Sealed surfaces limit bird diversity, whereas tall structures may support abundance of some species, while both filter traits in urban landscapes

Spatial dynamics of biodiversity and cycling behaviour: A geographical analysis using crowdsourced data from Strava metro.

The Mediterranean coast hosts a high diversity of birds, with resident, wintering, and migratory species that coexist according to seasonal patterns. This study highlights the strategic role of urban green spaces in the conservation of avifauna, focusing on Montjuïc hill (Barcelona), which integrates natural habitats with ornamental and themed gardens. Between December 2023 and November 2024, over the course of 144 fieldwork days, 8,974 individuals of 75 bird species were recorded. Resident species predominated (32.00 %), followed by trans-Saharan migrants (28.00 %) and wintering species (24.00 %). Curruca melanocephala, Phylloscopus collybita, and Ficedula hypoleuca were the most abundant species within their respective groups. Species richness reached maximum values in spring and autumn, coinciding with the temporal overlap of migratory and wintering species. Natural areas, dominated by open habitats, concentrated more wintering and trans-Saharan migratory species. The phenological spectrum of some species indicates a regular use of Montjuïc as a stopover area during seasonal movements.

Biodiversity is globally threatened by human impacts, including land-use transformation and climate change, which has prompted a rapid transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources, such as photovoltaic (PV) energy. However, utility-scale PV plants require vast areas and can lead to conflicts with biodiversity conservation, making strategic planning essential. We used steppe birds, a highly threatened group occurring in lands potentially suitable for PV plants, as a model to evaluate the spatial overlap between conservation priorities and PV infrastructure. We quantified and mapped taxonomic (TD), functional (FD), and phylogenetic (PD) diversity of 26 species across one of the main strongholds of European steppe birds (mainland Spain and Balearic Islands) to identify prioritization scenarios that best preserved all steppe bird diversity facets (TD, FD, and PD) and steppe birds of conservation concern. We generated a multifaceted diversity map based on the combination of TD, FD, and PD and overlaid existing PV infrastructure to determine bird exposure areas (i.e., high multifaceted diversity with current high PV occupancy) and PV avoidance areas (high multifaceted diversity with low or no current PV occupancy). The prioritization scenario that combined TD, FD, and PD retained 68.5% of TD, 75.5% of FD, and 59.7% of PD and 62.8% of areas with species of conservation concern, providing a more balanced representation across biodiversity facets than other prioritization scenarios. PV infrastructure occurred in 53.1% of high-multifaceted-diversity cells. Exposure areas (7.2% of the study area) were mainly concentrated in central, southern, and northwestern Spain, and PV avoidance areas (19.9% of the study area) were concentrated in northern, central, and central-western Spain. Our method is adaptable to other species, communities, and regions and offers a robust framework for balancing development projects with biodiversity conservation.

Hemiplasy helps explain high rates of apparent morphological convergence in neoavian birds.

The Daba Mountains is a critical ecological barrier in central China, with diverse landforms supporting rich avian communities. To clarify the species composition, seasonal dynamics, and vertical distribution of birds in its southern foothills — key for biodiversity conservation — we conducted systematic surveys via line-transect and direct observation methods in June (summer) and September (autumn) 2024, covering multiple habitats and altitude gradients. A total of 72 bird species (8 orders, 31 families) were recorded, including 51 residents (70.83%), 13 summer migrants (18.06%), six winter migrants (8.33%), and two passage migrants (2.78%). Zoogeographically, Oriental realm species dominated (37 species, 51.39%), followed by cosmopolitan species (23 species, 31.94%) and Palaearctic realm species (12 species, 16.67%). Summer avian diversity was significantly higher than autumn (P < 0.05), linked to breeding activities and summer migrants. Across the studied altitudinal range, aquatic habitats consistently showed the highest diversity index, whereas farmland and urban-rural habitats displayed the greatest similarity in community composition. Analysis along the altitudinal gradient revealed that the overall species richness showed a mid-peak pattern, peaking at 800–1100 m, Linear Mixed Model (LMM) analysis further confirmed that elevation had a significant effect on bird diversity, with the 800–1100 m band showing significantly higher Shannon-Wiener index values than lower elevations (P = 0.035), while no significant interaction was found between elevation and habitat type. Resident birds exhibited seasonal altitude range expansions. Our study provides baseline avian biodiversity data for the region, enhancing understanding of avian ecological adaptation in mountain ecosystems. This information is valuable for guiding targeted conservation and ecological management in the southern Daba Mountains.

ABSTRACT Monitoring bird communities is essential for evaluating ecological recovery in restoration efforts, yet point counts, a commonly used bird census method, have limitations in detecting inconspicuous species. This study compared bird diversity detected by two survey methods: point counts and continuous video monitoring using closed-circuit television (CCTV), in early-stage Dipterocarpus alatus restoration plots supplemented with artificial perches and puddles. Overall, a total of 64 bird species were recorded, representing a wide range of functional guilds, with 30 species detected by both methods. Point counts effectively detected 57 species across the ground to canopy strata. In contrast, 34 species were detected through continuous video monitoring, specifically 19 species at artificial perches and 31 species at artificial puddles, including 7 species that were otherwise undetected by point counts. Multivariate analyses revealed distinct differences in community composition across camera-based methods, highlighting their complementary value. Additionally, 86% of the birds detected using CCTV at artificial puddles displayed drinking and bathing behaviors, particularly during hot and dry periods. The results suggested that CCTV, particularly in combination with artificial structures, could be used to complement point counts and other active techniques in monitoring and managing wildlife in restoration areas.

How does vegetation invasion reshape bird communities? Insights from mangrove and Spartina alterniflora saltmarsh in coastal China.

Abstract Understanding how biodiversity patterns are related to elevation is crucial for predicting the effects of environmental change on species distributions. Eastern Brazil harbors ancient, ecologically important mountain systems that remain understudied along elevational gradients. Here, we analyzed taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity of bird assemblages along an elevational gradient in the Chapada Diamantina to assess how environmental variation influences avian assemblage structure. Our results revealed a consistent non-linear decline in species richness, phylogenetic diversity (PD) and functional richness (FRic) with increasing elevation, whereas richness-independent metrics, including Mean Nearest Taxon Distance (MNTD) and functional divergence (FDiv), showed no clear relationship with elevation. Climatic variables, particularly annual mean temperature, were positively associated with richness, PD, and FRic, while terrain ruggedness showed a weaker negative association with richness, PD, and functional richness. These findings indicate that elevational patterns of bird diversity in the Chapada Diamantina differ among the nature of diversity indices, with richness-dependent taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional indices being more strongly associated with elevation and current climatic, whereas richness-independent indices did not exhibit clear patterns. Our results highlight the importance of current climate in shaping spatial variation in bird diversity across tropical mountain systems and provide a baseline for assessing potential responses of montane bird assemblages to future environmental change.

Green finance and bird diversity: Evidence from China

Tropical forests hold two-thirds of the world's biodiversity but have declined due to forest degradation and deforestation, mainly driven by agricultural expansion. Although agricultural lands, such as plantations and orchards, are matrices (i.e., unsuitable habitats) for many forest species in general, their impact on biodiversity could largely differ depending on the type of agricultural land and management practices. Therefore, understanding the impact of different agricultural land types on biodiversity is important for planning matrix management in tropical agricultural landscapes. This study assessed the potential of monoculture oil palm and rubber tree plantations, as well as polyculture orchards, to support understory bird diversity compared to forest reserves in Peninsular Malaysia using mist-netting conducted between 2017-2023. Orchards recorded the highest bird abundance and richness among agricultural lands, but all agricultural lands had less than half the understory bird species found in forest reserves. Bird species composition also differed significantly among all habitats; forest specialists dominated (81.8%) in forest reserves, whereas nonforest specialists were dominant in orchards (76.3%), oil palm (100%), and rubber tree plantations (100%). Among habitat variables, understory vegetation covers positively affected bird species richness. Our results suggest that, despite having much lower diversity than forest reserves, polyculture orchards had some forest-specialist species that possibly spilled over from forest reserves, and thus, are better habitats for understory bird communities than monoculture plantations. Maintaining crop diversity and understory vegetation complexity can improve matrix quality and mitigate the impact on biodiversity in landscapes dominated by monoculture plantations.

Testing the validity of a chronosequence: Breeding bird diversity and abundance in regenerating oak-hardwood shelterwoods

The transition from the Last Glacial to the Holocene was marked by significant warming. This forced a compositional turnover of terrestrial plant and mammal communities discovered by diverse palaeoecological techniques. In this study, we analysed ancient environmental DNA with shotgun metagenomics from eight lake sediment cores, collected in northern Eurasia and Alaska, to elucidate the relationship of past bird communities and vegetation structure across the last 21,000 years. We leveraged all DNA reads assigned to the class 'Aves' to characterise the compositional changes of the bird community. The dominance of chicken birds (Galliformes, mainly ptarmigans) during the Last Glacial Maximum turned into a higher taxonomic bird diversity with increased numbers of songbird, raptor and waterfowl abundances and genera. This went along with the late glacial loss of the steppe-tundra and the increase of shrub and tree cover. Compared to the northern boreal areas, vegetation and bird communities were more stable in the northern tundra sites, where open landscapes prevailed throughout. Metagenomics significantly contribute to the reconstruction of past avian community changes and thus have high potential to support the predictions of distribution changes in the course of future ecosystem change.

The rapid expansion of zoonotic sporotrichosis in South America necessitates innovative surveillance strategies to identify natural ecological niches. Roadkill provides a unique, underutilized opportunity to monitor Sporothrix circulation within human-impacted landscapes. We conducted a molecular survey via a triplex probe quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay targeting pathogenic Sporothrix species in 81 roadkilled vertebrates (mammals, birds, and reptiles) collected along highways BR-376 and PR-445 traversing the Atlantic Forest in Paraná, Brazil (2017-2023). Genomic DNA from visceral organs (heart, liver, lung, and spleen) was screened for fungal DNA. Sporothrix DNA was detected in 13.6% (11/81) of the samples. Sporothrix schenckii predominated, identified in wild mammals (Leopardus guttulus, Didelphis albiventris, and Lepus europaeus) and diverse birds (Colaptes melanochloros, Piaya cayana, and Selenidera maculirostris), indicating systemic exposure. Strikingly, S. brasiliensis was detected in avian hosts (Columbina picui, Crypturellus tataupa), challenging the thermal-exclusion hypothesis and implicating birds as potential aerial vectors. Furthermore, S. globosa was found in Dasyprocta spp. and was co-detected with S. brasiliensis in Columbina picui. Notably, a reptile (Oxyrhopus spp.) was positive for S. globosa and S. schenckii, expanding the known host spectrum, potentially via trophic transmission. Although distinguishing transient DNA carriage from active infection requires histopathological validation, these findings suggest that wildlife in fragmented corridors may function as reservoirs, biological amplifiers, or mechanical vectors rather than incidental hosts, reinforcing the blurring boundaries between sylvatic and synanthropic transmission cycles. In this context, integrating roadkill biosurveillance into a One Health framework is vital for tracking environmental pathogen loads and anticipating zoonotic spillover.

Manzala Lagoon, the largest coastal wetland of Egypt, lies within the Nile Delta and serves as an essential sanctuary for both resident and migratory birds. Despite its importance for regional biodiversity, the ecosystem faces significant anthropogenic pressures, with recent dredging activities constituting a major disturbance. This study aimed to evaluate dredging impacts on bird diversity and environmental health in the Ashtoum El-Gamil Protected Area. Seasonal monitoring in 2024, combining camera-based morphological identification with molecular barcoding of feathers (n = 13; cytochrome oxidase 1 gene), documented 123 species across 11 orders and 23 families, with 51 species consistently observed year-round. Health assessments in the endemic Coturnix coturnix (common quail) were conducted by measuring genotoxic damage, DNA repair capacity (via poly(ADP)-ribosylation), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the gut, liver, and gonads. Results revealed reduced DNA recovery, elevated antioxidant capacity, and a prominent 40kDa PARP immunoreactive band, particularly in gut and gonads. These oxidative stress indicators were independent of low heavy metal loads, implicating factors like rising temperatures may be the primary drivers. These findings highlight dredging's limited immediate effects on species diversity but underscore subtle health risks, advocating sustained, long-term monitoring and targeted management to safeguard wetland biodiversity.

While the presence of Ixodes inopinatus in Central Europe has not been conclusively demonstrated, recent studies have provided evidence of Ixodes ricinus with introgressed I. inopinatus TROSPA alleles in the Czech Republic. Migratory birds have been hypothesized to carry I. inopinatus from North Africa to more northern regions, potentially leading to hybridization with I. ricinus in Southern and possibly Central Europe. In this study, we screened 659 tick nymphs collected from six sites in the Czech Republic, which were selected based on the diversity and abundance of birds and classified as bird-poor and bird-rich habitats. We did not detect any I. inopinatus, but hybrid tick prevalence (individuals bearing different TROSPA alleles) ranged from 0.7% to 5.5% per site and was not associated with habitat type. We found a decline in the occurrence of hybrids along a south-to-north latitudinal gradient. Overall, 22.9% of ticks tested positive for at least one tick-borne pathogen, with a higher prevalence in I. inopinatus/ricinus hybrids (30%) than in I. ricinus (22.7%). Hybrid ticks harbored Borrelia burgdorferi s. l., B. miyamotoi, and Rickettsia helvetica. In I. ricinus, B. burgdorferi s. l. was the most prevalent pathogen (11.8%), and by genospecies dominated by B. afzelii, followed by Rickettsia spp. (5.6%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (4.7%, mostly ecotype I), and B. miyamotoi (2.5%), with several co-infection patterns observed. One tick was positive for Neoehrlichia mikurensis. The prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia miyamotoi, Borrelia burgdorferi s. l., and Rickettsia spp. substantially varied among sites and was independent of habitat type.

Biotic homogenization and differentiation are two possible outcomes of tropical forest fragmentation with ramifications for biodiversity conservation. The extent of either outcome may vary depending on spatial scale and heterogeneity of climate and habitats, but these relationships remain poorly understood for taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic metrics of diversity. Our goal was to determine the extent to which fragmentation is associated with biotic homogenization and/or differentiation across multiple levels of diversity at landscape versus regional scales. We examined diversity and similarity of understory bird communities in northwestern Ecuador, an ecoregion characterized by climatic variation, habitat loss and fragmentation, and high levels of biodiversity and endemism. At the landscape level, fragmentation was associated with biotic differentiation of understory bird communities between formerly contiguous intact and fragmented humid forests. At the regional scale, we found taxonomic homogenization across climate zones and forest types: the bird community in the fragmented humid landscape was as similar to the nearby intact humid forest community (mean distance = 3.1 km) as it was to that of drier, seasonal intact forest 60 km away. Patterns of landscape-level differentiation and regional homogenization were present but substantially less pronounced for functional and phylogenetic diversity, indicating functional and phylogenetic redundancy despite turnover and abundance shifts among dominant species. Our results suggest fragmentation of tropical forest (associated with homogenization between humid and drier/seasonal forest) may have similar impacts on communities as climate drying, and while many species may be lost, fragmented communities may retain some functional and evolutionary resilience against environmental stressors.

Climate seasonality and human land-use are major pressures shaping biodiversity in tropical dry regions and both are expected to intensify in the near future. Therefore, understanding the interplay of these factors is crucial for mitigating biodiversity loss in these rapidly changing ecosystems. We examined the effects of seasonality (i.e., wet and dry seasons) and human land-use types (i.e., natural forests and silvopastures) on taxonomic and functional diversity, and community composition of birds in a seasonally dry tropical forest in southern Ecuador. We repeatedly recorded birds in 12 1-ha plots across natural forests and silvopastures at two elevations (600 and 1200 m a.s.l.) using point counts, and classified the bird community into primary (i.e., nectarivores, frugivores, granivores and omnivores) and secondary (i.e., invertivores) consumers. Functional bird diversity based on four morphological traits was not affected by human land-use type or seasonality, while taxonomic diversity of the overall community and of secondary consumers increased with elevation. The taxonomic diversity of primary consumers was higher in silvopastures compared to natural forests. The composition of the overall bird community and that of primary and secondary consumers differed between elevations. Seasonality had no effect on diversity nor on composition. Our study shows that elevation is a major driver of bird diversity and community composition in seasonally dry tropical forests, indicating that even short elevational gradients shape bird communities in these ecosystems. Protecting continuous elevational transects of dry tropical forests is therefore essential to maintain their high bird diversity under current and future conditions. • We surveyed bird communities in seasonally dry tropical forests in Ecuador. • Taxonomic diversity of birds increased at higher elevations. • Silvopastures showed a high taxonomic and functional diversity of birds. • About one-third of the bird community was unique at each elevation. • Maintaining continuous elevational gradients is important to sustain bird diversity.

From native to non-native forest stands: Shifts in bird diversity and life-history traits in black locust and hybrid poplar stands in Central Europe

Do waterbirds determine the distribution of aquatic plants on the Kuril Archipelago (North-Western Pacific)?