Dynamics of the spatial distribution pattern of larid birds during an 11-year climate cycle (the Selenga River Delta, Southern Lake Baikal)

Abstract

The results of long-term studies (1973–1982) have been used to analyze specific features in the distribution of larid bird colonies in the Selenga River delta over an 11-year climate cycle. It has been shown that the spatial distribution of these birds has distinct patterns in years with different water levels (high, medium, or low) in the delta and is based on preference for certain nesting biotopes, which is well manifested in all species studied and depends on their ecological niches. The main factors determining the distribution of birds over the study area include water level, terrain topography, and locations of major aggregations of food organisms.