1
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Felgentreff ES, Pernat N, Buchholz S. Birds of Berlin: Changes in communities and guilds in the urban park "Tiergarten" since 1850. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11461. [PMID: 38803607 PMCID: PMC11128458 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Urbanization has far-reaching consequences on birds, and knowledge of the impacts on taxonomic and functional diversity is necessary to make cities as compatible as possible for species. Avian diversity in parks in urban centers has been investigated multiple times, but rarely so in long-term studies due to lacking data. The Tiergarten in Berlin is a large-scale park in the city center of great value for people and many species including birds. We compiled bird species lists since 1850 and from monitoring in 2022 in one dataset to investigate how bird communities and guilds have changed over time and how these alterations were influenced by the eventful history of the park's vegetation conditions. Long-term changes in species assemblages were analyzed with an ordination analysis, and changes in guild presence and functional richness were discussed with regard to landscape transitions. A gradual development of species assemblages yet only small changes in guild composition since 1850 was detected, whereas the 1950 community stands out with a drop in species richness and replacement of forest species with an open land community, which reflects the deforestation of the park during World War II. Consideration of habitat, lifestyle, trophic, and migration guilds revealed no sign of functional homogenization over the last 172 years (1850-2022). Despite the high frequentation of the park by humans it still allows for a high bird diversity due to the Tiergarten's sheer size and heterogeneity of vegetation and habitats. We recommend that the park is maintained and managed accordingly to preserve this condition and advise other urban parks to strive for these beneficial features.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nadja Pernat
- Institute of Landscape EcologyUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
| | - Sascha Buchholz
- Institute of Landscape EcologyUniversity of MünsterMünsterGermany
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2
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Löffler F, Brüggeshemke J, Freienstein FM, Kämpfer S, Fartmann T. Urban rooftops near sports pitches provide a safe haven for a declining shorebird. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9248. [PMID: 38649736 PMCID: PMC11035604 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59693-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Urbanisation has contributed to a severe decline in biodiversity worldwide. However, urban ecosystems can also play an important role in the conservation of threatened species, including ground-nesting birds such as the Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus). While the coastal populations of this shorebird have declined sharply, there is growing evidence that pairs nesting on urban flat roofs have high reproductive success. However, the reasons for rooftop nesting and the species' habitat use in urban areas remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the territory selection and foraging behaviour of the Eurasian Oystercatcher in the city of Münster (NW Germany). All nesting sites were located on flat roofs (N = 24), most of which were covered with gravel. Overall, reproductive success was high. This was mainly because the roofs provided protection from mammalian predators, leading to increased nest and chick survival. Moreover, breeding performance in the study area was favoured by the proximity of sports pitches. According to our observations, they provided a large amount of easily accessible prey throughout the breeding season. Overall, our study highlights that the reproductive success of the Eurasian Oystercatcher in urban environments is highly dependent on both safe nesting sites on flat roofs and the availability of suitable foraging habitats. Although our study suggests that breeding in urban areas can be beneficial for the model organism, the species' strong territory fidelity makes it very sensitive to the rapid environmental changes occurring in cities. The value of urban ecosystems for bird conservation should therefore be better integrated into urban planning and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz Löffler
- Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabrück University, Barbarastraße 11, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany.
| | - Jonas Brüggeshemke
- Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabrück University, Barbarastraße 11, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Felix Maximilian Freienstein
- Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabrück University, Barbarastraße 11, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Steffen Kämpfer
- Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabrück University, Barbarastraße 11, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Thomas Fartmann
- Department of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology, Osnabrück University, Barbarastraße 11, 49076, Osnabrück, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity and Landscape Ecology (IBL), An der Kleimannbrücke 98, 48157, Münster, Germany
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3
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Ancillotto L, Amori G, Capizzi D, Cignini B, Zapparoli M, Mori E. No city for wetland species: habitat associations affect mammal persistence in urban areas. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240079. [PMID: 38471547 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The fast rate of replacement of natural areas by expanding cities is a key threat to wildlife worldwide. Many wild species occur in cities, yet little is known on the dynamics of urban wildlife assemblages due to species' extinction and colonization that may occur in response to the rapidly evolving conditions within urban areas. Namely, species' ability to spread within urban areas, besides habitat preferences, is likely to shape the fate of species once they occur in a city. Here we use a long-term dataset on mammals occurring in one of the largest and most ancient cities in Europe to assess whether and how spatial spread and association with specific habitats drive the probability of local extinction within cities. Our analysis included mammalian records dating between years 1832 and 2023, and revealed that local extinctions in urban areas are biased towards species associated with wetlands and that were naturally rare within the city. Besides highlighting the role of wetlands within urban areas for conserving wildlife, our work also highlights the importance of long-term biodiversity monitoring in highly dynamic habitats such as cities, as a key asset to better understand wildlife trends and thus foster more sustainable and biodiversity-friendly cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Ancillotto
- National Research Council (CNR), Institute for the Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), via della Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Amori
- National Research Council (CNR), Institute for the Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), via della Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Dario Capizzi
- Latium Region Directorate for Environment, Via di Campo Romano 65, 00173 Rome, Italy
| | - Bruno Cignini
- Department of Biology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Marzio Zapparoli
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-food and Forest systems (DIBAF), Università degli Studi della Tuscia, via San Camillo de Lellis snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Emiliano Mori
- National Research Council (CNR), Institute for the Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET), via della Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Palermo, Italy
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4
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Belitz MW, Sawyer A, Hendrick LK, Kawahara AY, Guralnick RP. Substantial urbanization-driven declines of larval and adult moths in a subtropical environment. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17241. [PMID: 38525809 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Recent work has shown the decline of insect abundance, diversity and biomass, with potential implications for ecosystem services. These declines are especially pronounced in regions with high human activity, and urbanization is emerging as a significant contributing factor. However, the scale of these declines and the traits that determine variation in species-specific responses remain less well understood, especially in subtropical and tropical regions, where insect diversity is high and urban footprints are rapidly expanding. Here, we surveyed moths across an entire year in protected forested sites across an urbanization gradient to test how caterpillar and adult life stages of subtropical moths (Lepidoptera) are impacted by urbanization. Specifically, we assess how urban development affects the total biomass of caterpillars, abundance of adult moths and quantify how richness and phylogenetic diversity of macro-moths are impacted by urban development. Additionally, we explore how life-history traits condition species' responses to urban development. At the community level, we find that urban development decreases caterpillar biomass and adult moth abundance. We also find sharp declines of adult macro-moths in response to urban development across the phylogeny, leading to a decrease in species richness and phylogenetic diversity in more urban sites. Finally, our study found that smaller macro-moths are less impacted by urban development than larger macro-moths in subtropical environments, perhaps highlighting the tradeoffs of metabolic costs of urban heat favoring smaller moths over the relative benefits of dispersal for larger moths. In summary, our research underscores the far-reaching consequences of urbanization on moths and provides compelling evidence that urban forests alone may not be sufficient to safeguard biodiversity in cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Belitz
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Biodiversity Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Asia Sawyer
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Lillian K Hendrick
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Akito Y Kawahara
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Robert P Guralnick
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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5
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Deng J, Zhu Y, Luo Y, Zhong Y, Tu J, Yu J, He J. Urbanization drives biotic homogenization of the avian community in China. Integr Zool 2024. [PMID: 38379130 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Urbanization-driven biotic homogenization has been recorded in various ecosystems on local and global scales; however, it is largely unexplored in developing countries. Empirical studies on different taxa and bioregions show conflicting results (i.e. biotic homogenization vs. biotic differentiation); the extent to which the community composition changes in response to anthropogenic disturbances and the factors governing this process, therefore, require elucidation. Here, we used a compiled database of 760 bird species in China to quantify the multiple-site β-diversity and fitted distance decay in pairwise β-diversities between natural and urban assemblages to assess whether urbanization had driven biotic homogenization. We used generalized dissimilarity models (GDM) to elucidate the roles of spatial and environmental factors in avian community dissimilarities before and after urbanization. The multiple-site β-diversities among urban assemblages were markedly lower than those among natural assemblages, and the distance decays in pairwise similarities in natural assemblages were more rapid. These results were consistent among taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional aspects, supporting a general biotic homogenization driven by urbanization. The GDM results indicated that geographical distance and temperature were the dominant predictors of avian community dissimilarity. However, the contribution of geographical distance and climatic factors decreased in explaining compositional dissimilarities in urban assemblages. Geographical and environmental distances accounted for much lower variations in compositional dissimilarities in urban than in natural assemblages, implying a potential risk of uncertainty in model predictions under further climate change and anthropogenic disturbances. Our study concludes that taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional dimensions elucidate urbanization-driven biotic homogenization in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiewen Deng
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Younan Zhu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuelong Luo
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yongjing Zhong
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiahao Tu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiehua Yu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiekun He
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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6
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Morelli F, Reif J, Díaz M, Tryjanowski P, Ibáñez-Álamo JD, Suhonen J, Jokimäki J, Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki ML, Møller AP, Jerzak L, Bussière R, Mägi M, Kominos T, Galanaki A, Bukas N, Markó G, Pruscini F, Ciebiera O, Benedetti Y. Dense city centers support less evolutionary unique bird communities than sparser urban areas. iScience 2024; 27:108945. [PMID: 38322998 PMCID: PMC10844830 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Urbanization alters avian communities, generally lowering the number of species and contemporaneously increasing their functional relatedness, leading to biotic homogenization. Urbanization can also negatively affect the phylogenetic diversity of species assemblages, potentially decreasing their evolutionary distinctiveness. We compare species assemblages in a gradient of building density in seventeen European cities to test whether the evolutionary distinctiveness of communities is shaped by the degree of urbanization. We found a significant decline in the evolutionary uniqueness of avian communities in highly dense urban areas, compared to low and medium-dense areas. Overall, communities from dense city centers supported one million years of evolutionary history less than communities from low-dense urban areas. Such evolutionary homogenization was due to a filtering process of the most evolutionarily unique birds. Metrics related to evolutionary uniqueness have to play a role when assessing the effects of urbanization and can be used to identify local conservation priorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Morelli
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Kamýcká 129, CZ-165 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Szafrana St. 1, PL 65-16 Zielona Góra, Poland
| | - Jiri Reif
- Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Staré Město, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Faculty of Science, Palacky University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Mario Díaz
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (BGC-MNCN-CSIC), E-28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Piotr Tryjanowski
- Department of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, PL-60-625 Poznań, Poland
| | | | - Jukka Suhonen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jukka Jokimäki
- Nature Inventory and EIA-services, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, P. O. Box 122, FI-96101 Rovaniemi, Finland
| | | | - Anders Pape Møller
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay Cedex, France
| | - Leszek Jerzak
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Szafrana St. 1, PL 65-16 Zielona Góra, Poland
| | | | - Marko Mägi
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Estonian Environmental Board, Roheline 64, 80010 Pärnu, Estonia
| | - Theodoros Kominos
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Antonia Galanaki
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nikos Bukas
- Plegadis, Riga Feraiou 6A, 45444 Ioannina, Greece
| | - Gábor Markó
- Department of Plant Pathology, Institute of Plant Protection, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ménesi út 44, 1118 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Fabio Pruscini
- S. C. della Pantiera 23, 61029 Pantiera, Urbino (PU), Italy
| | - Olaf Ciebiera
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Szafrana St. 1, PL 65-16 Zielona Góra, Poland
| | - Yanina Benedetti
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Kamýcká 129, CZ-165 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic
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7
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Morin E, Razafimbelo NT, Yengué JL, Guinard Y, Grandjean F, Bech N. Are human-induced changes good or bad to dynamic landscape connectivity? JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 352:120009. [PMID: 38184871 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.120009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Land managers must find a compromise between rapidly changing landscapes and biodiversity conservation through ecological networks. Estimating ecological networks is a key approach to enhance or maintain functional connectivity by identifying the nodes and links of a graph, which represent habitats and their corresponding functional corridors, respectively. To understand the current state of biodiversity, it is necessary to consider dynamic landscape connectivity while relying on relevant land cover maps. Although a current land cover map is relatively easy to produce using existing data, this is challenging for past landscapes. Here we investigated the impact of changes in landscape connectivity in an urban landscape at a fine scale on the habitat availability of two bird species: the tree pipit Anthus trivialis and the short-toed treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla. These species, exhibiting different niche ecologies, have shown contrasting population trends at a medium-term scale. The occurrences of C. brachydactyla were better correlated with resistance values that maximise the use of corridors, whereas the occurrences of A. trivialis better fitted with intermediate resistance values. The statistical approach indirectly highlighted relevant information about the ecology the capacity of both species to use urban habitats. Landscape connectivity increased for both species over the 24-year study period and may have implications for local abundances, which could explain, at the national scale, the increase in populations of C. brachydactyla, but not the decrease in populations of A. trivialis. Thus, more attention must be paid on rural habitats and their associated species that are more impacted by human activities, but efforts could also be achieved in urban areas especially for highly corridor-dependent species. Studying dynamic landscape connectivity at a fine scale is essential for estimating past and future land cover changes and their associated impacts on ecological networks, to better reconcile human and biodiversity concerns in land management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elie Morin
- Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions (UMR CNRS 7267), 3 Rue Jacques Fort, 86000, Poitiers, France.
| | - Ny Tolotra Razafimbelo
- Université de Laval, Faculté de Foresterie et Géomatique Département des Sciences Géomatiques, 1055 Avenue Du Séminaire, Québec (Québec), G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Jean-Louis Yengué
- Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire RURALITES, UR13823, MSHS, Bâtiment A5, 5 Rue Théodore Lefèbvre, TSA 21103, 86073, Poitiers, Cedex 9, France
| | - Yvonnick Guinard
- Grand Poitiers Communauté Urbaine, Hôtel Communautaire, 84 Rue des Carmélites, 86000, Poitiers, France
| | - Frédéric Grandjean
- Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions (UMR CNRS 7267), 3 Rue Jacques Fort, 86000, Poitiers, France
| | - Nicolas Bech
- Université de Poitiers, Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions (UMR CNRS 7267), 3 Rue Jacques Fort, 86000, Poitiers, France
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8
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Zhong Y, Luo Y, Zhu Y, Deng J, Tu J, Yu J, He J. Geographic variations in eco-evolutionary factors governing urban birds: The case of university campuses in China. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:208-220. [PMID: 38098103 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjing Zhong
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuelong Luo
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Younan Zhu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiewen Deng
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiahao Tu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiehua Yu
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiekun He
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Subtropical Biodiversity and Biomonitoring, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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9
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Ibáñez-Álamo JD, Izquierdo L, Mourocq E, Benedetti Y, Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki ML, Jokimäki J, Morelli F, Rubio E, Pérez-Contreras T, Sprau P, Suhonen J, Tryjanowski P, Díaz M. Urban landscape organization is associated with species-specific traits in European birds. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:167937. [PMID: 37871820 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization is one of the main current drivers of the global biodiversity loss. Cities are usually developed in a gradient between land-sharing (low density housing with small and fragmented green areas) and land-sparing areas (high density housing with large and non-fragmented green patches) depending on the spatial organization of urban attributes. Previous studies have indicated differences in biodiversity between these two urban development types, but mechanisms underlying these differences are inadequately understood. In this context, the landscape features of each urban development type may select for organisms with specific traits. To analyze it, we quantified birds in 9 European cities during the breeding and wintering season, collected species-specific traits and performed Bayesian comparative analyses. We found that birds living in land-sparing areas had a higher reproductive investment and a higher nesting specialization than birds living in land-sharing areas during the breeding season. Typical birds from land-sparing urban areas during winter are fast-lived species. Our results indicate that urban development type could have an important role selecting animal traits and provides useful information on how to build more biodiversity-friendly cities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucía Izquierdo
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Emeline Mourocq
- Giving Life To Data-Biostatistics Analysis Services, Les Fournels, FR-34390 Prémian, France
| | - Yanina Benedetti
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Kamýcká 129, CZ-165 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | | | - Jukka Jokimäki
- Nature Inventory and EIA-Services, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, P. O. Box 122, FI-96101 Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Federico Morelli
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Kamýcká 129, CZ-165 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic; Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Z. Szafrana St. 1, PL-65-516 Zielona Góra, Poland
| | - Enrique Rubio
- Dept of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Univ. Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain, C/José Antonio Novais, 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Tomás Pérez-Contreras
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Philipp Sprau
- Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Jukka Suhonen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Piotr Tryjanowski
- Department of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, PL-60-625 Poznań, Poland
| | - Mario Díaz
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (BGC-MNCN-CSIC), E-28006 Madrid, Spain
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10
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Nagy J, Fulmer AG, Löki V, Ruiz-Raya F, Hauber ME. Biogeographic history, egg colouration, and habitat selection in Turdus thrushes (Aves: Turdidae). Biol Futur 2023; 74:467-474. [PMID: 37919466 DOI: 10.1007/s42977-023-00191-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Despite broad interest and recent experimentation, there is no single ecological model accounting for the adaptive significance of the diversity of avian eggshell colouration. The often blue-green eggs of Turdus thrushes are a charismatic example of this, having long captured cultural and scientific attention. Although the biology and evolutionary history of "true" thrushes is well understood, little is known about correlated evolution between shifts in habitat and eggshell pigmentation, and how these shifts map with Turdus biogeography. We applied phylogenetic comparative methods to assess the evolutionary timing of divergence and variation of life history traits and eggshell colouration and maculation presence in the genus. We found that eggshell colour diversified independently on several occasions in the past 11 million years, with much of the variation occurring within the last 4 million years. The majority of Turdus species lay blue-green eggs and also tend to be sedentary and forest-dwelling. Diet generalist species and species which have transitioned to a forest habitat are more likely to lay white eggs (10% of studied species). In turn, lineages in any habitat were more likely to transition to blue-green eggs. We found that variation in egg colour is increased in some clades, of which two lineages radiated in South America and the East Palearctic, in the past 2-4 million years. These findings provide support for the hypothesis that white eggs are more conspicuous to predators in open environments and that multiple, non-mutually exclusive constraints operate on the adaptive function of avian eggshell colour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenő Nagy
- HUN-REN-UD Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Botany, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1., Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
| | - Andrew G Fulmer
- Department of Psychology, Fort Lewis College, 1000 Rim Dr, Durango, CO, 81301, USA
| | - Viktor Löki
- Wetland Ecology Research Group, HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, IAE, Bem tér 18/C, Debrecen, 4026, Hungary
| | - Francisco Ruiz-Raya
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3FL, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Mark E Hauber
- Advanced Science Research Center and Program in Psychology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 85 St. Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY, 10031, USA
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11
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Chyb A, Włodarczyk R, Drzewińska‐Chańko J, Jedlikowski J, Walden KKO, Minias P. Urbanization is associated with non-coding polymorphisms in candidate behavioural genes in the Eurasian coot. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10572. [PMID: 37791294 PMCID: PMC10542476 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Extensive transformation of natural land cover into urbanized areas enhances accumulation of phenotypic differences between animals from urban and nonurban populations, but there is little information on whether these changes, especially in terms of animal behaviour and circadian rhythm, have a genetic basis. The aim of this study was to investigate genetic background of behavioural differences between four pairs of urban and nonurban populations of a common waterbird, the Eurasian coot Fulica atra. For this purpose, we quantified polymorphisms in personality-related candidate genes, previously reported to be associated with avian circadian rhythms and behavioural traits that may be crucial for urban life. We found general associations between landscape urbanization level and polymorphisms in 3'UTR region of CREB1 gene encoding transcriptional factor, which participates in development of cognitive functions and regulation of circadian rhythm. We also found significant differentiation between urban and nonurban populations in the intronic region of CKIɛ gene responsible for regulation of circadian clock. Although we lacked evidence for linkage of this intronic variation with coding polymorphisms, genetic differentiation between urban populations was significantly stronger at CKIɛ intron compared with neutral microsatellite markers, suggesting possible local adaptations of CKIɛ expression regulation to specific urban sites. Our results indicate that behavioural differentiation between urban and nonurban coot populations may be the effect of habitat-specific selective pressure resulting in genetic adaptations to urban environment and supporting the microevolutionary scenario. These adaptations, however, prevailed in non-coding regulatory rather than coding gene regions and showed either general or local patterns, revealing high complexity of associations between behaviour and landscape urbanization in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia Chyb
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, Faculty of Biology and Environmental ProtectionUniversity of ŁódźŁódźPoland
| | - Radosław Włodarczyk
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, Faculty of Biology and Environmental ProtectionUniversity of ŁódźŁódźPoland
| | - Joanna Drzewińska‐Chańko
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, Faculty of Biology and Environmental ProtectionUniversity of ŁódźŁódźPoland
| | - Jan Jedlikowski
- Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research CentreUniversity of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Kimberly K. O. Walden
- Roy J. Carver Biotechnology CenterUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
| | - Piotr Minias
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, Faculty of Biology and Environmental ProtectionUniversity of ŁódźŁódźPoland
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12
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Wayman JP, Atkinson G, Jahangir M, White D, Matthews TJ, Antoniou M, Reynolds SJ, Sadler JP. L-band radar quantifies major disturbance of birds by fireworks in an urban area. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12085. [PMID: 37495643 PMCID: PMC10372142 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39223-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Fireworks and other pyrotechnics are acknowledged as sources of disturbance to wildlife, with evidence that many species react adversely to their sight and sound at discharge. However, how firework releases impact wildlife within a city landscape is poorly understood. Here, we explore the effect of fireworks on urban birds using an L-band staring radar (90-degree sector out to a 5 km range) to capture bird activity derived from flight tracks (i.e. 3D visualisation of individual flying birds built from radar detections) within the city of Birmingham, UK. Comparing the tracks between baseline periods with no fireworks and periods where fireworks are commonly discharged using a null model indicated that birds flew at higher elevations during firework periods (standardised effect sizes of 17.11, 26.54 and 5.83, for Diwali, Bonfire Night, and New Year's Eve, respectively). Birds also flew in more significant numbers (standardised effect sizes of 23.41, 7.98 and 7.19 for Diwali, Bonfire Night, and New Year's Eve, respectively). Therefore, bird activity was elevated during firework events at a time of night when many would otherwise be roosting. Such disturbance may have implications for avian biology since large public firework events occur at colder times of the year in the UK when birds have elevated thermoregulatory costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph P Wayman
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK.
| | - George Atkinson
- Microwave Integrated Systems Laboratory, School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK
| | - Mohammed Jahangir
- Microwave Integrated Systems Laboratory, School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK
| | - Daniel White
- Microwave Integrated Systems Laboratory, School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK
| | - Thomas J Matthews
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK
- CE3C - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group/CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute and Universidade dos Açores - Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, PT-9700042, Angra do Heroísmo, Açores, Portugal
- Birmingham Institute of Forest Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Michail Antoniou
- Microwave Integrated Systems Laboratory, School of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK
| | - S James Reynolds
- Centre for Ornithology, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
- The Army Ornithological Society (AOS), c/o Prince Consort Library, Knollys Road, Aldershot, Hampshire, UK
| | - Jon P Sadler
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK
- Birmingham Institute of Forest Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Centre for Ornithology, School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
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13
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Headland T, Colombelli-Négrel D, Callaghan CT, Sumasgutner SC, Kleindorfer S, Sumasgutner P. Smaller Australian raptors have greater urban tolerance. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11559. [PMID: 37463922 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38493-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanisation is occurring around the world at a rapid rate and is generally associated with negative impacts on biodiversity at local, regional, and global scales. Examining the behavioural response profiles of wildlife to urbanisation helps differentiate between species that do or do not show adaptive responses to changing landscapes and hence are more or less likely to persist in such environments. Species-specific responses to urbanisation are poorly understood in the Southern Hemisphere compared to the Northern Hemisphere, where most of the published literature is focussed. This is also true for raptors, despite their high diversity and comparably high conservation concern in the Southern Hemisphere, and their critical role within ecosystems as bioindicators of environmental health. Here, we explore this knowledge gap using community science data sourced from eBird to investigate the urban tolerance of 24 Australian raptor species at a continental scale. We integrated eBird data with a global continuous measure of urbanisation, artificial light at night (ALAN), to derive an urban tolerance index, ranking species from positive to negative responses according to their tolerance of urban environments. We then gathered trait data from the published literature to assess whether certain traits (body mass, nest substrate, habitat type, feeding guild, and migratory status) were associated with urban tolerance. Body size was negatively associated with urban tolerance, as smaller raptors had greater urban tolerance than larger raptors. Out of the 24 species analysed, 13 species showed tolerance profiles for urban environments (positive response), and 11 species showed avoidance profiles for urban environments (negative response). The results of this study provide impetus to conserve native habitat and improve urban conditions for larger-bodied raptor species to conserve Australian raptor diversity in an increasingly urbanised world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Headland
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia
| | | | - Corey T Callaghan
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, FL, 33314-7719, USA
| | - Shane C Sumasgutner
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P/Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
- Konrad Lorenz Research Center (KLF), Core Facility for Behavior and Cognition, Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau/Almtal, Austria
| | - Sonia Kleindorfer
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia
- Konrad Lorenz Research Center (KLF), Core Facility for Behavior and Cognition, Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau/Almtal, Austria
| | - Petra Sumasgutner
- Konrad Lorenz Research Center (KLF), Core Facility for Behavior and Cognition, Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Fischerau 13, 4645, Grünau/Almtal, Austria.
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14
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Corrales-Moya J, Barrantes G, Chacón-Madrigal E, Sandoval L. A potential consequence for urban birds' fitness: Exposed anthropogenic nest materials reduce nest survival in the clay-colored thrush. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 326:121456. [PMID: 36940912 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Urban bird dwellers survive and reproduce in highly urbanized ecosystems. Some individuals adjust to these novel conditions by changing natural nesting materials for artificial materials, thus making nests more conspicuous in the environment. The consequences of using artificial materials for nesting remain poorly understood, especially from a nest-predator perspective. We studied if exposed artificial materials on bird nests affect the daily survival rate in a common dweller species, the clay-colored thrush (Turdus grayi). We used previously collected nests with a different area of exposed artificial materials and placed them with clay eggs on the main campus of the Universidad de Costa Rica. During 12 days of the reproductive season, we monitored the nests using trap cameras located in front of each nest. We found that nest survival decreased as the proportion of exposed artificial materials increased in the nest and, unexpectedly, that the principal predators were conspecifics. Thus, artificial materials used in the outer layer of nests make them more susceptible to predation. The use of artificial materials likely reduce reproductive success and population size in urban clay-colored thrush, but further field experiments measuring the effect of waste in birds' nests on the reproductive success of urban birds are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josué Corrales-Moya
- Sistema de Estudios de Posgrado, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica; Laboratorio de Ecología Urbana y Comunicación Animal, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica; Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica.
| | | | | | - Luis Sandoval
- Laboratorio de Ecología Urbana y Comunicación Animal, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica; Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica
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15
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Pigot AL. Biodiversity: What makes a city bird? Curr Biol 2023; 33:R369-R371. [PMID: 37160097 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The impacts of urbanisation on biodiversity varies greatly across species. A new study shows how the intrinsic species properties underlying urban tolerance vary globally according to environmental context. This has important implications for conserving biodiversity in a rapidly urbanising world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex L Pigot
- Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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16
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Bonier F. Future directions in urban endocrinology - The effects of endocrine plasticity on urban tolerance. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2023; 565:111886. [PMID: 36775244 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.111886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
After twenty years of studies of endocrine traits in animals living in cities, the field of urban endocrinology has built a robust literature including numerous studies looking for signatures of the effects of urban living, usually in mean circulating hormone concentrations. The findings of this past research have primarily demonstrated the absence of any generalizable endocrine responses to city life. In this opinion paper, I suggest that a strong route forward would include investigations of the role of variation in endocrine plasticity in determining the degree to which organisms tolerate urban challenges (i.e., urban tolerance). Achieving this research aim will require creative experimental and comparative studies, consideration of alternative study systems, and teasing apart of sources of variation in plastic phenotypes (plasticity, sorting, and contemporary evolution). Insight into the role of endocrine plasticity in influencing urban tolerance could help us better understand and predict impacts of expanding urbanization on biodiversity across the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances Bonier
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada.
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17
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Constanti Crosby L, Sayol F, Horswill C. Relative brain size is associated with natal dispersal rate and species' vulnerability to climate change in seabirds. OIKOS 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
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18
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Neate-Clegg MHC, Tonelli BA, Youngflesh C, Wu JX, Montgomery GA, Şekercioğlu ÇH, Tingley MW. Traits shaping urban tolerance in birds differ around the world. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1677-1688.e6. [PMID: 37023752 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
As human density increases, biodiversity must increasingly co-exist with urbanization or face local extinction. Tolerance of urban areas has been linked to numerous functional traits, yet few globally consistent patterns have emerged to explain variation in urban tolerance, which stymies attempts at a generalizable predictive framework. Here, we calculate an Urban Association Index (UAI) for 3,768 bird species in 137 cities across all permanently inhabited continents. We then assess how this UAI varies as a function of ten species-specific traits and further test whether the strength of trait relationships vary as a function of three city-specific variables. Of the ten species traits, nine were significantly associated with urban tolerance. Urban-associated species tend to be smaller, less territorial, have greater dispersal ability, broader dietary and habitat niches, larger clutch sizes, greater longevity, and lower elevational limits. Only bill shape showed no global association with urban tolerance. Additionally, the strength of several trait relationships varied across cities as a function of latitude and/or human population density. For example, the associations of body mass and diet breadth were more pronounced at higher latitudes, while the associations of territoriality and longevity were reduced in cities with higher population density. Thus, the importance of trait filters in birds varies predictably across cities, indicating biogeographic variation in selection for urban tolerance that could explain prior challenges in the search for global patterns. A globally informed framework that predicts urban tolerance will be integral to conservation as increasing proportions of the world's biodiversity are impacted by urbanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montague H C Neate-Clegg
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Benjamin A Tonelli
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Casey Youngflesh
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Joanna X Wu
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Graham A Montgomery
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Çağan H Şekercioğlu
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Koç University, Sarıyer, 34450 İstanbul, Türkiye
| | - Morgan W Tingley
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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19
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Madi A, Arazmi FN, Md. Nor S, Mansor MS. Distribution of Six Urban Bird Species in Urban Agglomeration of Central Region of Peninsular Malaysia Using Ebird Database. PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.47836/pjst.31.2.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2023]
Abstract
Developing countries are undergoing rapid urbanisation to fulfil the high demands of incremental population growth, construction, and development. Excessive development has negative impacts on biodiversity by altering or destroying habitats. However, each bird species may respond differently to habitat alteration. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the distribution of urban bird species in metropolitan cities and nearby areas in Peninsular Malaysia. The main objective of this study was to determine the distribution patterns of six aesthetically valuable urban bird species (Black-naped Oriole [Oriolus chinensis], Yellow-vented Bulbul [Pycnonotus goiavier], White-throated Kingfisher [Halcyon smyrnensis], Pink-necked Green-Pigeon [Treron vernans], Coppersmith Barbet [Psilopogon haemacephalus] and Common Iora [Aegithina tiphia]) in Greater Kuala Lumpur (the Klang Valley region) using observations from a citizen science (eBird) database. We mapped species abundance throughout the focal area using ArcGIS and analysed the data using Minitab. Three urban bird species dominated, with the highest number of observations recorded: Yellow-vented Bulbul (46.59%), Pink-necked Green-Pigeon (19.25%), and Black-naped Oriole (13.00%). While, the Coppersmith Barbet had the lowest recorded observations (2.76%). Species abundance differed significantly across the study region (F=5.12,p<0.05), with the studied species’ occurrence increasing as green spaces increased. Such dynamic mapping is crucial for better understanding the mechanisms of the persistence of urban biodiversity. We suggest creating more green areas and planting roadside trees to provide green corridors within cities to help sustain urban biodiversity.
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20
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Occurrence of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Synanthropic Neozoan Egyptian Geese (Alopochen aegyptiaca, Linnaeus 1766) in Germany. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15030388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Various studies have shown that the transmission and passage of alien and native pathogens play a critical role in the establishment process of an invasive species and its further spread. Egyptian geese (Alopochen aegyptiaca) are neozotic birds on various continents. They live not only in the countryside near fresh water bodies but also in urban habitats in Central Europe with close contact to humans and their pets. Although their rapid distribution in Europe is widely debated, scientific studies on the anthropozoonotic risks of the population and studies on the present endoparasites in Egyptian geese are rare worldwide. In the present study, 114 shot Egyptian geese and 148 non-invasively collected faecal samples of wild Egyptian geese from 11 different Federal States in Germany were examined. A total of 13 metazoan endoparasite species in 12 different genera were identified. The main endoparasites found were Hystrichis tricolor, Polymorphus minutus, and, in lesser abundance, Cloacotaenia sp. and Echinuria uncinata. Adult stages of Echinostoma revolutum, an anthropozoonotic heteroxenic trematode, were found in 7.9% of the animals examined postmortem. This species was additionally identified by molecular analysis. Although Egyptian geese live in communities with native waterfowl, it appears that they have a lower parasitic load in general. The acquisition of generalistic parasites in an alien species and the associated increased risk of infection for native species is known as “spill-back” and raises the question of impacts on native waterfowl. Differences between animals from rural populations and urban populations were observed. The present study represents the first large-scale survey on gastrointestinal parasites of free-ranging Egyptian geese.
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21
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Evans BA, Klassen JA, Gawlik DE, Gottlieb AD. Factors Influencing Wood Stork Prey Biomass in Roadside Created Wetlands. SOUTHEAST NAT 2023. [DOI: 10.1656/058.022.0101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Betsy A. Evans
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431
| | - Jessica A. Klassen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431
| | - Dale E. Gawlik
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431
| | - Andrew D. Gottlieb
- South Florida Engineering and Consulting, 30 S M Street, Lake Worth, FL 33460
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22
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Chen Y, Rasool MA, Hussain S, Meng S, Yao Y, Wang X, Liu Y. Bird community structure is driven by urbanization level, blue-green infrastructure configuration and precision farming in Taizhou, China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160096. [PMID: 36372169 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Land use/land cover (LULC) changes and high urbanization rates are the main drivers of avian habitat loss in developing countries. However, few studies have examined the effects of urbanization intensity on avian diversity distribution and its importance in guiding eco-friendly urban planning. We surveyed bird distribution (n = 67 species) in different seasons using local ecological knowledge (LEK) and transect line methods in Jiangyan District from July 2018 to May 2019. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the effects of urbanization levels on birds relative density and richness during spring-summer (breeding season) and autumn-winter seasons (non-breeding season). Generalized linear models (GLM) were identified for the landscape composition and configuration that drive relative density and richness in native bird communities. Using redundancy analysis (RDA), we identified the landscape composition and configuration factors affecting bird foraging and roosting at urbanization levels. The results showed high dependency of waders and granivores on paddy fields and dry arable land respectively during the breeding season. During non-breeding season, wetland abundance, land cover, connectivity and total area of BGI were important habitat factors in attracting birds. Moreover, the landscape composition and configuration factors of BGI: wetlands as well as farmland habitats, are the main environmental cues that influence bird foraging. Therefore, to increase habitat suitability over landscape matrix, we propose creation of multiple waterbodies and green corridors of variable types and sizes on natural patches to improve the connectivity of ecological network. We also recommend land management interventions in farmland ecosystems, which could contribute to natural habitat restoration and improve bird biodiversity in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixue Chen
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | | | - Sarfraz Hussain
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Shuang Meng
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Yipeng Yao
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Xue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Yuhong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lake of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
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23
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Stevens TK, Hale AM, Williams DA. Environmental and anthropogenic variables influence the distribution of a habitat specialist (
Sylvilagus aquaticus
) in a large urban forest. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K. Stevens
- Department of Biology Texas Christian University Fort Worth Texas USA
| | - Amanda M. Hale
- Department of Biology Texas Christian University Fort Worth Texas USA
| | - Dean A. Williams
- Department of Biology Texas Christian University Fort Worth Texas USA
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24
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Snake life history traits and their association with urban habitat use in a tropical city. Urban Ecosyst 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-023-01327-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
AbstractUrbanisation changes landscapes, often simplifying and homogenising natural ecosystems while introducing novel environments. Although this transformation often adversely impacts native wildlife, generalist species that exhibit broad dietary and habitat requirements can persist and take advantage of urban environments. To understand which life history traits most influence the occurrence of a diverse snake assemblage in an urban environment, we leveraged a dataset of 5102 detection records for 12 snake species in the tropical city of Darwin, Australia. By building ecological niche models, calculating urban niche hypervolume, and compiling life history data, we analysed the diversity of environments occupied by each species and determined which landscape components were most associated with occurrence data. In keeping with our hypothesis that generalist species would be more successful, we found that species with broader habitat and dietary preferences, as well as a penchant for arboreality, were associated with larger urban niche hypervolumes and more frequent human–snake interactions. Additionally, we found that colubrid snakes had significantly larger urban niche hypervolumes than elapid species. These findings contribute to understanding how life history traits aid wildlife persistence in, and adaptation to, urban ecosystems, and have implications for landscape design and conservation management.
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Smallwood NL, Wood EM. The ecological role of native‐plant landscaping in residential yards to birds during the nonbreeding period. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Noriko L. Smallwood
- Department of Biological Sciences California State University Los Angeles Los Angeles California USA
| | - Eric M. Wood
- Department of Biological Sciences California State University Los Angeles Los Angeles California USA
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Sinclair ECC, Martin PR, Bonier F. Among-species variation in hormone concentrations is associated with urban tolerance in birds. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221600. [PMID: 36448281 PMCID: PMC9709560 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
As cities expand across the globe, understanding factors that underlie variation in urban tolerance is vital for predicting changes in patterns of biodiversity. Endocrine traits, like circulating hormone concentrations and regulation of endocrine responses, might contribute to variation in species' ability to cope with urban challenges. For example, variation in glucocorticoid and androgen concentrations has been linked to life-history and behavioural traits that are associated with urban tolerance. However, we lack an understanding of the degree to which evolved differences in endocrine traits predict variation in urban tolerance across species. We analysed 1391 estimates of circulating baseline corticosterone, stress-induced corticosterone, and testosterone concentrations paired with citizen-science-derived urban occurrence scores in a broad comparative analysis of endocrine phenotypes across 71 bird species that differ in their occurrence in urban habitats. Our results reveal context-dependent links between baseline corticosterone and urban tolerance, as well as testosterone and urban tolerance. Stress-induced corticosterone was not related to urban tolerance. These findings suggest that some endocrine phenotypes contribute to a species' tolerance of urban habitats, but also indicate that other aspects of the endocrine phenotype, such as the ability to appropriately attenuate responses to urban challenges, might be important for success in cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C. C. Sinclair
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
| | - Paul R. Martin
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
| | - Frances Bonier
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
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Wolf JM, Jeschke JM, Voigt CC, Itescu Y. Urban affinity and its associated traits: A global analysis of bats. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:5667-5682. [PMID: 35771083 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization is a major contributor to the loss of biodiversity. Its rapid progress is mostly at the expense of natural ecosystems and the species inhabiting them. While some species can adjust quickly and thrive in cities, many others cannot. To support biodiversity conservation and guide management decisions in urban areas, it is important to find robust methods to estimate the urban affinity of species (i.e. their tendency to live in urban areas) and understand how it is associated with their traits. Since previous studies mainly relied on discrete classifications of species' urban affinity, often involving inconsistent assessments or variable parameters, their results were difficult to compare. To address this issue, we developed and evaluated a set of continuous indices that quantify species' urban affinity based on publicly available occurrence data. We investigated the extent to which a species' position along the urban affinity gradient depends on the chosen index and how this choice affects inferences about the relationship between urban affinity and a set of morphological, sensory and functional traits. While these indices are applicable to a wide range of taxonomic groups, we examined their performance using a global set of 356 bat species. As bats vary in sensitivity to anthropogenic disturbances, they provide an interesting case study. We found that different types of indices resulted in different rankings of species on the urban affinity spectrum, but this had little effect on the association of traits with urban affinity. Our results suggest that bat species predisposed to urban life are characterized by low echolocation call frequencies, relatively long call durations, small body size and flexibility in the selection of the roost type. We conclude that simple indices are appropriate and practical, and propose to apply them to more taxa to improve our understanding of how urbanization favours or filters species with particular traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janis M Wolf
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Zoology, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jonathan M Jeschke
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian C Voigt
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - Yuval Itescu
- Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Berlin, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research, Berlin, Germany
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Thaweepworadej P, Evans KL. Avian species richness and tropical urbanization gradients: Effects of woodland retention and human disturbance. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2586. [PMID: 35333421 PMCID: PMC9541691 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization is a major driver of tropical biodiversity loss. In temperate regions avian species richness-urbanization intensity relationships typically exhibit unimodal patterns, with peak richness at intermediate urbanization levels. In tropical regions, the form of such relationships and the extent to which they are moderated by patches of seminatural habitat are unclear. We address these questions in Bangkok, Thailand (one of the largest and most rapidly expanding tropical mega-cities) and generate conservation recommendations for tropical biodiversity in urban locations. We use repeated point count surveys at a random location, and the largest available woodland patch, in 150 1 km × 1 km grid cells selected along the urbanization gradient. Woodland patches support higher species richness compared with randomized locations (except for non-natives), and avian species richness declines linearly with increasing urbanization. The contrast with unimodal patterns in temperate regions is probably driven by divergent patterns of habitat heterogeneity along tropical and temperate urbanization gradients. Moreover, we provide novel evidence that retaining patches of urban woodland moderates adverse impacts of urbanization on avian species richness. For most species groups, the benefits of woodland increase as urbanization intensifies, despite such woodland patches being very small (mean of 0.38 ha). Avian species richness in woodland patches is maximized, and community composition less similar to that in randomized locations, when woodland patches are larger and visited by fewer people. Assemblages of forest-dependent species (which provide additional ecological functions) have higher richness, and are less similar to those in randomized locations, in patches of woodland with higher tree species richness and biomass. Finally, species richness in randomized sites is greatest when they are closer to woodland patches, and such assemblages more closely resemble those of woodland sites. Our work highlights four strategies for tropical urban bird conservation: (1) conserving woodland patches across the urbanization gradient regardless of patch size, (2) improving the quality of existing woodland by increasing tree biomass and diversity, (3) creating additional woodland that is well distributed throughout the urban area to minimize effects of habitat isolation and (4) reducing human disturbance, especially in areas of the highest habitat quality, while ensuring that the benefits of connecting people to nature are realized in other locations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karl L. Evans
- School of Biosciences, The University of SheffieldSheffieldUK
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29
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Jokimäki J, Kaisanlahti-Jokimäki ML, Suhonen J. Long-Term Winter Population Trends of Corvids in Relation to Urbanization and Climate at Northern Latitudes. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12141820. [PMID: 35883367 PMCID: PMC9311560 DOI: 10.3390/ani12141820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Corvids (e.g., crows, magpies and jays) are an important part of urban settlements, especially during winter. To understand the factors affecting the long-term population trends of corvids, we counted wintering corvids in 31 human settlements along a 920 km latitudinal gradient in Finland during four winters between 1991 and 2020. We detected a total of five corvid species, from which the Hooded Crow, the Eurasian Magpie and the Eurasian Jackdaw were found to be common. During the study period, the number of Eurasian Jackdaws increased, and their distribution range moved northwards. No corresponding changes were observed for the Hooded Crow or the Eurasian Magpie. Neither the local-level urban-, climate- nor food-related factors correlated with the changes in the numbers and growth rates of the corvids. No interspecific interactions were observed. We assume that the Eurasian Jackdaw has benefitted from the decreased persecution, and probably also from the large-scale climate warming. Our results suggest that urban settlements are quite stable wintering environments for generalist and omnivorous corvids. Abstract Corvids (crows, magpies, jays) live in a close association with humans, and therefore knowledge about their population status and changes will be an essential part of monitoring the quality of urban environments. Wintering bird populations can track habitat and climate changes more rapidly than breeding populations. We conducted a long-term (1991–2020) winter census of corvid species in 31 human settlements along a 920 km latitudinal gradient in Finland. We observed a total of five corvid species: the Eurasian Magpie (occurring in 114 surveys out of 122; total abundance 990 ind.), the Hooded Crow (in 96 surveys; 666 ind.), the Eurasian Jackdaw (in 51 surveys; 808 ind.), the Eurasian Jay (in 5 surveys; 6 ind.) and the Rook (in 1 survey; 1 ind.). Only the numbers of the Eurasian Jackdaw differed between the study winters, being greater at the end of the study period (2019/2020) than during the earlier winters (1991/1992 and 1999/2000). The average growth rate (λ) of the Eurasian Jackdaw increased during the study period, whereas no changes were observed in the cases of the Hooded Crow or the Eurasian Magpie. The growth rate of the Eurasian Jackdaw was greater than that observed in the Finnish bird-monitoring work, probably because our data came only from the core area of each human settlement. Even though the number of buildings and their cover increased in the study plots, and the winter temperature differed between winters, the average growth rate (λ) of corvid species did not significantly correlate with these variables. These results suggest that urban settlements are stable wintering environments for the generalist corvids. The between-species interactions were all positive, but non-significant. Despite the total number of winter-feeding sites being greater during the winter of 1991/1992 than during the winter of 2019/2020, the changes in the numbers of feeding stations did not correlate with the growth rates of any corvid species. We assume that the Eurasian Jackdaw has benefitted from the decreased persecution, and probably also from large-scale climate warming that our study design was unable to take in to account. Our results indicated that wintering corvid populations succeed well in the human settlements in Finland. We recommend conducting long-term corvid research, also during breeding season, to understand more detailed causes of the population changes of corvids along an urban gradient. Without year-round long-term monitoring data, the conservation and management recommendations related to the corvid species in urban habitats may be misleading.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jukka Jokimäki
- Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, FI-96101 Rovaniemi, Finland;
- Correspondence:
| | | | - Jukka Suhonen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland;
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Lakatos T, Chamberlain DE, Garamszegi LZ, Batáry P. No place for ground-dwellers in cities: a meta-analysis on bird functional traits. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
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Thaweepworadej P, Evans KL. Squirrel and tree‐shrew responses along an urbanisation gradient in a tropical mega‐city – reduced biodiversity, increased hybridisation of
Callosciurus
squirrels, and effects of habitat quality. Anim Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P. Thaweepworadej
- School of Biosciences The University of Sheffield, Western Bank Sheffield UK
| | - K. L. Evans
- School of Biosciences The University of Sheffield, Western Bank Sheffield UK
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Leveau LM, Ibáñez I. Nesting Site and Plumage Color Are the Main Traits Associated with Bird Species Presence in Urban Areas. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12091148. [PMID: 35565574 PMCID: PMC9099748 DOI: 10.3390/ani12091148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Urban areas are expected to grow in the next decades, filtering bird species from the regional pool based on their life history traits. The objective of this study is to determine different bird species responses to urbanization using ordination analysis, and to characterize their life history traits combining information about diet, habitat and plumage color. Species identified as ‘urban exploiters’ tended to nest in buildings and with uniform plumage, whereas those identified as ‘urban avoiders’ tended to be ground nesting species with variable plumage. A third type, ‘urban adapters’, tended to be tree-nesting species with a low diet breadth, intermediate plumage lightness, low presence of plumage sexual dimorphism and high presence of iridescence. The results suggest that nest predation and habitat loss may exclude ground nesting birds from urban areas. The high density of pedestrians in urban centers may favor uniform plumages in birds that enhance camouflage. Abstract Urban areas are expected to grow in the next decades, filtering bird species from the regional pool based on their life history traits. Although the impact of urbanization on traits such as diet, habitat and migratory behavior has been analyzed, their joint role with other traits related to plumage color has not yet been analyzed. Urban characteristics such as impervious surfaces, human presence and pollutants may be related to dark and uniform plumages. The objective of this study is to determine different bird species responses to urbanization using ordination analysis, and to characterize their life history traits combining information about diet, habitat and plumage color. Birds were surveyed along urban–rural gradients located in three cities of central Argentina. Species associations with urban characteristics were assessed through principal component analysis. Two axes were obtained: the first related positively to urban exploiters and negatively to urban avoiders, and a second axis related negatively to urban adapters. The scores of each axis were related to species traits through phylogenetic generalized least squares models. Species identified as ‘urban exploiters’ tended to nest in buildings and have uniform plumage, whereas those identified as ‘urban avoiders’ tended to be ground-nesting species with variable plumage. A third type, ‘urban adapters’, tended to be tree-nesting species with a low diet breadth, intermediate plumage lightness, low presence of plumage sexual dimorphism and high presence of iridescence. The results suggest that nest predation and habitat loss may exclude ground nesting birds from urban areas. The high density of pedestrians and domestic animals, such as cats and dogs, in urban centers may favor uniform plumages in birds that enhance camouflage.
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Lewanzik D, Straka TM, Lorenz J, Marggraf L, Voigt-Heucke S, Schumann A, Brandt M, Voigt CC. Evaluating the potential of urban areas for bat conservation with citizen science data. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 297:118785. [PMID: 34979170 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Global change, including urbanisation, threatens many of the >1400 bat species. Nevertheless, certain areas within highly urbanised cities may be suitable to harbour bat populations. Thus, managing urban habitats could contribute to bat conservation. Here, we wanted to establish evidence-based recommendations on how to improve urban spaces for the protection of bats. In a team effort with >200 citizen scientists, we recorded bat vocalisations up to six times over the course of 2 years at each of 600 predefined sites in the Berlin metropolitan area. For each species we identified the preferred and non-preferred landscape features. Our results show that artificial light at night (ALAN) had a negative impact on all species. For soprano pipistrelles and mouse-eared bats ALAN had the largest effect sizes among all environmental predictors. Canopy cover and open water were especially important for bat species that forage along vegetation edges and for trawling bats, respectively. Occurrence probability of species foraging in open space decreased with increasing distance to water bodies. On a larger scale, impervious surfaces tended to have positive effects on some species that are specialised on foraging along edge structures. Our study constitutes an important contribution to the growing body of literature showing that despite the many negative impacts of urbanisation on wildlife, urban environments can harbour bat populations if certain conditions are met, such as access to vegetation and water bodies and low levels of ALAN. Our findings are of high relevance for urban planners and conservationists, as they allow inferences on how to manage urban spaces in a bat-friendly way. We recommend limiting ALAN to the minimum necessary and maintaining and creating uninterrupted vegetated corridors between areas with high levels of canopy cover and water bodies, in which ALAN should be entirely avoided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Lewanzik
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Tanja M Straka
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Lorenz
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lara Marggraf
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Silke Voigt-Heucke
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anke Schumann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Miriam Brandt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian C Voigt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
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Fidino M, Limbrick K, Bender J, Gallo T, Magle SB. Strolling through a Century: Replicating Historical Bird Surveys to Explore 100 Years of Change in an Urban Bird Community. Am Nat 2022; 199:159-167. [DOI: 10.1086/717052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Josiah KK, Downs CT. Human-wildlife interactions: presence of the ground-nesting Spotted Thick-knee across a South African mosaic urban landscape. Urban Ecosyst 2022; 25:1631-1641. [PMID: 35754656 PMCID: PMC9207825 DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01254-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Urbanisation has increasingly encroached on numerous bird species' natural habitats, generally negatively affecting their persistence. Furthermore, increased human-wildlife interactions may benefit or be detrimental to the long term persistence of these species. The Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis), a ground-nesting species, persists in some mosaic urban landscapes in South Africa. We, therefore, assessed the presence of Spotted Thick-knees and their interactions with humans in the fragmented natural and human-modified landscape of Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. We conducted presence-only surveys at 52 locations between July 2019 and December 2020. 'Presence' locations for Spotted Thick-knee were identified via active surveying and public participation. Newspaper articles were distributed in June 2019, requesting information on Spotted Thick-knee sightings. Questionnaires were also sent to respondents to collect qualitative information regarding their perceptions and observations of this species in Pietermaritzburg. We established that the presence of Spotted Thick-knee's at known locations was not random. They were present at 30 out of 52 sites for 75% of this study's duration. Fewer sites had Spotted Thick-knees present during non-breeding months than breeding months. Respondents' feedback highlighted the pressures associated with Spotted Thick-knees persistence in human-modified mosaic landscapes, particularly predation and disturbance by domestic pets. Our study highlights that some ground-nesting birds, such as Spotted Thick-knees, persist in mosaic urban landscapes, despite the anthropogenic pressures. This study highlights the need to address the paucity of studies on ground-nesting birds in mosaic urban landscapes to determine general trends. Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11252-022-01254-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyrone K. Josiah
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209 South Africa
| | - Colleen T. Downs
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209 South Africa
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Meade J, Martin JM, Welbergen JA. Fast food in the city? Nomadic flying-foxes commute less and hang around for longer in urban areas. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Urbanization creates novel ecological spaces where some species thrive. Geographical urbanization promotes human–wildlife conflict; however, we know relatively little about the drivers of biological urbanization, which poses impediments for sound wildlife management and conservation action. Flying-foxes are extremely mobile and move nomadically in response to flowering resources, but are now increasingly found in urban areas, for reasons that are poorly understood. To investigate the mechanisms behind flying-fox urbanization, we examined the movement of 99 satellite tracked grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) over 1 year in urban versus non-urban environments. We found that tracked individuals preferentially visited major-urban roosts, exhibited higher fidelity to major-urban roosts, and foraged over shorter distances when roosting in major-urban areas. In contrast to other colonial species, there were no density-dependent effects of colony size on foraging distance, suggesting that at a landscape scale, flying-foxes distribute themselves across roosts in an ideal-free manner, minimizing competition over urban and non-urban foraging resources. Yet, males consistently foraged over shorter distances than females, suggesting that at a local scale foraging distances reflect competitive inequalities between individuals. Overall, our study supports the hypothesis that flying-fox urbanization is driven by increased spatiotemporal availability of food resources in urban areas; however, unlike in other species, it is likely a consequence of increased urban visitation by nomadic individuals rather than a subset of the population becoming “urban residents” per se. We discuss the implications of the movement behavior we report for the conservation and management of highly mobile species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Meade
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Bourke Street, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - John M Martin
- Institute of Science and Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradley’s Head Rd, Mosman, 2088 NSW, Australia
| | - Justin A Welbergen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Bourke Street, Richmond, NSW, Australia
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Marques P, Zandonà E, Mazzoni R, El‐Sabaawi R. Individual variation in feeding morphology, not diet, can facilitate the success of generalist species in urban ecosystems. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:18342-18356. [PMID: 35003677 PMCID: PMC8717290 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8425] [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: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Generalist species dominate urban ecosystems. The success of urban generalists is often related to a plastic diet and feeding traits that allow them to take advantage of a variety of food resources provided by humans in cities. The classification of a species as a generalist is commonly based on mean estimates of diet- and feeding-related traits. However, there is increasing evidence that a generalist population can consist of individual specialists. In such cases, estimates based on mean can hide important individual variation that can explain trophic ecology and the success of urban dwellers. Here, we focus on guppies, Poecilia reticulata, a widespread alien fish species which has invaded both urban and non-urban systems, to explore the effect of urbanization on individual diet and feeding morphology (cranium shape). Our results show that guppies in urban and non-urban populations are not individual specialists, having a similar generalist diet despite the high population density. However, there is important individual variation in cranium shape which allow urban guppies to feed more efficiently on highly nutritious food. Our data suggest that individual variation in feeding efficiency can be a critical overlooked trait that facilitates the success of urban generalists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piatã Marques
- Biology DepartmentUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Eugenia Zandonà
- Departamento de EcologiaUniversidade do Estado do Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroBrasil
| | - Rosana Mazzoni
- Departamento de EcologiaUniversidade do Estado do Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroBrasil
| | - Rana El‐Sabaawi
- Biology DepartmentUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
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Gazzard A, Boushall A, Brand E, Baker PJ. An assessment of a conservation strategy to increase garden connectivity for hedgehogs that requires cooperation between immediate neighbours: A barrier too far? PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259537. [PMID: 34739512 PMCID: PMC8570513 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban areas are associated with high levels of habitat fragmentation. For some terrestrial species with limited climbing abilities, property boundaries can pose a significant problem by limiting access to residential gardens. The West European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) has declined markedly in the UK but is commonly found in areas of human habitation, including residential gardens. 'Hedgehog Street' is a public engagement campaign aimed at recruiting volunteers ('Hedgehog Champions') to create access points ('hedgehog highways') across garden boundaries to improve habitat connectivity. In this study, we used a series of questionnaire surveys to explore motivations for and obstacles to the creation of highways. Householders were more likely to have created a highway if they were already aware of the Hedgehog Street campaign, if their garden contained a high number of wildlife-friendly features and if they considered watching wildlife to be important. Hedgehog Champions created, on average, 1.69 highways each with 52.0% creating none; this would equate to an estimated >120,000 across all registered Champions. In comparison, 6.1-29.8% of non-Champions stated that they had made a highway. However, most highways had been created in boundaries that could already be traversed via naturally occurring holes: only 11.4% of garden boundaries could be traversed, and 3.2% of gardens accessed, just via a hedgehog highway. In addition, only 5.0% of gardens were considered totally inaccessible to hedgehogs. The most common reasons cited for not having made a highway were that householders' gardens were already accessible to hedgehogs followed by concerns relating to boundary ownership and / or communicating with neighbours. Future studies need to identify strategies for overcoming these obstacles to maximize citizen engagement, particularly with those householders who are not innately "wildlife-friendly", and to quantify the degree to which networks of highways affect patterns of individual movement and, ultimately, populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail Gazzard
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Boushall
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom
| | - Emma Brand
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom
| | - Philip J. Baker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom
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Yabsley SH, Meade J, Martin JM, Welbergen JA. Human-modified landscapes provide key foraging areas for a threatened flying mammal: The grey-headed flying-fox. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259395. [PMID: 34723974 PMCID: PMC8559981 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban expansion is a major threat to natural ecosystems but also creates novel opportunities that adaptable species can exploit. The grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) is a threatened, highly mobile species of bat that is increasingly found in human-dominated landscapes, leading to many management and conservation challenges. Flying-fox urbanisation is thought to be a result of diminishing natural foraging habitat or increasing urban food resources, or both. However, little is known about landscape utilisation of flying-foxes in human-modified areas, and how this may differ in natural areas. Here we examine positional data from 98 satellite-tracked P. poliocephalus for up to 5 years in urban and non-urban environments, in relation to vegetation data and published indices of foraging habitat quality. Our findings indicate that human-modified foraging landscapes sustain a large proportion of the P. poliocephalus population year-round. When individuals roosted in non-urban and minor-urban areas, they relied primarily on wet and dry sclerophyll forest, forested wetlands, and rainforest for foraging, and preferentially visited foraging habitat designated as high-quality. However, our results highlight the importance of human-modified foraging habitats throughout the species' range, and particularly for individuals that roosted in major-urban environments. The exact plant species that exist in human-modified habitats are largely undocumented; however, where this information was available, foraging by P. poliocephalus was associated with different dominant plant species depending on whether individuals roosted in 'urban' or 'non-urban' areas. Overall, our results demonstrate clear differences in urban- and non-urban landscape utilisation by foraging P. poliocephalus. However, further research is needed to understand the exact foraging resources used, particularly in human-modified habitats, and hence what attracts flying-foxes to urban areas. Such information could be used to modify the urban foraging landscape, to assist long-term habitat management programs aimed at minimising human-wildlife conflict and maximising resource availability within and outside of urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha H. Yabsley
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - Jessica Meade
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - John M. Martin
- Institute of Science and Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Mosman, NSW, Australia
| | - Justin A. Welbergen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
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Melo MA, Sanches PM, Silva Filho DF, Piratelli AJ. Influence of habitat type and distance from source area on bird taxonomic and functional diversity in a Neotropical megacity. Urban Ecosyst 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-021-01169-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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41
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Marcacci G, Westphal C, Wenzel A, Raj V, Nölke N, Tscharntke T, Grass I. Taxonomic and functional homogenization of farmland birds along an urbanization gradient in a tropical megacity. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:4980-4994. [PMID: 34157186 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization is a major driver of land use change and biodiversity decline. While most of the ongoing and future urbanization hotspots are located in the Global South, the impact of urban expansion on agricultural biodiversity and associated functions and services in these regions has widely been neglected. Additionally, most studies assess biodiversity responses at local scale (α-diversity), however, ecosystem functioning is strongly determined by compositional and functional turnover of communities (β-diversity) at regional scales. We investigated taxonomic and functional β-diversity of farmland birds across three seasons on 36 vegetable farms spread along a continuous urbanization gradient in Bangalore, a South Indian megacity. Increasing amount of grey area in the farm surroundings was the dominant driver affecting β-diversity and resulting in taxonomic and functional homogenization of farmland bird communities. Functional diversity losses were higher than expected from species declines (i.e., urbanization acts as an environmental filter), with particular losses of functionally important groups such as insectivores of crop pests. Moreover, urbanization reduced functional redundancy of bird communities, which may further weaken ecosystems resilience to future perturbations. Our study underscores urbanization as a major driver of taxonomic and functional homogenization of species communities in agricultural systems, potentially threatening crucial ecosystem services for food production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Marcacci
- Functional Agrobiodiversity, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Catrin Westphal
- Functional Agrobiodiversity, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Arne Wenzel
- Functional Agrobiodiversity, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Varsha Raj
- Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore, India
| | - Nils Nölke
- Forest Inventory and Remote Sensing, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Teja Tscharntke
- Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Agroecology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ingo Grass
- Institute of Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics, Department of Ecology of Tropical Agricultural Systems, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
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Callaghan CT, Bowler DE, Pereira HM. Thermal flexibility and a generalist life history promote urban affinity in butterflies. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:3532-3546. [PMID: 34056817 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Urban expansion poses a serious threat to biodiversity. Given that the expected area of urban land cover is predicted to increase by 2-3 million km2 by 2050, urban environments are one of the most widespread human-dominated land-uses affecting biodiversity. Responses to urbanization differ greatly among species. Some species are unable to tolerate urban environments (i.e., urban avoiders), others are able to adapt and use areas with moderate levels of urbanization (i.e., urban adapters), and yet others are able to colonize and even thrive in urban environments (i.e., urban exploiters). Quantifying species-specific responses to urbanization remains an important goal, but our current understanding of urban tolerance is heavily biased toward traditionally well-studied taxa (e.g., mammals and birds). We integrated a continuous measure of urbanization-night-time lights-with over 900,000 species' observations from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to derive a comprehensive analysis of species-specific (N = 158 species) responses of butterflies to urbanization across Europe. The majority of butterfly species included in our analysis avoided urban areas, regardless of whether species' urban affinities were quantified as a mean score of urban affinity across all occurrences (79%) or as a species' response curve to the whole urbanization gradient (55%). We then used species-specific responses to urbanization to assess which life history strategies promote urban affinity in butterflies. These trait-based analyses found strong evidence that the average number of flight months, likely associated with thermal niche breath, and number of adult food types were positively associated with urban affinity, while hostplant specialism was negatively associated with urban affinity. Overall, our results demonstrate that specialist butterflies, both in terms of thermal and diet preferences, are most at risk from increasing urbanization, and should thus be considered in urban planning and prioritized for conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey T Callaghan
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Diana E Bowler
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biodiversity, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
- Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Ecosystem Services, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Henrique M Pereira
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
- CIBIO (Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources)-InBIO (Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology), Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
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43
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Potvin DA, Opitz F, Townsend KA, Knutie SA. Use of anthropogenic-related nest material and nest parasite prevalence have increased over the past two centuries in Australian birds. Oecologia 2021; 196:1207-1217. [PMID: 34236465 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04982-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Global plastic production has increased exponentially since the 1940s, resulting in the increased presence of anthropogenic debris in the environment. Recent studies have shown that birds incorporate anthropogenic debris into their nests, which can reduce nest ectoparasite loads. However, we know little about the long-term history of interactions among birds, anthropogenic debris, and ectoparasites. Our study took a unique approach to address this issue by determining the prevalence of anthropogenic debris and ectoparasitic nest flies (Protocalliphora and Passeromyia spp.) in 893 bird nests from 224 species between 1832 and 2018, which were sourced from Australian museum collections. The prevalence of anthropogenic material increased from approximately 4% in 1832 to almost 30% in 2018. This change was driven by an increase in the incorporation of synthetic rather than biodegradable anthropogenic debris (by 2018 ~ 25% of all nests contained synthetics), with the first synthetic item being found in a nest from 1956 in the city of Melbourne. Nest parasite prevalence increased over time but contrary to other studies, there was no relationship between habitat type or anthropogenic material and parasite presence. Our study is the first to use museum specimens to quantify temporal and spatial impacts of anthropogenic material on birds, the results of which justifies contemporary concerns regarding the ubiquitous nature of human impacts on terrestrial wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique A Potvin
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay Campus, Petrie, Australia.
| | | | - Kathy A Townsend
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Fraser Coast Campus, Hervey Bay, Australia
| | - Sarah A Knutie
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA.,Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA
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Liu G, Rowley JJL, Kingsford RT, Callaghan CT. Species' traits drive amphibian tolerance to anthropogenic habitat modification. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:3120-3132. [PMID: 33939215 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic habitat modification is accelerating, threatening the world's biodiversity. Understanding species' responses to anthropogenic modification is vital for halting species' declines. However, this information is lacking for globally threatened amphibians, informed primarily by small community-level studies. We integrated >126,000 verified citizen science observations of frogs, with a global continuous measure of anthropogenic habitat modification for a continental scale analysis of the effects of habitat modification on frogs. We derived a modification tolerance index-accounting for anthropogenic stressors such as human habitation, agriculture, transport and energy production-for 87 species (36% of all Australian frog species). We used this index to quantify and rank each species' tolerance of anthropogenic habitat modification, then compiled traits of all the frog species and assessed how well these equipped species to tolerate modified habitats. Most of Australia's frog species examined were adversely affected by habitat modification. Habitat specialists and species with large geographic range sizes were the least tolerant of habitat modification. Call dominant frequency, body size, clutch type and calling position (i.e. from vegetation) were also related to tolerance of habitat modification. There is an urgent need for improved consideration of anthropogenic impacts and improved conservation measures to ensure the long-term persistence of frog populations, particularly focused on specialists and species identified as intolerant of modified habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gracie Liu
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jodi J L Rowley
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard T Kingsford
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Corey T Callaghan
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Ecology & Evolution Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
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45
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Niche Analysis and Conservation of Bird Species Using Urban Core Areas. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13116327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Knowing the ecological requirements of bird species is essential for their successful conservation. We studied the niche characteristics of birds in managed small-sized green spaces in the urban core areas of southern (Kavala, Greece) and northern Europe (Rovaniemi, Finland), during the breeding season, based on a set of 16 environmental variables and using Outlying Mean Index, a multivariate ordination technique. Overall, 26 bird species in Kavala and 15 in Rovaniemi were recorded in more than 5% of the green spaces and were used in detailed analyses. In both areas, bird species occupied different niches of varying marginality and breadth, indicating varying responses to urban environmental conditions. Birds showed high specialization in niche position, with 12 species in Kavala (46.2%) and six species in Rovaniemi (40.0%) having marginal niches. Niche breadth was narrower in Rovaniemi than in Kavala. Species in both communities were more strongly associated either with large green spaces located further away from the city center and having a high vegetation cover (urban adapters; e.g., Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris), Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)) or with green spaces located closer to the city center and having high gray area cover and anthropogenic disturbance level (urban exploiters; e.g., Western Jackdaw (Corvus monedula), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica)). The eleven species that were common to both study areas similarly used the environmental variables and had similar niches, indicating that birds respond similarly to urbanization irrespective of latitude. Sixteen species in Kavala and eleven species in Rovaniemi were identified as conservation priority species, based on their niche specialization level and conservation status. The management actions proposed for the conservation of priority species will also benefit other species with similar ecological requirements and ultimately help maintain diverse bird communities in small-sized green spaces in urban core areas.
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46
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Temporal persistence of taxonomic and functional composition in bird communities of urban areas: an evaluation after a 6-year gap in data collection. Urban Ecosyst 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-021-01132-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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47
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Leveau L. United colours of the city: A review about urbanisation impact on animal colours. AUSTRAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Leveau
- Departamento de Ecología Genética y Evolución Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales Universidad de Buenos Aires – IEGEBA (CONICET – UBA) Ciudad Universitaria, Pab 2, Piso 4 Buenos Aires1426Argentina
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Spotswood EN, Beller EE, Grossinger R, Grenier JL, Heller NE, Aronson MFJ. The Biological Deserts Fallacy: Cities in Their Landscapes Contribute More than We Think to Regional Biodiversity. Bioscience 2021; 71:148-160. [PMID: 33613128 PMCID: PMC7882369 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaa155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cities are both embedded within and ecologically linked to their surrounding landscapes. Although urbanization poses a substantial threat to biodiversity, cities also support many species, some of which have larger populations, faster growth rates, and higher productivity in cities than outside of them. Despite this fact, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the potentially beneficial links between cities and their surroundings. We identify five pathways by which cities can benefit regional ecosystems by releasing species from threats in the larger landscape, increasing regional habitat heterogeneity and genetic diversity, acting as migratory stopovers, preadapting species to climate change, and enhancing public engagement and environmental stewardship. Increasing recognition of these pathways could help cities identify effective strategies for supporting regional biodiversity conservation and could provide a science-based platform for incorporating biodiversity alongside other urban greening goals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erin E Beller
- San Francisco Estuary Institute San Francisco, California in the United States. Erin E. Beller is the Urban Ecology Program manager for the Real Estate and Workplace Services Sustainability Team at Google, Mountain View, California, in the United States
| | - Robin Grossinger
- San Francisco Estuary Institute San Francisco, California in the United States. Erin E. Beller is the Urban Ecology Program manager for the Real Estate and Workplace Services Sustainability Team at Google, Mountain View, California, in the United States
| | - J Letitia Grenier
- San Francisco Estuary Institute San Francisco, California in the United States. Erin E. Beller is the Urban Ecology Program manager for the Real Estate and Workplace Services Sustainability Team at Google, Mountain View, California, in the United States
| | - Nicole E Heller
- Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Myla F J Aronson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
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Abstract
Urbanization poses a major threat to biodiversity worldwide. We focused on birds as a well-studied taxon of interest, in order to review literature on traits that influence responses to urbanization. We review 226 papers that were published between 1979 and 2020, and aggregate information on five major groups of traits that have been widely studied: ecological traits, life history, physiology, behavior and genetic traits. Some robust findings on trait changes in individual species as well as bird communities emerge. A lack of specific food and shelter resources has led to the urban bird community being dominated by generalist species, while specialist species show decline. Urbanized birds differ in the behavioral traits, showing an increase in song frequency and amplitude, and bolder behavior, as compared to rural populations of the same species. Differential food resources and predatory pressure results in changes in life history traits, including prolonged breeding duration, and increases in clutch and brood size to compensate for lower survival. Other species-specific changes include changes in hormonal state, body state, and genetic differences from rural populations. We identify gaps in research, with a paucity of studies in tropical cities and a need for greater examination of traits that influence persistence and success in native vs. introduced populations.
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50
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Farrow LF, Andronicos NM, McDonald PG, Hamlin AS. Quantitative determination of neuronal size and density using flow cytometry. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 352:109081. [PMID: 33484745 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 12/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent anthropomorphic disturbances are occurring at an increasing rate leading to organisms facing a variety of challenges. This change is testing the information processing capacity (IPC) of all animals. Brain function is widely accepted to be influenced by a variety of factors, including relative size, number of neurons and neuronal densities. Therefore, in order to understand what drives an animals IPC, a methodological approach to analyze these factors must be established. NEW METHOD Here we created a protocol that allowed for high-throughput, non-biased quantification of neuronal density and size across six regions of the brain. We used the Isotropic Fractionator method in combination with flow cytometry to identify neuronal and non-neuronal cells in the brains of adult rats. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS The results obtained were comparable to those identified using stereological counting methods. RESULTS By employing this new method, the number of nuclei in a specific brain region can be compared between replicate animals within an experiment. By calibrating the forward scatter channel of the flow cytometer with size standard beads, neuronal and non-neuronal nuclear sizes can be estimated simultaneously with nuclei enumeration. These techniques for nuclear counting and size estimation are technically and biologically reproducible. CONCLUSION Use of flow cytometry provides a methodological approach that allows for consistency in research, so that information on brain morphology, and subsequent function, will become comparable across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- L F Farrow
- Animal Behaviour and Ecology Laboratory, School of Environmental and Rural Science, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - N M Andronicos
- Brain Behaviour Research Group, School of Science and Technology, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - P G McDonald
- Animal Behaviour and Ecology Laboratory, School of Environmental and Rural Science, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - A S Hamlin
- Brain Behaviour Research Group, School of Science and Technology, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
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