Predictable shorebird departure patterns from a staging site can inform collision risks and mitigation of wind energy developments

High-quality staging sites are critical for long-distance migratory shorebirds to rest and refuel but are under threat from human development, including expansion of wind energy projects. However, predicting migration timing and movements in relation to weather conditions at staging sites can increase our understanding and mitigate effects of wind turbine collisions. Here we assessed northward migration timing and orientation in relation to environmental conditions at an inland staging area in Saskatchewan, Canada, with active and proposed wind energy developments. The area is known to host ~25% of North America's Sanderling Calidris alba population and 16 other Arctic-breeding migrant shorebird species. We quantified arrival and departure time of day in relation to weather using data from 140 of 237 Sanderlings radiotagged locally and at a southern staging site in the Gulf of Mexico with the Motus Wildlife Tracking System (April–June, 2015–2017). Although Sanderling arrival times were not related to time of day or weather, departures were more likely at sunset in winds blowing towards the northwest at intermediate speeds (<22 km/h). Departure flights were also primarily oriented north-northwest in the direction of a proposed wind energy development site at a mean ground speed of 21.4 m/s. Based on published climb rates and flight speed data, we estimated that shorebirds needed between 2 and 14 km setback distance to clear maximum turbine heights of 165 m. Given that departure events were predictable in time and space, adaptive mitigation may be useful for planning wind energy developments while reducing risk for staging Arctic-breeding shorebirds.     

中国鸟类亚种新记录——黑冠黄鹎

2010年12月和2011年4月,分别在广西西北部百色市右江区和靖西县古龙山自然保护区拍摄和观察到黑冠黄鹎(Pycnonotus flaviventris)的johnsoni亚种.其喉部为红色,与中国其他记录亚种区别明显,属中国鸟类亚种的新记录.该文亦初步讨论了该亚种的分类和分布.     

A response to Gatali and Wallin (2015) Bird diversity in the savanna habitats of Akagera National Park,Rwanda, in the post-war recovery period

The paper ‘Bird diversity in the savanna habitats of Akagera National Park, Rwanda, in the post-war recovery period’ by Gatali and Wallin (Ostrich 86(3): 267–276, 2015) makes several claims for new species records for Akagera National Park and Rwanda. We found that Gatali and Wallin recorded several species considered very rare in Rwanda and new discoveries; these findings often contradicted the existing literature. We doubt the validity of 34 species records and we aim to demonstrate that these claims are mostly the result of misidentification or human error and consider that future researchers should use their findings with caution. Some findings around more common species may be validated through further studies and we encourage others to conduct fieldwork in Akagera National Park.     

The impact of roads on the avifauna of páramo grasslands in Cajas National Park,Ecuador

National parks are an important tool for conserving biodiversity, particularly in areas of high biodiversity and endemism such as the tropical Andes. However, national parks often face a variety of stressors related to recreation, road construction and illegal extraction of natural resources. Unfortunately, the influence of these stressors for biodiversity is rarely well documented. Cajas National Park in Ecuador is no exception. Despite being traversed by the Cuenca-Molleturo-Naranjal road, effects of the road construction on biodiversity have not been determined. We therefore assessed the influence of road proximity on bird species richness and abundance as well as composition of bird habitat groups in Cajas National Park using transect walks at 25 m and 250 m distance to the road (overall 18 transects, each 1 km length). In total, we recorded 1110 individuals of 28 páramo bird species. Overall species richness did not differ between transects near and far from the road. Nevertheless, the average abundance of shrubby páramo species was significantly higher far from the road than near the road (Far = 36, Near = 25). Moreover, we found a tendency towards differences in the composition of bird habitat groups between transects near and far from the road. One aspect potentially driving the observed patterns was the increasing proportion of planted non-native woody tree species within páramo grassland near the road, which may have caused reduced abundances of shrubby páramo bird species there. While roads represented a clear impact on the composition of bird species in the páramo, the major effect seems to be driven by the introduction of non-native plant species along the roadside. In order to reduce the impact of roads to a minimum, we suggest that park managers should control the introduction of such plant species.     

Effect of mineral oil on Potato virus Y acquisition by Rhopalosiphum padi

Seed potato crops are currently sprayed weekly with mineral oil to prevent transmission of the Potato virus Y (PVY; Potyviridae: Potyvirus), one of the most prevalent and important non‐persistent viruses affecting potato production. In spite of its wide usage as inhibitor of virus transmission, the mode of action for mineral oil is poorly known. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of dosage and time from application of mineral oil on the inhibition of PVY acquisition. The bird cherry‐oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), known as vector of PVY, was used in all the experiments. The results indicated that mineral oil efficiently decreased PVY acquisition by 75 and 70% 1 day after application of 5 and 10 l ha^?1, respectively. The inhibition effect decreased with time from application; mineral oil inhibits acquisition for less than 4 days at 5 l ha^?1 and between 8 and 12 days at 10 l ha^?1. As mineral oil was detected in the body of fewer aphids when they fed on plants 1 day after oil application, a change in the aphid probing behaviour on mineral oil‐treated plants was deduced. These results support the hypothesis that mineral oil physically inhibits the binding of the virus at the tip of the stylets.     

An experimental investigation into the effects of traffic noise on distributions of birds: avoiding the phantom road

Many authors have suggested that the negative effects of roads on animals are largely owing to traffic noise. Although suggestive, most past studies of the effects of road noise on wildlife were conducted in the presence of the other confounding effects of roads, such as visual disturbance, collisions and chemical pollution among others. We present, to our knowledge, the first study to experimentally apply traffic noise to a roadless area at a landscape scale—thus avoiding the other confounding aspects of roads present in past studies. We replicated the sound of a roadway at intervals—alternating 4 days of noise on with 4 days off—during the autumn migratory period using a 0.5 km array of speakers within an established stopover site in southern Idaho. We conducted daily bird surveys along our ‘Phantom Road’ and in a nearby control site. We document over a one-quarter decline in bird abundance and almost complete avoidance by some species between noise-on and noise-off periods along the phantom road and no such effects at control sites—suggesting that traffic noise is a major driver of effects of roads on populations of animals.     

北京西山地区大山雀与其它鸟类种群种间联结分析

引入2*2列联表联结指数法,用固定样带法月连续全天定位调查数据,以森林鸟类广布种山雀科大山雀(Parus major)为目标种,研究了北京西山地区该种与留鸟、夏候鸟、冬候鸟、旅鸟的种间联结关系,结合前人关于营巢行为、取食行为、生态位等方面成果分析了产生联结的原因,首次确立了鸟类群落种间联结的研究方法。结果表明： （1）用固定样带法月连续全天定位调查,引入2*2列联表以日尺度的定性数据检验与测定联结度,与月尺度的联结频率结合起来,分析鸟类群落的种间联结是可行的;鸟类群落的种间联结具有时间与空间尺度的双重属性,鸟类群落的种间联结度不仅是鸟类群落时空结构与格局的表征,同时,反映了鸟类群落的动态性,而且,鸟类群落的种间联结对栖息的植物群落具有依赖性与关联性。 （2）日尺度上,选择χ2统计量、PCC与PC指数相结合进行种间联结检验、测度,能充分反映鸟类群落的种间联结特征,但由于鸟类的居留、繁殖、迁移等季节动态性特征,种间联结度存有不确定性。 （3）月尺度上,鸟类总体种间联结8月份为显著负联结,其余各月为显著正联结;根据PCC联结度的月联结频率,可将鸟类划分为正联结组、正负联结均较弱组、负联结组;大山雀与留鸟、夏候鸟、冬候鸟、旅鸟等不同居留型的联结关系,随着种数的减少,显著联结种对、联结度、联结复杂程度呈递减趋势。大山雀与留鸟的联结：与鸦科鸟类呈明显正联结,与同科鸟类呈正负均等的弱联结并趋于负联结,与体型较大的雉、啄木鸟、乌鸦等鸟类呈负联结。大山雀与夏候鸟的联结：与杜鹃科四声杜鹃呈正联结,与同科的黄腹山雀、鹟科的白眉姬正负联结均较弱,与莺科的黄腰柳莺、鸫科的北红尾鸲等呈负联结。大山雀与冬候鸟的联结：与岩鹨科棕眉山岩鹨的正负联结均较弱,与鸫科的斑鸫、鹀科多种鸟类呈明显的负联结。大山雀与旅鸟的联结：与莺科鸟类由正负联结均较弱到明显的负联结。     

光照强度对大花旋蒴苣苔叶形态和生理指标的影响

以复苏植物大花旋蒴苣苔(Boea clarkeana)为盆栽实验材料,通过梯度遮光处理,研究不同光照强度(100%、80%、60%、40%和20%透光率)和不同处理时间(30、60、90、120和150d)对大花旋蒴苣苔叶生长指标和生理指标的影响。结果表明:随着光照强度的减弱,大花旋蒴苣苔叶的各生长指标(叶片长、叶片宽、叶柄长、叶柄直径以及叶面积)呈现先增大后减小的趋势,透光率为60%时达到最大值;全光照(100%透光率)时,大花旋蒴苣苔表现出明显的外伤症状,透光率为80%和20%时,分别表现出中度伤害和轻度伤害,透光率为40%和60%时,未出现明显的外伤症状;过氧化氢酶(CAT)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化物酶(POD)3种抗氧化酶活性均较低且随着光强减弱呈现先降低后升高的趋势,随着处理时间的延长呈先上升后下降的趋势,全光照时抗氧化酶的活性最大,透光率60%处理下酶活性相对较低;丙二醛(MDA)含量、脯氨酸(Pro)含量和质膜透性随着光强减弱呈先降低后升高的趋势,随着处理时间的延长显著升高;叶绿素含量随着光强减弱呈逐渐上升的趋势,随着处理时间的延长先降低后升高。分析表明,40%～60%的透光率有利于大花旋蒴苣苔的生长,强光和弱光对大花旋蒴苣苔的生长均不利。     

Plant‐mediated effects of drought on aphid population structure and parasitoid attack

The effects of predicted climate change on aphid–natural enemy interactions have principally considered the effects of elevated carbon dioxide concentration and air temperature. However, increased incidence of summer droughts are also predicted in Northern Europe, which could affect aphid–plant interactions and aphid antagonists. We investigated how simulated summer drought affected the bird cherry–oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi L., and its natural enemy the parasitoid wasp Aphidius ervi. Drought and, to a greater extent, aphids reduced barley ( Hordeum vulgare) dry mass by 33% and 39%, respectively. Drought reduced leaf and root nitrogen concentrations by 13% and 28%, respectively, but foliar amino acid concentrations and composition remained similar. Aphid numbers were unaffected by drought, but population demography changed significantly; adults constituted 41% of the population on drought‐treated plants, but only 26% on those receiving ambient irrigation. Nymphs constituted 56% and 69% of the population on these plants, respectively, suggesting altered aphid development rates on drought‐stressed plants. Parasitism rates were significantly lower on drought‐stressed plants (9 attacks h^?1 compared with 35 attacks h^?1 on ambient‐irrigated plants), most likely because of lower incidence of nymphs and more adults, the latter being more difficult to parasitize. Any physiological changes in individual aphids did not affect parasitoid preferences, suggesting that attacks were postponed because of drought‐induced changes in aphid demography. This study demonstrates the potential for sporadic climate change events, such as summer drought, to be disruptive to herbivore–antagonist interactions.     

Habitat associations and communities of breeding birds in the highlands of south-west Jordan

Abstract

Habitat associations and communities of breeding birds were studied for the first time in a semi-arid region in the southern highlands of Jordan. Birds were censused and habitat variables estimated in different habitat types, ranging from steppe to open, Mediterranean-type woodland. The variation of abundance of several species was explained adequately with multiple regressions of up to five habitat variables. A distinct bird community was identified by using principal component analysis on the highland plateau (e.g. Short-toed Lark, Isabelline Wheatear), in steppe habitats modified by dry farming methods. The plateau was identified as a transition zone of Palaeoxeric/Turkestanian and Mediterranean faunal types. The remainding cluster included species of diverse origins (Palaearctic, Mediterranean, Saharo-Sindian, Afrotropical and others). It was subdivided into three bird assemblages with preferences for following habitat types: Mediterranean-type open woodlands (e.g. Syrian Serin), dwarf shrub formations of higher altitudes (e.g. Spectacled Warbler), dwarf shrub formations, including clearings and the edge of woodlands at lower altitudes (e.g. Scrub Warbler).