size and limited territoriality, increased tolerance towards humans and increasing frequency of conflicts with humans. Despite geographic and taxonomic biases in our literature sample, our review indicates that corvids show both flexibility in resource use and behavioral plasticity that enable them to exploit novel resources for nesting and feeding. Corvids can thus be urban exploiters of the large-scale modifications of ecosystems caused by urbanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isma Benmazouz
- Animal Husbandry Doctoral School, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
- Correspondence:
| | - Jukka Jokimäki
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, 96300 Rovaniemi, Finland; (J.J.); (M.-L.K.-J.)
| | - Szabolcs Lengyel
- Department of Tisza Research, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research, Eötvös Loránd Research Network, 4026 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Lajos Juhász
- Department of Nature Conservation Zoology and Game Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.J.); (L.K.)
| | | | - Gábor Kardos
- Institute of Metagenomics, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Petra Paládi
- Animal Husbandry Doctoral School, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - László Kövér
- Department of Nature Conservation Zoology and Game Management, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary; (L.J.); (L.K.)
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9
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Dyson K. Conserving native trees increases native bird diversity and community composition on commercial office developments. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juaa033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
In cities, woody vegetation provides critical shelter, nesting and foraging habitat for bird species of interest. Human actions—including development and landscaping choices—determine vegetation community composition and structure, making these choices critically important to urban bird conservation. A better understanding of how bird communities are impacted by parcel-scale actions can help guide policy and management best practices to improve matrix habitat quality and quantity. Here, I examined how bird habitat use varies along a vegetation gradient created by different development and landscaping choices. I surveyed 20 commercial office developments near Seattle in the Puget Trough region of Washington, USA selected using stratified random sampling, where I quantified bird communities and observed feeding behavior. I used GLMM and PERMANOVA models with data likelihood metrics to identify the best supported variables for bird site use, along with TITAN models to identify changes in community composition along environmental gradients. I found that measures of bird effective species richness and bird community are positively influenced by the presence of more native conifers, including the presence of a stand predating development and the height and density of native conifers. Measures of the native bird community are negatively influenced by higher non-native tree density. In contrast to prior research, top-down landscape-scale variables did not explain variation in measures of the bird community on office developments. Importantly, I found that birds are associated with the same habitat on office developments as observed elsewhere. Together, my findings suggest an important role for developers, land owners, landscape architects, and tree protection policy in bird conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Dyson
- Urban Ecology Research Lab, Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington, Gould Hall 432, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
- Dendrolytics, 4616 25th Ave NE, #558, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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10
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Šálek M, Grill S, Riegert J. Nest-site selection of an avian urban exploiter, the Eurasian magpie Pica pica, across the urban-rural gradient. JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.25225/jvb.20086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Šálek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic; e-mail:
| | - Stanislav Grill
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; e-mail:
| | - Jan Riegert
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; e-mail:
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