&lt;p class="NoSpacing1"&gt;THE EFFECTS OF WEATHER AND REED MANAGEMENT ON NESTING PARAMETERS OF THE GREAT REED WARBLER, ACROCEPHALUS ARUNDINACEUS (AVES: SYLVIIDAE)

Thomas Oliver Mérő,Antun Žuljević

doi:10.37828/em.2016.7.8

<p class="NoSpacing1">THE EFFECTS OF WEATHER AND REED MANAGEMENT ON NESTING PARAMETERS OF THE GREAT REED WARBLER, ACROCEPHALUS ARUNDINACEUS (AVES: SYLVIIDAE)

Thomas Oliver Mérő, Antun Žuljević

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.37828/em.2016.7.8

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Abstract

Nesting parameters such as clutch size, hatching rate or nesting success have been extensively studied in birds in relation to biotic and abiotic factors. In this study we aimed to investigate the effects of air temperature, amount of precipitation, reed burning, and water depth (independent variables) on nest density, clutch size, hatching rate, and nesting success (dependent variables) of the Great Reed Warbler during a nine-year period. We found that neither the clutch size nor the hatching rate was influenced by any of the predictor variables. Nest density was positively influenced by the water depth, while the nesting success was negatively related to the amount of precipitation. Reed burning had no effect on any of the nesting parameters. Similarly, to our results, short-term studies reported a positive relationship between nest density and water depth, and a negative relationship between the nesting success and amount of precipitation, indicating that these two environmental variables generally influence the two nesting parameters. However, the impact of various reed management practices, such as harvesting or removal, on the nesting variables of the Great Reed Warbler needs further clarification.

Highlights

IntroductionThe effects of weather variables such as precipitation, air temperature and wind on nesting variables (e.g. clutch initiation date, clutch size, number of fledglings) in passerines have been the subject of many studies (e.g. Fischer 1994, Nowakowski 2000, Skagen & Yackel Adams 2012, Honza et al 2012, Fantle-Lepczyk et al 2016)
The effects of weather variables such as precipitation, air temperature and wind on nesting variables in passerines have been the subject of many studies (e.g. Fischer 1994, Nowakowski 2000, Skagen & Yackel Adams 2012, Honza et al 2012, Fantle-Lepczyk et al 2016)
The proportion of active nests differed significantly between years, we found no evidence that this difference was due to the weather variables, i.e. weather variables did not influence the nest desertion

Summary

Introduction

The effects of weather variables such as precipitation, air temperature and wind on nesting variables (e.g. clutch initiation date, clutch size, number of fledglings) in passerines have been the subject of many studies (e.g. Fischer 1994, Nowakowski 2000, Skagen & Yackel Adams 2012, Honza et al 2012, Fantle-Lepczyk et al 2016). Precipitation followed by strong wind and low temperatures influences clutch survival often negatively, i.e. through more costly incubation and brooding, food deficiency (Cucco et al 1992, Fischer 1994, Cox et al 2013). Such climatic impacts have effects in a local population of a species; the weather influences nesting success of birds along latitudinal and longitudinal geographical gradients Beside that, nesting success is influenced by climatic factors; the nesting density of Acrocephalus warbler was found to depend

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