Foraging,roosting, and nesting habitats of the avian fauna of the Agmon wetland,northern Israel

The foraging, nesting and roosting habitats of the avian fauna of a newly created Agmon wetland and surrounding cultivated peat land (5 km2) in the Hula Valley, northern Israel, were evaluated (January 1996–February 1997) to assess the value as a habitat and for wildlife tourism. We recorded 180 bird species (herons, dabbling ducks, kingfishers, waders, wagtails and raptors) in different habitats (the lake, shores, cattail and reed-bed stands, trees, temporary inundated areas). The most heavily used habitat for foraging, breeding, and roosting was a large cattail stand in the southern third of the lake. The foraging habitat and diet data of 97 avian species were determined. The most intensively used foraging habitats were cultivated fields, lake shore reed-beds, shallow canals and the cattail stand. Forty six species nested in the wetland during March-October, with 2,040 colonial and solitary nests mostly in the cattail stand, near-shore reed-beds and young trees. Roosts, also mostly in the cattail and reed-bed stands and in trees, were used by 55 species. Based on this survey of available habitats, we identified several key habitats that are either missing or require further development (e.g., temporarily inundated mud flats, reed-beds and bare islands). We also provide suggestions for improving the delicate balance between requirements of this developing wetland ecosystem and of the adjacent agricultural areas.     

Lakes Hula and Agmon: destruction and creation of wetland ecosystems in northern Israel

A portion of the former Lake Hula wetland (northern Israel) was re-flooded in spring 1994 and the physical, chemical and biological developments within the resulting new lake and wetland complex (Agmon) was followed closely by a multi-disciplinary scientific team. The first three years of study relating to Lake Agmon are reported in this issue of Wetlands Ecology & Management. We provide in this paper a general background on the Lake Hula Draining Project in the 1950s and the recent re-flooding and creation of the Agmon wetland.     

自然保护区气候变化风险及其评估——以达里诺尔国家级自然保护区为例

从基于风险管理应对气候变化的基本理论框架和气候变化对我国自然保护区管理的挑战出发,明确了自然保护区气候变化风险的涵义,并以达里诺尔自然保护区鸟类及其赖以生存的水体、草地、林地、沼泽地生境为研究对象,对达里诺尔自然保护区气候变化风险及其变化趋势进行评估和预测.结果表明: 1997—2010年,达里诺尔自然保护区及其水体、草地、林地、沼泽地生境的气候变化风险均呈明显的波动性变化趋势,1999、2001、2005、2008年保护区及其4类生境和2002、2004年沼泽地生境均处于风险状态;与2010年相比,情景A、B、C下2020、2030年保护区及其4类生境的气候变化风险均有所增强;各类生境的气候变化风险存在显著差异,其中,沼泽地生境的气候变化风险较为突出,与其对气候变化的敏感性和丰富的鸟类分布密切相关;人类对水资源、草地资源的过度利用会加剧气候变化对自然保护区的不利影响及其对应的生态风险.总体上,气候变化风险在达里诺尔自然保护区已经显现,气候变化风险管理有助于保持并增强自然保护区的生物多样性保护功能.     

甘肃黑河内陆河湿地自然保护区候鸟多样性

甘肃黑河为我国第二大内陆河,位于其中游的黑河湿地自然保护区为内陆河流湿地生态系统自然保护区。2008年分季节采用样线法和样点法调查该保护区湿地、农田村庄、人工林和荒漠4种生境的鸟类种类和数量。调查共记录保护区分布的鸟类17目35科116种,其中夏候鸟73种(占鸟类种类的62.93%),迁徙过路鸟20种(占17.24%),留鸟17种(占14.66%),冬候鸟6种(占5.17%)。其中,属于《湿地公约》的水禽56种。在湿地生境共记录鸟类70种,占保护区鸟类种数的60.34%,其中繁殖期在湿地生境栖息的鸟类有50种,绝大部分为夏候鸟(47种),留鸟只有3种;迁徙季节分布有44种鸟类,其中迁徙过路鸟(只在迁徙季节见到)有17种,占迁徙季节鸟类种类数的38.64%。村庄农田、人工林以及荒漠生境中,繁殖期和迁飞期共记录鸟类57种,夏候鸟有33种,留鸟有17种,迁徙过路鸟只有3种。甘肃张掖黑河湿地保护区是众多水禽在我国西北地区的重要繁殖地和迁徙停歇地,是我国候鸟迁徙西部路线上的关键区域。     

河北衡水湖自然保护区水鸟多样性分布格局及其保护优先区

水鸟是反映湿地生态系统状况的指示物种,水鸟多样性保护优先区识别对自然保护区功能区划和湿地保护修复具有重要意义。于2020年5月-2021年4月,开展了衡水湖自然保护区水鸟群落的调查监测,采用GIS软件和结构方程模型等分析其不同区域水鸟群落结构和季节性变化、水鸟多样性分布格局及其驱动因素。结果表明:(1)衡水湖自然保护区不同区域均表现出以雁鸭类等游禽为优势种的水鸟群落特征,衡水湖西湖和滏东排河的水鸟物种丰富度和Shannon多样性指数最高,衡水湖东湖的水鸟种群数量最大,滏阳新河的鸻鹬类种群数量相对较大。(2)不同区域水鸟群落具有明显的季节性变化特征,春夏季涉禽数量明显增多,但仅在衡水湖自然保护区东湖、西湖和滏阳新河成为水鸟群落的优势种;9月之后各区域游禽种数和种群数量占比均明显上升,雁鸭类成为优势种群。(3)水鸟物种丰富度和种群数量较高的区域主要在自然保护区的湿地恢复区、滏东排河和小湖隔堤两侧等地;不同类群水鸟的空间分布格局差异较大,雁鸭类分布较为分散,鸻鹬类、鹤鹳类水鸟分布更为集中;栖息地状况是影响衡水湖水鸟多样性的主要因素。(4)衡水湖水鸟保护优先区包括湿地恢复区及周边区域、南李庄鱼塘、良心庄鱼塘及周边区域、东湖的姊妹东岛、小湖隔堤两侧等5个区域,占保护区总面积的8.94%。研究结果为衡水湖自然保护区的功能区划、水鸟保护策略制定、栖息地保护修复提供了相关依据。     

遥感与GIS支持下的崇明东滩迁徙鸟类生境适宜性分析

崇明东滩鸟类自然保护区位于长江入海口,是国际迁徙鸟类重要的栖息地.受自然和社会因素影响,该地区鸟类栖息环境正处于快速变化.研究采用面向对象的图像分割方法提取鸟类生境适宜性多边形评价单元,根据近年来野外调查数据分析了影响迁徙鸟类生存的地类、植被、潮沟、底栖生物等关键环境因素,建立了鸟类与关键环境影响因素的定性定量关系.在此基础上利用GIS空间分析方法和技术,进行了崇明东滩鸟类保护区内主要四大鸟类种群雁鸭类、鸻鹬类、鹭类以及鸥类的生境适宜性分析.结果表明:(1)崇明东滩迁徙鸟类生境较适宜的面积占保护区总面积40%左右;(2)光滩区域、与光滩邻近的海三棱藨草带以及潮沟地带是鸟类生境适宜性较好的地理区域;(3)基于面向对象的遥感分析技术和GIS空间分析技术,能有效且简便地对生态环境处于快速动态变化中的物种生境适宜性进行快速、客观准确的分析评价,其结果可为崇明东滩鸟类种群及其生存环境规划、保护和管理提供基础科学依据.     

四川老君山自然保护区不同生境鸟类多样性研究

2006年4~5月采用"点样带法"(point transects)对四川老君山自然保护区的鸟类物种组成和种群数量进行了调查,共记录到85种鸟类,分属7目22科。其中,国家级保护鸟类5种,我国特有种13种,优势种4种。把调查区域划分为3种生境:原始林、次生林和人工林,并对各生境鸟类群落的鸟类数量级、鸟类群落的物种多样性、鸟类群落间的相似性进行了比较分析,其结果表明:1)国家级保护鸟类在原始林中最多,次生林中最少;我国特有种则是次生林中最多,人工林中最少。2)鸟类群落Shannon-Wiener物种多样性指数原始林最高,人工林最低。3)原始林和次生林之间的B ray-Curtis相似性指数最高,原始林和人工林之间相似性指数最低。     

General water chemistry and quality in newly-created subtropical wetland lake

Sixty km2 of the southern Hula Valley (northern Israel) peat lands were flooded in 1994 as part of the Hula Valley Restoration Project. The small, shallow lake (110 ha, mean depth < 1 m) and network of ca. 90 km of canals created were designed to ameliorate problems (e.g., underground fires, soil subsidence, increased nutrient loading downstream to Lake Kinneret) resulting from drying the Lake Hula wetlands in the 1950s. This new wetland area now serves as the focus for developing eco-tourism in northern Israel. The initial development of this new ecosystem has been followed closely by a multi-disciplinary team of researchers, with an emphasis on water quality in the new lake and the potential impact of the project on Lake Kinneret. Here we report an overview of developments in general water chemistry of Lake Agmon during its first three years (1994–1996). Water quality in Agmon was within general expectations for a shallow lake situated on peat. The first year of Agmon was characterized by the heavy influence of stream and drainage inflows with high pH, alkalinity, turbidity and electrical conductivity and high concentrations of sulfate and total dissolved solids. By the third year, however, many in lake processes (e.g., nutrient cycling and algal and macrophytic production) were well-developed and thus strongly affected lake water quality. Excessive phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations in the lake have led to hypertrophy, characterized by low dissolved oxygen concentrations and prolific blooms of nuisance algae. The management of this new ecosystem in the near future will require persistent, and innovative measures.     

Effects of Long Piers on Birds in Tidal Wetlands

ABSTRACT As human development continues in coastal areas, shoreline properties adjacent to expansive tidal marsh habitat are increasingly used for access to coastal waterways via long piers (>30 m) over marsh habitat. These tidal wetlands provide breeding and foraging habitat for many marsh birds, which may be affected by the human disturbance associated with long piers. Our objectives were to determine the effect of long piers over vegetated tidal marshes on the relative abundance and species richness of marsh birds. We completed combined passive and callback surveys in tidal marsh habitat at 22 sites with long piers and 24 sites without long piers, May-July 2005–2006 in Worcester County, Maryland, USA. Pier sites had lower relative abundance and species richness of obligate marsh birds than nonpier sites. Pier sites had a greater relative abundance of gulls, terns, herons, and egrets than nonpier sites. Pier sites had fewer species of herons and egrets than at nonpier sites. The presence of long piers had no affect on facultative marsh birds. Long pier density was negatively related to obligate marsh bird relative abundance and species richness, and facultative marsh bird species richness, whereas it was positively related to the relative abundance and species richness of gulls and terns. Herons and egrets relative abundance and species richness were not related to long pier density. Obligate marsh birds were negatively affected by long piers, whereas herons, egrets, gulls, and terns appeared to benefit from perching opportunities. Based on the negative effects of long piers on obligate marsh birds, management should focus on reducing the presence and density of long piers in tidal marshes by requiring the removal of existing long piers, or reducing or eliminating permits for construction of new long piers.     

敦煌西湖湿地鸟类栖息地重要性模糊综合评判

根据2007～2008年在甘肃敦煌西湖国家级自然保护区进行的湿地鸟类调查种类和数量数据,运用模糊综合评判法对保护区内的8块湿地进行了湿地鸟类栖息地重要性评价. 评判中隶属度的确定采用最佳因子值法,并分春、秋两种最佳因子值进行评判.结果表明:(1)春季各湿地均比秋季的重要性程度高,春季是管理的重点;(2)春秋两季南湖湿地重要性(0.938和0.966)都要远大于其它的湿地.春季盐池湾、羊水海子、南大湖的结果较相近,重要性程度次之,可持有相同程度的管理水平.党河水库、墩子湾、马圈湾、南园湖的重要性程度较低,只需一般水平的管理;(3)秋季各湿地水平除了南湖外普遍较低,羊水海子和盐池湾的重要性(0.340和0.269)相对较高些,但也只需一般水平的管理.     

Biodiversity of Bitahai Nature Reserve in Yunnan Province, China

Bitahai Nature Reserve is located in Northwest Yunnan and is the highest elevation and the highest latitude wetland nature reserve in Yunnan Province. Bitahai Nature Reserve is a typical wetland nature reserve in very low latitude and high elevation with large areas of coniferous forest around the alpine till lakes, wetland and water area ecosystem while compared with natural reserves distributed same latitude in the world. The area of the reserve distribution is the key area of Transverse Mountain Region. It was a refuge for plant and wildlife because Transverse Mountains were not covered by ice in the Tertiary. And the area is now regarded as a center of forming new species and preserving ancient species. Species biodiversity is high and the distribution of some endemic animals and plants are limited in Transverse Mountains area. In the nature reserve, there are many first and second grade protected plants and animals listed in Lists of China National Priority Protection Fauna and Flora. All of these are precious materials of genetic diversity. The diversities of the plant community and vegetation contribute to ecosystem diversity. Thus, Bitahai Nature Reserve holds with high conservation value. However, its biodiversity is threatened by different factors and its conservation should be paid great attention.     

Balance between site fidelity and habitat preferences in colony site selection by herons and egrets

Habitat selection in avian species is a hierarchical process driven by different factors acting at multiple scales. Habitat preferences and site fidelity are two main factors affecting how colonial birds choose their breeding locations. Although these two factors affect how colonial species choose their habitats, previous studies have only focused on one factor at a time to explain the distribution of species at regional scales. Here we used 28 yr of colony location data of herons and egrets around Ibaraki prefecture in Japan in order to analyze the relative importance of habitat preferences and colony site fidelity for selecting breeding locations. We used Landsat satellite images together with a ground survey‐based map to create land‐use maps for past years and determine the habitats surrounding the herons and egrets colonies. Combining the estimated colony site fidelity with the habitat data, we used a random forest algorithm to create habitat selection models, which allowed us to analyze the changes in the importance of those factors over the years. We found high levels of colony site fidelity for each year of study, with its relative importance as a predictor for explaining colony distribution increasing drastically in the most recent five years. The increase in collective site fidelity could have been caused by recent changes in the population size of grey herons Ardea cinerea, a key species for colony establishment. We observed a balance between habitat preferences and colony site fidelity: habitat preferences were a more powerful predictor of colony distribution until 2008, when colony site fidelity levels were lower. Considering changes in the relative importance of these factors can lead to a better understanding of the habitat selection process and help to analyze bird species’ responses to environmental changes.     

陕西老县城自然保护区的鸟类多样性及G-F指数分析

2003年7月和2004年5月,利用样线法对陕西老县城自然保护区进行了鸟类多样性调查,结合历史资料,老县城自然保护区共有鸟类13目36科107属190种,其中国家重点保护鸟类16种,我国特有鸟类12种。按季节型区分,其中留鸟116种,夏候鸟56种,冬候鸟、旅鸟和迷鸟共计18种,从分布型区分,东洋种、古北种和广布种分别为70种、87种和33种。多样性指数分析显示,阔叶林生境中鸟类资源最为丰富,其次为针阔混交林。老县城自然保护区鸟类的优势种为红嘴蓝鹊(Urocissa erythrorhyncha)、星鸦(Nucifraga caryocatactes),此外,山雀类(Parusspp.)、柳莺类(Phylloscopusspp.)以及环颈雉(Phasianuscolchicus)也有较大的种群。同时,将老县城自然保护区的鸟类多样性与其周边的佛坪、长青、太白等自然保护区进行了G-F指数对比分析。发现佛坪自然保护区的鸟类多样性无论是F指数、G指数还是G-F指数均为最高,佛坪在鸟纲(AVES)科属水平上拥有相对较高的鸟类多样性。用基于科属水平的G-F指数与基于物种水平的Shannon-Wiener指数相结合评价某一地区的鸟类多样性,将更为客观。     

福建沿海湿地鸻鹬类资源调查

1997年1月～2003年4月,采用直接计数法与航线调查法相结合的方法对福建省海岸湿地的涉禽进行了调查,共发现鸻鹬类43种及亚种计56386只。结合以往的调查记录,得知福建沿海鸻鹬类共53种及亚种,占全国该类群总种数的62％。冬候鸟和旅鸟是本地鸻鹬类中占优势的生态类群。目前沿海滩涂的围垦和鸟类食物的减少,是鸻鹬类所面临的主要威胁。尽快制定湿地保护与合理利用的规划,对福建沿海湿地鸟类的保护至关重要。闽江口湿地不仅是鸻鹬类集中分布的区域,同时也是世界珍禽黑脸琵鹭(Platalea minor)重要的停歇地,应尽快建立闽江口湿地自然保护区。     

阜阳市重要湿地夏季鸟类多样性研究

为了掌握阜阳市重要湿地的鸟类资源,2011年7月-2011年9月,采用样带法对阜阳市4个重点湿地的夏季鸟类资源进行了调查。调查共记录阜阳市重要湿地鸟类11目25科43种,雀形目鸟类种数最多,共19种,占全部种类数的44.1%。东洋界、古北界和两界广布种分别占繁殖鸟种数的39.5%、34.8%、25.6%;湿地水鸟21种,占全部鸟类的47.8%;湿地鸟类群落的优势种为家燕、烟腹毛脚燕和灰椋鸟。八里河省级湿地自然保护区鸟类种数最多(N=30),多样性指数最高(H=2.49);4个湿地之间鸟类相似性系数均较高。鸟类多样性指数、鸟类种都与湿地面积呈显著正相关(多样性r=0.985,P=0.015;鸟种r=0.974,P=0.026)。从鸟类多样性保护考虑,湿地保护区和湿地公园的建设和管理应向保持湿地面积、增加植被复杂性发展。     

宁夏沙坡头国家自然保护区鸟类景观生态安全格局构建

随着宁夏沙坡头国家自然保护区的旅游发展与荒漠化进程,保护区内不同类型的鸟类均面临着日益增加的自然及人为干扰胁迫,鸟类群落的丰富度下降趋势显著。为了改善保护区内鸟类生物多样性现状,优化鸟类栖息地空间结构,基于现有鸟类调查与研究资料,筛选影响鸟类活动的各类阻力指数,建立鸟类活动最小累积阻力面,运用最小阻力模型构建景观生态安全格局。研究结果表明:源地面积为1690.67 hm~2,占保护区总体面积的12.09%;廊道共13条;辐射道共85条;战略点共8个;保护关键区面积为2634.48 hm~2,占保护区总体面积的18.76%。在此基础上,针对不同类型的重点保护地块、保护热点及栖息地之间的联系廊道提出鸟类保护的空间格局优化建议。详细梳理了阻力面模型的构建方法,改进了相关技术环节,为我国自然保护区生物多样性景观安全格局优化提供了科学的方法与实践指导。     

Cattle egrets are less able to cope with light refraction than are other herons

The majority of heron species (Aves, Ardeidae) forage on aquatic prey in shallow water. Prey detection, aiming and the beginning of the capture strikes are performed while the heron's eyes are above water. For most angles, as a result of air/water light refraction, the apparent image available to a heron is vertically displaced from the prey's real position. Herons must therefore correct for refraction. We tested the hypothesis that species that forage in aquatic habitats should be more able to correct for image disparity than those of terrestrial habitats. The ability of hand-reared herons of four species to capture stationary prey (fish) underwater (submerged) or in air (aerial) was tested. Three species (little egret Egretta garzetta, squacco heron Ardeola ralloides, and night heron Nycticorax nycticorax) normally forage in aquatic habitats while the fourth (cattle egret Bubulcus ibis) forages in terrestrial habitats. No individuals missed aerial prey. Success rates of little egrets and of squacco herons with submerged prey were high, while night herons became less successful with increased prey depth and/or distance. In cattle egrets, success rate was low and negatively correlated with prey depth. The observed interspecific differences may thus be related to (1) differential ability to correct for air/water light refraction and (2) the species' foraging behaviour. We suggest that cattle egrets are in the process of losing their ability to cope with submerged prey. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.     

青海湖国家级自然保护区水鸟的多样性及分布

青海湖国家级自然保护区为国际重要湿地,其野生候鸟种群曾于2005年感染高致病性禽流感病毒H5N1,对当地野生鸟类种群及牛态环境造成很大威胁.作者于2007年3-12月.采用直接计数法,对该保护区鸟类资源进行凋查.本次考察共记录到鸟类57种,隶属8目14科.其中留鸟2种,迷鸟3种,夏候鸟7种,迁徙路过鸟41种,冬候鸟4种,其中54种鸟类为水鸟.     

长江口滩涂围垦后水鸟群落结构的变化——以南汇东滩为例

近年来长江口滩涂湿地高强度的促淤围垦对生物多样性保育造成了严重影响。本研究于2006至2010年在南汇东滩进行了水鸟调查,研究围垦后堤内环境的快速演替过程对水鸟的群落结构的影响。通过分析鸻鹬类、雁鸭类和鹭类三类主要水鸟类群,结果表明鸻鹬类的总数呈严重下降趋势（ANOVA, p=0.009）,而雁鸭类和鹭类总数在上升（ANOVA,p=0.015;p=0.00）;在种类数量方面,鸻鹬类和雁鸭类差异不显著（ANOVA,p=0.597;p=0.523）,鹭类种类数变化极显著（ANOVA ,p=0.00）。同时,通过对水鸟的栖息地选择因子偏好的分析, 发现滩涂减少是鸻鹬类减少的主要因素,而大型鱼塘和芦苇增加是雁鸭类和鹭类增加的重要原因。为此我们提出相应海岸带湿地管理建议。     

Long-term trends of heron and egret populations in Italy, and the effects of climate, human-induced mortality, and habitat on population dynamics

Factors affecting bird population dynamics include climate, harvesting by humans, and habitat changes. Here, we describe the long-term (1972–2006) population trends of seven heron species in NW Italy, an area holding important European breeding populations of these species. Grey (Ardea cinerea), purple (Ardea purpurea), and squacco (Ardeola ralloides) herons, and little egrets (Egretta garzetta) exhibited a strong logistic increase, leveling off around year 2000 at 3–23 times their initial level. Black-crowned night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) began by increasing like the former species but then dropped to initial levels. Such trends were found to be influenced by several candidate ecological factors, as assessed by ARIMA models. Specifically, grey herons increased following a decrease in human-induced mortality, as quantified by an index of hunting pressure, and an increase in winter temperatures. Little egrets increased mainly with the increase of the extent of ricefields, whereas squacco herons increased with increasing rainfall in the African wintering range. Black-crowned night herons were also positively affected by increasing African rainfall, but only during 1972–1988, whereas in later years competition with other herons could have affected the species’ decline. The improved protection of colony sites by special reserves was unlikely to be the primary trigger of the observed increase, although obviously important for the long-term population persistence. In conclusion, our study shows that heron populations of southern Europe are sensitive to environmental and climatic changes, as well as to temporal variation in human disturbance and changes in foraging habitats, though the importance of the different factors differs among species.