Journal articles on the topic 'Woodland birds'
To see the other types of publications on this topic, follow the link: Woodland birds.
Create a spot-on reference in APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, and other styles
Consult the top 50 journal articles for your research on the topic 'Woodland birds.'
Next to every source in the list of references, there is an 'Add to bibliography' button. Press on it, and we will generate automatically the bibliographic reference to the chosen work in the citation style you need: APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, Vancouver, etc.
You can also download the full text of the academic publication as pdf and read online its abstract whenever available in the metadata.
Browse journal articles on a wide variety of disciplines and organise your bibliography correctly.
1
McGinness, Heather M., Anthony D. Arthur, and Julian R. W. Reid. "Woodland bird declines in the Murray–Darling Basin: are there links with floodplain change?" Rangeland Journal 32, no. 3 (2010): 315. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj10016.
Full textAbstract:
Woodland bird population declines in Australia have been attributed to various factors including habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation. However, the influence of altered water availability in the landscape upon woodland bird populations has not been examined, particularly in terms of changes in flood regimes and subsequent loss of floodplain productivity. In this review, we examine the importance to woodland birds of floodplains, floods, and associated vegetation communities, highlighting potential links between declining water availability, habitat degradation, and bird populations. Floodplain woodlands and forests may be important refuges for woodland bird populations because (1) floodplain woodlands and forests comprise some of the largest and most continuous vegetation remnants in south-east Australia; and (2) floods intermittently supply water, sediment and nutrients that drive greater primary and secondary productivity than found in woodlands not subject to flooding. However, floodplains in south-east Australia have been subject to substantial flow regime change, driven predominantly by dams and irrigation water use. Consequently, habitat quality for woodland birds has been degraded, potentially exacerbating population declines. We suggest that despite such change, floodplain communities and their requisite floods remain of great importance for the persistence, productivity and diversity of woodland birds in Australian drylands. We hypothesise that (1) the influence of flooding upon primary and secondary productivity in floodplain and riparian zones is a key driver of resident bird populations, and a key determinant of nomadic/migratory bird use of a site; (2) alterations in flooding and consequent changes in productivity and condition of floodplain vegetation have contributed to observed declines in resident woodland birds in Australian drylands; and (3) the influence of flooding upon productivity extends beyond local populations of floodplain residents to non-floodplain populations via dispersal, and that floodplain woodlands often act as a source population for surrounding non-floodplain woodlands. We make several testable predictions regarding these hypotheses.
2
Antos, Mark J., and Andrew F. Bennett. "How important are different types of temperate woodlands for ground-foraging birds?" Wildlife Research 32, no. 6 (2005): 557. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr04118.
Full textAbstract:
There is widespread concern about population decline in a number of woodland-dependent birds in southern Australia. Of all declining species, approximately half forage on the ground. This study examined the avifaunal assemblages of temperate woodlands of the Northern Plains, Victoria, to investigate the importance of woodland habitats for ground-foraging species. Four main types of woodland were surveyed (white cypress-pine, black box, grey box and river red gum) and, in total, 89 bird species were detected. All four woodland types differed in habitat structure and, in turn, supported significantly different avifaunal assemblages. Forty of the 89 species (45%) foraged, at least in part, on the ground. Species richness and abundance of ground-foragers differed significantly between woodland types, being highest in white cypress-pine and black box. There was a greater richness of ground-foragers during the breeding than non-breeding season, but abundance did not vary seasonally. Overall, ground-foraging birds comprised a greater proportion of species (>55%) and individuals (>60%) in white cypress-pine and black box woodland than in grey box and river red gum (42–48% of species, <50% individuals). Those ground-foragers regarded as declining also occurred in greatest richness in white cypress-pine woodlands, one of the most depleted habitats in the region. The lowest richness of ‘declining’ ground-foraging species was in river red gum woodland, the most widespread woodland type. Throughout Australia, the proportion of ground-foraging species in bird assemblages tends to be greater in temperate, semi-arid or arid woodlands than in moist forests and rainforests. However, in many regions woodland habitats are severely depleted and their open ground layer is particularly vulnerable to degradation. The extent of suitable habitat for ground-foraging birds in temperate woodlands may be much less than is apparent from current measures of tree cover. Sustainable management of drier (non-riverine) temperate woodlands is required to conserve this important element of the Australian avifauna.
3
Moore, T. L., L. E. Valentine, M. D. Craig, G. E. StJ Hardy, and P. A. Fleming. "Do woodland birds prefer to forage in healthy Eucalyptus wandoo trees?" Australian Journal of Zoology 61, no. 3 (2013): 187. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo13045.
Full textAbstract:
Globally, many forests and woodlands are in decline. The marked loss of canopy foliage typical of these declines results in reduced foraging resources (e.g. nectar, pollen, and insects) and, subsequently, can reduce habitat quality for woodland birds. In south-west Western Australia, patches of Eucalyptus wandoo woodlands have shown a decline in condition since at least 2002. We investigated how changes in E. wandoo condition affect the woodland bird community. Foraging activities of three bird species were recorded for 20 sites in Dryandra State Forest and Wandoo Conservation Park either by conducting watches on focal trees (‘sitting’ method), or following individuals through the woodland (‘following’ method). Condition assessments of trees used by the birds were compared with those for trees available at the study site. Weebills (Smicrornis brevirostris; canopy insectivore) displayed preference for healthy trees (low amounts of canopy dieback), whereas rufous treecreepers (Climacteris rufa; bark-foraging insectivore) preferred trees with a higher proportion of dead branches. Yellow-plumed honeyeaters (Lichenostomus ornatus; insectivore/nectarivore) foraged in older, larger E. wandoo trees having full canopies with few signs of tree decline. Tree declines, such as that happening in E. wandoo, alter the foraging resources and habitat available to woodland birds.
4
Adams, Heidi L., L. Wes Burger, and Sam Riffell. "Edge Effects on Avian Diversity and Density of Native Grass Conservation Buffers." Open Ornithology Journal 8, no. 1 (February 2, 2015): 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1874453201508010001.
Full textAbstract:
Conservation Reserve Program Conservation Practice 33 (CP33: Conservation Buffers for Upland Birds) provides habitat for grassland birds in agriculture-dominated landscapes. However, landscape context and adjacency of other land covers may influence colonization, occupancy, and reproductive performance of breeding grassland birds in buffers. Our objective was to determine how edge effects influence diversity and density of breeding grassland birds in CP33 buffers. Data collected during transect surveys in CP33 buffers at a privately-owned farm in Clay County, Mississippi, USA during the 20072009 breeding seasons indicated that buffers with a woody edge had the least diversity and density of grassland and facultative grassland birds. Dickcissels (Spiza americana), the most abundant grassland bird species detected in buffers, had a lower density in woodland-bordered buffers than in grassland-bordered buffers. Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) had a lower density in buffers adjacent to woodlands than buffers adjacent to developed areas and those bordered on both sides by crop fields. Conversely, Indigo Buntings, (Passerina cyanea) a woodland edge species, had the greatest density in woodland-bordered buffers when compared to buffers adjacent to grassland and developed areas. These results demonstrate that adjacency influences colonization processes and conservation design should explicitly incorporate local landscape context in field and farm-scale conservation plans. Where conservation of obligate grassland birds is a primary objective of native grass conservation buffers, avoidance of buffer establishment adjacent to woodlands may maximize environmental services as measured by grassland bird diversity and density.
5
Woinarski, JCZ, and SC Tidemann. "The Bird Fauna of a Deciduous Woodland in the Wet-Dry Tropics of Northern Australia." Wildlife Research 18, no. 4 (1991): 479. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9910479.
Full textAbstract:
Censuses of birds were made monthly from October 1986 to October 1987 in a deciduous woodland in the Australian Northern Territory. Additional limited counts of granivorous birds were made in March and April 1988. The woodland was selected for the study because it contains a population of the endangered Gouldian finch (Erythrua gouldiae). The species composition of birds was temporally unstable; this was associated with the marked wet-dry seasonality. For some foraging groups (e.g. nectarivores, foliage-gleaners), diversity was correlated with resource availability. Although the species composition of birds of this site is not very similar to that of any other surveyed area, it falls within the range encompassed by that of woodlands across tropical Australia, and is distinct from that of open and closed forests in the same region. Tropical savanna woodlands and open forests differ in composition of their foraging groups compared with their temperate counterparts. The species richness of granivores, hawking insectivores, nectarivores and terrestrial omnivores at this site is unusually high. The changing composition of bird species in this tropical woodland site suggests that many birds in this environment undergo substantial regional movements. The conservation of such species demands large and heterogeneous reserves, a strategically located reserve system and/or sympathetic management of land outside reserves.
6
Watson, James, Alexander Watson, David Paull, and David Freudenberger. "Woodland fragmentation is causing the decline of species and functional groups of birds in southeastern Australia." Pacific Conservation Biology 8, no. 4 (2002): 261. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc030261.
Full textAbstract:
The clearance of woodlands and the simultaneous creation of alien environments have been identified as the primary reasons for the decline of many woodland birds in southeastern Australia. This study measured how the size of woodland remnants and habitat structural complexity affected bird composition and distribution in the northern Australian Capital Territory and bordering areas of New South Wales. Within this region only 8% of the original woodlands remain, embedded as patches in a matrix of pasture and suburbia. Woodland birds were surveyed in 72 woodland remnants of different size and vegetation structural complexity. Avifaunal species richness was found to increase with remnant area and habitat complexity (p < 0.01). Of the 31 resident woodland bird species detected, 22 were significantly affected by woodland patch size reduction and 20 species were significantly affected by habitat complexity loss (p < 0.05). Of the species affected, 19 were affected by both reductions in patch size and vegetation complexity. Seven species (Weebill, Brown Thornbill, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Spotted Pardalote, Grey Shrike-thrush, Scarlet Robin and White-winged Chough) not previously identified as threatened by habitat fragmentation occurred significantly less often in small remnants with low habitat complexity. Assessment of avifaunal guilds based on body size and foraging behaviour showed that all large species (n = 4) and 85% (n = 17) of insectivorous species that foraged above the ground were statistically affected by patch size and/or loss of habitat complexity. The occurrence of three species (50%) of granivores was also significantly affected (p < 0.05) by patch size and/or habitat complexity reduction. These results show that the distribution of many bird species, including some considered "common" and "widespread", is affected by patch size and habitat complexity. There are few, large complex woodland remnants within the study area, which continue to reduce in size and complexity. It is therefore predicted that the decline of woodland bird species will continue unless appropriate habitat conservation strategies are applied.
7
Barrett, G. W., D. Freudenberger, A. Drew, J. Stol, A. O. Nicholls, and E. M. Cawsey. "Colonisation of native tree and shrub plantings by woodland birds in an agricultural landscape." Wildlife Research 35, no. 1 (2008): 19. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr07100.
Full textAbstract:
Tree planting has become a cornerstone strategy for natural resource management in agricultural landscapes, yet its contribution as habitat for woodland birds has not been fully investigated. A case study from the Holbrook region in southern New South Wales was used to assess woodland birds in young plantings of native trees and shrubs. Ground-foraging insectivorous woodland birds were under-represented in the plantings, partly due to a lack of native forb diversity (wildflowers) and leaf litter. Of 69 woodland bird species recorded over a three-year period, 48 species (70%) occurred in planted sites, 59 species (86%) occurred in remnant woodland, and 34 species (49%) occurred in adjacent paddock sites. The greater diversity of birds in planted sites relative to paddock sites was mostly due to understorey birds. The proportion of mist-netted birds recaptured was similar in both planted (15%) and remnant woodland (16%) sites, suggesting that individual birds were staying in planted sites. The proportion of woodland birds showing breeding activity (as measured by the presence of a brood patch) was slightly lower in planted sites (24% of all woodland species) than in remnant woodland (29%). Birds such as the superb fairy-wren, red-browed finch and southern whiteface were more likely to occur in planted sites, suggesting that plantings provide unique, transitional-stage habitat within agricultural landscapes. Restoring native forbs, as part of a broader strategy of woodland management, will help to reverse the decline of ground-foraging insectivorous woodland birds in agricultural landscapes.
8
J. Grey, Merilyn, Michael F. Clarke, and Richard H. Loyn. "Influence of the Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala on avian diversity and abundance in remnant Grey Box woodland." Pacific Conservation Biology 4, no. 1 (1998): 55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc980055.
Full textAbstract:
The abundance of an aggressive Australian honeyeater, the Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala, was reduced at four small (<8 ha) Grey Box Eucalyptus microcarpa woodland remnants by experimental removal. The diversity and abundance of small insectivorous and nectarivorous birds increased at three of the four sites (relative to matching control sites) over the twelve months following the removal of the Noisy Miners. The one exception occurred at a pair of sites where eucalypts began flowering at one site and finished at the other during the Noisy Miner removal period. These results, taken together with those from three earlier experiments where the abundance of Noisy Miners was reduced in Mugga Ironbark E. Sideroxylon woodland remnants, demonstrate that Noisy Miners affect avian diversity and abundance by aggressive exclusion of other species. In five out of seven experiments, Noisy Miners did not reinvade the small woodland remnants during the ensuing twelve months. When Noisy Miner abundance was reduced, increased populations of small insectivorous and nectarivorous birds used small degraded woodland remnants. Colonizing populations of small birds have the potential to reduce insect infestations and may assist in the recovery of dieback-affected woodland remnants. Research is continuing to test this hypothesis. Reducing the abundance of Noisy Miners in remnant eucalypt woodlands may also be a useful, short-term measure, which could assist in the recovery of threatened or endangered bird species.
9
A. Seddon, J., S. V Briggs, and S. J. Doyle. "Relationships between bird species and characteristics of woodland remnants in central New South Wales." Pacific Conservation Biology 9, no. 2 (2003): 95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc030095.
Full textAbstract:
This study investigated relationships between birds and characteristics of woodland remnants in the central wheat/sheep belt of New South Wales, in order to provide information for conservation management of woodland birds and their habitats in this region. Birds were surveyed in standard area plots in 36 woodland remnants, which ranged from 1 to 1 376 hectares in size, in the central Lachlan catchment in the wheat/sheep belt of New South Wales. Habitat (e.g., shrub cover) and landscape (measures of isolation) characteristics of the remnants were recorded also. Presence/absence occurrences of 20 or more bird species, mostly woodland birds, were positively related to remnant area, shrub cover, number of shrub species, pine cover, fallen logs and branches, and number of remnants within two and five kilometres of the survey remnant. Species of birds that are habitat generalists showed negative or no relationships with these habitat and landscape variables. Richness of all bird species was positively related to remnant area and shrub cover. Number of woodland bird species was positively related to remnant area, shrub cover and tree hollows. Lower species diversities in smaller remnants were most likely caused by lower chances of survival or of successful breeding in small remnants, effects of isolation on the ability of birds to recolonize smaller remnants, small remnants being of insufficient area for some species to form territories, and generally poor habitat quality in small remnants. Retention, management and enhancement of woodland remnants 10 to 20 hectares or larger in size with good understorey cover are necessary for the future viability of woodland birds in the wheat/sheep belt of New South Wales.
10
M. Fisher, Andrew, and David C. Goldney. "Use by birds of riparian vegetation in an extensively fragmented landscape." Pacific Conservation Biology 3, no. 3 (1997): 275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc970275.
Full textAbstract:
The bird communities of six riparian woodland sites are described and compared with those of eight terrestrial woodland sites in the Central Tablelands near Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. Riparian woodland, where still present in the Central Tablelands, is dominated by either relatively narrow strips of Casuarina cunninghamiana along stream banks or the less restricted Angophora floribunda trees associated with Eucalyptus melliodora?E. blakelyi woodlands. Four of the riparian sites were located within cleared agricultural land and two were located within a relatively large nature reserve. Bird censuses along a strip transect were conducted twice per season from spring 1993 to summer 1996. The riparian woodland communities contained within the cleared landscape of the Bathurst basin were found to support a diverse avifauna, a mix of woodland-forest and species associated with agricultural landscapes. Extensive observations of individual birds at riparian sites indicate that the tree canopy is the most widely used microhabitat stratum. While native riparian woodlands are generally degraded, their connectivity and stabilizing function (actual or potential) identifies them as a critical landscape component in maintenance or restoration programmes. Hence it is suggested that riparian strips could form the basis for rehabilitation initiatives within this landscape. Fenced plantings of endemic tree species supplemented by native understorey species could be linked with existing vegetation to enhance landscape connectivity. It is crucial that landholders become aware of the importance of riparian vegetation for nature conservation and stream stabilization. Incentives should be provided to landholders to encourage these areas to be fenced from stock in order to protect them from further degradation in a significantly disturbed ecosystem.
11
Debus, S. J. S., W. K. Martin, and J. M. Lemon. "Changes in woodland bird communities as replanted woodland matures." Pacific Conservation Biology 23, no. 4 (2017): 359. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc16028.
Full textAbstract:
Small patches of woodland were progressively established on degraded agricultural land near Gunnedah, northern New South Wales, on the heavily cleared Liverpool Plains. Birds were resurveyed in the plantings, and in agricultural fields (cropping and pasture) and remnant woodland, in 2011–12, 10 years after initial surveys in 2000–01. The plantings in the later survey were 60, 18, 16 and 13 years old, with a shrub layer included in the three youngest cohorts. The survey sites (total 14 ha planted, all within 200 m of remnant woodland) were paired 1-ha plots in each vegetation category. Birds were surveyed by 30-min area searches of each plot eight times over all seasons, using the same plots, procedure and observer as before. In all, 73 species were recorded in the later survey (versus 72 in the earlier survey), for a total of 87 species over both survey periods, with 58 species in 2011–12 (versus 54 in 2000–01) in the plantings; eight of 15 new species visited or colonised the maturing plantings. Avian species richness and abundance increased from the cleared agricultural plots through the progressively older plantings to resemble those in the remnant woodland. Between the first and second surveys, bird communities in the younger plantings converged with those in the older plantings and woodland. The nectar-feeding, foliage-feeding and ground-feeding insectivore guilds benefitted most, having increased in frequency in, or moved into, the younger cohorts of plantings (>13 years old), or both. Several threatened and other declining woodland birds visited, increased in or colonised the plantings. However, noisy miners (Manorina melanocephala) progressively occupied a few plots and excluded some other birds.
12
L. Oliver, Damon, Andrew J. Ley, Hugh A. Ford, and Beth Williams. "Habitat of the Regent Honeyeater Xanthomyza phrygia and the value of the Bundarra-Barraba region for the conservation of avifauna." Pacific Conservation Biology 5, no. 3 (1999): 224. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc990224.
Full textAbstract:
Five types of woodland and forest in the Bundarra-Barraba region of northern New South Wales were surveyed for Regent Honeyeaters Xanthomyza phrygia and other birds over two years. Regent Honeyeaters were found in 24 of the 93 transects, at a density of 0.09 birds/ha. Most were found in box-ironbark woodland (34% of 62 sites), with single records from box-gum woodland, box-stringybark woodland and dry plateau complex woodland. No Regent Honeyeaters were found in riparian gallery forest during censuses, but they were found breeding there at other times. All habitats contained a high density of birds, compared to other wooded regions in southern Australia, with riparian gallery forest and box-ironbark woodland being particularly rich in species and numbers. These habitats had greater flowering indices, larger trees and more mistletoes than other habitats. Sites used by Regent Honeyeaters supported significantly more birds and bird species than unoccupied sites. The region supports a total of 193 species, four of which are nationally threatened and seven which are threatened in New South Wales. The richness of the bird community in the region is partly because it retains a higher proportion of native vegetation cover (43%) than many other parts of rural Australia. Protection and rehabilitation of box-ironbark woodland and riparian gallery forest is of high priority in a regional conservation plan. However, all habitats in the Bundarra-Barraba region should be protected from clearing and degradation, because they are also used at times by Regent Honeyeaters and support a wide range of bird species. Wise management should retain many sensitive bird species that have disappeared from or declined in other regions of southeastern Australia.
13
Murphy, Michael J. "The distribution and frequency of detection of woodland birds after selective logging of a small woodland remnant in an agricultural landscape in inland southern Australia." Australian Zoologist 40, no. 4 (January 2020): 529–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.7882/az.2018.036.
Full textAbstract:
The majority of studies into the response of birds to logging in Australian forests has been done in forest-dominated landscapes or relatively large forest blocks, where the surrounding landscape can ameliorate impacts. This is the first study to examine the response of birds to logging of a small, relatively isolated woodland remnant in a landscape dominated by agriculture, with a focus on declining woodland birds. Approximately two thirds of a 120 ha cypress-eucalypt woodland remnant was selectively logged. Eighty bird species in total were recorded 2–3½ years after logging, including 18 recognised as declining woodland birds. Sixty-four species were recorded in the unlogged area and 72 in the logged area. Of the 31 species recorded sufficiently frequently for analysis, 19 showed no statistical difference in occurrence between logged and unlogged areas at the power of the study, nine were more prevalent in unlogged areas and three more prevalent in logged areas. Declining woodland birds comprised 22½% of overall species and 33% of those more prevalent in unlogged areas. Mapping of records enabled the response of a subset of species to be examined in greater detail. Four species illustrate the range of responses by declining woodland birds: Eastern Yellow Robin Eopsaltria australis was confined to unlogged areas, White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus favoured unlogged areas, Varied Sittella Daphoenositta chrysoptera favoured proximity to unlogged areas and Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii was widely distributed in both logged and unlogged areas. The likelihood of recovery of local woodland bird populations is discussed in the context of limited landscape connectivity and the recent colonisation of the remnant by the hyper-aggressive Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala. White-browed Babbler and Eastern Yellow Robin are considered to be at high risk of local extinction in the remnant.
14
Stricklan, Dave, Andrés F. Cibils, Pradip Saud, Robert L. Steiner, Matthew M. McIntosh, Amy C. Ganguli, Douglas S. Cram, and Akasha M. Faist. "Dispersal Patterns of One-Seed Juniper Seeds Contained in Mammal Scats and Bird Pellets." Forests 13, no. 10 (October 14, 2022): 1693. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f13101693.
Full textAbstract:
We conducted a two-year study in New Mexico, USA, to determine the role of birds, lagomorphs, mesocarnivores, and porcupines in one-seed juniper (J. monosperma (Englem.] Sarg.) seed dispersal. We established random plots: (1) around cone-bearing juniper trees in the woodland; (2) around non-cone-bearing juniper trees in the woodland; (3) in woodland/grassland transition zones; and in (4) grassland habitats near juniper woodlands. We estimated seed density and tallied the number of plots with seeds deposited by each disperser group. Birds deposited the highest number of seeds/ha under the canopy of cone-bearing trees. Mesocarnivores were responsible for the highest average seed deposition in all other habitats. In juniper cone-bearing tree habitats, birds deposited seeds in 100% of plots under-canopy and 93% of plots outside-canopy. Seeds deposited by lagomorphs were observed in plots across all sampled habitats. Overall, seed deposition was greatest around cone-bearing juniper trees, followed by non-cone-bearing juniper trees, woodland-grassland transition zones, and grassland habitats. Birds deposited seeds primarily under cone-bearing tree perch sites. Lagomorphs deposited seeds widely in relatively high numbers across all habitats and are likely responsible for the greatest number of one-seed juniper seeds deposited on the soil surface at our research site.
15
Fulton, Graham R., and John Lawson. "Birds respond to woodland type, soil and mesic gradients in heterogeneous woodlands at Dryandra." Australian Journal of Zoology 68, no. 2 (2020): 55. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo20095.
Full textAbstract:
The vast clearance of forest and woodland for agriculture with the removal of more than 93% of the native vegetation has decimated the fauna of what is now known as the Western Australian wheatbelt. This clearing has been particularly severe on wandoo woodlands through the wheatbelt. In order to quantify the usefulness of what has been left, three native woodland types were surveyed for avian abundance and diversity, in a large heterogeneous remnant of old-growth woodland, at Dryandra. Birds were counted at 70 points along seven transects, through three woodland types: powderbark wandoo (Eucalyptus accedens), wandoo (E. wandoo) and a brown mallet (E. astringens) plantation. Greater abundance and species richness were detected in E. wandoo woodland, although this is thought to be related to the more mesic and productive low-lying contours of the landscape on which it is situated.
16
Belder, Donna J., Jennifer C. Pierson, Karen Ikin, and David B. Lindenmayer. "Beyond pattern to process: current themes and future directions for the conservation of woodland birds through restoration plantings." Wildlife Research 45, no. 6 (2018): 473. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr17156.
Full textAbstract:
Habitat loss as a result of land conversion for agriculture is a leading cause of global biodiversity loss and altered ecosystem processes. Restoration plantings are an increasingly common strategy to address habitat loss in fragmented agricultural landscapes. However, the capacity of restoration plantings to support reproducing populations of native plants and animals is rarely measured or monitored. This review focuses on avifaunal response to revegetation in Australian temperate woodlands, one of the world’s most heavily altered biomes. Woodland birds are a species assemblage of conservation concern, but only limited research to date has gone beyond pattern data and occupancy trends to examine whether they persist and breed in restoration plantings. Moreover, habitat quality and resource availability, including food, nesting sites and adequate protection from predation, remain largely unquantified. Several studies have found that some bird species, including species of conservation concern, will preferentially occupy restoration plantings relative to remnant woodland patches. However, detailed empirical research to verify long-term population growth, colonisation and extinction dynamics is lacking. If restoration plantings are preferentially occupied but fail to provide sufficient quality habitat for woodland birds to form breeding populations, they may act as ecological traps, exacerbating population declines. Monitoring breeding success and site fidelity are under-utilised pathways to understanding which, if any, bird species are being supported by restoration plantings in the long term. There has been limited research on these topics internationally, and almost none in Australian temperate woodland systems. Key knowledge gaps centre on provision of food resources, formation of optimal foraging patterns, nest-predation levels and the prevalence of primary predators, the role of brood parasitism, and the effects of patch size and isolation on resource availability and population dynamics in a restoration context. To ensure that restoration plantings benefit woodland birds and are cost-effective as conservation strategies, the knowledge gaps identified by this review should be investigated as priorities in future research.
17
Fulton, Graham R. "Woodland birds persisting in least disturbed environment: Birds of Dryandra Woodland 1953–2008." Pacific Conservation Biology 19, no. 1 (2013): 58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc130058.
Full textAbstract:
Woodland birds have seriously declined across southern Australian with local extinctions reported in many areas. Dryandra Woodland presents a contrasting picture to this decline with declining species persisting there. It retains an almost full community of birds, many of which have declined or disappeared from the surrounding wheatbelt. It is 27 000 ha of remnant woodland, situated ~160 km south-east of Perth, in south-western Australia. Birds were surveyed predominately by professional biologists and/or taken from their archives, publications and institutional databases for a 55 year period (173 observation years) from 1953 to 2008; 141 species were detected. Persistence rather than extinction and increase rather than decline were the dominant paradigms for the birds of Dryandra. This is the inverse of what has happened in the greater wheatbelt, in which Dryandra is located. It is postulated that Dryandra’s birds persist because their habitat is relatively unchanged compared to that of the surrounding wheatbelt. Despite the many ‘success stories’ some birds had declined, for example, Malleefowl Leipoa ocellata and Hooded Robin Melanodryas cucullata. Three species were judged to be locally extinct at Dryandra Spotted Nightjar Eurostopodus argus, Chestnut Quail-thrush Cinclosoma castanotum and Crested Bellbird Oreoica gutturalis.
18
Huang, Peilin, Dulai Zheng, Yijing Yan, Weizhen Xu, Yujie Zhao, Ziluo Huang, Yinghong Ding, et al. "Effects of Landscape Features on Bird Community in Winter Urban Parks." Animals 12, no. 23 (December 6, 2022): 3442. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani12233442.
Full textAbstract:
Urban parks, as critical components of the urban green space, have practical significance in studying the influence of landscape characteristics on birds. Nine urban parks in Fuzhou, China, were used as study objects to explore the influence of landscape features (patch, landscape, and surrounding environment indices) on bird communities. The results showed that (1) from December 2021 to February 2022, we found a total of 2874 individuals belonging to 61 species of 9 orders, 32 families, which were dominated by the birds of Passeriformes (37 species of 24 families, accounting for 89.91% of the total number of individuals) and resident birds in Fuzhou urban parks (n = 30; 85.46%); (2) The park area, park perimeter, woodland area, grassland area, and the park shape index increased as the distance to the city center increases; (3) Bird diversity responds differently to different landscape features. The total abundance of birds, the abundance of winter migrant birds, and the richness of winter migrant birds increased with the park area. And the park shape index affects positively for the the α-diversity of birds and the abundance of resident birds. Woodland proportion and waterbody shape index affected positively on the richness and α-diversity of resident birds. To promote the diversity of regional birds, it is recommended that the construction and planning of urban parks should enlarge the park area as much as possible, increase the proportion of woodland, and make shorelines more irregular. Our study could serve as a reference for the construction of biodiversity enhancements in core green areas of urban parks.
19
Recher, Harry F., and William E. Davis Jr. "Response of birds to a wildfire in the Great Western Woodlands, Western Australia." Pacific Conservation Biology 19, no. 4 (2013): 188. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc130188.
Full textAbstract:
In December 2005, a wildfire burnt a large area of semi-arid eucalypt woodland along ~10 km of the Norseman- Coolgardie Road north of Norseman in the Great Western Woodlands (GWW), Western Australia. Few birds used the burnt area in the first year after the fire and these were mainly ground and shrub foraging insectivores. There was no influx of seed-eaters or open-country species as reported for post-fire habitats elsewhere in southern Australia. The greatest number of individuals and species of birds occurred in the second year post-fire when ground and shrub vegetation was floristically most diverse. Canopy foragers were attracted to the burnt area in the second year by an outbreak of psyllid insects on seedling eucalypts. At the same time, bark dwelling arthropods associated with the standing stems of fire-killed eucalypts attracted bark-foragers. From the third year, small insectivorous ground, shrub, and canopy foragers dominated the avifauna on the burnt area. These foraged on fire-killed shrubs, as well as living vegetation, including the lignotuberous regrowth of eucalypts. Bark foragers were uncommon after the second year. Throughout the study, the burnt area had fewer species and individuals than adjacent unburnt habitats. Compared with unburnt woodlands there were few differences in how species foraged on the burnt plots, but most species foraged lower reflecting the stature of the vegetation in the burnt woodland. Nectar-feeders, fruit-eaters, large insectivores, raptors, and parrots, although common in the unburnt woodland, were absent or rare in the burnt area. This reflected the limited regrowth of vegetation on the burnt area, which lacked the structural and floristic complexity of nearby unburnt woodlands. Ground foragers probably commenced nesting on the burnt area in the first year, with shrub and canopy foragers nesting from the second year. However, after five years, there was no evidence of large insectivores, nectar-feeders, raptors, seed-eaters, or foliage-eaters (i.e., parrots) nesting despite their abundance in adjacent unburnt woodland. Some of the unburnt woodlands monitored in this study were even-aged regeneration estimated to be 30–50 years post-fire or logging. Regardless of origin, these even-aged plots lacked the diverse avifauna associated with mature woodlands and suggest that post-fire recovery of birds and vegetation in these woodlands is likely to take decades and probably more than 100 years. If so, human activities that increase fire frequency in the GWW, including climate change and fuel-reduction burns, will have long-term adverse impacts on regional biodiversity exceeding those associated with wildfires in less arid forests and woodlands where rates of recovery are more rapid.
20
Cordeiro, Norbert J., and Mwangi Githiru. "Conservation evaluation for birds of Brachylaena woodland and mixed dry forest in north-east Tanzania." Bird Conservation International 10, no. 1 (March 2000): 47–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959270900000058.
Full textAbstract:
Three forest and woodland sites were surveyed in the lowlands of the East Usambara mountains, Tanzania, from August to October, 1996. Bombo East I and II Proposed Forest Reserves (PFR) and Bombo West FR were previously unknown biologically. Our fieldwork revealed several records of conservation interest. Four species of global conservation concern (Amani Sunbird Anthreptes pallidigaster, Southern Banded Snake Eagle Circaetus fasciolatus, Fischer's Turaco Tauraco fischeri and Plain-backed Sunbird Anthreptes reichenowi) were recorded, with a further seven species of regional concern. These sites were not as rich in bird species as other East Usambara lowland forests. Bombo East I PFR had the highest richness, which included the presence of three montane species that were most likely cold-season visitors. The Endangered Sokoke Scops Owl Otus ireneae, otherwise known from similar woodland habitat in Kenya as well as lowland forest in the East Usambaras, was apparently absent at these sites. It is also clear from our survey that at least four threatened mammals and one possibly endemic snake inhabit the Brachylaena woodlands and mixed dry forest. Thus, our results indicate that the previously unexplored Brachylaena woodlands and mixed dry forest in north-east Tanzania are an additional habitat to some fauna of threatened status and do, therefore, merit conservation attention. The Brachylaena tree is highly favoured for charcoal production and the enormous demand for this product is increasing the degradation of these woodland patches. Larger tracts of unprotected Brachylaena woodland should receive immediate conservation attention.
21
Watson, David M., and Matthew Herring. "Mistletoe as a keystone resource: an experimental test." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 279, no. 1743 (July 11, 2012): 3853–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2012.0856.
Full textAbstract:
Various entities have been designated keystone resources, but few tests have been attempted and we are unaware of any experimental manipulations of purported keystone resources. Mistletoes (Loranthaceae) provide structural and nutritional resources within canopies, and their pervasive influence on diversity led to their designation as keystone resources. We quantified the effect of mistletoe on diversity with a woodland-scale experiment, comparing bird diversities before and after all mistletoe plants were removed from 17 treatment sites, with those of 11 control sites and 12 sites in which mistletoe was naturally absent. Three years after mistletoe removal, treatment woodlands lost, on average, 20.9 per cent of their total species richness, 26.5 per cent of woodland-dependent bird species and 34.8 per cent of their woodland-dependent residents, compared with moderate increases in control sites and no significant changes in mistletoe-free sites. Treatment sites lost greater proportions of birds recorded nesting in mistletoe, but changes in species recorded feeding on mistletoe did not differ from control sites. Having confirmed the status of mistletoe as a keystone resource, we suggest that nutrient enrichment via litter-fall is the main mechanism promoting species richness, driving small-scale heterogeneity in productivity and food availability for woodland animals. This explanation applies to other parasitic plants with high turnover of enriched leaves, and the community-scale influence of these plants is most apparent in low productivity systems.
22
M. Watson, David, I. Ralph Mac Nally, and Andrew F. Bennett. "The avifauna of severely fragmented, Buloke Allocasuarina luehmanni woodland in western Victoria, Australia." Pacific Conservation Biology 6, no. 1 (2000): 46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc000046.
Full textAbstract:
Buloke Allocasuarina luehmanni woodland is an endangered habitat type that was once widespread in southern Australia but now is restricted to a series of remnants, many of which are located in the Wimmera region of western Victoria. The bird communities inhabiting 27 remnants were sampled on transects of 1.0 ha at 6-week intervals over one year. Ninety-five species of birds were observed in Buloke woodlands, of which 66 species were recorded during transect counts. The total species richness, the richness of groups of birds based on their habitat use, and the composition of assemblages on transects, were examined in a series of analyses with respect to habitat type (which probably reflects "quality"), remnant area, shape, isolation and geographic location. There was little evidence for attributes of remnants significantly influencing species richness per transect, but the composition of avifaunal assemblages varied in relation to habitat type, size and geographic location. The Buloke woodlands supported a diverse assemblage, including numerous species believed to be experiencing a regional decline in southern Australia. The composition of the Buloke assemblage has similarities to those of dry eucalypt woodlands across the plains of central Victoria, but elements contributing to a distinctive avifauna include species associated with semi-arid and mallee environments, and a high frequency of occurrence of a group of small insectivores (thornbills, robins) that favour dry She-oak and Callitris woodlands. A likely reason for the rich representation of small insectivores in woodland stands, even in small degraded remnants grazed by stock, was the scarcity of the Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala that are often common in eucalypt remnants and known to aggressively exclude other species. The results of this study add weight to the recommendation that protection and restoration of Buloke woodlands is a priority for conservation in the Wimmera bioregion of Victoria.
23
Grey, Merilyn J., Michael F. Clarke, and Richard H. Loyn. "Initial Changes in the Avian Communities of Remnant Eucalypt Woodlands following a Reduction in the Abundance of Noisy Miners, Manorina melanocephala." Wildlife Research 24, no. 6 (1997): 631. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr96080.
Full textAbstract:
It has been postulated that aggressive honeyeaters like the noisy miner, Manorina melanocephala, may contribute to rural tree decline by excluding small insectivorous birds from remnant patches of woodland, thereby reducing the level of predation upon defoliating insects. Previous studies provide correlational evidence that avian diversity and abundance is lower in remnant patches of woodland occupied by noisy miners than in those without noisy miners. Noisy miners were removed from three small remnant patches of woodland in north-eastern Victoria. The removal of the majority of noisy miners from a site, or even the removal of only part of a noisy miner colony from a site, resulted in a major influx of honeyeaters and other insectivorous birds to these sites in the following three months. Such major invasions were not observed on matching control sites. At two of the three removal sites, this led to an increase in both the abundance and diversity of birds on the site. At the third site, there was an increase in the diversity, but not the abundance of birds. These experiments are the first to demonstrate that noisy miners affect avian diversity and abundance by aggressive exclusion of small birds. They also showed that if domination by noisy miners is reduced, small, degraded woodland remnants can support significant populations of some small insectivorous birds and honeyeaters. Noisy miners did not reinvade the experimental sites during the following 16 months and avian diversity and abundance remained higher at the experimental sites than at the paired control sites. Long-term monitoring is needed to determine whether the small invading bird species have a lasting effect upon insect populations and tree health.
24
Díaz Vélez, María Celeste, Ana Elisa Ferreras, Wesley Rodrigues Silva, and Leonardo Galetto. "Does avian gut passage favour seed germination of woody species of the Chaco Serrano Woodland in Argentina?" Botany 95, no. 5 (May 2017): 493–501. http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjb-2016-0243.
Full textAbstract:
Frugivorous birds are key dispersal agents of many plant species and also may facilitate seed germination after gut passage. However, the general effects of gut passage on seed germination are still not clear, with positive, negative, and neutral effects reported on seed germination. We evaluated seed germination of seven bird-dispersed plant species of the Chaco Serrano Woodland in Córdoba, Argentina: Celtis ehrenbergiana (Klotzsch) Liebm., Condalia spp. Cav., Lantana camara L., Lithraea molleoides (Vell.) Engl., Lycium cestroides Schltdl., Schinus fasciculatus (Griseb.) I.M. Johnst., and Zanthoxylum coco Gillies. We compared germination percentages and germination speed among seeds ingested by birds, manually extracted seeds, and seeds from intact fruits to understand which mechanisms are acting on bird gut-passed seeds. For six plant species, the action of frugivorous birds increased seed germination percentages and germination speed, through scarification, deinhibition, or combined mechanisms. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms acting on seeds passed through bird gut. Also, we show the pivotal role that frugivorous birds exert on the seed germination of native woody plant species in the threatened ecosystem of the Chaco Serrano Woodland.
25
Leavesley, Adam J., Geoffrey J. Cary, Glenn P. Edwards, and A. Malcolm Gill. "The effect of fire on birds of mulga woodland in arid central Australia." International Journal of Wildland Fire 19, no. 7 (2010): 949. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wf09028.
Full textAbstract:
The principal ecosystem driver in arid Australia is unpredictable rainfall, but it is hypothesised that fire also plays an important role in determining the distribution of animals. We investigated the effect of fire on birds in mulga (Acacia aneura) woodland in the central Australian arid zone. The study was conducted at Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park using 63 sites classified into one of three time-since-fire classes: burnt 2002; burnt 1976; and long-unburnt. Birds were sampled in the winter and spring of 2005 and 2006 and vegetation structure was measured at all sites. Vegetation structure varied with time-since-fire. The burnt 2002 treatment was an early seral stage of mulga woodland and effectively a grassland. The burnt 1976 and long-unburnt treatments were both woodland, but the long-unburnt treatment had greater canopy cover and height. The bird community in the burnt 2002 treatment was characterised by granivores, whereas that in the burnt 1976 and long-unburnt treatments was characterised by foliar insectivores. All species showed monotonic responses to time-since-fire (i.e. none were at significantly highest density in the burnt 1976 treatment). Fire in mulga woodland changed the vegetation structure and consequently also changed the composition of the bird communities.
26
Majer, Jonathan D., Harry F. Recher, Christopher Norwood, and Brian E. Heterick. "Variation in bird assemblages and their invertebrate prey in eucalypt formations across a rainfall gradient in south-west Australia." Pacific Conservation Biology 23, no. 4 (2017): 372. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc17024.
Full textAbstract:
Our previous work has shown how invertebrate food resources influence usage of tree species by birds. Using data from Western Australian forests and woodlands, we extend the findings to indicate how the avifauna is influenced by these resources at the landscape level. The northern dry sclerophyll forest of south-west Australia comprises jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) to the west, with an abrupt replacement by wandoo (E. wandoo) plus powderbark wandoo (E. accedens) woodland to the east; codominant marri (Corymbia calophylla) trees occur throughout. Knockdown samples have previously indicated that the canopy invertebrate fauna is richer and more abundant in wandoo woodland than in jarrah/marri forest. To provide an indication of their general abundance and diversity in these formations, invertebrates using the trunks of the ubiquitous marri were measured along a transect from jarrah/marri forest to wandoo woodland. Mirroring the canopy, the trunk fauna had high species turnover over short distances. As with the canopy fauna, invertebrate diversity and abundance was higher on marri situated in the wandoo zone than in the jarrah/marri areas, indicating a generally larger invertebrate fauna in the drier regions of the transect. Abundance and diversity of birds, many of which are wholly or partly insectivorous, were measured at the same sites. Birds were more abundant and there were more species in areas with the wandoo species than in those dominated by jarrah/marri. Assemblage composition also differed in the two forest types. It is evident that changes in bird abundance, richness, and assemblage composition are likely determined on a landscape scale by the type, abundance, and diversity of food resources available to them. These patterns of change within forest invertebrate faunas and their primary vertebrate predators need to be considered when making decisions on conserving or managing forest communities in Australia.
27
J. S. Debus, S. "The effect of Noisy Miners on small bush birds: an unofficial cull and its outcome." Pacific Conservation Biology 14, no. 3 (2008): 185. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc080185.
Full textAbstract:
This paper documents the bird community in a small (~15 ha) patch of remnant woodland New South Wales sheep? wheat belt (i) before Noisy Miners Manorina melanocephala were abundant in the patch (1972-79), (ii) after a dense miner colony became established (1980-1990), (iii) after the miners were removed (1991?92) and, subsequently, (iv) while extensive, dense plantings of native trees became established (1992-2006). Bird species richness in the patch was, respectively, 64, 18, 45 and 83 species in each time period. Totals for small (<120 g) bush birds, mostly insectivorous passerines, were 26, 0, 22 and 46 species in the respective time periods. Although this was an unofficial, unreplicated and uncontrolled activity, the results support those of previous similar studies that indicate that Noisy Miners are a major contributor to the local decline of many woodland birds. The results also affirm the value of a shrub layer to small birds.
28
Martin, Thomas E. "Selection of second-growth woodlands by frugivorous migrating birds in Panama: an effect of fruit size and plant density?" Journal of Tropical Ecology 1, no. 2 (May 1985): 157–70. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467400000213.
Full textAbstract:
ABSTRACTI provide evidence that migrating birds concentrate in tropical second-growth woodlands due, in part, to a greater abundance of small fruits. Migrant birds markedly increased in abundance during spring migration in late March in a young (approximately 25 years old) second-growth woodland in Panama. Migrant abundance and diversity was greater at mist-net level on the second-growth site than in nearby old forest. Diversity of canopy migrants also was greater in the young woodland than in an old second-growth forest. Thus, many migrant species appear to select young second-growth during spring migration in central Panama. Degree of frugivory by many migrant species was greater during migration than earlier in the dry season. Most migrants selecting the second-growth site were highly frugivorous and migrants accounted for most of the visits to common fruit species, but use of fruit trees appeared to be influenced by fruit size relative to gape width. Most migrants have mouths that are better suited to eating the small fruits predominating in young forest than the larger fruits characteristic of old forest. Abundances of bird-dispersed fruit plants and, particularly, those fruit species known to be eaten by migrants were greater in young than in old forest. The high food demands of migrating birds added to the high degree of frugivory of most migrants selecting second-growth forest suggests that the abundance of small fruits in second-growth may be a strong cause for habitat selection during migration.
29
Broughton, Richard K., James M. Bullock, Charles George, France Gerard, Marta Maziarz, Wesley E. Payne, Paul A. Scholefield, Daniel Wade, and Richard F. Pywell. "Slow development of woodland vegetation and bird communities during 33 years of passive rewilding in open farmland." PLOS ONE 17, no. 11 (November 11, 2022): e0277545. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277545.
Full textAbstract:
Passive rewilding is a potential tool for expanding woodland cover and restoring biodiversity by abandoning land management and allowing natural vegetation succession to occur. Land can be abandoned to passive rewilding deliberately or due to socio-economic change. Despite abandonment being a major driver of land use change, few have studied the long-term outcomes for vegetation and biodiversity in Western Europe. Studies are also biased towards sites that are close to seed sources and favourable to woodland colonisation. In this case-study, we reconstruct a time series of passive rewilding over 33 years on 25 ha of former farmland that had been subject to soil tipping, far from woodland seed sources. Natural colonisation by shrubs and trees was surveyed at three points during the time series, using field mapping and lidar. Breeding birds were surveyed at three time points, and compared with surveys from nearby farmland. Results showed that natural colonisation of woody vegetation was slow, with open grassland dominating the old fields for two decades, and small wetlands developing spontaneously. After 33 years, thorny shrub thickets covered 53% of the site and former hedgerows became subsumed or degraded, but trees remained scarce. However, the resulting habitat mosaic of shrubland, grassland and wetland supported a locally distinctive bird community. Farmland bird species declined as passive rewilding progressed, but this was countered by relatively more wetland birds and an increase in woodland birds, particularly songbirds, compared to nearby farmland. Alongside biodiversity benefits, shrubland establishment by passive rewilding could potentially provide ecosystem services via abundant blossom resources for pollinators, and recreation and berry-gathering opportunities for people. Although closed-canopy woodland remained a distant prospect even after 33 years, the habitat mosaic arising from passive rewilding could be considered a valuable outcome, which could contribute to nature recovery and provision of ecosystem services.
30
Briggs, SV, JA Seddon, and SA Thornton. "Wildlife in dry lake and associated habitats in western New South Wales." Rangeland Journal 22, no. 2 (2000): 256. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj0000256.
Full textAbstract:
Intermittently and occasionally flooded lakes are common in arid and semi-arid Australia. The wetldry nature of these lakes means that they provide habitat for terrestrial fauna when dry and aquatic fauna when flooded. The fauna of dry lakes in western New South Wales is largely unknown. This study reports on species of small mammals and reptiles trapped in a dry lake in south-western New South Wales, and contrasts them with species trapped in surrounding woodland and shrubland habitats. Information on bird species in these habitats was also drawn on. Small mammals, reptiles and birds showed considerable partitioning between the habitats in the study area. The dry lake provided the main habitat for the two small mammals Smznthopsis crassicaudata and Planlgale gdesi. Reptiles were most speciose and most abundant in the blue bush (Maireana spp.) shrubland, but some reptile species were mainly or entirely confined to the dry lake habitats, or to black box (Eucalyptus largzjlorens) woodland. Birds in the study region were most abundant and most speciose in the black box woodland, with some species confined to blue bush shrubland. The study showed that conservation of all the habitats investigated is necessary to retain the suite of vertebrate species that occupy these landscapes. Key words: small mammals, reptiles, birds, arid zone, dry lake, shrubland, woodland, biodiversity: Australia
31
F. Bennett, Andrew, and Leigh A. Ford. "Land use, habitat change and the conservation of birds in fragmented rural environments: a landscape perspective from the Northern Plains, Victoria, Australia." Pacific Conservation Biology 3, no. 3 (1997): 244. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc970244.
Full textAbstract:
Studies of the effects of habitat fragmentation on birds have mainly been carried out at the patch scale, by censusing birds in patches of different size, shape or composition. Here, we use data collected by observers for the Atlas of Australian Birds from 10' latitude/longitude grid cells (landscapes), each 277 km2 in size, to examine the effects of land use and habitat change at the landscape scale in the Northern Plains region of Victoria, Australia. Land birds were tallied for 63 such landscapes and species were classed as "woodland" or "other" species. Attributes measured for each landscape represented natural environmental variation, tree cover and the intensity of human settlement. The Northern Plains has experienced profound environmental change over the last century of agricultural settlement and tree cover now occupies only 6.2% of the region, mostly as large riverine forests. Eighty per cent of landscapes have less than 10% tree cover. Woodland birds showed substantial variation in richness between landscapes and, after accounting for sampling effort, species richness was best predicted by total tree cover and measures of environmental variation (e.g., number of streams). "Other" birds were more evenly distributed between landscapes. Species richness was best predicted by the environmental gradient in rainfall and temperature, although this accounted for only a small amount of variance after correcting for sampling effort. The predictive model for woodland birds indicates that this group is sensitive to habitat change, and implies a substantial loss of species in landscapes that have been almost entirely cleared of woodland habitat. The logarithmic nature of the relationship means that the rate of change in species richness is greatest during the final stages of habitat depletion. With median tree cover of 3.7% for landscapes in the region, this relationship supports the contention that a major decline in woodland birds is underway and that species are being lost from whole landscapes across the region. Attributes associated with landscapes of high conservation value for birds include: extensive overall tree cover, large blocks of woodland habitat, and stream systems with associated habitat connectivity. In this region, these attributes are more likely to occur in areas with broad-acre agriculture rather than intensive irrigation. The analysis suggests that at least 10% tree cover is a minimum goal for an infrastructure of natural vegetation in rural landscapes to prevent serious decline and loss in the woodland avifauna.
32
Gentry, Dale J., David L. Swanson, and Jay D. Carlisle. "Species Richness and Nesting Success of Migrant Forest Birds in Natural River Corridors and Anthropogenic Woodlands in Southeastern South Dakota." Condor 108, no. 1 (February 1, 2006): 140–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/108.1.140.
Full textAbstract:
AbstractForest fragmentation is thought to be partially responsible for declines in many Neotropical migrant birds due to the combined effects of higher rates of brood parasitism and increased predation near forest edges. A majority of the forested habitat in the northern prairie region is found in riparian corridors, but this native habitat has been much reduced from its historical extent. However, additional woodland nesting habitat has been established within the last century in the form of isolated woodlots on farms. We compared abundance, species richness, and nesting success of migrant forest birds breeding in native riparian corridors and anthropogenic woodlots. The two habitats had similar bird abundances but native riparian woodlands were more species-rich than woodlots. We located a total of 650 nests, with 320 nests of 15 species in woodlots and 331 nests of 25 species in riparian corridors. Nesting success was not significantly different between the two habitats for all species combined or for individual species with ≥15 nests in each habitat. Nests above 5 m were more successful than lower nests, but distance to woodland edge did not influence nesting success. Nests initiated in the middle and late portions of the nesting season were more successful than early season nests, significantly so in woodlots. Thus, anthropogenic woodlots were as suitable as natural habitats for successful nesting. However, many of the Neotropical migrants occurring in riparian habitats were absent from woodlots, which suggests that riparian corridors are especially important habitats for breeding birds in the northern prairie region.
33
Sainbileg, Namkhaidorj, Wang Tong, Yang Fan, and Yang Guisheng. "Avian species composition and ecological distribution in south lake wetland park, hohhot." Mongolian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 17, no. 1 (January 3, 2017): 36–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.5564/mjas.v17i1.725.
Full textAbstract:
Species diversity and composition of bird community at South Lake Wetland Park in Hohhot city were investigated from October 2013 to September 2014. In total，64 bird species belonging to 33 families and 14 orders were recorded. There are 36 summer migrant species, 15 resident species, 11 traveling species and 2 winter migrant species found. The habitats of birds were grouped into four types (wetland, woodland, grassland and residential area) according to topography and vegetation types in the survey area．Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index (H`) was 2.9450 in wetland area and 1.0768 in grassland area the highest and the lowest values, respectively. The evenness of bird species was 0.4058 lowest in woodland and 0.7581 highest in residential area. The dominance index of bird species was 0.0733 lowest in the wetland and 0.4319 highest in the woodland, respectively. This paper analyzed the relationship between the main dominant bird species and their habitat characteristics，explained the main reasons for the increased bird species number.
34
Major, Richard E., and Greg Gowing. "Survival of red-capped robins (Petroica goodenovii) in woodland remnants of central western New South Wales, Australia." Wildlife Research 28, no. 6 (2001): 565. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr01040.
Full textAbstract:
To determine relative survival rates of small birds occupying small, linear strips of woodland compared with large patches of woodland, marked populations of red-capped robins were monitored over a two-year period. In total, 196 male robins were banded with unique colour combinations in 10 woodland remnants and censused by song playback at half-yearly intervals. The Cormack–Jolly–Seber method was used to calculate half-yearly survival probabilities for birds in the two habitat configurations and the strongest model included separate survival parameters for summer (36.2% 5.1) and autumn (88.9% 13.5) half-years, but a constant recapture probability (50.5% 7.2). The inclusion of separate parameters for the large and linear habitat configurations reduced the strength of the model, indicating that there was no significant difference between the survival rates of birds occupying small, linear strips of woodland and birds occupying large patches of woodland. The mean annual survival, determined by multiplying the half-yearly survival probabilities, was 32%, which is low, compared with the annual survival of other Petroica robins. Although no banded birds were located away from the banding site, we suspect that much of the ‘mortality’ represented emigration during the summer half-year. Under this scenario a better estimate of annual survival (79%) might be achieved by extrapolation of survival over the winter half-year. This study provides no data to support the contention that adult mortality is higher in small, linear strips of habitat, although further data on the fate of birds that disappear from remnants is required before this is conclusive. In addition, to detect a 20% difference in survival using similar methods to the present study, with their accompanying sources of variation, at least 10 times the number of birds would need to be monitored. This might most effectively be done as a co-operative banding project.
35
Zasadil, Petr, Dušan Romportl, and Jakub Horák. "Disentangling the Roles of Topography, Patch, and Land Use on Conservation Trait Status of Specialist Birds in Marginal Forest Land Use Types." Forests 11, no. 1 (January 14, 2020): 103. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f11010103.
Full textAbstract:
One of the main questions in ecology and conservation is how organisms are governed and affected by their traits within the context of abiotic gradients. The main question of our study addresses how patch, topography, and land use influence conservation trait status (rarity and red-list index) of birds generally, and of farmland and woodland specialists specifically, in marginal forest landscape types. We sampled birds from 68 traditional fruit orchards existing as remnants of agroforestry within the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic during two consecutive years. We recorded 57 bird species, of which 31 species were forest dwellers and 16 farmland dwellers. Topographical predictors played the most significant role in influencing traits of the bird community as a whole. Farmland bird traits indicated the most balanced values, as they were significantly influenced by all studied predictor sets. Their responses nevertheless differed among the studied traits and also showed a more complex pattern because the values of interaction between some predictor categories were relatively high. Traits of woodland birds were most influenced by the patch configuration. We found that a structurally diversified marginal habitat type of traditional fruit orchards is able to promote a number of specialist species and also reveals important relationships between bird conservation traits and different predictor sets. Researchers should pay more attention to the conservation traits of birds and their interactions with environmental predictors. Furthermore, conservationists should be more attentive to the biodiversity value and sustainable management of traditional fruit orchards.
36
Tesfahun, Takele, and Dessalegn Ejigu. "Avian Communities of Alatish National Park, Ethiopia." International Journal of Zoology 2022 (February 1, 2022): 1–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/4108081.
Full textAbstract:
Alatish National Park, which is located in the Amhara National Regional State at the border with the Republic of Sudan, is rich in its avian resources. To study the park’s avian communities, the study area was classified based on its vegetation structures into riverine woodland, wooded grassland, woodland, and bamboo woodland. Data were collected from July 2017 to April 2018 using line transect and point count methods. As a result, 132 species of birds belonging to 18 orders and 55 families were identified. The highest species diversities during the wet (H’ = 3.53) and dry (H’ = 3.55) seasons were recorded in the riverine woodland habitat. Species evenness was also the highest during the wet (E = 0.79) and dry (E = 0.77) seasons in the riverine woodland habitat. The bamboo woodland habitat harboured the lowest species diversity during the wet (H’ = 2.81) and dry (H’ = 2.45) seasons. More species similarity (SI = 0.90) was recorded between wooded grassland and bamboo woodland habitats during the dry season. Relative abundance of birds among the different species showed significant differences (F131, 1452 = 2.94, P < 0.05 ), and most birds in the area were identified as uncommon species. Forest fire, logging, and overgrazing by cattle have significantly contributed to habitat destruction in the park which might act as the cause for reduction in avian diversity. Therefore, appropriate conservation strategies should be designed and implemented to minimize avian habitat destruction due to various anthropogenic activities within the park.
37
Hodgson, P., K. French, and R. E. Major. "Comparison of foraging behaviour of small, urban-sensitive insectivores in continuous woodland and woodland remnants in a suburban landscape." Wildlife Research 33, no. 7 (2006): 591. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr05017.
Full textAbstract:
Small patches of remnant vegetation are often considered to have low conservation value. In urban landscapes their value may potentially be higher than in other landscapes because they can be the only representatives of original native vegetation. Despite this potential, many small insectivorous birds that rely on native vegetation demonstrate sensitivities within urban landscapes through reduced numbers or total absence. One reason for this sensitivity may be that remnants are of suboptimal quality, which may be reflected in behavioural changes. Using five insectivorous species that were present (in low numbers) in remnants surrounded by high-density housing, foraging behaviour was examined in relation to vegetation. The proportion of time birds spent on different foraging substrates and plant species was compared with that of conspecifics in continuous vegetation. Canopy and shrub foragers showed minimal behavioural changes. Ground foragers in remnants tended to forage at lower heights than those in continuous vegetation; however, these changes did not appear to reflect a negative effect. These changes were partially explained by structural differences between vegetation in remnants and continuous sites. The number of times a bird attacked prey items was significantly higher in continuous habitat for only two species. Overall, the foraging behaviour of small insectivorous birds in remnants surrounded by high-density housing was not adversely affected by urbanisation and it appears that remnants have potential value as habitat and foraging sources in an urban landscape. Despite this, small insectivores are still sensitive to urbanisation, suggesting that other factors, probably in the matrix, are important.
38
Antos, Mark J., and Andrew F. Bennett. "Foraging ecology of ground-feeding woodland birds in temperate woodlands of southern Australia." Emu - Austral Ornithology 106, no. 1 (March 2006): 29–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mu05039.
Full text
39
Willis, Edwin O. "Protected cerrado fragments grow up and lose even metapopulational birds in central São Paulo, Brazil." Brazilian Journal of Biology 66, no. 3 (August 2006): 829–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s1519-69842006000500008.
Full textAbstract:
Moderately dense woodland (cerradão) grew in two isolated patches of bushy savanna (cerrado) in central São Paulo over 23 years of bird censuses. Various uncommon birds were lost and some forest species were permanently gained. Fall and winter fruits attract long and short-distance migrants. Woodpeckers and some birds that nest in their holes seem to disappear during tree growth. Some birds in weedy areas nearby disappeared when the pastures replaced these areas, however sugar cane reduced the numbers of birds even more up to the point when some areas became pastures once more. Even travel-prone species disappear with vegetation growth in cerrado protected fragments, and therefore "metapopulations" may not survive over time, only in space.
40
Ariunjargal, G., and Yang Guisheng. "Diversity of bird community in Hohhot." Mongolian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 11, no. 2 (November 25, 2014): 159–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.5564/mjas.v11i2.240.
Full textAbstract:
The article contains research on avifauna compliment, numeral and bird distribution which depend on differentiation of habitat and seasons in Hohhot for last year. A bird is one of the important species of vertebrates which has an essential role on ecological balance and biological control. Having diversity of birds is the main composition of biological diversity. Bird community structure is determined by relationship of bird’s species and general correlation of birds and environment. Diversity of bird community structure has direct correlation of its species, bird community numeral and habitat. Also it depends on geographical factor, habitat, diversity of plant community, plant vertical structure, food resource, possibility of shelter and other factors. Therefore, bird species become a very valuable indicator for ecological condition of the city and environmental ecological quality. We have divided the areas around Hohhot, Inner Mongolia into 6 different habitats such as grassland, farmland, residential area, woodland, wetland and garbage dump. We have performed the bird fundamental study, and investigated bird flora, ecology, distribution, diversity, environment, and community structure in different habitats and seasons. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5564/mjas.v11i2.240 Mongolian Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol.11(2) 2013 pp.159-165
41
French, Kristine, and Anita Zubovic. "Effect of the Weed Chrysanthemoides monilifera (Bitou Bush) on Bird Communities." Wildlife Research 24, no. 6 (1997): 727. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr96011.
Full textAbstract:
Bird communities in native coastal woodland were compared with those in woodland infested with Chrysanthemoides monilifera rotundata (bitou bush) in order to determine the impact of infestations of this weed on birds. Little evidence was found to suggest that bitou bush negatively affected the bird communities as a whole. Overall, the total number of birds in each type of habitat did not differ while numbers of species differed only at one area. Weed infestations have a differential impact on foraging groups. Canopy-feeding generalists and understorey insectivores showed differences in abundance and species richness in a few areas, with greater numbers in weed sites than in native sites. Temporal variation in weed-site use was also evident for canopy foragers. For these groups, weed infestations are providing at least some resources, although the details of resource use need to be investigated further. Species richness and abundance of birds relying almost exclusively on plant material were negatively affected by weed infestations, indicating that this foraging guild may not be provided with adequate resources in weed-infested habitats. Similarly, although numbers were low, scavengers and raptors also showed lower abundances and species richness in weed-infested habitats. For these foraging groups, management programmes to rehabilitate weed-infested habitats are likely to have a positive effect on numbers.
42
Tassicker, A. L., A. S. Kutt, E. Vanderduys, and S. Mangru. "The effects of vegetation structure on the birds in a tropical savanna woodland in north-eastern Australia." Rangeland Journal 28, no. 2 (2006): 139. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj05029.
Full textAbstract:
Management of the dynamics of woody vegetation in Australia’s tropical savannas is a vexing issue for both pastoralists and conservation biologists. In savanna regions around the world, increasing density of woody vegetation contributes to declines in pastoral productivity, but its effects on native fauna are largely unknown. In this paper we examine the avifauna in savanna woodlands of varying structure in the Desert Uplands bioregion, Queensland. Vegetation cover maps derived from aerial photographs were used to choose 60 sites, across 4 cattle stations. We sampled sites mapped at 30–45% and 45–60% foliage cover, and areas which previously had these levels of cover but had been mechanically modified, both by broad scale clearing and selective thinning. Between May and June 2004, we measured a range of habitat variables and sampled the birds at each site. Bird species composition varied significantly between treatments. Bird richness and frequency was greatest in intact vegetation. Thirteen species of birds were most frequently encountered in sites with 30–45% canopy cover, compared with 10 species in the 45–60% cover sites, 4 species in the thinned sites and 7 in the cleared sites. Our results suggest that increasing density of woody vegetation in savanna woodland may be to the advantage of some savanna bird species. Mechanical modification to reduce woody vegetation appears to also benefit some common, widespread species, but has a generally negative overall effect on bird species richness.
43
W. Barrett, G., H. A. Ford, and H. F. Recher. "Conservation of woodland birds in a fragmented rural landscape." Pacific Conservation Biology 1, no. 3 (1994): 245. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc940245.
Full textAbstract:
Increasingly, conservation efforts are being extended towards agricultural and pastoral areas outside large reserves. This indicates a change from the view of the landscape as islands of native habitat in a hostile matrix, to one in which the landscape is regarded as a patchwork of differing levels of disturbance. This latter view considers the whole of the landscape as the biological resource. These trends are discussed in relation to land bird species near Armidale on the New England Tablelands, north-east New South Wales, Australia. We assess the conservation status of 137 species of land birds. Of these, six species are locally extinct, 18 are thought to be declining and 35 are vulnerable due to their dependence on healthy woodland. Only 33 species are abundant and widely distributed on the Tablelands. The remaining 45 species tend to be habitat specialists that are marginal to the Armidale Plateau, and may never have been common in the study area. Most of the species that are dependent on large areas of continuous woodland (>400 ha) are in this last group, and it is demonstrated that an emphasis on these species may result in a conservation strategy that is inappropriate for most of the land birds in the region. Indeed, this could result in the extinction of species that at present are secure. An alternative strategy, specific to areas outside large reserves, is proposed that aims to maintain local species richness. In this management plan, priority is given to core species that are tolerant of intermediate levels of habitat fragmentation.
44
Tofanescu, Diana-Roxana, and Carmen Gache. "Aspects on the bird fauna's diversity in the sector Golăiești - Cotul Bran (Iași county, Romania)." Acta et commentationes: Ştiinţe Exacte şi ale Naturii 13, no. 1 (November 2022): 64–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.36120/2587-3644.v13i1.64-81.
Full textAbstract:
The present study had followed to evaluate the bird fauna’s diversity and the seasonal dynamic of birds’ population in the sector of Golăiești – Cotul Bran, related to the common Jijia and Prut Rivers’ basin. We did our fieldwork in the years 2014 and 2015. The bird fauna’s list includes 117 bird species. The typically woodland bird species are dominant like diversity, but also through their effectives. The wetland bird species present small populations, appearing during the migration time. The breeding bird fauna include 77 certainly breeding species, other 6 species being irregular or probably breeding species in the area. During our study, we identified 21 bird species that appear in the Annex 1 of Birds’ Directive, respectively, 12 bird species included in the Romanian Red Book of Vertebrates.
45
Cavarzere, Vagner, Gabriel Parmezani Moraes, Andreli Cristina Dalbeto, Fernanda de Góes Maciel, and Reginaldo José Donatelli. "Birds from cerradão woodland, an overlooked forest of the Cerrado region, Brazil." Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 51, no. 17 (2011): 259–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/s0031-10492011001700001.
Full textAbstract:
The Cerrado region still receives relatively little ornithological attention, although it is regarded as the only tropical savanna in the world considered to be a biodiversity hotspot. Cerradão is one of the least known and most deforested Cerrado physiognomies and few recent bird surveys have been conducted in these forests. In order to rescue bird records and complement the few existing inventories of this under-studied forest type in the state of São Paulo, we looked for published papers on birds of cerradão. Additionally we surveyed birds at a 314-ha cerradão remnant located in central São Paulo, Brazil, from September 2005-December 2006 using unlimited distance transect counts. Out of 95 investigations involving cerradão bird studies, only 17 (18%) investigations teased apart bird species recorded inside cerradão from those recorded in other physiognomies of Cerrado. Except for one study, no research found more than 64 species in this type of forest, a result shared within many regions from Brazil and Bolivia. Differences in species richness do not seem be related with levels of disturbance of landscape or fragment size. Considering all species recorded in cerradão in Brazil and Bolivia, a compilation of data accumulated 250 species in 36 families and 15 orders. In recent surveys at central São Paulo, we recorded 48 species in 20 families, including the Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin Neopelma pallescens, threatened in São Paulo, and the Helmeted Manakin Antilophia galeata, near threatened in the state and endemic to the Cerrado region. Among the most abundant species inside this fragment, none was considered to be neither threatened nor endemic.
46
Evans, KM, and A. Bunce. "A comparison of the foraging behaviour of the eastern pygmy-possum (Cercartetus nanus) and nectarivorous birds in a Banksia integrifolia woodland." Australian Mammalogy 22, no. 1 (2000): 81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am00081.
Full textAbstract:
The foraging behaviour of a non-flying mammal, the eastern pygmy-possum (Cercartetus nanus) and nectarivorous birds was compared in a Banksia integrifolia woodland at Wilson's Promontory National Park, Victoria, Australia. Exclusion experiments performed previously in this woodland indicate that both non-flying mammals and nectarivorous birds are important pollinators of B. integrifolia (Cunningham 1991: Oecologia 87: 86-90). In this study it is shown that C. nanus and nectarivorous birds employ different foraging tactics. Nectarivorous birds tended to move further between trees (Χ = 8.16 ± 1.06 m) than C. nanus (Χ = 5.64 ± 0.75 m), although these differences were not significant. Nectarivorous birds were attracted to trees with a significantly larger number of inflorescences (Χ = 36.55 ± 2.84) than C. nanus (Χ = 18.65 ± 2.95), and visited a significantly greater number of inflorescences per tree (Χ = 4.24 ± 0.35) than C. nanus (Χ = 2.33 ± 0.22). Although the two pollinator groups were attracted to banksia plants by different cues, once in the plants they visited an equal proportion of the available inflorescences.
47
GREGORY, RICHARD D., PETR VORISEK, ARCO VAN STRIEN, ADRIAAN W. GMELIG MEYLING, FRÉDÉRIC JIGUET, LORENZO FORNASARI, JIRI REIF, PRZEMEK CHYLARECKI, and IAN J. BURFIELD. "Population trends of widespread woodland birds in Europe." Ibis 149 (June 6, 2007): 78–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-919x.2007.00698.x.
Full text
48
Polakowski, Michał, Monika Broniszewska, Lucyna Kirczuk, and Zbigniew Kasprzykowski. "Habitat Selection by the European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus in North-Eastern Poland: Implications for Forest Management." Forests 11, no. 3 (March 6, 2020): 291. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f11030291.
Full textAbstract:
Research Highlights: Intensive forest management practices generally have a negative effect on biodiversity. However, the creation of new, open habitats as a consequence of timber harvesting within large areas of woodland may be favorable to some bird species. Background and Objectives: Habitat selection of the European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus in a coniferous woodland area in northeastern Poland was studied in order to specify management recommendations. Materials and Methods: To define the influence of various environmental parameters on territory occupation, 11 micro- and 3 macrohabitat factors were analyzed. Results: Denser vegetation in the ground layer deterred birds from nesting in clearings with such characteristics. Moreover, Nightjars preferentially inhabited sites adjacent to young stands of trees. Birds preferred plots with a higher number of clearings in the neighborhood, as this enabled them to enlarge their foraging area. Other microhabitat factors (e.g., the type, age and area of clearings), as well as macroscale factors like distances to the forest edge, nearest roads and human settlements, were of no importance. Conclusions: Knowledge of the Nightjar preferences may be useful in working out a compromise between an appropriate level of clear-felling and conservation of other bird species requiring preservation of old tree stands.
49
Woinarski, JCZ, SC Tidemann, and S. Kerin. "Birds in a Tropical Mosaic - the Distribution of Bird Species in Relation to Vegetation Patterns." Wildlife Research 15, no. 2 (1988): 171. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9880171.
Full textAbstract:
Wilson and Bowman (1986) classified and mapped vegetation in a complex mosaic at Howard's Peninsula, Northern Territory. The relationship of bird distribution to this vegetation classification was considered through 10 repeat censuses of 5 replicate quadrats in each of 20 vegetation units. Censusing period was April-May. 118 bird species were recorded. Closed forests (3 units), mangroves (2 units) and swamplands (3 units) all had distinctive bird species compositions, but bird species showed a relatively poor relationship with the classification of woodland and grassland units. Eucalyptus woodlands regrowing after devastation by a cyclone in 1974 had similar bird species diversity and density to undamaged woodlands, though somewhat different bird species composition. Eucalyptus woodlands with a dense shrubby understorey had significantly greater bird density and species diversity than those with open or grassy understories and their bird species composition showed appreciable association with that of closed forests. Closed forest and, less so, mangrove units had highest diversity and density (despite their relatively small proportion in the study area and in the region generally), probably because they offered a wider range of foraging possibilities.
50
Broughton, Richard K., James M. Bullock, Charles George, Ross A. Hill, Shelley A. Hinsley, Marta Maziarz, Markus Melin, J. Owen Mountford, Tim H. Sparks, and Richard F. Pywell. "Long-term woodland restoration on lowland farmland through passive rewilding." PLOS ONE 16, no. 6 (June 16, 2021): e0252466. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0252466.
Full textAbstract:
Natural succession of vegetation on abandoned farmland provides opportunities for passive rewilding to re-establish native woodlands, but in Western Europe the patterns and outcomes of vegetation colonisation are poorly known. We combine time series of field surveys and remote sensing (lidar and photogrammetry) to study woodland development on two farmland fields in England over 24 and 59 years respectively: the New Wilderness (2.1 ha) abandoned in 1996, and the Old Wilderness (3.9 ha) abandoned in 1961, both adjacent to ancient woodland. Woody vegetation colonisation of the New Wilderness was rapid, with 86% vegetation cover averaging 2.9 m tall after 23 years post-abandonment. The Old Wilderness had 100% woody cover averaging 13.1 m tall after 53 years, with an overstorey tree-canopy (≥ 8 m tall) covering 91%. By this stage, the structural characteristics of the Old Wilderness were approaching those of neighbouring ancient woodlands. The woody species composition of both Wildernesses differed from ancient woodland, being dominated by animal-dispersed pedunculate oak Quercus robur and berry-bearing shrubs. Tree colonisation was spatially clustered, with wind-dispersed common ash Fraxinus excelsior mostly occurring near seed sources in adjacent woodland and hedgerows, and clusters of oaks probably resulting from acorn hoarding by birds and rodents. After 24 years the density of live trees in the New Wilderness was 132/ha (57% oak), with 390/ha (52% oak) in the Old Wilderness after 59 years; deadwood accounted for 8% of tree stems in the former and 14% in the latter. Passive rewilding of these ‘Wilderness’ sites shows that closed-canopy woodland readily re-established on abandoned farmland close to existing woodland, it was resilient to the presence of herbivores and variable weather, and approached the height structure of older woods within approximately 50 years. This study provides valuable long-term reference data in temperate Europe, helping to inform predictions of the potential outcomes of widespread abandonment of agricultural land in this region.