人类休闲活动对森林鸟类群落无有害影响

我们对西班牙马德里森林深处(未受到人类干扰)、森林小路沿线(间或有徒步旅行者经过)以及森林野餐区(有较持久干扰)的鸟类进行了调查,以查明人类休闲活动对该地区鸟类群落的分布和多度的影响.结合样方法对以上3类区域鸟类群落的总体特征(如:鸟类的多度、物种的丰富度和多样性)、不同鸟类群体的特征(如:鸦科鸟类的多度,营巢或者取食集团的特征)、各鸟种的多度等参数进行了比较.结果表明:小路沿线和野餐区样方内鸟类的多度和物种丰富度比森林深处更高,已查明14种鸟类的多度在人为干扰区域比森林深处高,只有5种鸟类的多度在森林深处更高一些;在树冠层筑巢的鸟类、在树干和地面觅食的鸟类及鸦科鸟类在休闲活动区有更高的多度;地巢性鸟类在休闲区的多度较低,这种差别尤以阔叶落叶林中加明显.而森林小路的鸟类群落结构与森林内部非常相似,说明人类休闲活动对这些林区鸟类群落的影响更多缘自野餐.原因是野餐区常常具有以下特点:具有高大的乔木、中层植被稀疏、有较多的洞和缝隙以及野餐后会遗留下一些垃圾.以上结论与研究的预期目标正好相反,人类的这些休闲活动可能会降低地巢性鸟类的适宜度,但是对大多数鸟的类栖息地没有不利影响.     

园林鸟类群落的岛屿性格局

岛屿群落由于受岛屿栖息地特征结构的影响而产生一系列特殊的格局。通过对杭州市园林鸟类群落的研究,分析了园林鸟类群落的物种数、组成和多度与园林岛屿性状的关系,从而确定了园林鸟类群落存在如下与园林的岛屿性状有关的格局:(1)在物种数方面,在相同的取样面积下,园林的物种数随园林面积的增大而减少;(2 )在群落组成上,园林鸟类群落呈现出不完全的嵌套格局,分布于物种数较少的园林中的物种多数也分布在物种数较多的园林中;(3)在物种多度方面,园林鸟类的总密度随面积的增大而减少,园林鸟类多度的均匀度随着面积的增大而提高。群落的岛屿性格局反映了栖息地的岛屿化对群落的影响,总称之为群落的岛屿效应。通过比较全年、繁殖季节、越冬季节和迁徙季节群落岛屿性格局的显著性,分析群落的稳定性与群落岛屿效应之间的关系,认为两者之间没有必然的联系,相对非稳定的群落也可导致显著岛屿效应     

北京城市及近郊区环境结构对鸟类的影响

本文研究了北京市区及近郊环境结构与四季鸟类群落的关系,用相对数量路线调查法估计了鸟类的实际分布。环境结构分为面积和空间异质性两个主要因素,后者又包括自然度和环境多样性两个方面。结果表明,空间异质性对鸟类物种数及多样性有显著的影响,其中自然度的作用较环境多样性的作用更为显著。“边缘效应”是由于环境多样造成的。当空间异质性较高时,面积对鸟类物种数的影响是明显的。由于城市环境的空间异质性较低,由少数优势种决定了鸟类群落特征。为改善城市环境结构,建议增加绿化面积,丰富植被层次及物种组成,同时在北京城市环境中适当增加各种形式的水体。     

千岛湖雀形目鸟类群落嵌套结构分析

2006年4月至2007年11月, 采用截线法对千岛湖20个岛屿上的雀形目鸟类种类组成进行调查, 检验其群落是否符合嵌套式分布的格局。此外通过野外直接记录与辨认法对岛屿上的植物种类组成进行调查, 同时通过查阅文献资料和野外调查获得鸟类体长、分布宽度和生境专属性等生活史特征参数, 以及采用GIS分析测定岛屿面积和隔离度参数, 进而分析和探讨雀形目鸟类群落嵌套格局的影响因素。结果显示, 千岛湖岛屿雀形目鸟类群落呈现显著的嵌套结构, 岛屿面积、植物物种丰富度和生境专属性对其嵌套结构具显著性的影响。千岛湖岛屿雀形目鸟类存在着选择性灭绝过程; 植物物种丰富度和鸟类生境专属性则通过影响鸟类在不同生境下的分布对鸟类群落嵌套结构产生影响。上述结果表明千岛湖岛屿雀形目鸟类群落嵌套格局同时受到栖息地和物种两方面因素的影响, 为此我们认为应更多地关注那些面积较大和植物物种丰富度较高的岛屿, 以及生境专属性较高的种类等鸟类多样性及其栖息地的保护策略。     

滇西山地核桃林与天然林的春季鸟类群落比较研究

人工种植林正在发展中国家快速发展,但目前这些人造景观对生物多样性保护的价值却未被深入理解。2015年春季,对云南省大理白族自治州云龙县和永平县内的核桃种植林,及其邻近保护区内的天然林进行了鸟类和植被结构调查。所有60个样点鸟类调查共记录到鸟类88种,仅在天然林中出现的物种有54种,仅在核桃林中出现的有14种,2种林型中共有的物种有20种。2个核桃林研究地点中的鸟类物种丰富度和多度均低于相应天然林的;群落相似性系数比较显示核桃林与天然林的鸟类群落组成也明显不同,永平县的核桃林和天然林之间鸟类群落组成差异更大。与天然林相比,利用核桃林的物种多为普通物种、森林边缘和开阔地活动物种,3种国家Ⅱ级重点保护物种和食果鸟、啄木鸟类、多数画眉科等特殊鸟类仅在天然林中出现。典型对应分析表明鸟类群落分布与天然乔木盖度、藤本植物盖度密切相关,天然乔木及其附属的林下植被对鸟类栖息地的保护具有重要作用。研究认为即使在非落叶季节邻近天然林的核桃林中,其中的鸟类多样性仍远低于天然林。与天然林相比,核桃林这一人工林的生物多样性保护价值有限。本研究从保护鸟类的角度出发,为云南省核桃林的发展和管理提出了保护建议。     

澳门城市栖息地斑块中鸟类群落功能和谱系多样性

了解群落构建过程是生态学的核心和基本问题,这对于解释物种共存和物种多样性的维持,完善生物多样性保护政策至关重要。与传统的物种多样性相比,功能和谱系多样性能够提供更多的信息,特别是在群落构建过程方面提供深刻见解。2014年5月—2017年1月,采用样线法对澳门地区5个城市栖息地斑块中(生态一区、鹭鸟林、赛马场滩涂、关闸口岸滩涂和莲花桥侧红树林)的鸟类进行繁殖季和越冬季的调查,共调查14次。利用鸟类丰富度和多度来表征群落的物种多样性,其中多度以最大值保留法计;功能和谱系多样性分别采用功能丰富度(functional richness:FRic)和Faith'PD。同时,利用基于多度加权的平均成对功能距离(mean pairwise functional distance,MFD)和平均成对谱系距离(mean pairwise phylogenetic distance,MPD)来表征群落的功能和谱系结构。结果表明:共记录98种鸟类,隶属于14目32科,目、科、种中数量最多的依次为,雀形目鸟类最多为47种,鹭科物种数为11种,白鹭多度为849只;鸟类物种丰富度(68种)和PD在生态一区最高,多度在莲花桥侧红树林最高为2940只,MFD和FRic在赛马场滩涂最高,MPD在生态一区最高;斑块面积在鸟类丰富度、多度、FRic和PD中具有普遍重要性,植被面积和滩涂面积则分别强烈影响着MFD和MPD;关闸口岸滩涂和莲花桥侧红树林的鸟类群落SES.MFD显著低于随机值(P <0. 05),鹭鸟林和赛马场滩涂的鸟类群落SES. MPD显著低于随机值(P<0.05),表明关闸口岸滩涂和莲花桥侧红树林鸟类群落功能聚集(functional clustering),可能与生境过滤驱动群落构建有关。栖息地斑块的特征差异导致了鸟类群落构建机制的不同,这是仅仅考虑物种多样性难以提供的信息,说明了研究群落构建机制时考虑多维度多样性的必要性。     

塔里木荒漠河岸林异质生境物种多样性比较与其测度指标筛选及评价

选择合适的物种多样性测度指标与多样性指数是进行群落多样性研究的基础工作。依据塔里木河上游荒漠河岸林样地调查资料,分别采用重要值、盖度和多度为测度指标比较了反映群落物种丰富度、多样性、均匀度和优势度12种多样性指数与异质生境群落多样性特征,并对多样性指数进行了相关分析与评价。结果表明,荒漠河岸林异质生境群落物种组成种类差异明显,轮南镇胡杨群落物种丰富度与多样性指数最高,水工三连灰胡杨群落多样性最低,土壤水盐的空间异质性是引起荒漠植被空间分布与群落多样性差异的主导因子。表征荒漠群落多样性以重要值和盖度为测度指标优于多度指标,其中以重要值为测度指标来反映群落多样性更为合理。相关与主成分分析表明,均匀度与多样性指数间的相关性高于丰富度与多样性指数,且多样性指数受均匀度、优势度指数受丰富度影响较大,反映出荒漠河岸林群落多样性主要决定于物种分布的均匀程度。12种多样性指数中Margalef丰富度指数（Ma）、Shannon-Weiner多样性指数（H）与Simpson多样性指数（D）能客观真实地反映异质生境荒漠植物群落多样性。同时,针对高度生境异质性的荒漠植物群落,还应综合考虑群落物种组成与生境特征,选择合适的多样性指数组合可更客观地反映荒漠河岸林群落多样性变化。     

澳门城市栖息地斑块中鸟类群落功能和谱系多样性

了解群落构建过程是生态学的核心和基本问题,这对于解释物种共存和物种多样性的维持,完善生物多样性保护政策至关重要。与传统的物种多样性相比,功能和谱系多样性能够提供更多的信息,特别是在群落构建过程方面提供深刻见解。2014年5月—2017年1月,采用样线法对澳门地区5个城市栖息地斑块中(生态一区、鹭鸟林、赛马场滩涂、关闸口岸滩涂和莲花桥侧红树林)的鸟类进行繁殖季和越冬季的调查,共调查14次。利用鸟类丰富度和多度来表征群落的物种多样性,其中多度以最大值保留法计;功能和谱系多样性分别采用功能丰富度(functional richness:FRic)和Faith'PD。同时,利用基于多度加权的平均成对功能距离(mean pairwise functional distance,MFD)和平均成对谱系距离(mean pairwise phylogenetic distance,MPD)来表征群落的功能和谱系结构。结果表明:共记录98种鸟类,隶属于14目32科,目、科、种中数量最多的依次为,雀形目鸟类最多为47种,鹭科物种数为11种,白鹭多度为849只;鸟类物种丰富度(68种)和PD在生态一区最高,多度在莲花桥侧红树林最高为2940只,MFD和FRic在赛马场滩涂最高,MPD在生态一区最高;斑块面积在鸟类丰富度、多度、FRic和PD中具有普遍重要性,植被面积和滩涂面积则分别强烈影响着MFD和MPD;关闸口岸滩涂和莲花桥侧红树林的鸟类群落SES.MFD显著低于随机值(P 0. 05),鹭鸟林和赛马场滩涂的鸟类群落SES. MPD显著低于随机值(P0.05),表明关闸口岸滩涂和莲花桥侧红树林鸟类群落功能聚集(functional clustering),可能与生境过滤驱动群落构建有关。栖息地斑块的特征差异导致了鸟类群落构建机制的不同,这是仅仅考虑物种多样性难以提供的信息,说明了研究群落构建机制时考虑多维度多样性的必要性。     

海南岛3个林区热带云雾林植物多样性变化

以分布在海南岛西部(霸王岭国家级自然保护区, 21个样方)、西南部(尖峰岭国家级自然保护区, 12个样方)和中部(黎母山省级自然保护区, 15个样方)的热带云雾林为研究对象, 研究α及β物种多样性、功能多样性、谱系多样性的变化, 为植物多样性的保护提供科学依据。结果表明: 尖峰岭群落树木个体多度、物种丰富度最大, 黎母山群落树木个体多度、物种丰富度最小; 黎母山群落间物种组成差异最大, 霸王岭群落间物种组成差异最小, 海南岛霸王岭(西部)、尖峰岭(西南部)和黎母山(中部) 3个林区热带云雾林物种多样性差异可能与空气温度和相对湿度有关。尖峰岭群落内功能丰富度、Rao’s二次熵最低, 功能均匀度最高, 群落间平均成对性状距离最小, 反映群落构建主要受环境筛影响; 霸王岭群落Rao’s二次熵最高, 功能均匀度最低, 群落间平均成对性状距离最大, 反映群落构建主要受限制相似性影响; 黎母山群落内功能丰富度最高, 群落间平均最近性状距离最大, 表明限制相似性在黎母山热带云雾林群落构建中的作用更重要。霸王岭群落内谱系多样性、物种间平均最近相邻谱系距离均较大, 反映物种间谱系关系趋于发散; 黎母山群落内谱系多样性、物种间平均成对谱系距离及群落间平均成对谱系距离均最小, 反映物种间谱系关系趋于聚集; 而尖峰岭群落内物种间平均成对谱系距离、群落间平均成对谱系距离最大, 但物种间平均最近相邻谱系距离最小, 反映物种间谱系关系既具有发散又具有聚集的共存格局。因此, 海南岛热带云雾林群落植物多样性变化格局与环境及物种间相互作用有关。     

乌鲁木齐市园林春秋季鸟类群落多样性

2011年4～5月、10～11月,用样线法对乌鲁木齐市中心城区5个园林鸟类群落的组成和多样性进行了调查,共记录到鸟类47种,隶属于9目23科,分布型以古北界为主。其中留鸟、夏候鸟和冬候鸟分别占鸟类总种数的44.68%、34.04%和10.64%,鸟类群落优势种为[树]麻雀Passer montanus、家麻雀Passer domesticus和乌鸫Turdus merula。园林鸟类的平均密度为(11.27±4.3)只/hm2(±S.D.),春季鸟类密度高于秋季,但二者差异不显著(F=0.002,P=0.194)。春季鸟类群落拥有较高物种丰富度和多样性,夏候鸟是此时鸟类群落的重要组成部分;秋季鸟类群落的多样性低而优势度较高,冬候鸟对群落结构影响不大。各园林样地记录到的鸟类种数和密度差异较为明显,园林的内部生境多样性与鸟类种数呈正相关(R=0.9,P=0.037)。     

Local‐ and landscape‐level effects of land use change on bird diversity in Abiata‐Shalla Lakes National Park,Ethiopia

Understanding the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on biodiversity is important for conservation prioritization. This study examined the effects of vegetation degradation on bird diversity in Abiata‐Shalla Lakes National Park, Ethiopia. We surveyed birds and vegetation structure between January and March 2015 in disturbed (impacted by settlement and agriculture) and undisturbed (not impacted) transects of two vegetation types (savannah woodland and gallery forest). We compared between disturbed and undisturbed transects at local (within vegetation types) and landscape (across vegetation types) levels: (a) avian species richness of the entire assemblage and feeding guilds and (b) species assemblage composition. We found significantly greater mean and total bird species richness of the entire assemblage and insectivore and granivore feeding guilds in the undisturbed transects, while the nectarivore guild was totally absent in the disturbed transects. We also found significant differences in bird species assemblage composition between the disturbed and undisturbed transects both within and across the vegetation types, and bird species assemblage composition at the landscape level was positively correlated with tree abundance and understorey vegetation height. In conclusion, our results demonstrate and add to the increasing body of evidence concerning the adverse effects of human‐induced vegetation change on bird diversity.     

The impact of cattle grazing regimes on tropical savanna bird assemblages

Globally, agricultural land use is implicated in the decline of avifauna. In rangelands (areas used for livestock grazing), bird community responses to grazing can be complex, species‐specific and scale dependent. A greater understanding of bird responses to grazing will lead to more meaningful management recommendations. We tested the hypothesis that foraging height predicts bird species’ responses to grazing, such that species using lower vegetation strata are most likely to respond to the impacts of livestock grazing. We examined the response of a tropical savanna bird community to four grazing strategies at a long‐term grazing trial in northern Australia. We predicted that ground‐foraging guilds would be more responsive to grazing treatment than foliage‐ or aerial‐foraging guilds. We analysed the bird community assemblage using generalised linear mixed models and examined individual species’ abundance in relation to microhabitat variables. We found that while ground‐foraging guilds were more responsive to grazing treatment, individual species dynamics within a foraging guild could be contradictory. For example, the red‐backed fairy‐wren decreased in abundance with increased grazing and was positively associated with grass and shrub (Carissa ovata) cover, whereas Australian magpies increased in abundance in the most heavily grazed paddocks. In general, the responses of bird species to grazing were more pronounced in guilds that forage closer to the ground, but whether the responses were positive or negative was driven by bird species ecology. Measures examining the responses of individual species are more useful than assemblage measures (such as richness) to describe the impacts of anthropogenic disturbance such as grazing.     

Seasonality,habitat type and locality influenced bird assemblage structure in Nigeria

This is the first report of the avian assemblage in the study area of Dutse, Nigeria. In addition to recording bird species, the effects of season, dominant vegetation structure, locality and anthropogenic activities on bird abundance, species richness and diversity were investigated. Using the point transect method, 264 points on 48 km of transect were used to count birds between 06:30 and 11:00 from August 2015 to February 2016. A total of 122 bird species of 41 families were recorded. Highest bird species richness was recorded in Warwade, highest abundance in Model, and highest diversity in Malamawa. The dry season and woodland habitat showed higher bird species richness, abundance and diversity than the wet season and shrubland habitat. Tree density was more important in increasing bird abundance than shrub density. Small-scale anthropogenic activities and habitat modification, such as farming, grazing, wood removal and human interference did not appear to have impacted the birds; however, loss of high tree-density woodland habitats may pose a major threat to the bird community in Dutse. The presence of birds of concern in the area suggests the need for conservation efforts of avifauna and as well as the forested habitats in Dutse.     

Scaling coexistence and assemblage patterns of desert small mammals

Scaling biodiversity patterns has been recognized lately as a very important issue in the search of global processes; however coexistence and assemblage patterns are typically approached at a single spatial scale. Here, we examined coexistence and co-occurrence patterns of desert small mammal communities across different spatial scales in the search of general community patterns. We sampled small mammals in Monte desert (Argentina, South America) for small spatial scales and reviewed published papers from other worldwide deserts for large spatial scale analyses. We used classic community estimators (Shannon, Richness), rank abundance curves and fitting distributions to analyze species coexistence and co-occurrence patterns. Assemblage patterns were analyzed evaluating nestedness across spatial scales and among deserts. Worldwide desert small mammal assemblages are characterized mainly by low species richness and high variation in species composition. The central Monte desert of Argentina showed a consistent assemblage pattern across spatial scales, with a generalist species being the most abundant and widely distributed, accompanied by other subordinate and more narrowly distributed species. All Monte desert communities were significantly nested, with nestedness increasing with scale from patch to regional. Assemblage and coexistence patterns were similar when comparing worldwide deserts despite differences in total richness and faunal singularity. The degree of nestedness varied among worldwide deserts; however all of them showed a consistent nested pattern. Differences in the degree of nestedness could be a result of different regulating factors depending on the desert and scale. These results highlight the importance of including multiscale approaches when dealing with processes that structure desert communities.     

Relationships between vegetation and bird community composition in grasslands of the Serengeti

The Serengeti–Mara ecosystem holds one of the largest natural grasslands of the world, which is well known for its large herds of mammals. However, the bird community structure of these grasslands has hardly ever been studied. For the first time, a large‐scale study on grassland bird communities has been conducted in all typical open grasslands of the Serengeti National Park. We used ten grassland plots representing a gradient of increasing vegetation height and also including shrubs and trees to analyse the influence of vegetation structure on the composition of grassland bird communities. Three communities of breeding birds were identified in relation to (a) short grass, (b) intermediate and long grass and (c) wooded grasslands. The bird communities of intermediate, long and wooded grassland were very similar, because of identical dominant bird species. Our results suggest that breeding birds of East African grasslands exhibit two contrasting habitat relationships: (1) birds that are restricted to short grass, and (2) species that are tolerant to vegetational shifts from intermediate grass via long grass to early stages of woody vegetation. Because the vegetation is often driven beyond this range in managed tropical grasslands through high grazing pressure or through shrub encroachment, we expect that the long‐grass bird communities will not generally resist anthropogenic disturbance.     

VARIABILITY IN VEGETATION EFFECTS ON DENSITY AND NESTING SUCCESS OF GRASSLAND BIRDS

Abstract: The structure of vegetation in grassland systems, unlike that in forest systems, varies dramatically among years on the same sites, and among regions with similar vegetation. The role of this variation in vegetation structure on bird density and nesting success of grassland birds is poorly understood, primarily because few studies have included sufficiently large temporal and spatial scales to capture the variation in vegetation structure, bird density, or nesting success. To date, no large-scale study on grassland birds has been conducted to investigate whether grassland bird density and nesting success respond similarly to changes in vegetation structure. However, reliable management recommendations require investigations into the distribution and nesting success of grassland birds over larger temporal and spatial scales. In addition, studies need to examine whether bird density and nesting success respond similarly to changing environmental conditions. We investigated the effect of vegetation structure on the density and nesting success of 3 grassland-nesting birds: clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida), Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), and bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) in 3 regions of the northern tallgrass prairie in 1998–2001. Few vegetation features influenced the densities of our study species, and each species responded differently to those vegetation variables. We could identify only 1 variable that clearly influenced nesting success of 1 species: clay-colored sparrow nesting success increased with increasing percentage of nest cover from the surrounding vegetation. Because responses of avian density and nesting success to vegetation measures varied among regions, years, and species, land managers at all times need to provide grasslands with different types of vegetation structure. Management guidelines developed from small-scale, short-term studies may lead to misrepresentations of the needs of grassland-nesting birds.     

Wildlife species benefitting from a greener Arctic are most sensitive to shrub cover at leading range edges

Widespread expansion of shrubs is occurring across the Arctic. Shrub expansion will substantially alter arctic wildlife habitats. Identifying which wildlife species are most affected by shrubification is central to predicting future arctic community composition. Through meta‐analysis, we synthesized the published evidence for effects of canopy‐forming shrubs on birds and mammals in the Arctic and Subarctic. We examined variation in species behaviour, distribution and population dynamics in birds and mammals in response to shrub cover (including shrub cover indicators such as shrub occurrence, extent, density and height). We also assessed the degree of heterogeneity in wildlife responses to shrub cover and synthesized the remaining literature that did not fit the criteria for our quantitative meta‐analyses. Species from higher green vegetation biomass habitats (high Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, NDVI, across their distribution) were more likely to respond positively to shrub cover, demonstrating the potential for species to expand from boreal to arctic habitats under shrubification. Wildlife populations located in the lowest vegetation biomass (low NDVI) areas of their species’ range had the greatest proportion of positive responses to shrub cover, highlighting how increases in performance at leading edges of invaders distributions may be particularly rapid. This demonstrates the need to study species at these leading edges to accurately predict expansion potential. Arctic specialists were poorly represented across studies (limited to 5 bird and 0 mammal species), this knowledge gap potentially explains the few reported negative effects of shrub cover (3 of 29 species). Species responses to shrub cover showed substantial heterogeneity and varied among sites and years in all studies with sufficient replication to detect such variation. Our study highlights the importance of responses at species range edges in determining outcomes of shrubification for arctic birds and mammals and the need for greater examination of potential wildlife losers under shrubification.     

城市公园植被特征对陆生鸟类集团的影响

城市公共绿地是城市生态系统中重要的鸟类栖息地,其植被特征对鸟类集团存在显著影响。在通过分析植被特征对陆生鸟类集团的作用,从而为公园合理配置植被来提高其作为野生动物栖息地的生态服务功能提供理论基础。2009年10月至2011年10月,采用样线法对上海滨江森林公园进行鸟类调查,利用主成分分析划分鸟类集团,用高度定义植被层次,用卡方检验分析鸟类行为在植被层次上的差异。结果表明,滨江森林公园陆生鸟类群落在乔木层的栖息行为和运动行为频次显著多于其在灌木层和地被层的行为频次,在地被层的取食行为频次显著多于其在乔木层和灌木层的行为频次。陆生鸟类可划分为8个鸟类集团,鸟类集团之间存在栖息、运动和取食空间生态位的重叠。食虫拾取集团、杂食拾取集团、食肉飞取集团和植食拾取集团在栖息、运动和取食空间生态位上均存在较高的重叠度,其通过食性分离各自空间生态位。食虫探取集团和食虫飞取集团互为栖息空间生态位重叠度最高集团,其通过取食方式的不同来实现生态位的分离。根据公园植被特征对鸟类集团的影响结果对上海市公园绿地植被配置提出了建议。     

Exclusion of deer affects responses of birds to woodland regeneration in winter and summer

Using an exclosure experiment in managed woodland in eastern England, we examined species and guild responses to vegetation growth and its modification by deer herbivory, contrasting winter and the breeding season over 4 years. Species and guild responses, in terms of seasonal presence recorded by multiple point counts, were examined using generalized linear mixed models. Several guilds or migrant species responded positively to deer exclusion and none responded negatively. The shrub‐layer foraging guild was recorded less frequently in older and browsed vegetation, in both winter and spring. Exclusion of deer also increased the occurrence of ground‐foraging species in both seasons, although these species showed no strong response to vegetation age. The canopy‐foraging guild was unaffected by deer exclusion or vegetation age in either season. There was seasonal variation in the responses of some individual resident species, including a significantly lower occurrence of Eurasian Wren Troglodytes troglodytes and European Robin Erithacus rubecula in browsed vegetation in winter, but no effect of browsing on those species in spring. Ordinations of bird assemblage compositions also revealed seasonal differences in response to gradients of vegetation structure generated by canopy‐closure and exclusion of deer. Positive impacts of deer exclusion in winter are probably linked to reduced thermal cover and predator protection afforded by browsed vegetation, whereas species that responded positively in spring were also dependent on a dense understorey for nesting. The effects on birds of vegetation development and its modification by herbivores extend beyond breeding assemblages, with different mechanisms implicated and different species affected in winter.     

Migratory bird community structure in oil palm (Elaies guineensis) plantations and native forest fragments in southern Mexico

Oil palm (Elaies guineensis) plantations are among the fastest growing agroecosystems in the Neotropics, but little is known about how Neotropical birds use oil palm habitats. To better understand the potential value of oil palm as an overwintering habitat for migratory birds, we surveyed birds in oil palm and native forest remnants in Tabasco, Mexico, from 19 December 2017 to 27 March 2018. We collected data on bird abundance and vegetative structure and used generalized linear models and multivariate analysis to assess how oil palm development influenced migrant bird diversity, community assemblages, and abundance. We found that species richness of migratory birds tended to be higher in forest patches than in oil palm, that community assemblages of migratory birds differed between native forest and oil palm plantations, and that differences in migratory bird abundance, and subsequent changes in community assemblages were driven by differences between native forest and oil palm plantations in vegetative structure. The bird community of native forest was characterized by migrant species sensitive to forest loss that forage low in the understory and in the leaf litter, whereas the bird community of oil palm plantations was represented by generalist species that occupy a wider range of foraging niches. Our results suggest that most species of migrant birds responded positively to several forest structural features and that integrating more native trees and increasing the amount of understory vegetation in oil palm plantations may increase the value of working landscapes for migratory birds.