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Kirk DA, Collins SJ, Martínez-Lanfranco JA, Martin AE. Crop cover and nutrient levels mediate the effects of land management type on aquatic invertebrate richness in prairie potholes. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0295001. [PMID: 38626237 PMCID: PMC11020495 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Aquatic invertebrates provide important ecosystem services, including decomposition and nutrient cycling, and provide nutrition for birds, fish, amphibians, and bats. Thus, the effects of agricultural land management practices on aquatic invertebrates are relevant to farmers, wildlife biologists, and policymakers. Here, we used data on aquatic invertebrates (159 taxa, 73 to species, 75 to genus/family) collected in 40 wetlands in the Canadian prairies to test for direct and indirect relationships among land management types (perennial cover, organic, minimum tillage, conventional), landscape structure (cropland and wetland cover within the surrounding landscape), and water quality (total nutrient levels, turbidity) on species richness of invertebrates using structural equation modelling. Additionally, we assessed variation in community composition within and among wetlands in different land use management types using a direct gradient analysis and variance partitioning. The direct effects of land management type were not supported but we found strong supportive evidence that effects of land management on richness were significantly mediated through cropland cover, nutrient levels, and turbidity. After controlling for these indirect effects, aquatic invertebrate richness decreased along a gradient from the lowest to the highest farming intensity, i.e., richness decreased from perennial cover sites to organic to minimum tillage to conventional sites. Support was also found for negative effects of nutrient levels and turbidity on richness. We did not find significant support for differences in gamma diversity or a simple test (homogeneity of multivariate dispersions) of differences in turnover among land management types; however, land management had a significant effect in distance-based redundancy analysis. Taken together, these results suggest that focusing conservation efforts on reducing cropland erosion and nutrient inputs to wetlands and creating more permanent cover may be effective strategies for conserving richness of aquatic invertebrates in agricultural landscapes in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Anthony Kirk
- Aquila Conservation & Environment Consulting, Carlsbad Springs, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sara J. Collins
- Geomatics and Landscape Ecology Laboratory (GLEL), Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Juan Andrés Martínez-Lanfranco
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science Building, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Amanda E. Martin
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Dietzer MT, Keicher L, Kohles JE, Hurme ER, Ruczyński I, Borowik T, Zegarek M, Choiński M, Dechmann DKN. High temporal resolution data reveal low bat and insect activity over managed meadows in central Europe. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7498. [PMID: 38553552 PMCID: PMC10980742 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57915-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing agriculture and pesticide use have led to declines in insect populations and biodiversity worldwide. In addition to insect diversity, it is also important to consider insect abundance, due to the importance of insects as food for species at higher trophic levels such as bats. We monitored spatiotemporal variation in abundance of nocturnal flying insects over meadows, a common open landscape structure in central Europe, and correlated it with bat feeding activity. Our most important result was that insect abundance was almost always extremely low. This was true regardless of management intensity of the different meadows monitored. We also found no correlation of insect abundance or the presence of insect swarms with bat feeding activity. This suggests that insect abundance over meadows was too low and insect swarms too rare for bats to risk expending energy to search for them. Meadows appeared to be poor habitat for nocturnal flying insects, and of low value as a foraging habitat for bats. Our study highlights the importance of long-term monitoring of insect abundance, especially at high temporal scales to identify and protect foraging habitats. This will become increasingly important given the rapid decline of insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina T Dietzer
- Department of Biology, Universität Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany.
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Universität Freiburg, Tennenbacherstraße 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Lara Keicher
- Department of Biology, Universität Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Jenna E Kohles
- Department of Biology, Universität Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Edward R Hurme
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Cluster for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, Universität Konstanz, Constance, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Mateusz Choiński
- Faculty of Computer Science, Bialystok University of Technology, Białystok, Poland
| | - Dina K N Dechmann
- Department of Biology, Universität Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Cluster for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, Universität Konstanz, Constance, Germany
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McKellar AE, Clements SJ. First-ever satellite tracking of Black Terns ( Chlidonias niger): Insights into home range and habitat selection. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10716. [PMID: 38020688 PMCID: PMC10651349 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10716] [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: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding animal movement across the annual cycle is critical for developing appropriate conservation plans, but the large size and high cost of tracking devices can limit the spatial and temporal resolution at which movement data can be collected, especially for small avian species. Furthermore, for species with low breeding site fidelity, the ability to obtain tracking data from small, archival tags is hindered by low recapture rates. We deployed satellite tracking devices on four adult Black Terns (Chlidonias niger), a declining waterbird with low site fidelity, to examine space use and selection of resources within individual breeding home ranges. We also provide a preliminary assessment of habitat use during fall stopover. We found that home ranges were extensive (mean 283.7 km2) and distances travelled from the nest substantially larger (up to 35 km) than previously thought (~2.5 km). Terns showed selection for wetlands and open water on the breeding grounds, but also showed selection for developed areas. This may reflect humans selecting similar landscape features for recreation and development as terns, and suggests that terns can tolerate the light degree of development (e.g. cottages, boat launches, etc.) within our study area. Despite a small sample size, this is the first study to track individual Black Terns at a high resolution with implications for conservation and wetland management practices relevant to the spatial scales at which habitat is used by the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann E. McKellar
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaWildlife Research DivisionSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
- Department of BiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Sarah J. Clements
- School of Natural ResourcesUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Conservation Biology, Nutting HallUniversity of MaineOronoMaineUSA
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Betini GS, Malaj E, Donkersteeg C, Smith AC, Wilson S, Mitchell GW, Clark RG, Bishop CA, Burns LE, Dakin R, Morrissey CA, Mahony NA. Spatial variation in the association between agricultural activities and bird communities in Canada. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 881:163413. [PMID: 37059132 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Agriculture is one the main drivers of bird decline in both Europe and North America. While it is clear that agricultural practices and changes in the rural landscape directly and indirectly affect bird communities, we still do not know the extent to which these impacts might change across broad spatial and temporal scales. To address this question, we combined information on agricultural activities with occurrence and abundance of 358 bird species across five time periods spanning 20 years in Canada. As a proxy for agricultural impact, we used a combined index that included different agricultural metrics, such as cropland and tillage area and area treated with pesticides. We found that agriculture impact was negatively associated with bird diversity and evenness across all 20 years studied, but these associations seemed to vary by region. We found good support for an overall negative association between agriculture impact and bird diversity and evenness in the Eastern and Atlantic regions but weaker associations in the Prairies and Pacific. These findings suggest that agricultural activities result in bird communities that are less diverse and disproportionately benefit certain species. The spatial variation in the impact of agriculture on bird diversity and evenness we observed is likely a result of regional differences in the native vegetation, the type of crops and commodities produced, the historical context of agriculture, as well as the native bird community and the extent of their association with open habitat. Thus, our work provides support for the idea that the on-going agricultural impact on bird communities, while largely negative, is not uniform, and can vary across broad geographic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo S Betini
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.
| | - Egina Malaj
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | | | - Adam C Smith
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Scott Wilson
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada; Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, Canada; Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Greg W Mitchell
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada; Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Robert G Clark
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada; Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Christine A Bishop
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, Canada
| | - Lynne E Burns
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Roslyn Dakin
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | - Nancy A Mahony
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Edmonton, Canada
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Kardynal KJ, Imlay TL. Ecology and conservation of avian aerial insectivores. CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2022-0076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin J. Kardynal
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X4, Canada
| | - Tara L. Imlay
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 5421 Robertson Road, Delta, BC V4K 3N2, Canada
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