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Shivambu TC, Shivambu N, Nelufule T, Moshobane MC, Seoraj-Pillai N, Nangammbi TC. Returning to the Wilderness: Potential Habitat Suitability of Non-Native Pet Birds in South Africa. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:483. [PMID: 39056678 PMCID: PMC11274018 DOI: 10.3390/biology13070483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
The global trade of non-native pet birds has increased in recent decades, and this has accelerated the introduction of invasive birds in the wild. This study employed ensemble species distribution modelling (eSDM) to assess potential habitat suitability and environmental predictor variables influencing the potential distribution of non-native pet bird species reported lost and sighted in South Africa. We used data and information on lost and found pet birds from previous studies to establish and describe scenarios of how pet birds may transition from captivity to the wild. Our study revealed that models fitted and performed well in predicting the suitability for African grey (Psittacus erithacus), Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus), Green-cheeked conure (Pyrrhura molinae), Monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus), and Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri), with the mean weighted AUC and TSS values greater than 0.765. The predicted habitat suitability differed among species, with the suitability threshold indicating that between 61% and 87% of areas were predicted as suitable. Species with greater suitability included the African grey, Cockatiel, and Rose-ringed parakeet, which demonstrated significant overlap between their habitat suitability and reported lost cases. Human footprint, bioclimatic variables, and vegetation indices largely influenced predictive habitat suitability. The pathway scenario showed the key mechanisms driving the transition of pet birds from captivity to the wild, including the role of pet owners, animal rescues, adoption practices, and environmental suitability. Our study found that urban landscapes, which are heavily populated, are at high risk of potential invasion by pet birds. Thus, implementing a thorough surveillance survey is crucial for monitoring and evaluating the establishment potential of pet species not yet reported in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tinyiko C. Shivambu
- Faculty of Science, Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; (N.S.); (T.N.); (N.S.-P.); (T.C.N.)
| | - Ndivhuwo Shivambu
- Faculty of Science, Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; (N.S.); (T.N.); (N.S.-P.); (T.C.N.)
| | - Takalani Nelufule
- Faculty of Science, Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; (N.S.); (T.N.); (N.S.-P.); (T.C.N.)
| | - Moleseng C. Moshobane
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria National Botanical Garden, 2 Cussonia Avenue, Brummeria, Silverton 0184, South Africa;
| | - Nimmi Seoraj-Pillai
- Faculty of Science, Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; (N.S.); (T.N.); (N.S.-P.); (T.C.N.)
| | - Tshifhiwa C. Nangammbi
- Faculty of Science, Department of Nature Conservation, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; (N.S.); (T.N.); (N.S.-P.); (T.C.N.)
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2
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Wei F, Xie T, Su C, He B, Shu Z, Zhang Y, Xiao Z, Hao J. Stability and Assembly Mechanisms of Butterfly Communities across Environmental Gradients of a Subtropical Mountain. INSECTS 2024; 15:230. [PMID: 38667360 PMCID: PMC11050375 DOI: 10.3390/insects15040230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Mountain ecosystems harbor evolutionarily unique and exceptionally rich biodiversity, particularly in insects. In this study, we characterized the diversity, community stability, and assembly mechanisms of butterflies on a subtropical mountain in the Chebaling National Nature Reserve, Guangdong Province, China, using grid-based monitoring across the entire region for two years. The results showed that species richness, abundance, and Faith's phylogenetic diversity decreased with increasing elevation; taxonomic diversity played a considerable role in mediating the effects of environmental changes on stability. Moreover, our results showed that stochastic processes are dominant in governing the assembly of butterfly communities across all elevational gradients, with habitats at an elevation of 416-580 m subjected to the strongest stochastic processes, whereas heterogeneous selection processes displayed stronger effects on the assembly of butterfly communities at 744-908 m, 580-744 m, and 908-1072 m, with abiotic factors inferred as the main driving forces. In addition, significant differences were detected between the barcode tree and the placement tree for the calculated β-NTI values at 416-580 m. Overall, this study provides new insights into the effects of environmental change on the stability and assembly of butterflies in Chebaling, which will be beneficial for biodiversity conservation and policy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanyu Wei
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China; (F.W.); (T.X.); (C.S.); (B.H.)
| | - Tingting Xie
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China; (F.W.); (T.X.); (C.S.); (B.H.)
- Key Laboratory of Zoological and Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100045, China
| | - Chengyong Su
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China; (F.W.); (T.X.); (C.S.); (B.H.)
| | - Bo He
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China; (F.W.); (T.X.); (C.S.); (B.H.)
| | - Zufei Shu
- Guangdong Chebaling National Nature Reserve Administration Bureau, Shaoguan 512500, China; (Z.S.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yingming Zhang
- Guangdong Chebaling National Nature Reserve Administration Bureau, Shaoguan 512500, China; (Z.S.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Zhishu Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100045, China
| | - Jiasheng Hao
- College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China; (F.W.); (T.X.); (C.S.); (B.H.)
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3
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Di Marco M, Santini L, Corcos D, Tschorsnig HP, Cerretti P. Elevational homogenization of mountain parasitoids across six decades. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2308273120. [PMID: 37931098 PMCID: PMC10655582 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308273120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Elevational gradients are characterized by strong environmental changes within small geographical distances, providing important insights on the response of biological communities to climate change. Mountain biodiversity is particularly sensitive to climate change, given the limited capacity to colonize new areas and the competition from upshifting lowland species. Knowledge on the impact of climate change on mountain insect communities is patchy, but elevation is known to influence parasitic interactions which control insect communities and functions within ecosystems. We analyzed a European dataset of bristle flies, a parasitoid group which regulates insect herbivory in both managed and natural ecosystems. Our dataset spans six decades and multiple elevational bands, and we found marked elevational homogenization in the host specialization of bristle fly species through time. The proportion of specialized parasitoids has increased by ca. 70% at low elevations, from 17 to 29%, and has decreased by ca. 20% at high elevations, from 48 to 37%. As a result, the strong elevational gradient in bristle fly specialization observed in the 1960s has become much flatter over time. As climate warming is predicted to accelerate, the disappearance of specialized parasitoids from high elevations might become even faster. This parasitoid homogenization can reshape the ecological function of mountain insect communities, increasing the risk of herbivory outbreak at high elevations. Our results add to the mounting evidence that symbiotic species might be especially at risk from climate change: Monitoring the effects of these changes is urgently needed to define effective conservation strategies for mountain biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moreno Di Marco
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, RomeI-00185, Italy
- Museo di Zoologia, Polo Museale Sapienza, Sapienza University of Rome, RomeI-00162, Italy
| | - Luca Santini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, RomeI-00185, Italy
- Museo di Zoologia, Polo Museale Sapienza, Sapienza University of Rome, RomeI-00162, Italy
| | - Daria Corcos
- Istituto Comprensivo Solitati Tiburzi, Rome00149, Italy
| | | | - Pierfilippo Cerretti
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, RomeI-00185, Italy
- Museo di Zoologia, Polo Museale Sapienza, Sapienza University of Rome, RomeI-00162, Italy
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4
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Assessing protected area network effectiveness through the temporal change in avian communities’ composition. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2022.126222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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5
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de Gabriel Hernando M, Roa I, Fernández‐Gil J, Juan J, Fuertes B, Reguera B, Revilla E. Trends in weather conditions favor generalist over specialist species in rear‐edge alpine bird communities. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Miguel de Gabriel Hernando
- Grupo Ibérico de Anillamiento León Spain
- Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences Universidad de León León Spain
- Department of Conservation Biology Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC Seville Spain
| | - Isabel Roa
- Grupo Ibérico de Anillamiento León Spain
| | | | - Jara Juan
- Grupo Ibérico de Anillamiento León Spain
| | | | | | - Eloy Revilla
- Department of Conservation Biology Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC Seville Spain
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6
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Ceresa F, Kranebitter P, S Monrós J, Rizzolli F, Brambilla M. Disentangling direct and indirect effects of local temperature on abundance of mountain birds and implications for understanding global change impacts. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12560. [PMID: 34950536 PMCID: PMC8647716 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Unravelling the environmental factors driving species distribution and abundance is crucial in ecology and conservation. Both climatic and land cover factors are often used to describe species distribution/abundance, but their interrelations have been scarcely investigated. Climatic factors may indeed affect species both directly and indirectly, e.g., by influencing vegetation structure and composition. We aimed to disentangle the direct and indirect effects (via vegetation) of local temperature on bird abundance across a wide elevational gradient in the European Alps, ranging from montane forests to high-elevation open areas. In 2018, we surveyed birds by using point counts and collected fine-scale land cover and temperature data from 109 sampling points. We used structural equation modelling to estimate direct and indirect effects of local climate on bird abundance. We obtained a sufficient sample for 15 species, characterized by a broad variety of ecological requirements. For all species we found a significant indirect effect of local temperatures via vegetation on bird abundance. Direct effects of temperature were less common and were observed in seven woodland/shrubland species, including only mountain generalists; in these cases, local temperatures showed a positive effect, suggesting that on average our study area is likely colder than the thermal optimum of those species. The generalized occurrence of indirect temperature effects within our species set demonstrates the importance of considering both climate and land cover changes to obtain more reliable predictions of future species distribution/abundance. In fact, many species may be largely tracking suitable habitat rather than thermal niches, especially among homeotherm organisms like birds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Mattia Brambilla
- Museo delle Scienze, Trento, Italia.,Fondazione Lombardia per l'Ambiente, Milano, Italia.,Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italia
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7
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Avian ecology and community structure across elevation gradients: The importance of high latitude temperate mountain habitats for conserving biodiversity in the Americas. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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8
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Ševčík R, Riegert J, Šťastný K, Zárybnický J, Zárybnická M. The effect of environmental variables on owl distribution in Central Europe: A case study from the Czech Republic. ECOL INFORM 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2021.101375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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9
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Welke CA, Graham B, Conover RR, Rivers JW, Burg TM. Habitat-linked genetic structure for white-crowned sparrow ( Zonotrichia leucophrys): Local factors shape population genetic structure. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:11700-11717. [PMID: 34522334 PMCID: PMC8427623 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological, environmental, and geographic factors all influence genetic structure. Species with broad distributions are ideal systems because they cover a range of ecological and environmental conditions allowing us to test which components predict genetic structure. This study presents a novel, broad geographic approach using molecular markers, morphology, and habitat modeling to investigate rangewide and local barriers causing contemporary genetic differentiation within the geographical range of three white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) subspecies: Z. l. gambelii, Z. l. oriantha, and Z. l. pugetensis. Three types of genetic markers showed geographic distance between sampling sites, elevation, and ecosystem type are key factors contributing to population genetic structure. Microsatellite markers revealed white-crowned sparrows do not group by subspecies, but instead indicated four groupings at a rangewide scale and two groupings based on coniferous and deciduous ecosystems at a local scale. Our analyses of morphological variation also revealed habitat differences; sparrows from deciduous ecosystems are larger than individuals from coniferous ecosystems based on principal component analyses. Habitat modeling showed isolation by distance was prevalent in describing genetic structure, but isolation by resistance also had a small but significant influence. Not only do these findings have implications concerning the accuracy of subspecies delineations, they also highlight the critical role of local factors such as habitat in shaping contemporary population genetic structure of species with high dispersal ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A. Welke
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of LethbridgeLethbridgeABCanada
- Department of BiologyThe King's UniversityEdmontonABCanada
| | - Brendan Graham
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of LethbridgeLethbridgeABCanada
| | - Ross R. Conover
- Department of Natural SciencesPaul Smith's CollegePaul SmithsNew YorkUSA
| | - James W. Rivers
- Department of Forest Engineering, Resources, and ManagementOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregonUSA
| | - Theresa M. Burg
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of LethbridgeLethbridgeABCanada
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10
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Within-season movements of Alpine songbird distributions are driven by fine-scale environmental characteristics. Sci Rep 2020; 10:5747. [PMID: 32238868 PMCID: PMC7113314 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-62661-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Information about distribution and habitat use of organisms is crucial for conservation. Bird distribution within the breeding season has been usually considered static, but this assumption has been questioned. Within-season movements may allow birds to track changes in habitat quality or to adjust site choice between subsequent breeding attempts. Such movements are especially likely in temperate mountains, given the substantial environmental heterogeneity and changes occurring during bird breeding season. We investigated the within-season movements of breeding songbirds in the European Alps in spring-summer 2018, using repeated point counts and dynamic occupancy models. For all the four species for which we obtained sufficient data, changes in occupancy during the season strongly indicated the occurrence of within-season movements. Species occupancy changed during the season according to fine-scale vegetation/land-cover types, while microclimate (mean temperature) affected initial occupancy in two species. The overall occupancy rate increased throughout the season, suggesting the settlement of new individuals coming from outside the area. A static distribution cannot be assumed during the breeding season for songbirds breeding in temperate mountains. This needs to be considered when planning monitoring and conservation of Alpine birds, as within-season movements may affect the proportion of population/distribution interested by monitoring or conservation programs.
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11
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Preliminary Analysis of the Diet of Triturus carnifex and Pollution in Mountain Karst Ponds in Central Apennines. WATER 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/w12010044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mountain karst ponds are sensitive environments, hosting complex trophic networks where amphibians play a major role, often as top predators. The diet of the Italian crested newt (Triturus carnifex) is still poorly known for populations occupying mountain karst ponds. These are traditionally used as livestock’s watering points, leading to water pollution due to excreta and wading behavior. The aim of this paper is to understand the relationship between T. carnifex diet composition, assessed through the stomach flushing technique, and physical and chemical characteristics in mountain ponds, focusing on parameters altered by livestock pressure, such as ammonium concentration and dissolved oxygen. The high diversity of prey items found within the newts’ gut contents confirms the generalist diet even in mountain ponds. The number of prey taxa, their relative abundance and Shannon–Wiener diversity index show variations among the sampled sites, related to livestock organic pollution. Moreover, we report the very first European records of microplastic items in amphibians’ stomach content, which also represent the first evidence for Caudata worldwide. Our findings suggest that livestock pressure directly influences T. carnifex diet and highlight that the emerging issue of plastics is a threat even in remote high-altitude environments.
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12
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Santillán V, Quitián M, Tinoco BA, Zárate E, Schleuning M, Böhning-Gaese K, Neuschulz EL. Different responses of taxonomic and functional bird diversity to forest fragmentation across an elevational gradient. Oecologia 2018; 189:863-873. [PMID: 30506305 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4309-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Many studies have investigated how habitat fragmentation affects the taxonomic and functional diversity of species assemblages. However, the joint effects of habitat fragmentation and environmental conditions on taxonomic and functional diversity, for instance across elevational gradients, have largely been neglected so far. In this study, we compare whether taxonomic and functional indicators show similar or distinct responses to forest fragmentation across an elevational gradient. We based our analysis on a comprehensive data set of species-rich bird assemblages from tropical montane forest in the Southern Andes of Ecuador. We monitored birds over 2 years in two habitat types (continuous and fragmented forest) at three elevations (i.e., 1000, 2000, and 3000 m a.s.l) and measured nine morphological traits for each bird species on museum specimens. Bird species richness and abundance were significantly higher in fragmented compared to continuous forests and decreased towards high elevations. In contrast, functional diversity was significantly reduced in fragmented compared to continuous forests at low elevations, but fragmentation effects on functional diversity tended to be reversed at high elevations. Our results demonstrate that taxonomic and functional indicators can show decoupled responses to forest fragmentation and that these effects are highly variable across elevations. Our findings reveal that functional homogenization in bird communities in response to fragmentation can be masked by apparent increases in taxonomic diversity, particularly in diverse communities at low elevations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinicio Santillán
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60438, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany. .,Escuela de Biología, Ecología Y Gestión, Universidad Del Azuay, Av. 24 de Mayo 7-77 Y Hernán Malo, 01.01.981, Cuenca, Ecuador.
| | - Marta Quitián
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany.,Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60438, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Boris A Tinoco
- Escuela de Biología, Ecología Y Gestión, Universidad Del Azuay, Av. 24 de Mayo 7-77 Y Hernán Malo, 01.01.981, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Edwin Zárate
- Escuela de Biología, Ecología Y Gestión, Universidad Del Azuay, Av. 24 de Mayo 7-77 Y Hernán Malo, 01.01.981, Cuenca, Ecuador
| | - Matthias Schleuning
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Katrin Böhning-Gaese
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany.,Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 9, 60438, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
| | - Eike Lena Neuschulz
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
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13
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Predator and parasitoid insects along elevational gradients: role of temperature and habitat diversity. Oecologia 2018; 188:193-202. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4169-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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14
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Kim JY, Lee S, Shin MS, Lee CH, Seo C, Eo SH. Altitudinal patterns in breeding bird species richness and density in relation to climate, habitat heterogeneity, and migration influence in a temperate montane forest (South Korea). PeerJ 2018; 6:e4857. [PMID: 29844993 PMCID: PMC5970552 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Altitudinal patterns in the population ecology of mountain bird species are useful for predicting species occurrence and behavior. Numerous hypotheses about the complex interactions among environmental factors have been proposed; however, these still remain controversial. This study aimed to identify the altitudinal patterns in breeding bird species richness or density and to test the hypotheses that climate, habitat heterogeneity (horizontal and vertical), and heterospecific attraction in a temperate forest, South Korea. We conducted a field survey of 142 plots at altitudes between 200 and 1,400 m a.s.l in the breeding season. A total of 2,771 individuals from 53 breeding bird species were recorded. Altitudinal patterns of species richness and density showed a hump-shaped pattern, indicating that the highest richness and density could be observed at moderate altitudes. Models constructed with 13 combinations of six variables demonstrated that species richness was positively correlated with vertical and horizontal habitat heterogeneity. Density was positively correlated with vertical, but not horizontal habitat heterogeneity, and negatively correlated with migratory bird ratio. No significant relationships were found between spring temperature and species richness or density. Therefore, the observed patterns in species richness support the hypothesis that habitat heterogeneity, rather than climate, is the main driver of species richness. Also, neither habitat heterogeneity nor climate hypotheses fully explains the observed patterns in density. However, vertical habitat heterogeneity does likely help explain observed patterns in density. The heterospecific attraction hypothesis did not apply to the distribution of birds along the altitudinal gradient. Appropriate management of vertical habitat heterogeneity, such as vegetation cover, should be maintained for the conservation of bird diversity in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Yong Kim
- Division of Ecosystem Services and Research Planning, National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon, South Korea.,Department of Forest Resources, Kongju National University, Kongju, South Korea
| | - Sanghun Lee
- Division of Basic Ecology, National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon, South Korea
| | - Man-Seok Shin
- Division of Ecosystem Services and Research Planning, National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon, South Korea
| | - Chang-Hoon Lee
- Division of Basic Ecology, National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon, South Korea
| | - Changwan Seo
- Division of Ecological Survey Research, National Institute of Ecology, Seocheon, South Korea
| | - Soo Hyung Eo
- Department of Forest Resources, Kongju National University, Kongju, South Korea
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15
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Ferrarini A, Alatalo JM, Gustin M. Climate change will seriously impact bird species dwelling above the treeline: A prospective study for the Italian Alps. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 590-591:686-694. [PMID: 28284643 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2017] [Revised: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
High mountain systems are predicted to be especially vulnerable to the impact of climate change, with the climatically-constrained tree limit rapidly shifted upslope. In turn, the impact of upward treeline migration on mountain-dwelling bird species is expected to significantly reduce habitat suitability. We developed the first projection of the expected climate-driven rise of the whole treeline (19,256km) of the Italian Alps. The study area extends over 20,700km2, ranging over 550km in longitude and 320km in latitude. We then investigated how much the expected treeline rise will induce a) shrinking and shifting of the elevation range and b) loss in suitable habitat for the flagship species rock ptarmigan, an alpine bird species dwelling above the treeline and, similarly to many other alpine species, highly vulnerable to treeline rise. We also investigated the potential gain in suitable habitat for rock ptarmigan due to the climate-driven upshift in the uppermost thermal limit. At lower altitudes (1500-1600m a.s.l.), the average expected upshift in the current treeline resulted in 195, 274 and 354m over the short (2010-2039), medium (2040-2069) and long term (2070-2099) respectively. Above 2400m a.s.l., it was less than 30m even in the long term. Overall, during the three climate periods the extent of suitable habitat for rock ptarmigan above the current treeline is projected to decrease by 28.12%, 38.43% and 49.11% respectively. In contrast, the expected gain in suitable habitat due to the shift in the uppermost thermal limit will be severely restrained by the limited surface extension in the top portion of the Italian Alps. The presented approach can promote similar studies elsewhere in the globe, providing a regional perspective to the projection of climate change impact on bird species dwelling above the treeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Ferrarini
- BirdLife International - Lipu (Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli), Conservation Department, Via Udine 3/a, I-43122 Parma, Italy
| | - Juha M Alatalo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar.
| | - Marco Gustin
- BirdLife International - Lipu (Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli), Conservation Department, Via Udine 3/a, I-43122 Parma, Italy
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16
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Brambilla M, Caprio E, Assandri G, Scridel D, Bassi E, Bionda R, Celada C, Falco R, Bogliani G, Pedrini P, Rolando A, Chamberlain D. A spatially explicit definition of conservation priorities according to population resistance and resilience, species importance and level of threat in a changing climate. DIVERS DISTRIB 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Brambilla
- Museo delle Scienze, Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati; Corso della Scienza e del Lavoro; Trento Italy
- Fondazione Lombardia per l'Ambiente; Settore Biodiversità e Aree protette; Seveso Italy
| | - Enrico Caprio
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi; Università di Torino; Torino Italy
| | - Giacomo Assandri
- Museo delle Scienze, Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati; Corso della Scienza e del Lavoro; Trento Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente; Università degli Studi di Pavia; Pavia Italy
| | - Davide Scridel
- Museo delle Scienze, Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati; Corso della Scienza e del Lavoro; Trento Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente; Università degli Studi di Pavia; Pavia Italy
| | - Enrico Bassi
- Parco Nazionale dello Stelvio; Ufficio Faunistico; Bormio Italy
| | - Radames Bionda
- Parco Naturale Alpe Veglia e Devero - Alta Valle Antrona; Varzo Italy
| | - Claudio Celada
- Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli (LIPU/BirdLife Italia); Parma Italy
| | - Riccardo Falco
- Fondazione Lombardia per l'Ambiente; Settore Biodiversità e Aree protette; Seveso Italy
| | - Giuseppe Bogliani
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente; Università degli Studi di Pavia; Pavia Italy
| | - Paolo Pedrini
- Museo delle Scienze, Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati; Corso della Scienza e del Lavoro; Trento Italy
| | - Antonio Rolando
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi; Università di Torino; Torino Italy
| | - Dan Chamberlain
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi; Università di Torino; Torino Italy
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Bastianelli G, Wintle BA, Martin EH, Seoane J, Laiolo P. Species partitioning in a temperate mountain chain: Segregation by habitat vs. interspecific competition. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:2685-2696. [PMID: 28428859 PMCID: PMC5395447 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Disentangling the relative influence of the environment and biotic interactions in determining species coexistence patterns is a major challenge in ecology. The zonation occurring along elevation gradients, or at bioclimatic contact zones, offers a good opportunity to improve such understanding because the small scale at which the partitioning occurs facilitates inference based on experiments and ecological modelling. We studied the influence of abiotic gradients, habitat types, and interspecific competition in determining the spatial turnover between two pipit and two bunting species in NW Spain. We explored two independent lines of evidence to draw inference about the relative importance of environment and biotic interactions in driving range partitioning along elevation, latitude, and longitude. We combined occurrence data with environmental data to develop joint species distribution models (JSDM), in order to attribute co‐occurrence (or exclusion) to shared (or divergent) environmental responses and to interactions (attraction or exclusion). In the same region, we tested for interference competition by means of playback experiments in the contact zone. The JSDMs highlighted different responses for the two species pairs, although we did not find direct evidence of interspecific aggressiveness in our playback experiments. In pipits, partitioning was explained by divergent climate and habitat requirements and also by the negative correlations between species not explained by the environment. This significant residual correlation may reflect forms of competition others than direct interference, although we could not completely exclude the influence of unmeasured environmental predictors. When bunting species co‐occurred, it was because of shared habitat preferences, and a possible limitation to dispersal might cause their partitioning. Our results indicate that no single mechanism dominates in driving the distribution of our study species, but rather distributions are determined by the combination of many small forces including biotic and abiotic determinants of niche, whose relative strengths varied among species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Bastianelli
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO, CSIC, PA) Universidad de Oviedo Mieres Spain
| | - Brendan A Wintle
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Elizabeth H Martin
- School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Vic. Australia
| | - Javier Seoane
- Terrestrial Ecology Group Departamento de Ecología Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid Spain
| | - Paola Laiolo
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO, CSIC, PA) Universidad de Oviedo Mieres Spain
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