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Birds are among the organisms most impacted by plant invasions, the effects of which are particularly conspicuous during the breeding season. Birds can incorrectly assess the suitability of large, invasive hogweeds Heracleum sp. in south‐eastern Poland when selecting nesting sites early in spring when the developing invaders do not yet differ substantially in form from the rest of the vegetation. One would expect lower bird breeding success in areas with invasive hogweeds. Furthermore, this may shift bird community composition towards species with filtered traits, which may then be reflected in various measures of diversity. To assess these expectations, we conducted bird surveys at 74 sites, arranged as 37 pairs (with invasive Heracleum vs. control). The presence of Heracleum was associated with lower bird taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. Functional richness (calculated based on species' reproductive traits) was also lower at sites with these invaders. The species detected at Heracleum sites were characterised by traits associated with rapid breeding, for example, small clutches, short incubation periods and short fledging periods. We show that the bird community at sites with hogweeds became less diverse and composed of random species sharing similar reproductive traits. Bird communities with low diversity at Heracleum sites tended to exhibit a common trait syndrome. These patterns provide insights into the mechanisms of how invasive plants may lead to the loss of some traits and species in bird communities. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban environments can serve as critical overwintering habitats for many bird species due to the high availability of essential resources. Among the significant factors shaping bird assemblages is the widespread provision of supplementary feeding, which can increase avian species richness and abundance. However, how this effect varies among individual habitat types at various spatial scales remains largely unexplored. Using data from three small to medium-sized towns in the Czech Republic, (a temperate region of Central Europe), we found that observed species richness and bird abundance in winter were highest in allotments and old residential areas, and lowest in industrial and new residential housing areas. The results of multi-species occupancy modelling (MSOM) for eight dominant and widespread species revealed that habitat type has a more significant impact on community-level occupancy in urban landscapes than variations in major habitat attributes at different spatial scales. Supplementary feeding increased occupancy across all habitat types, with the largest increases observed in industrial and new residential areas. In turn, both habitat-attribute MSOMs indicated that community-level occupancy increased with the amount of green space. Similarly, using single-species N-mixture models, we found that habitat type was more important than habitat attributes for the abundance of eight dominant bird species. The presence of supplementary feeding increased bird abundance, but this was significant for only a few species. In conclusions, our findings illustrate that supplementary feeding significantly shapes winter bird communities. However, its effect is species-specific and more pronounced in low quality habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From March 2021 to February 2022,we investigated the birds in Changbei campus of Nanchang Normal University by point-count sampling method. A total of 32 birds species belonged to 5 orders,19 families, including the largest 26 Passerine birds. Five species of birds, Pycnonotus sinensis, Pycnonotus sinensis, Turdus mandarinus, Acridotheres cristatellus and Chloris Sinica were dominant in the whole campus community throughout the year. Among 32 birds species,23 species (71. 9%) were resident birds,7 species(21. 9%) were winter migratory birds,1 species(3. 1%) were summer migratory birds and 1 species (3. 1%) was migratory birds. Shannon-Wiener index and Margalef index of bird communities in different habitat spaces declined in the order of wild area>forest area>grass area>building area>water area,and the Pielou index declined in the order of forest area>water area>wild area>grass area>building area. The bird communities in different seasons had the Shannon Wiener index and Margalef index with declined order of winter>summer>autumn>spring, and the Pielou index showed the declined order of autumn

Simple Summary: Simple Summary: This research focused on the taxonomic filtering of terrestrial birds in plant invasion-altered landscapes. There were assessed changes in bird habitat assemblages (ground/herb dwellers, bush foragers, ecotone birds, and tree foragers) associated with a gradient of invasion on sites (far from the invasion, uninvaded although susceptible to invaders, and invaded) set in European agricultural lands. The results indicated the impact of invasion on two habitat assemblages of birds (i.e., ground/herb species loss and creating the distinctive bush species composition) and a decrease in the abundance and species diversity of birds from the whole community in the invaded areas. Describing the spatial distribution of communities is crucial to understanding how environmental disturbance can affect biodiversity. Agricultural lands are susceptible to disturbances of anthropogenic origin and have been identified as ecosystems of conservation concern. Such lands are vulnerable to invasions by anthropogenically introduced non-native plants disturbing habitats. This research focused on the invasion-induced taxonomic filtering of birds with shared habitat requirements. The birds were surveyed along a gradient of invasion-altered areas (far from the invasion, uninvaded although susceptible to invaders, and invaded) to identify changes in bird assemblages (ground/herb dwellers, bush foragers, ecotone birds, and tree foragers) caused by this disturbance. Data were collected from 112 sites sampled in southeastern Poland. There were significantly fewer bird species from each assemblage on invaded sites than on uninvaded sites, although exposed to invasion, despite the decrease in the abundance of only ground/herb dwellers. Beta diversity analysis showed that sites with invasion contained bird communities significantly different from those at other sites. Invasion-induced changes resulted in a significant reduction in the diversity of ground/herb dwellers in comparison with uninvaded sites and created a distinctive bush bird assemblage. This was most likely due to the transformation of the grassland layer and the thickening of the shrub layer by plant invaders, which resemble shrubs in morphology. The results indicated the filtering effect of invasion on bird species composition at the level of two habitat assemblages despite the decreases in bird abundance and species diversity of the whole community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eco-epidemiology of tick-borne diseases hinges on the abundance and distribution of hosts that sustain tick populations and the pathogens they carry. Research into the role of bird species in the feeding of Ixodes ricinus ticks, the primary tick species of veterinary and public health importance in Europe, remains scarce. This study endeavors to bridge these knowledge gaps by (i) assessing the density of feeding ticks (DFT) within a bird community to pinpoint species making substantial contributions, and (ii) exploring interannual variations in DFT over an extended timeline. Furthermore, we investigate whether variations in individual tick burden (TB) were more closely associated with the characteristics of bird species or interannual variations affecting the density of questing tick, using interannual TB variation as a surrogate. To fulfill these aims, we conducted a 13-year longitudinal study monitoring I. ricinus ticks feeding on a bird community in a periurban forest in France, covering breeding periods from 2007 to 2019. Within this community, we identified seven principal bird species significantly contributing to I. ricinus tick feeding: the Common Blackbird (Turdus merula), the Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos), the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula), the Dunnock (Prunella modularis), the Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), the Great Tit (Parus major), and the Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos). Our results show that the bird community's contribution to tick feeding remained relatively consistent from year-to-year, though certain years displayed higher or lower DFT values related to the average over the study period. Moreover, five out the seven major species accounted for 80 % to 95 % of DFT annually. Consequently, we emphasized the need to broaden the scope of future research on bird contributions to tick population dynamics beyond merely thrushes (Turdidae species), to encompass a more diverse range of species, particularly those common birds that engage in ground foraging activities. Furthermore, variations in individual tick burden were predominantly influenced by the characteristics of bird species rather than by interannual variability in infestation rates. This finding suggests a significant role for species-specific traits in determining tick exposure and susceptibility. In conclusion, our study offers new insights into the medium-term dynamics of tick-bird ecological systems, underscoring the need for future study of tick populations and their interactions with vertebrate hosts to improve our understanding of tick-borne disease circulation.

Aim: The uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau provides an opportunity to understand the diversity patterns and their driving processes in high and low elevations regions of Qilian Mountains. However, the potential mechanisms leading to differences in multi-dimensional alpha diversity and beta diversity patterns between high and low elevation regions are unclear. Present study aims to investigate the response of bird communities respond to the overall elevation gradient and environmental factors drive different diversity patterns. Methods: The wild bird surveys were conducted during both the breeding and migration season in the north (NSQM) and south slopes (SSQM) of the Qilian Mountains from 2021 to 2022. Turnover and nestedness patterns within bird communities across elevational gradients were investigated in three dimensions (taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic). Alpha diversity and beta diversity were compared between the two regions (NSQM and SSQM) in different dimensions. And it was assessed the potential non-linear relationships with environmental variables. Results: With the exception of nestedness, which predominates in bird functional beta diversity in the SSQM, turnover components dominated beta diversity in both the SSQM and NSQM. Bird diversities in three dimensions were significantly higher in the SSQM than in the NSQM, but has lower functional total beta diversity. Additionally, the predictive variables had different effects in the alpha and beta diversity of birds in different dimensions across different regions. Nighttime light and solar radiation were the most important factors in low elevation regions, while in high elevation region, slope and habitats are the most significant environmental variables. Conclusion: Our study emphasizes the potential role of environmental filtering and the importance of environmental variables in driving bird communities. While increasing elevation enhances diversity in different dimensions of bird communities, habitat fragmentation in high elevation regions reduces functional dissimilarity among communities.

Copyright of Caldasia is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Biodiversity is under threat due to human-induced changes in land use. While various aspects of biodiversity are increasingly studied in response to these changes, there is limited understanding of their effects on the structure and composition of bird communities in dryland regions. We examined the impacts of land use change on birds in the semi-arid area of the Longxi Loess Plateau by considering taxonomic diversity, functional diversity, and phylogenetic diversity. We analyzed both the α- and β-diversity of avian communities across different dimensions of diversity and calculated functional and phylogenetic structures using the net relatedness index. Our findings revealed that species richness was highest in farmland and abandoned farmland, while artificial mixed forests exhibited the highest number of unique species. Functional and phylogenetic α-diversity was greater in farmland and abandoned farmland when compared to the other four land use types. Moreover, the taxonomic diversity in artificial mixed forests, artificial Caragana korshinskii forests, and artificial Platycladus orientalis forests surpassed that in typical grasslands, but no differences were observed in functional and phylogenetic diversity. Regarding β-diversity, turnover patterns dominated multidimensional dissimilarity, with taxonomic turnover and total dissimilarity lower than their functional counterparts but higher than phylogenetic counterparts. Based on the present findings, we emphasize the long-term cessation of ongoing silvicultural initiatives to safeguard bird diversity in the semi-arid region of the Longxi Loess Plateau. This is crucial for narrowly distributed species such as Alectoris magna, as they face heightened vulnerability to losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ecological Applications is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although fire is a natural phenomenon in the dynamics of some biomes around the world, it can threaten the biodiversity of certain ecosystems. Climate change and the expansion of anthropogenic activities have drastically increased the occurrence of large-scale burnings worldwide. The 2020 fire events in the Pantanal marked a historically unprecedented record, burning an area of approximately 40,000 km2. However, how fires affect the local wildlife has yet to be evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate the recovery of the avifauna in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso by comparing data selected from a previous study conducted between 2014 and 2016 with data collected in burned areas nine to twelve months after the fire. We compared diversity and community composition, investigated the influence of species trait foraging guild, foraging strata, and body mass on their response to fire, and complemented it with species' individual responses. Bird richness and Shannon diversity were lower in burned areas, and the composition significantly varied between burned and unburned areas. The species' response toward burned and unburned areas was significantly mediated by their traits, with smaller, piscivorous, omnivorous, ground and water, and midstory to canopy species being the most sensitive toward the environmental changes caused by the fire. Thirty-three species showed a negative response toward burned areas, but 46 species showed the opposite response, and 24 species were similarly abundant in unburned and burned areas. The present study is the first evaluation of the response of birds to the extreme fire events in the Pantanal and provides valuable insight into the recovery and resilience of local avifauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The edge is a meeting place between two ecosystems, or it can also be interpreted as a boundary where two habitats meet and interact. The presence of edges can create an edge effect and increase richness and species abundance. In the present study, we analyzed how edge and vegetation diversity affect a) bird communities and b) how birds respond to edges. Observation plots were placed in jamblang stands and coconut plantations (edge and interior). Bird communities were observed using point counts with a fixed radius of 25 m, and the distance between plots was 50 m. A survey of vegetation diversity was conducted using a combination of the transect and plot methods. The research showed that the highest species richness and diversity of birds (128 individuals of 18 species) and vegetation (168 individuals of 20 species) were found at the edge, although there were only slight differences in the number of species in each habitat. This was influenced by the structure and composition of the vegetation at the observation site. Nevertheless, this proves that the edge effect shapes the composition of bird communities. There are 9 species of bird can be mapped into 4 response models: generalis neutral, generalist edge exploiter, specialist edge exploiter, and edge specialist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University campuses are important source of knowledge in area of urban biology and ecology. They harbour relatively high biodiversity including rare and endangered species in urban ecosystem and function as biocentres. The main objective of this study was to describe species composition, density, dominance, biodiversity and conservation value of a breeding bird assemblage of the campus of Technical University in Zvolen, Slovakia. The combined version of the mapping method was applied for estimating population abundances within 8.95 ha census plot in the campus in the years 2014–2015. In total, 41 bird species were observed in the census plot, out of which 30 were breeders. Seven dominant (≥ 5%) breeders were observed: Streptopelia decaocto (14.0%), Fringilla coelebs (8.2%), Turdus pilaris (7.7%), Turdus merula (7.7%), Passer domesticus (6.8%), Sturnus vulgaris (6.5%) and Serinus serinus (6.4%). The total breeding assemblage bird density ranged between 100.0–114.0 0 pairs/10 ha in individual years. Randomized individual-based (pairs) rarefaction of four diversity metrics (species richness, Chao 1 estimator, Shannon and Simpson index) did not detect significant differences in biodiversity of the breeding bird assemblage between years. Based on current legislation conservation list and Slovak red list, Ficedula albicollis as a European importance species and Apus apus and Delichon urbicum as near threatened species were detected in the plot. Relatively high breeding bird diversity and presence of conservation importance species in this small campus underlines its value as biocentre in the Town of Zvolen. Creating more green areas preferably from native plants and supporting nesting of birds could even increase diversity in this green university. This will g

Bharathapuzha, the second largest west-flowing river in the Western Ghats, originates from the northern and southern parts of the Palghat gap and debouches into the Arabian Sea at Ponnani. This river is exposed to high levels of anthropogenic pressures. This study looks into avifaunal assemblage patterns and the factors influencing the structure of bird communities in different ecological zones of the Bharathapuzha River Basin. The syntropic birds and flocking birds contribute variations in the bird community assemblage in the river basin. For the water-dependent and water-associated birds, mudflats, water flow, riverside vegetation, and distance from the forest were found to be the influencing factors in the migratory season. The study also emphasized the importance of protecting these river-associated habitats for the conservation of birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds generally produce vocalisations in specific daily temporal windows. Describing diel-calling activity patterns along with taxonomic group and guild membership increase the knowledge about potential factors shaping the behaviour of these animals. This information is also highly relevant for the enhancement of monitoring plans for conservation. We performed a passive acoustic monitoring to describe the diel calling activity patterns of a bird assemblage within the Valdivian temperate rainforest, associating the patterns to taxonomic group and diet guild, and also aiming to contribute to the enhancement of ecological monitoring within this biodiversity hotspot. Our results indicate that high richness levels are detected around sunrise and sunset. Also, within the bird assemblage studied, most birds show diurnal vocal activity, among which several were also active during crepuscular periods, and only two species had nocturnal vocal activity. Among diurnal birds with enough number of detections to perform a detailed description of diel calling patterns, our results did not show clear trends considering diet guild or taxonomic group. We expect that this information encourages future research to increase the understanding on the factors influencing vocal activity patterns, as well as population and community trends from this biodiversity hotspot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain ecosystems are crucial for global biodiversity conservation. However, their landscape features are constantly changing owing to urban expansion. Understanding the relationships between biotic communities and landscape features is essential for biodiversity conservation. This study aimed to examine the effect of land cover type on avian communities in Lishui, a mountainous urban area in eastern China. Avian surveys were conducted using 168 line transects in total across different land cover types once per season from December 2019 to January 2021. We assessed the diversity of bird communities by calculating various metrics at both taxonomic and functional levels. Among the land cover types measured, woodland, built-up land, cultivated land, and water bodies significantly influenced bird community diversity and composition. Species richness, species abundance, and functional richness were negatively correlated with the proportion of woodland but were positively correlated with the proportion of non-natural land cover, such as built-up and cultivated land. In contrast, functional evenness was positively correlated with the proportion of woodland and grassland but negatively correlated with the proportion of non-natural land cover. Land cover type also exhibited significant correlations with avian functional characteristics such as diet, foraging strata, and body mass, thereby influencing the overall community structure. Our results indicated that mountainous landscape patterns substantially affect avian communities. Different land cover types possess varying resource endowments that affect the distribution of avian species. Therefore, urban landscape planning in mountainous areas should carefully consider the various functions provided to organisms by different types of land cover to promote biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization alters natural habitats, restructures biotic communities and serves as a filter for selecting species from regional species pools. However, empirical evidence of the specific traits that allow species to persist in urban areas yields mixed results. More importantly, it remains unclear which traits are widespread for species utilizing urban spaces (urban utilizers) and which are environment‐dependent traits.Using 745 bird species from 287 university/institute campuses in 74 cities and their species pools across China, we tested whether species that occur in urban areas are correlated with regards to their biological (body mass, beak shape, flight capacity and clutch size), ecological (diet diversity, niche width and habitat breadth), behavioural (foraging innovation) and evolutionary (diversification rate) attributes.We used Bayesian phylogenetic generalized linear mixed models to disentangle the relative roles of these predictors further, and to determine the extent to which the effects of these predictors varied among different cities.We found that urban birds were more phylogenetically clustered than expected by chance, and were generally characterized by a larger habitat breadth, faster diversification rate, more behavioural innovation and smaller body size. Notably, the relative effects of the attributes in explaining urban bird communities varied with city temperature and elevation, indicating that the filters used to determine urban species were environment dependent.We conclude that, while urban birds are typically small‐sized, generalists, innovative and rapidly diversifying, the key traits that allow them to thrive vary spatially, depending on the climatic and topographic conditions of the city. These findings emphasize the importance of studying species communities within specific cities to better understand the contextual dependencies of key traits that are filtered by urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: When studying the effects of global change on biodiversity, it is far more common for the effects of climate change and land‐use changes to be assessed separately rather than jointly. However, the effects of land‐use changes in recent decades on species richness in areas affected by climate change have been less studied. We assess the temporal turnover in species richness of an avian community between a historical period and a modern one as a consequence of global change. Location: Semiarid Mediterranean ecosystem (southeastern Spain). Method: We fitted a hierarchical multispecies occupancy model for each period (1991–1992, and 2012–2017), obtaining avian species‐specific estimates of occupancy probability in relation to environmental covariates (elevation and forest cover). We analyse the relationships between changes in the bird community and environmental variables, analysing the temporal turnover of the species richness and the richness‐based species‐exchange ratio. Results: The estimated species richness accounting for detectability was higher than observed species richness, and decreased in the more recent period. Following our hypotheses, we observed a dual pattern of species richness increase associated with different elevations, showing different species turnover rates due to the joint effects of climate change and land‐use change. There is a trend towards greater species richness with higher elevations that is associated with climate change, where the species turnover rate is low. Also, species richness increased towards lower elevations, but with a high turnover rate. The latter can be due to species expansions throughout new habitat configurations in bordering forest systems associated with anthropic land‐use changes. Conclusions: Our study is of great interest to understand the temporal turnover of avian species richness associated with areas experiencing both climate and land‐use change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide environmental effects of anthropogenic land modification have made apparent the urgent need of ecological restoration. However, the methods employed in restoration of post-industrial sites vary across different regions. This study aims to examine the outcomes of different restoration approaches by examining avian communities inhabiting a vast spoil heap in Central Europe (1200 ha). Observations were conducted in 2012, and from 2019 to 2021. We built generalized mixed-effect linear models with spatial covariance structures to consider confounding effects of spatial autocorrelation. As restoration proceeded on the site, management techniques were employed that led to increases in bird abundances, diversity, and rarity. Forestry restoration involved tree planting and was associated with higher vegetation productivity and increased cover of understory and canopy layers. It facilitated increased bird diversity as it was preferred by many species that typically inhabit forests and shrublands. However, it attracted rare species only in areas with increased understory cover. Conversely, agricultural restoration (based on sowing of grasses) was associated with increased herb cover and attracted a species-poor, but valuable group of rare grassland birds. Some areas on the site were also left to spontaneous vegetation succession, which facilitated an increase in bird species richness and bird rarity and attracted wetland species. Given the historical context of the surrounding landscape, management that maintains the unique bird groups associated with each management type is recommended. This involves allowing spontaneous succession to proceed undisturbed, preserving shrub cover by introducing disturbances, and preventing the replacement of valuable grasslands with planted forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the period of secondary succession of oak forests in southwestern Belarus, six stages of vegetation development (from fresh cutting to mature 120–150 years old forest) were identified. Simultaneously with a change in the vegetation, the succession of bird population also proceeds, which is typical for bird communities and other formations in different regions of Europe and Asia. During the succession of oak forests, the species richness of birds increases from 10 to 58 species and the total abundance, from 153.2 to 1128.9 individuals/km2. The abundance of species (individuals/km2) and interannual variability during 11 seasons were established. The coefficient of variation (CV) is the highest (50.0–116.0%) in species the abundance of which does not exceed 5.0 individuals/km2. The average abundance of species varies significantly, for example, at the stage of age 120–150 years (from 1.0 (goshawk) to 275.0 individuals/km2 (chaffinch)). In all six succession stages, nesting migratory birds dominate, which account for 80.0% of species at the first stage to 53.4% at the fifth and sixth stages. Near and distant migrants form the basis of the bird population at all stages; as a rule, sedentary species are not numerous and their involvement in the total abundance does not exceed 17.3%. At the initial stages of succession, the bird community is formed by members of European, Palearctic, European–Turkestan, and Afro-Eurasian types of fauna. At the stages of 80–100 and 120–150 years, the basis of the bird community is formed by the members of the Palearctic (50% of species, 34.5–35.2% of the total abundance) and European types of fauna (22.4 and 48.0–49.3, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal changes in runoff and inundation create river-habitats that are considered key to the diversity of Amazonian bird species. However, studies on avifauna in different riverine habitats remain scarce. We used camera traps to survey the avifauna in river-created habitats along 39 km of river in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. We examined the number of bird species detected and species composition in islands and margin banks, evaluated species–area relationships in these two habitats, and examined if the most abundant bird species have differences in activity pattern between habitats. Cameras recorded 21 bird species from 13 families (Accipitridae, Ardeidae, Bucconidae, Caprimulgidae, Cathartidae, Columbidae, Cracidae, Hirundinidae, Icteridae, Scolopacidae, Thraupidae, Threskiornithidae, and Tyrannidae). Species composition did not differ between habitat types but we found a discernible area effect, explaining as much as 84% on the number of species detected across island sites. Overlaps of activity pattern of bird species were high between habitat types, but differences in activity peaks were found for Molothrus oryzivorus and Pitangus sulphuratus while examining islands and margin banks. River-created habitats are relevant to Amazonian bird diversity and studies on these habitats must be increased to better understand their value across the Amazon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large part of European forests is managed using modern forestry techniques, and it is interesting to explore the relationships between forest bird abundance and variables describing the forests from the perspective of forest managers. The aim of our study was to identify these relationships through nation-wide bird monitoring and forestry data in Czechia. After controlling for the effect of altitude, the forest characteristics that exhibited a significant effect on the abundance in the highest number of species are the proportion of conifers, growth phase and tree damage. In the next step, we performed a principal component analysis to reveal general patterns in those species-specific responses. The main gradient obtained was determined by altitude and discriminated species associated with lowland forests (e.g. Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris, Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata) from those associated with highland forests (e.g. Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra, Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis). This suggests an important role of altitudinal climate zones in shaping forest bird abundance. The second gradient showed a cluster of species with higher abundance in broad-leaved forests with higher stem density, more vegetation layers, and more damaged (e.g. Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus, European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca). At the opposite end were clustered species with higher abundance in more coniferous forests, lower stem density, fewer vegetation layers and less damaged (e.g. Eurasian Siskin Spinus spinus, Crested Tit Lophophanes cristatus). The second gradient can be explained by forestry practices applied in Czechia. Specifically, broad-leaved forests generally have a longer logging cycle compared to coniferous forests, resulting in generally older stands exhibiting more signs of damage and multiple vegetation layers, while coniferous forests predominantly maintain a single-vegetation layer structure. Bird association with growth phase was independent from altitude and other forest characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of avian diversity in agroecosystems is a topic of great interest for understanding the dynamics of bird communities in urban environments. The objective of this study was to identify the level of overlap in the selection of nesting sites of some bird species in orange orchards located in the town of Algemesí, province of Valencia, Spain, and their vertical distribution in relation to nesting microsites. An intensive search for tree nests was carried out, and microsite variables such as tree height, canopy coverage, nest location height, and distance from the nest to the edge were measured. Statistical analyses included PERMANOVA and discriminant analysis to identify significant differences and groupings among species based on nesting variables. In total, 98 nests belonging to six species of passerine birds (Sylvia melanocephala, Turdus merula, Serinus serinus, Chloris chloris, Turdus philomelos, and Muscicapa striata) were found. Different phenological patterns were observed among the species, and nesting site characteristics varied depending on nest location height and distance to the edge. The choice of nesting site for Turdus philomelos varied compared to the other species. These results suggest that the different life histories of the species influence the segregation of nesting sites, which in turn affects the coexistence and structure of the bird community.

The edge is a meeting place between two ecosystems, or it can also be interpreted as a boundary where two habitats meet and interact. The presence of edges can create an edge effect and increase richness and species abundance. In the present study, we analyzed how edge and vegetation diversity affect a) bird communities and b) how birds respond to edges. Observation plots were placed in jamblang stands and coconut plantations (edge and interior). Bird communities were observed using point counts with a fixed radius of 25 m, and the distance between plots was 50 m. A survey of vegetation diversity was conducted using a combination of the transect and plot methods. The research showed that the highest species richness and diversity of birds (128 individuals of 18 species) and vegetation (168 individuals of 20 species) were found at the edge, although there were only slight differences in the number of species in each habitat. This was influenced by the structure and composition of the vegetation at the observation site. Nevertheless, this proves that the edge effect shapes the composition of bird communities. There are 9 species of bird can be mapped into 4 response models: generalis neutral, generalist edge exploiter, specialist edge exploiter, and edge specialist.

Bharathapuzha River is the second largest, west-flowing river in Kerala, Western Ghats. This river is exposed to high levels of anthropogenic and natural pressures. This study attempts to understand the diversity and distribution of birds in this river basin. The observations were made from October 2017 to July 2019 in 70*1 km2 grids distributed in three strata (i.e., upper, middle, and lower reaches). A total of 262 bird species were recorded from the river basin. The diversity and richness of birds were found high in the upper reaches of the river and the species abundance was found more in the lower reaches. Due to the high turnover of migratory species, the rank abundance model for upper and lower reaches showed a high degree of dominance while middle reaches showed a relatively even distribution of abundances. Deforestation, sand mining, and water pollution were found to be the major threats in the river basin. Hence the results show the importance of the protection and rejuvenation of the ecosystems associated with the river for the conservation of avian diversity in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From August 2020 to July 2021, direct sampling method was used to quantify bird composition and abundance in Bainiao Lake Wetland of Qiqihar. Results showed that 47 species birds, belonging to seven orders and 12 families, were recorded. 27 species of summer migratory birds accounted for 57. 45% of the total species. Travelling birds were 17 species, accounting for 36. 17%. The resident birds were three species, accounted for 6. 38%. Black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)were dominant species. The composition of birds fluctuated sharply in migration season, and the dominant species in migra⁃ tion season was unstable, and the composition of dominant species varied greatly each month. The endangered species Oriental stork (Ciconia boyciana), Baer’s pochard (Aythya baeri), black-necked grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)and Eurasian spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) have formed stable breeding colonies in the Bainiao Lake Wetland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Savanna ecosystems are maintained by fires with a fire-adapted biota, and savannas occur in Amazonia in patches surrounded by tropical forest. Different fire regimes can generate structurally diverse vegetation, and the composition of savanna bird assemblages is known to be closely related to vegetation structure. However, long-term approaches and interaction of fire with other environmental factors need to be explored for the better understanding of the effects of fire on birds. In an Amazonian landscape composed by savanna and forest, we investigated the effects of different fire regimes in a 12-ha area in three periods through 23 years. We also examined the effects of frequency and extent of fires, tree cover, and distance to forest on bird composition in twelve 3.7-ha savanna plots. Birds were surveyed with mist-nets and species were classified as to their habitat use by their frequency of registers in forest and savanna plots in visual/acoustical surveys. After 13 years without fire, many forest species colonized the area and some savanna species were lost. After one fire event in a plot that had not burned for 12 years, some savanna species returned. These results highlight the effects of fire regime on birds and indicate that many savanna bird species depend on the occurrence of regular fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological succession creates a sequence of habitat types after an initial disturbance. In Central Europe, these types typically include a gradient of stages from bare ground to forest. Ecological communities differ between habitat types because some species are associated with a given type along the gradient. The conservation status of these communities provides information about environmental pressures acting upon the respective habitat types. Here, we focused on birds and compared three measures of their conservation status, namely population trend, Red List category, and legal protection, expressed at two different levels, national and European, among the habitat types. We used data from the mapping of breeding bird occurrences in 42 abandoned military training sites in Czechia covering the entire successional gradient. In these areas, we identified 423 habitat polygons, each representing one of the following habitat types: bare ground, grassland, sparse scrubland, dense scrubland and forest. In general, birds recorded in forest had the most favorable conservation status, while birds recorded on bare ground and grassland had the least favorable; birds of both types of scrublands showed intermediate values. This corresponds to recent findings of the suitability of forest management for bird populations in Central Europe on the one hand and the adverse impacts of various changes in the human use of open habitats on the other. We observed a general agreement in the different measures, indicating that population trends are likely used for Red List categorization, which further serves to select species for legal protection. However, exceptions to this general pattern suggest that the listing and establishment of legal protection do not adequately reflect population changes and need more frequent updating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describing the spatial distribution of communities is crucial to understanding how environmental disturbance can affect biodiversity. Agricultural lands are susceptible to disturbances of anthropogenic origin and have been identified as ecosystems of conservation concern. Such lands are vulnerable to invasions by anthropogenically introduced non-native plants disturbing habitats. This research focused on the invasion-induced taxonomic filtering of birds with shared habitat requirements. The birds were surveyed along a gradient of invasion-altered areas (far from the invasion, uninvaded although susceptible to invaders, and invaded) to identify changes in bird assemblages (ground/herb dwellers, bush foragers, ecotone birds, and tree foragers) caused by this disturbance. Data were collected from 112 sites sampled in southeastern Poland. There were significantly fewer bird species from each assemblage on invaded sites than on uninvaded sites, although exposed to invasion, despite the decrease in the abundance of only ground/herb dwellers. Beta diversity analysis showed that sites with invasion contained bird communities significantly different from those at other sites. Invasion-induced changes resulted in a significant reduction in the diversity of ground/herb dwellers in comparison with uninvaded sites and created a distinctive bush bird assemblage. This was most likely due to the transformation of the grassland layer and the thickening of the shrub layer by plant invaders, which resemble shrubs in morphology. The results indicated the filtering effect of invasion on bird species composition at the level of two habitat assemblages despite the decreases in bird abundance and species diversity of the whole community.

Biodiversity is under threat due to human-induced changes in land use. While various aspects of biodiversity are increasingly studied in response to these changes, there is limited understanding of their effects on the structure and composition of bird communities in dryland regions. We examined the impacts of land use change on birds in the semi-arid area of the Longxi Loess Plateau by considering taxonomic diversity, functional diversity, and phylogenetic diversity. We analyzed both the α- and β-diversity of avian communities across different dimensions of diversity and calculated functional and phylogenetic structures using the net relatedness index. Our findings revealed that species richness was highest in farmland and abandoned farmland, while artificial mixed forests exhibited the highest number of unique species. Functional and phylogenetic α-diversity was greater in farmland and abandoned farmland when compared to the other four land use types. Moreover, the taxonomic diversity in artificial mixed forests, artificial Caragana korshinskii forests, and artificial Platycladus orientalis forests surpassed that in typical grasslands, but no differences were observed in functional and phylogenetic diversity. Regarding β-diversity, turnover patterns dominated multidimensional dissimilarity, with taxonomic turnover and total dissimilarity lower than their functional counterparts but higher than phylogenetic counterparts. Based on the present findings, we emphasize the long-term cessation of ongoing silvicultural initiatives to safeguard bird diversity in the semi-arid region of the Longxi Loess Plateau. This is crucial for narrowly distributed species such as Alectoris magna, as they face heightened vulnerability to losses.

Tropical montane forests are critical centres of terrestrial biodiversity and endemism, and face a range of threats, including selective logging and climate change. However, few studies have explored the joint influence of these threats, particularly in tropical mountains, despite how crucial it is to understand the cumulative impact of forest loss and climate change on biodiversity. We used mist-netting and bird ringing data from a long-term (10-year) community and population monitoring program to examine how the composition of the mid-elevation Eastern Himalayan understorey bird community changed in the mid-elevation primary and logged forest. Because logged forest is warmer than primary forest, we hypothesised that the bird community would shift towards lower elevation species, with a faster transition in logged forest. Further, because logged forest has lower arthropod abundance, we hypothesised that the primary forest community would have larger species than the logged forest community. Our study shows that the bird community in the logged forest shifted towards lower-elevation species than in the primary forest (although this was not statistically significant). Moreover, we found that smaller species were better able to colonise warmer logged forest, whereas larger species reached higher densities in primary forest. These trends are likely to be driven by climate change causing upslope range shifts and logged forest selecting for species that are likely to tolerate the consequently altered abiotic (higher temperatures) and biotic (lower resources) environment. These findings have significant implications for understanding the impacts of forest loss and climate change on biodiversity, particularly in tropical montane forests.

The updating of the list of bird species of the Fauna Refuge Laguna de Guanaroca - Punta Gavilán in the south of the province of Cienfuegos was based on four fundamental sources: results of monitoring in the Protected Area in 2019 and 2020, Management Plan for the period 2015-2019, articles published and the international databases gbif (idem) (n = 4) and ebird (n = 38) between 2006-2020. Linear transect 100 m long and fixed counting points were used for the sampling. A total of 173 species of birds distributed in 21 orders and 47 families were registered, representing 43.03%; 80.77% and 65.28% of those registered for Cuba, respectively. Eighteen endemics of Cuba were identified, with 12 species with some degree of threat. It could be distinguished that 59.54% of the species that visit the area were migratory, or had a migratory component. A total of 71 species of aquatic birds (41.04%) and 102 (58.96%) species of land birds were recorded in the area. Nineteen guilds were found according to diet distributed in eight general groups. The results showed the value of the Fauna Refuge Laguna de Guanaroca-Punta Gavilán for the conservation of birds in mangrove ecosystems and its great tourist attraction for lovers of wildlife, birds and nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is an invasive bird introduced in Argentina in the 1980's that shares flocks with both native and exotic birds. Analyzing interspecific relationships and habitat use of introduced species is crucial to understand the invasion process and to alert for negative impacts on biodiversity. We conducted bird counts from April 2015 to March 2016 in a town from east-central Argentina to assess relationships between starling abundance, bird community attributes, and a group of birds as potential competitors for food. We analyzed the relationship between lawn cover and starling abundance. The starling was strongly positively associated with total bird abundance, and negatively with total bird richness and diversity, whereas the abundance and richness of the group of potential competitors showed a weak negative association with starling abundance. We found positive relationships with the abundance of native birds (Rufous-bellied Thrush Turdus rufiventris, Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis, Bay-winged Cowbird Agelaioides badius and Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata), as well as negative relationships with (Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) and Picui Ground-dove Columbina picui) and exotic birds (Rock Dove Columbia livia and House Sparrow Passer domesticus). Moreover, starlings were positively related to lawn cover. Negative associations with local species could be the result of either competition for resources or differences in habitat use, whereas positive associations could represent advantages related to food accessibility and reduction in predation risk, or similarities in habitat use in Argentina. Our results represent a first step to understand the ecology of this invasive species, as well as to identify native species under potential ecological threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on number of previous studies, urban parks are considered important biocentres for bird diversity in urban ecosystems. The objective of this study was to describe species composition and basic cenotic measures (abundance, density and dominance) of three breeding bird assemblages of parks in the Town of Zvolen situated in central Slovakia. Birds were censused by the combined version of the mapping method during the breeding season from April to beginning of July in the period 2014–2018. In total, I detected 32 breeders in three parks during the five–year period (18–28 breeders per park). The higher species richness, 28 breeders (18–25 per year) was detected in Park of Ing. Š. Višňovský, followed by Park of prof. A. Priesol with 27 breeders (20–22) and Park of Ľ. Štúr with 18 breeders (9–14). Parks were important for other non–breeding species (transmigrants, food searchers, and random visitors) that were estimated on 13–15 species per park during the breeding season. Five to nine dominant (≥ 5 %) species were described from each park based on mean abundance values, out of which three species – Fringilla coelebs, Turdus pilaris and Turdus merula were found as dominants in all sites. The mean total density of breeding bird assemblage was estimated from 130.6–212.5 pairs/10 ha from three sites (Park of Ľ. Štúr: 171.0–250.7 p/10 ha, Park of prof. A. Priesol: 118.0–187.4 p/10 ha and Park of Ing. Š. Višňovský: 109.3–142.1 p/10 ha). Importance of studied parks for preserving bird diversity in the town is highlighted and future directions of research and monitoring of these ecosystems are presented.

Altitudinal gradient has specific factors that affect the composition of the bird community. A study of bird species based on altitude zonation on the Mount Kerinci hiking trail through Kersik Tuo, Kerinci, Jambi was conducted in August 2021 to know how the composition and structure of bird communities differed based on altitude zonation. This study was conducted using the point-count method. Point-count distributed along the hiking trail from 1,755 to 2,906 m asl and included in three zones (Zone I: 1,755 - 1,900 m asl: Zone II: 1,901 - 2,500 m asl: and Zone III: above 2,501 m asl). Four hundred sixty-seven individuals from 78 species of birds were recorded along the hiking trail. This number indicates that the number of bird species in the study at Mount Kerinci was more than the number of bird species in the study at other mountains in Sumatra. Species richness was the highest in Zone I (54 species), followed by Zone II (34 species) and Zone III (20 species). The species richness decrease as elevation increases.

Several studies have revealed that urban rivers with relatively complete habitat structures can support a high level of biodiversity in urban areas. However, few studies have analyzed the impact of the plan, design, and management of multi-scale urban riverside green space on bird communities by assessing several aspects of diversity (e.g., taxonomic and functional). In this study, we explored bird community variation (taxonomic and functional) among three rivers (28 sampling sites) with different levels of human disturbance along the urban development gradient in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, during an annual cycle. This study related bird species richness and functional diversity to environmental variables at three spatial scales: landscape metrics at two different landscape scales (500 and 100 m radius) and vegetation structure at patch scales (20 m radius). Using partial least squares regression (PLSR) and multiple linear regression, we found that bird species richness and functional diversity were strongly related to various landscape- and patch-level variables. Multiple linear regression models revealed that, compared with the richness influenced by explanatory variables on three spatial scales (500, 100, and 20 m), the functional diversity was significantly influenced by explanatory variables on the 100 and 20 m scales. Tree cover at the 20 m scale had significantly positive impacts on bird species richness and functional diversity. Forest land in the 100 m scale had a significantly positive effect on bird species richness and functional diversity, while construction land in the two landscape scales (the 500- and 100 m scales) had a significantly negative effect on species richness. Accordingly, we suggest that urban riverside green space should be planned and managed at multiple scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain ecosystems are crucial for global biodiversity conservation. However, their landscape features are constantly changing owing to urban expansion. Understanding the relationships between biotic communities and landscape features is essential for biodiversity conservation. This study aimed to examine the effect of land cover type on avian communities in Lishui, a mountainous urban area in eastern China. Avian surveys were conducted using 168 line transects in total across different land cover types once per season from December 2019 to January 2021. We assessed the diversity of bird communities by calculating various metrics at both taxonomic and functional levels. Among the land cover types measured, woodland, built-up land, cultivated land, and water bodies significantly influenced bird community diversity and composition. Species richness, species abundance, and functional richness were negatively correlated with the proportion of woodland but were positively correlated with the proportion of non-natural land cover, such as built-up and cultivated land. In contrast, functional evenness was positively correlated with the proportion of woodland and grassland but negatively correlated with the proportion of non-natural land cover. Land cover type also exhibited significant correlations with avian functional characteristics such as diet, foraging strata, and body mass, thereby influencing the overall community structure. Our results indicated that mountainous landscape patterns substantially affect avian communities. Different land cover types possess varying resource endowments that affect the distribution of avian species. Therefore, urban landscape planning in mountainous areas should carefully consider the various functions provided to organisms by different types of land cover to promote biodiversity.

In order to provide more scientific guidance for wetland bird protection, this study addressed the dynamics of the bird community sorted by ecotypes, classifications and threat categories from 2015 to 2019, and non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis, generalized additive models and the Mantel test were used to examine the relationships between bird communities and habitat types. The results showed that: (1) The abundance of birds peaked in 2017 at 88,258 individuals and then declined. Moreover, there was an inverse trend between species richness and abundance of birds, meaning greater abundance is associated with fewer species. (2) Swimming birds were dominant ecotypes and Anseriformes possessed the highest abundance. It was noteworthy that the abundance of critically endangered birds (Aythya baeri and Grus leucogeranus) and the species richness of endangered birds increased. (3) Building land and farmland had dominant impacts on the composition of bird community. Wading birds and birds in Gruiformes were significantly impacted by building land and farmland, and near threatened species were substantially influenced by farmland. Therefore, maintaining good connectivity between protected areas and surrounding areas is one of the best ways to effectively manage biodiversity of the target area. This research may provide a broader insight for coastal wetland bird habitat management and bird diversity preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporal changes in the bird community of an agricultural landscape in northeast Germany were analysed covering three different analytical foci (landscape-wide, habitat types, sample plots) and two aggregation levels of bird observation data (whole bird community, bird guilds). The analyses are based on a systematic data sampling over two multi-year campaigns (1999–2002; 2013–2015). Our analyses address the question of how changes in the occurrences of agricultural birds (numbers of species and of individuals) at local spots manifest themselves in the landscape as a whole. By summarizing all findings concerning single variables (number of species, observation frequencies, abundances, different habitat types, bird guilds), a dramatic, systematic decline of the bird community at sample plots was discovered between the campaigns, which is not yet recognisable across the whole landscape in terms of species richness. Furthermore, we found that landscape-wide, the birds' use of habitat changed; the variability between single sample plots increased strongly and most species occurred at fewer sample plots over the whole landscape. Obviously, sample plots with high bird occurrences are becoming more relevant for maintaining bird communities over the whole landscape. Bird community composition changed significantly within the observation period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Environmental filtering drives the community structure and diversity of bird in Qilian mountains. • Overall region increase in elevation in the region has enhanced the diversity of bird. • Primary environment variables driving the diversity of bird communities in high-altitude regions are habitat types, precipitation during the driest season, and temperature fluctuations. • Main environmental variables driving the diversity of bird communities in low altitudes are solar radiation and nighttime light. The uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau provides an opportunity to understand the diversity patterns and their driving processes in high and low elevations regions of Qilian Mountains. However, the potential mechanisms leading to differences in multi-dimensional alpha diversity and beta diversity patterns between high and low elevation regions are unclear. Present study aims to investigate the response of bird communities respond to the overall elevation gradient and environmental factors drive different diversity patterns. The wild bird surveys were conducted during both the breeding and migration season in the north (NSQM) and south slopes (SSQM) of the Qilian Mountains from 2021 to 2022. Turnover and nestedness patterns within bird communities across elevational gradients were investigated in three dimensions (taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic). Alpha diversity and beta diversity were compared between the two regions (NSQM and SSQM) in different dimensions. And it was assessed the potential non-linear relationships with environmental variables. With the exception of nestedness, which predominates in bird functional beta diversity in the SSQM, turnover components dominated beta diversity in both the SSQM and NSQM. Bird diversities in three dimensions were significantly higher in the SSQM than in the NSQM, but has lower functional total beta diversity. Additionally, the predictive variables had different effects in the alpha and beta diversity of birds in different dimensions across different regions. Nighttime light and solar radiation were the most important factors in low elevation regions, while in high elevation region, slope and habitats are the most significant environmental variables. Our study emphasizes the potential role of environmental filtering and the importance of environmental variables in driving bird communities. While increasing elevation enhances diversity in different dimensions of bird communities, habitat fragmentation in high elevation regions reduces functional dissimilarity among communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of bird assemblage ecology of Slovak suburban sites are uncommon in the Slovak ornithological literature. The objective of this study is to describe basic community characteristics of breeding bird assemblage of a foothills village Veľké Rovné in the Javorníky Mts. and compare results with the exiting studies from Slovakia. Bird counts were conducted by fixed radius (100 m) point count method (n = 20 points per season) twice during the breeding season in the period 2017–2021. In total, 53 species (three absenting in points) (range 30–38 per year in samples) were detected in the village during five-year study. There were six dominant species (≥ 5%): Fringilla coelebs (14.84%), Sylvia atricapilla (12.08%), Cyanistes caeruleus (7.80%), Phoenicurus ochruros (6.86%), Parus major (6.33%) and Motacilla cinerea (5.45%). The mean total assemblage density was estimated on 54.27 ind./10 ha (σ = 5.07, n = 5) varying from 48.06 to 61.91 ind./10 ha per year. Significant differences in total bird abundance per points among years were not detected by Friedman test. Monte Carlo individual-based rarefaction detected significant differences among years in species richness and Shannon index in large subsample of individuals, no differences were detected in absolute theoretical species richness (Chao 1 estimator). Total assemblage density was comparable to some of previous studies, yet some differences were found in dominant species structure.

Investigating differences in bird communities among various habitats can provide scientific basis for the management and conservation. We surveyed forest birds in areas of different elevations in Yaoluoping National Nature Reserve from July to August, 2017, and compared summer bird communities among forests, highways, village-to-village roads and villages. We recorded a total of 4225 birds belonging to 9 orders and 30 families. Due to the high canopy cover and simplified vegetation, bird species richness, number of individuals and species diversity were all low in forests, not different from those along highways crossing forests. Although there were no significant differences in number of individuals and species diversity between village-to-village road and highways, species richness along village-to-village roads was significantly higher than that along highways, which might be related to the lower disturbances. Species richness, number of individuals and Shannon-Wiener species diversity index in villages were significantly higher than those in other habitats, which could be attributed to the relatively open habitats and rich food resources from humans in villages. Our study indicates that the species diversity of summer bird communities is higher in habitats with greater disturbance such as villages in forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eco-epidemiology of tick-borne diseases hinges on the abundance and distribution of hosts that sustain tick populations and the pathogens they carry. Research into the role of bird species in the feeding of Ixodes ricinus ticks, the primary tick species of veterinary and public health importance in Europe, remains scarce. This study endeavors to bridge these knowledge gaps by (i) assessing the density of feeding ticks (DFT) within a bird community to pinpoint species making substantial contributions, and (ii) exploring interannual variations in DFT over an extended timeline. Furthermore, we investigate whether variations in individual tick burden (TB) were more closely associated with the characteristics of bird species or interannual variations affecting the density of questing tick, using interannual TB variation as a surrogate. To fulfill these aims, we conducted a 13-year longitudinal study monitoring I. ricinus ticks feeding on a bird community in a periurban forest in France, covering breeding periods from 2007 to 2019. Within this community, we identified seven principal bird species significantly contributing to I. ricinus tick feeding: the Common Blackbird (Turdus merula), the Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos), the European Robin (Erithacus rubecula), the Dunnock (Prunella modularis), the Eurasian Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla), the Great Tit (Parus major), and the Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos). Our results show that the bird community's contribution to tick feeding remained relatively consistent from year-to-year, though certain years displayed higher or lower DFT values related to the average over the study period. Moreover, five out the seven major species accounted for 80 % to 95 % of DFT annually. Consequently, we emphasized the need to broaden the scope of future research on bird contributions to tick population dynamics beyond merely thrushes (Turdidae species), to encompass a more diverse range of species, particularly those common birds that engage in ground foraging activities. Furthermore, variations in individual tick burden were predominantly influenced by the characteristics of bird species rather than by interannual variability in infestation rates. This finding suggests a significant role for species-specific traits in determining tick exposure and susceptibility. In conclusion, our study offers new insights into the medium-term dynamics of tick-bird ecological systems, underscoring the need for future study of tick populations and their interactions with vertebrate hosts to improve our understanding of tick-borne disease circulation., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

Plant invasions often lead to homogenization of plant communities, but the potential for homogenization of other trophic levels is understudied in many systems. Biotic communities in coastal wetlands are closely tied to daily and yearly water-level fluctuations. We compared the bird community in invasive Phragmites australis (European common reed) habitat and remnant, uninvaded marsh in a year with average water depths and a year with above-average water depths in Long Point (Ontario, Canada), a World Biosphere Reserve. Our results demonstrate the spatial and temporal homogenization of the wetland bird community following P. australis invasion. The bird community present in P. australis was a nested subset of the species present in remnant marsh, and total beta diversity in P. australis habitat decreased when water depths were above average. In contrast, total beta diversity was high in remnant marsh vegetation. The distinctively structured vegetation zones in remnant marsh yield structural complexity and habitat heterogeneity that support greater taxonomic turnover in the bird community. These results provide evidence that invasion by a plant has resulted in the biological homogenization of the wetland bird community and illustrate that habitat use will change with prevailing environmental conditions, such as high- and low-water levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the years 2019 and 2020, I conducted a bird survey transect in the Bohemian Forest. I did not record any changes in habitat structure or weather conditions between the two years. The two surveys differed in sampling effort, which was significantly lower in 2020 (n = 5 visits) than 2019 (n = 14 visits). I found that sampling effort affected the assessment of avian community diversity but did not affect the total number of individuals recorded. I also recorded a similar pattern in the cumulative number of species between the two breeding seasons, but 80% of species were recorded ten days earlier with the higher sampling effort. In the year with the lower sampling effort, I recorded fewer species than in the year with higher sampling effort. In both study periods, avian community diversity peaked during May and June. These results suggest that even a sampling effort three times lower is still sufficient to detect most species if the minimal number of visits are conducted. The pattern of detectability during the breeding season differed significantly among species. Most species (n = 24) showed a decreasing linear detectability throughout the summer months (e.g. Turdidae or Muscicapidae), most probably due to their breeding activities. In two species (willow tit Poecile montanus and European goldfinch Carduelis carduelis), this linear relationship was reversed, probably due to singing of young birds from the previous breeding season and the effect of the autumn equinox on birdsong activity. Many species (n = 21) did not show any trend and the rest, mainly migratory species, showed non-linear relationships with the peak in the middle of the breeding season. The differences in trends of detectability (i.e. song activity) among bird species are therefore directly linked with their life history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of various habitats increases biodiversity and provides niche opportunities for organisms, although greater habitat diversity may contribute to the spreading of invasive plants. In this study, we aimed to assess the impact of the extent of invasion on bird responses to the availability of their natural habitats. Specifically, we asked whether the Caucasian hogweeds, herbaceous invasive plants spreading in abandoned lands, shape those responses by providing new niche opportunities or limitations and whether these invaders can be tolerated by the bird community. The research was conducted in south-eastern Poland in 2020 on 64 research sites, half of which were located near the Caucasian hogweeds’ invasion. The birds were counted from points within 100 m, while the areas of invaded and uninvaded habitats were measured within 100 and 500 m. The impact of the invaded area was negative for the overall bird abundance and species richness. At the same time, the invasion affected birds differently depending on their nesting/foraging assemblages, the availability of various uninvaded habitats, and the extent of invaded areas. Specifically, the abundance of ground/herb dwellers non-linearly dropped even with small increases of the invaded area suggesting their high sensitivity to invasion. These birds were supported by the agricultural land availability, but only when its area was lower than 1.0 ha and the habitat was fragmented, indicating the value of extensive croplands for ground/herb dwelling species. Ecotone birds benefited from small invaded areas mixed with bushes but suffered when the invaded areas were large. Habitat homogenization by the invader physiognomically similar to shrubs was favoured by bush foragers. Tree foragers preferred forest partitioning near the largest invaded areas. The invaded and uninvaded habitats influenced bird community at a fine scale (i.e. in a 100-m radius), while only crucial areas of meadows, forests and agriculture available in a 500-m radius remained important for the community. This study showed that even a small amount of plant invaders rapidly and negatively affect birds when they grow in open areas and are physiognomically different from these birds’ habitats, while species living in ecotone or trees suffer from severely invaded areas. It suggests the priority of invading weeds’ removal in open areas, regardless of the invaded area, as well as the need to prevent weed development in overgrown areas.

In areas where forest is under long-term human influence, we can expect that forest bird populations will be affected by changes in forest management. Consequences of such forest management changes can be studied using long-term population trajectories of habitat-defined groups of bird species because various species are associated to different habitat types. Here we focused on 51 species of common forest birds in Czechia, a central European country, using data from a nation-wide breeding bird monitoring scheme collected from 1982 to 2019. Important changes in forest management took place over this time period in Europe and we asked whether the trends in Czech forest bird populations reflected these changes. For this purpose, we defined nine groups according to the species’ habitat associations in respect of stand size, vegetation layers and tree species composition. We calculated annual population indices using log-linear models with Poisson distribution for every species and composed these annual indices into multispecies indicators (MSIs). MSI of all forest birds, as well as MSIs of three groups of habitat generalists showed significant increases over the focal period. The groups of more specialized species showed more variable population trajectories: birds of the shrub layer decreased, whereas birds of the forest canopy and birds of broad-leaved trees increased, and populations of birds of forest edges, forest interior and coniferous trees were stable. These patterns in forest bird populations are consistent with forest maturation and increasing wood volume that took place in Czech forests over several decades. Such changes in forest environment are likely consequences of the change in purposes of forest management from fuel wood to timber harvesting that took place in 20th century resulting in a longer rotation period. Increases in species associated with broad-leaved trees can be explained by replacement of coniferous stands by stands of broad-leaved trees indicating recovery of forest environment towards more natural conditions as majority of the forested area would be naturally covered by broad-leaved vegetation in Czechia. In addition, the occurrence of some broad-leaved trees within coniferous stands, a common practice in Czech forestry, may also provide benefits to populations of bird species associated with broad-leaved trees. Taken together, these results support suitability of current forest management for forest birds that corresponds to recent findings from several other European regions. However, we should take this conclusion with caution because the increases of generalist birds may be also driven by factors outside the forest environment.

Military training areas are important biodiversity refuges and may serve as viable components of regional conservation networks, mainly due to the blocking of ecological succession by the disturbance regime creating a heterogeneous open habitat mosaic hosting many threatened species. However, European armies have undergone downsizing over the past decades and numerous military training areas have been abandoned. The assessment of the consequences of this abandonment for biodiversity would show us whether these abandoned areas still provide conservation benefits. For this purpose, we carried out bird surveys in 30 abandoned military training areas in Czechia. The surveys were performed in two periods (2009 and 2020–2021) to track small-scale changes in land cover and bird abundance after the areas were abandoned in the 1990s. We tested (i) whether changes in bird abundance were related to land cover changes and (ii) whether the observed bird species' responses to the land cover changes can be explained by species-specific characteristics. Multivariate spatial analyses uncovered significant shifts in land cover composition towards a higher representation of dense shrub, forest and built-up areas at the expense of open areas represented by grassland and sparse shrub. These land cover changes explained a small but significant part of bird abundance variation across the areas. Correspondingly, species benefiting from these land cover changes were associated with dense scrub or forest, such as the Common Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, or Eurasian Blackcap, whereas species suffering from these changes were associated with grassland, such as the European Stonechat and Eurasian Skylark. Phylogenetically informed interspecific analysis aiming to explain changes in bird abundance between periods confirmed that population declines were linked to open habitat preference, while population increases were linked to the preference for dense shrub and forest. In addition, we found that protected species increased their abundance, most likely due to the existence of conservation management that kept their habitats available. These patterns indicate that military training areas transform toward later successional stages after their abandonment with corresponding changes in bird community composition. However, these changes may not necessarily be negative provided that species of conservation concern enjoy the support of conservation management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have revealed that urban rivers with relatively complete habitat structures can support a high level of biodiversity in urban areas. However, few studies have analyzed the impact of the plan, design, and management of multi-scale urban riverside green space on bird communities by assessing several aspects of diversity (e.g., taxonomic and functional). In this study, we explored bird community variation (taxonomic and functional) among three rivers (28 sampling sites) with different levels of human disturbance along the urban development gradient in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, during an annual cycle. This study related bird species richness and functional diversity to environmental variables at three spatial scales: landscape metrics at two different landscape scales (500 and 100 m radius) and vegetation structure at patch scales (20 m radius). Using partial least squares regression (PLSR) and multiple linear regression, we found that bird species richness and functional diversity were strongly related to various landscape- and patch-level variables. Multiple linear regression models revealed that, compared with the richness influenced by explanatory variables on three spatial scales (500, 100, and 20 m), the functional diversity was significantly influenced by explanatory variables on the 100 and 20 m scales. Tree cover at the 20 m scale had significantly positive impacts on bird species richness and functional diversity. Forest land in the 100 m scale had a significantly positive effect on bird species richness and functional diversity, while construction land in the two landscape scales (the 500- and 100 m scales) had a significantly negative effect on species richness. Accordingly, we suggest that urban riverside green space should be planned and managed at multiple scales.