Bird Species Richness Research Articles

Trait-dependent responses of birds and bats to season and dry forest distance in tropical agroforestry

Agricultural expansion and intensification increasingly threaten birds and bats, especially insectivorous species from the tropics. Cacao agroforests in tropical rainforest areas have been shown to support higher bird and bat biodiversity than other land-use systems, but their suitability for tropical dry forest biodiversity remains unclear. We present the first assessment of bird and bat diversity patterns in cacao agroforests inside tropical dry forest landscapes. We investigated the response of bird and bat species richness and abundance to forest distance and season across 12 smallholder, organic cacao agroforests and adjacent tropical dry forests in the Peruvian lowlands of Piura. We found that insectivorous bird abundance and species richness increased with forest distance in the dry but not in the rainy season, indicating the value of cacao agroforests for these birds when resources are scarce in forests. In the case of bats, we observed more species in agroforests with increasing forest distance independent of season, and the abundance of insectivorous species increased along the gradient. Other dietary groups and forest specialists of both taxa did not vary notably across the forest distance gradient. Our findings point to the relevance of cacao agroforests as alternative habitats for insectivorous birds and bats in tropical dry forest landscapes, especially during the dry season. We suggest that the maintenance of wildlife friendly cacao agroforests, parallel to dry forest conservation and restoration, creates win-win situations for both the conservation of tropical dry forest fauna and the maintenance of related ecosystem services from which cacao smallholders may benefit.

Fire disturbance promotes biodiversity of plants, lichens and birds in the Siberian subarctic tundra.

Fire shapes the world's terrestrial ecosystems and has been influencing biodiversity patterns for millennia. Anthropogenic drivers alter fire regimes. Wildfires can amplify changes in the structure, biodiversity and functioning of the fast-warming tundra ecosystem. However, there is little evidence available, how these fires affect species diversity and community composition of tundra ecosystems over the long term. We studied long-term fire effects on community composition and diversity at different trophic levels of the food web in the subarctic tundra of Western Siberia. In a space-for-time approach we compared three large fire scars (>44, 28 and 12years old) to unburnt controls. We found that diversity (measured as species richness, Shannon index and evenness) of vascular and non-vascular plants and birds was strongly affected by fire, with the greatest species richness of plants and birds for the intermediate-age fire scar (28years). Species composition of plants and birds still differed from that of the control >44years after fire. Increased deciduous shrub cover was related to species richness of all plants in a hump-shaped manner. The proportion of southern (taiga) bird species was highest in the oldest fire scar, which had the highest shrub cover. We conclude that tundra fires have long-term legacies with regard to species diversity and community composition. They may also increase landscape-scale species richness and facilitate range expansions of more southerly distributed species to the subarctic tundra ecosystem.

Features of formation bird population structure in Minsk in the time aspect

The structure of bird population of urbanized areas is determined by the diversity of habitats within the city, the diversity of bird species in suburban biotopes, and regional processes of dispersal of birds closely associated with human settlements. The analysis of the dynamics of the breeding bird species richness in Minsk showed that its formation progressed in different ways. All in all, since 1946, 141 bird species have been recorded nesting (including allegedly) in the territory of Minsk.The breeding bird assemblages is dominated by dendrophilous (45.0 % of all species) as well as wetland and semi-aquatic (29,3 %) bird species, with more than half of all the breeding bird species (50.3 %) associated with trees and shrubs. In different periods, the breeding bird species richness varied, by now, it has noticeably increased (from 77 to 132 species). This happened due to the expansion of the administrative boundaries of the city with the inclusion of bird species of suburban habitats, an increase in the diversity of habitats suitable for bird nesting (for example, the formation of large water bodies) as well as due to active colonization of urban ecosystems by various bird species. At the same time, after 2000, 9 bird species stopped nesting and 17 bird species started nesting. Active processes of synurbization of some bird species on the European continent observed in recent decades have become the reason for the addition of new species to the avifauna in Minsk, although the basis of the current structure of bird population was formed back in 1986–1999. At the same time, the synurbized groups of various bird species may be of autochthonous, allochthonous, or mixed origin.

Active restoration fosters better recovery of tropical rainforest birds than natural regeneration in degraded forest fragments

Abstract Ecological restoration has emerged as a key strategy for conserving tropical forests and habitat specialists, and monitoring faunal recovery using indicator taxa like birds can help assess restoration success. Few studies have examined, however, whether active restoration (AR) achieves better recovery of bird communities than natural regeneration, or how bird recovery relates to habitat affiliations of species in the community. In rainforests restored over the past two decades in a fragmented landscape (Western Ghats, India), we examined whether bird species richness and community composition recovery in 23 actively restored (AR) sites were significantly better than recovery in paired naturally regenerating (NR) sites, relative to 23 undisturbed benchmark (BM) rainforests. We measured eight habitat variables and tested whether bird recovery tracked habitat recovery, whether rainforest and open‐country birds showed contrasting patterns, and assessed species‐level responses to restoration. We recorded 92 bird species in 460 point‐count surveys. Rainforest bird species richness was highest in BM, intermediate in AR and lowest in NR. Contrastingly, open‐country bird species richness was least in BM, intermediate in AR and highest in NR. Bird community composition varied significantly across treatment types with composition in AR in transition from NR to BM. Bird community dissimilarity between sites was positively related to dissimilarity in habitat structure and floristics, and geographical distance between sites. Variance partitioning indicated that structural and floristic dissimilarity explained 90% of the variation in community composition. Indicator species analysis revealed significant associations of 34 species with one or more treatment types. Species associated with BM and AR treatment types were all rainforest species, while only 38% of species associated with AR and NR treatment types were rainforest species. Synthesis and applications. We show that active restoration (AR) of degraded fragments benefits rainforest birds and reduces the infiltration of open‐country birds, and highlight the importance of considering rainforest and open‐country species separately. In human‐modified tropical rainforest landscapes, AR of degraded fragments fosters partial recovery and complements protection of mature forests for bird conservation.

Impacts of roads on bird species richness: A meta-analysis considering road types, habitats and feeding guilds

Roadsides can harbour remarkable biodiversity; thus, they are increasingly considered as habitats with potential for conservation value. To improve construction and management of roadside habitats with positive effects on biodiversity, we require a quantitative understanding of important influential factors that drive both positive and negative effects of roads. We conducted meta-analyses to assess road effects on bird communities. We specifically tested how the relationship between roads and bird richness varies when considering road type, habitat characteristics and feeding guild association. Overall, bird richness was similar in road habitats compared to non-road habitats, however, the two apparently differ in species composition. Bird richness was lowered by road presence in areas with denser tree cover but did not differ according to road type. Richness differences between habitats with and without roads further depended on primary diet of species, and richness of omnivores was positively affected by road presence. We conclude that impacts of roads on bird richness are highly context-dependent, and planners should carefully evaluate road habitats on a case by case basis. This emphasizes the need for further studies that explicitly test for differences in species composition and abundance, to disentangle contexts where a road will negatively affect bird communities, and where it will not.

The Importance of Connected and Interspersed Urban Green and Blue Space for Biodiversity: A Case Study in Cork City, Ireland

Urban green and blue space (UGBS) is becoming increasingly important for supporting biodiversity, with the spatial configuration of these landscapes essential to supporting a range of taxa. The role of UGBS for supporting biodiversity is well established, but there remains a lack of consensus on the importance of the overall landscape configuration and the scale at which these configurations are analyzed. Moreover, statistical models are often compounded by coarse representations of UGBS that ignore ‘invisible’ spaces (i.e., gardens and brownfield sites). Using Sentinel-2 satellite data and a maximum likelihood classification, a comprehensive landcover map of Cork City, Ireland was produced with reliable accuracy. FRAGSTATS was then used to capture landscape metrics regarding the spatial configuration of the study area, at a city scale and at three spatial extents for each field site. Field surveys at 72 locations captured data on bird species richness and abundance, before generalized linear models (GLMs) were parameterized between biodiversity metrics and the landscape metrics at 50, 100, and 200 m scales. The UGBS classification revealed that two-thirds of the city is composed of green and blue space. The field surveys recorded 62 species in the city, while GLMs revealed that green space was a significant driver in increasing species richness and abundance, while blue space produced inversions in coefficient estimates, suggesting a more nuanced relationship. The edge effect phenomenon was suggested to play a key role in increasing bird diversity, with a diversified and varied urban landscape important. The impact of scale also affected how blue space was viewed as a connective network within the city, particularly in relation to biodiversity metrics. Overall, this study has demonstrated that UGBS is intrinsically linked to bird diversity. Moreover, 38% of the species recorded are listed as species of conservation concern in Ireland, highlighting how urban spaces can provide habitats for vulnerable species and should inform discussion on the role of geography within the implementation of conservation and planning initiatives for urban environs.

Vernal pools enhance local vertebrate activity and diversity in a boreal landscape

Biodiversity and habitats are under threat from many factors such as human population increase, habitat loss, fragmentation, and climate change. In freshwater habitats, including wetlands, biodiversity is expected to decline on a greater scale than in terrestrial ecosystems. Ephemeral wetlands are little studied habitats compared to other wetlands, such as permanent lakes and rivers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the vertebrate fauna present by ephemeral vernal pools and to see whether vernal pools increase the activity and diversity of vertebrates in a boreal forest ecosystem in northern Europe. We studied the activity and species richness of birds and mammals with direct observations, camera traps, feces tracking, and snap-trapping by ten vernal pools and ten permanent wetlands. Bird activity was higher in the spring period in vernal pools than in permanent wetlands. For large mammals, both activity and species richness were greater around vernal pools than by permanent wetlands. Of individuals species, the moose ( Alces alces ), roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus ), and hares ( Lepus europaeus and Lepus timidus ) used vernal pools significantly more between seasons compared to permanent wetlands. Small mammal activity was higher by vernal pools in April, while in May and June the pattern reversed. In the light of these results, vernal pools seem to have different importance and use depending on the vertebrate group, e.g., for sheltering, foraging, resting, nesting, or thermoregulation.

기후변화로 인한 도시 야생조류 종 풍부도 변화와 도시녹지의 중요성

Climate change has affected wildlife habitat and biodiversity. Birds play an important role in the biodiversity of urban areas and their habitat is also affected by climate change. This study predicted bird species richness (BSR) in the 2050s under two climate scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathway [RCP] 4.5 and 8.5) in Seoul, South Korea. We selected 11 common bird species to represent bird biodiversity in the city and calculated BSR by analyzing potential habitat. The results of potential habitat analysis showed that the relative importance of surrounding green area ratio was 41%. Among climate factors, relative importance of accumulated rainfall and mean daily maximum temperature during the breeding season were 26% and 10%, respectively. This importance of climate factors will affect future BSR. The region with the highest BSR will be reduced from 27% to 3% in the 2050s under RCP 4.5 and to 1% under RCP 8.5. The change in maximum air temperature during the breeding season was an important factor in future BSR decrease in Seoul. The results indicate the importance of urban parks and green spaces for maintaining urban biodiversity. We identified important green spaces located in areas with high BSR. These important green spaces should be managed and conserved to prevent degradation of biodiversity in the future.

Effects of perennial wildflower strips and landscape structure on birds in intensively farmed agricultural landscapes

Farmland bird populations are in a deep crisis across Europe. Agri-environment schemes (AES) were implemented by the European Union to stop and reverse the general decline of biodiversity in agricultural landscapes. In Germany, flower strips are one of the most common AES. Establishing high-quality perennial wildflower strips (WFS) with species-rich native forb mixtures from regional seed propagation is a recent approach, for which the effectiveness for birds has not yet been sufficiently studied. We surveyed breeding birds and vegetation on 40 arable fields with WFS (20 with single and 20 with aggregated WFS) and 20 arable fields lacking WFS as controls across Saxony-Anhalt (Germany). Additionally, vegetation composition, WFS quantity and landscape structure (e.g. distance to nearest woody element) were considered in our analyses. All WFS were established with species-rich native seed mixtures (30 forbs) in agricultural practice as AES. Arable fields with WFS had a higher species richness and territory density of birds than controls, confirming the effectiveness of this AES. A forb-rich vegetation was the main driver promoting birds. Flower strip quantity at the landscape level had positive effects only on bird densities, but also single WFS achieved benefits. A short distance from WFS to woody elements increased total bird species richness. However, the density of farmland birds, which are target species of these AES, were negatively affected by the proximity and proportion of woody elements in the vicinity. The effect of the proportion of non-intensively used open habitats and overall habitat richness was unexpectedly low in the otherwise intensively farmed landscape. Species-rich perennial WFS significantly promoted breeding birds. Successful establishment of WFS, resulting in high-quality habitats, a high flower strip quantity as well as implementation in open landscapes were shown to maximise the effectiveness for restoring declining and AES target farmland birds.

Greening at multiple scales promote biodiverse cities: A multi-scale assessment of drivers of Neotropical birds

Biodiversity-sensitive cities can contribute to reconnect humans with nature and halt global biodiversity loss. Achieving biodiversity-sensitive cities is challenging, especially in regions threatened by growing urbanization. To inform urban management and planning in a global biodiversity hotspot, we conducted a multi-scale assessment of drivers of Neotropical birds in the capital city of Santiago de Chile. We investigate the influence of local and landscape variables on native bird species richness and abundance. We surveyed birds and vegetation in 449 sampling points distributed across the city. Native bird species richness was greater in areas with greater shrub and woody vegetation cover at the local scale. Native bird species richness was also greater with high vegetation density in the surrounding landscape and near to an urban boundary. Native birds were abundant in areas with large woody vegetation cover at both local and landscape scales, high vegetation density in the surrounding landscape, near to an urban park and near to an urban boundary. Additive effects of vegetation at different spatial scales suggest that combining local and landscape management, planning and design will be best to preserve native birds in a large city. Although native birds are species rich and abundant near the urban fringe and decrease towards the interior of the city, local-scale management of habitat encouraging shrub and tree planting and landscape-scale actions such as targeting high levels of vegetation (including woody cover) and providing a well-distributed network of urban parks will help sustain native birds across the city. Greening actions at local and landscape-scale will contribute to achieving biodiversity-sensitive cities, providing benefits for people and nature.

Pleistocene climate oscillations and habitat connectivity contributed to avian beta‐diversity in the megadiverse Colombian Paramo ecosystems

AbstractAimThe role of evolutionary history in shaping the patterns of species distributions is generally explored at coarse spatial extents. However, at small spatial extents, the combined effects of history and ecological processes on local diversity has received less attention. We test the relative importance of historical and ecological factors on the spatial distribution of bird taxonomic (TβD) and phylogenetic (PβD) β‐diversity on Paramo ecosystems.LocationSouth‐western Colombia.TaxonAndean bird species.MethodsUsing point occurrence data for 175 bird species recorded in 11 Paramos, we calculated TβD and PβD. We used a lineage through time plot to evaluate the association between bird species richness and the time of Andean uplift and Quaternary climatic oscillations. To capture range dynamics associated with past climate oscillations, we delimited paramos using connectivity matrices based on four distance criteria (i.e. paramos connected at 20, 25, 35 and 55 km apart) to compute Moran's eigenvectors maps. Then, we evaluated the relative importance of altitude, past climatic oscillations, current climate and connectivity on the spatial distribution of avian TβD and PβD.ResultsTwo‐thirds of the bird species in the paramos are recent and emerged after the late Miocene/early Pliocene. The average TβD was four times higher than the average PβD indicating that paramo assemblages harbour distinct, but closely related, species. We found that distribution of β‐diversity had a spatial structure resulting in two groups of paramos – one in the north of our study area containing four paramos and other in the south with seven paramos. This spatial structure together with past climate conditions explained the variation of both TβD and PβD.Main conclusionsOur results are consistent with the hypothesis that patterns of β‐diversity reflect the complex history of Andean region including mountain uplift and climatic oscillations in the Pleistocene. We demonstrated that the integration of different facets of β‐diversity into a community ecology framework provides new insights about the historical and ecological factors responsible for generating the patterns of species distribution.

Avian species richness in cities: A review of the Spanish-language literature from the Southern Cone of South America

South America sustains an important part of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and its population is highly urbanized. Global syntheses have revealed a paucity of urban ecological research in the region; however, local research might be overlooked due to language barriers. As a contribution to disseminating local knowledge, we conducted a synthesis of Spanish-language literature on bird species richness in the Southern Cone of South America - an area of high diversity, endemism, and more than half of the world’s terrestrial biome types. In this systematic review, we identified patterns and trends in the literature, and the variables that influence bird species richness. Research has focused on national capital cities and green areas (large urban parks). Most studies covered short periods of time (1 year or less) and involved one season only (reproductive). The most studied biomes were temperate grasslands, savannas and shrublands, and Mediterranean and temperate forests, and no studies were found in mountains or deserts. Bird species richness in cities from the Southern Cone was positively influenced by vegetation cover and plant and habitat diversity; whereas variables associated with urban cover and disturbance exhibited negative effects. Important gaps in knowledge include: research in small and medium size cities, in overlooked biomes (deserts, xeric shrublands, and montane grasslands and shrublands), long-term research comprising different seasons, the inclusion of green spaces other than urban parks, and interdisciplinary studies that consider environmental, social, and economic components of urban ecosystems. By filling these key knowledge gaps, researchers from South America can contribute to the development of science-based actions to preserve nature in an urbanizing world.

Effects of patch-burn grazing and rotational grazing on grassland bird abundance, species richness, and diversity in native grassland pastures of the Midsouth USA

Declines in native warm season grasslands have been linked to grassland bird population decline due to habitat loss including conversion to non-native grasses. Rotational grazing (ROT) and patch-burn grazing (PBG) are two possible tools to restore native warm-season grasses (NWSG) on working-lands in the Mid-South USA and thus aid in the recovery of grassland bird populations. This project compares ROT, PBG, and before treatment implementation to assess their effects on grassland-associated bird species. At three research sites between KY and TN, 14–10 ha NWSG pastures were established and randomly assigned 7 pastures each to ROT and PBG treatment and monitored avian relative abundance during the breeding season from 2014 to 2017. Avian call count data and vegetation characteristics were collected in 2014 and treated as a before treatment year. Following 2014, ROT and PBG treatments were implemented across each respective research site. We used the open N-mixture model framework to estimate avian relative abundance related to year, treatments, research site, and landscape and within-field variables. Avian species richness and diversity were calculated for each treatment, research site, and year. Landscape variables, within-field variables, and research sites exerted more influence on relative abundance than ROT or PBG. Grassland-associated bird species relative abundance and species richness/diversity were affected by habitat disturbances (both ROT and PBG) but varied by species and site. Field sparrows [Spizella pusilla] had the highest increase in relative abundance (9.68 ± 1.24 birds/point count location or 1.77 ha) while northern cardinals [Cardinalis cardinalis] exhibited a significant decrease in relative abundance (3.44 ± 1.54 birds/point count location) following treatment implementation on specific research sites. Species diversity and richness did not differ between ROT and PBG treatments. However, a site and year difference were observed for both estimates. Using ROT and/or PBG to create habitat disturbances can alter within-field variables (i.e., vegetation height) which, taken into context with landscape variables, could impact grassland bird populations and diversity depending on grassland bird species habitat requirements. Our research provided the baseline information for ROT and PBG impacts on grassland birds in the east/southeastern USA. However, we believe future research should focus on breeding and annual fecundity to better understand how populations will change over time and how working lands conservation might aid this conservation effort without a reduction in livestock productivity.

Song varies with latitude, climate, and species richness in a Neotropical bird

AbstractAnimals can encode information within acoustic signals, particularly, bird songs can be remarkably complex and can indicate individual identity and quality. Two main sets of hypotheses attempt to explain the evolution of increased birdsong complexity across large-scale geographic ranges: 1) larger acoustic space availability, and 2) greater sexual selection intensity, both of which would favor the evolution of more complex songs at higher latitudes, more seasonal and/or species-poor environments. However, few studies have assessed patterns of song complexity for birds with broad geographic ranges. Here, we determined patterns of song variation in the blue-black grassquit (Volatinia jacarina), considering metrics of song complexity, structure and performance. This Neotropical bird occurs from Mexico to Argentina and produces a monosyllabic song. Using recordings from online databases, we calculated song metrics, such as bandwidth, song rate, number of song components, and proportion of vibratos of this signal. We found that song features varied with latitude, climate seasonality, bird species richness, and hemisphere. However, contrary to theoretical predictions, complexity mostly decreased with latitude and greater seasonality, while it was positively correlated with bird species richness. Proportion of vibratos was positively correlated with latitude and seasonality, and may be a feature under sexual selection in this species. Overall, our results did not support the main hypotheses proposed as explanations for song complexity. Our findings also highlight that song complexity does not vary uniformly among songbirds and song parameters, and future studies encompassing more species should clarify patterns and drivers of song variation across broad geographic dimensions.

Increasing number of point counts influences estimates of bird and anuran species richness at the wetland scale

Increasing number of point counts influences estimates of bird and anuran species richness at the wetland scale

Local and landscape features of wooded streets influenced bird taxonomic and functional diversity

Wooded streets diminish the negative consequences of urban growth on biodiversity. However, bird use of wooded streets has been little studied, in most cases analyzing bird species richness and abundance in developed countries. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between environmental variables of wooded streets of Buenos Aires City (Argentina) and bird taxonomic and functional diversity as well as species and functional trait composition. We placed 26 100m × 50m transects within the wooded streets of the urban center. Bird surveys were performed during the austral spring and summer. Species richness, Pielou’s evenness, Shannon index, Functional dispersion (FDis), and species and functional trait composition were analyzed. Taxonomic and functional diversity were negatively related to pedestrian and motorized vehicle traffic. On the other hand, taxonomic diversity was related positively to streets with varied tree heights. Native taxonomic diversity and functional diversity increased near green areas. The coverage of high buildings was negatively related to the native taxonomic diversity. Bird species associated with humans, such as the Rock Dove (Columba livia) and the Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata) increased their abundances in sites with high pedestrian and motorized traffic. The House Wren (Troglodytes aedon), the Baywinged Cowbird (Agelaioides badius), and the Red-bellied Thrush (Turdus rufiventris) were positively related to varied tree heights. Birds that feed on the ground and the undergrowth were negatively associated with the coverage of high buildings. It is imperative to preserve green areas and to control motorized vehicle traffic in order to improve the environmental quality of wooded streets for supporting bird diversity.

Seasonal variation in community composition and distributional ranges of birds along a subtropical elevation gradient in China

AbstractAimSeasonal variation in community composition and species distributional ranges along elevational gradients remain poorly known but are essential to inform conservation. In this study, we aim to understand how species richness, community composition and elevational ranges of montane birds change between the breeding and the non‐breeding season.LocationThe east slope of the southern Gaoligong Mountains, Yunnan, southwest China, elevational range: 700–3,400 m a.s.l.; latitudinal range: 24°56′–26°09′N.MethodsWe compared species richness and community composition of birds in nine 300‐m elevational bands in the breeding (April–May) and non‐breeding (December–January) seasons. We also calculated seasonal elevational shifts of 97 species with sufficient data recorded in both seasons and assessed how species' traits influenced these shifts.ResultsSpecies richness declined in high and low elevations between the breeding and the non‐breeding season. The temporal beta diversity shift from the breeding to the non‐breeding season was mainly caused by species losses rather than species gains in high‐ and low‐elevation communities. Communities in middle elevations showed a contrasting pattern, with seasonal composition change resulting mainly from species gains. We also found that species' seasonal distribution shifts were mainly associated with breeding elevation and diet. Notably, high‐ and middle‐elevation breeders and insectivores significantly shifted their elevational ranges downslope in the non‐breeding season. In addition, species that participate in mixed‐species flocks and that rely on forests also showed significant downslope shifts in the non‐breeding season.Main conclusionsThese results show complex patterns of the interconnectedness of bird communities along the elevational gradient. Keeping forests at middle elevations intact appears especially important as they are used in winter by species that breed at both high and middle elevations. Furthermore, our results suggested conservation actions maintaining connectedness in low and middle elevations are urgently needed to conserve regional biodiversity and highlight the importance of seasonality in montane ecosystem research.

Meta-analysis shows that overabundant deer (Cervidae) populations consistently decrease average population abundance and species richness of forest birds

AbstractLocal-scale studies have shown that an overabundance of Cervidae species (deer, elk, moose) impacts forest bird communities. Through meta-analysis, we provide a generalized estimate of the overall direction and magnitude of the indirect effects overabundant cervids have on avian species. We conducted 2 distinct meta-analyses that synthesized data on 130 bird species collected from 17 publications. These analyses compared bird species’ population abundance and/or species richness at sites with overabundant cervids to sites with lower cervid abundance or without cervids. We evaluated whether the impacts of overabundant cervids are generally in the same direction (positive, negative) across avian species and locations and if effects vary in magnitude according to avian nesting location and foraging habitat. We found that where cervids were overabundant, there was a significant decrease in mean bird population abundance and species richness. Species that nest in trees, shrubs, and on the ground showed the largest decreases in abundance, as did species whose primary habitat is forest and open woodland and species that are primarily insectivores or omnivores. We did not find significant decreases in abundance for avian species that nest in cavities, whose primary habitat is grassland or scrub, nor for species that mainly eat seeds. Our results indicate that overabundant cervids, likely through their direct effects on vegetation and indirect effects on insects and forest birds, negatively impact individual bird populations and decrease overall avian species richness.

A zoning-based solution for hierarchical forest patch mosaic in urban parks

Urbanization has led to the loss, fragmentation, and degradation of habitats, as well as that of biodiversity in cities. Urban parks play a key role in conserving biodiversity. Despite the advantages of complex vegetation structures for insect and bird diversity, a simple vegetation structure is favored in urban parks worldwide. The trade-off between human recreation and biodiversity conservation is challenging. Zoning strategy may be an effective countermeasure informed by the national park and natural scenic area; a zoning-based solution was introduced in this study, including preserved core zones and surrounding recreation zones. Guangyanggu Urban Forest Park was found to be advantageous for biodiversity and in terms of the feasibility of a small hierarchical forest patch (HFP) in the center of Beijing, which can serve as a model for core zones. The park had higher species richness of plants, insects, and birds than did six control sample parks. The Gleason richness indices of insect and bird species significantly correlated with the ratio of multilayered vegetation area to total sample area (r = 0.757 and 0.867 respectively; p < 0.05). The HFP mosaic model was used to develop the core zone in the urban park. Nine scenarios were defined for the HFP mosaic pattern, quantitatively delineating the typical spatial patterns of HFPs in parks. These results will improve the design and management of the current urban park paradigm. A bio-friendly park model characterized by HFP can optimize professional designing and maintenance guidelines for future urban parks.

The role of urban waterbodies in maintaining bird species diversity within built area of Beijing

This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of urban waterbodies in avian ecology, which is instructive for both biodiversity conservation and urban planning. Based on bird surveys conducted in 41 urban parks in Beijing during the breeding and wintering seasons of 2018–2019, and using standardized regression analyses, we identified the specific effects of waterbody attributes on the full avian community and forest bird guilds. We assessed this at multiple spatial scales, first within the focal parks, and then within buffer zones with radius of 200 m and 1000 m. We found that waterbodies can serve as avian diversity “hotspots” in the urban landscape. More specifically, they support avian diversity in the following ways: (1) Parks with waterbodies maintain a higher number of bird species than parks without waterbodies during the breeding season and attract resident forest birds during the wintering season. (2) When not frozen, waterbodies inside and outside parks contribute equally to resident forest bird species richness, while more individuals were attracted by waterbodies within neighborhoods. (3) In parks without waterbodies, the number of forest bird species significantly increases with the number of waterbody patches within neighborhoods, while the corresponding relationship for parks with waterbodies is insignificant. These findings suggest a preference for habitats nearby waterbodies among forest birds residing highly urbanized areas. This study provides new insights into avian ecology in urban landscapes and scientific support for the idea that creating and maintaining urban waterbodies can conserve biodiversity.