Ecological Groups Research Articles

Public beliefs and perceptions related to ecofascism

The concept of ecofascism describes the distortion of ecology for the purpose of gaining greater and wider audience, popularising ideologies and fulfilling xenophobic and nationalistic goals by regimes such as the far-right agenda and the radical ecological groups. This study investigates the issue of ecofascism in Europe, using the example of Greece, by examining the views of the citizens of Greece on the links between the political parties and ecology and environment. A survey of 600 people was conducted in Greece, using questionnaires on ecofascism, politics and ecological issues. The survey showed that the sample has, in general, humanistic, democratic and quite left-wing ideals. However, some of the respondents indicated nationalistic, even fascist, trends. Because the current socio-economic and political conditions in Europe can fuel an outbreak of fascism, we should be very cautious about these findings, due to the growing impact of far-right ideas on society. Some aspects of the ecofascist rhetoric still continue to mislead, revealing the sly and worrying penetration of fascism in Greek society on the pretext of the protection of the Greek environment.

Community Structure, Drivers, and Potential Functions of Different Lifestyle Viruses in Chaohu Lake

Viruses, as the most prolific entities on Earth, constitute significant ecological groups within freshwater lakes, exerting pivotal ecological roles. In this study, we selected Chaohu Lake, a representative eutrophic freshwater lake in China, as our research site to explore the community distribution, driving mechanisms, and potential ecological functions of diverse viral communities, the intricate virus–host interaction systems, and the overarching influence of viruses on global biogeochemical cycling.

The Vascular Plant Flora Burabay National Park, Kazakhstan: Composition, Life Form Classification and Ecological Groups

The Vascular Plant Flora Burabay National Park, Kazakhstan: Composition, Life Form Classification and Ecological Groups

Trophic ecology and small‐scale differentiation of ecological groups of franciscana dolphin, Pontoporia blainvillei, in southeastern Brazil, revealed by carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes

AbstractThe franciscana, Pontoporia blainvillei, is an endemic dolphin off the east coast of South America and is considered the most endangered cetacean in the western South Atlantic. In the present study, we analyzed the muscle tissue of 24 franciscana dolphins found on the coast of Espírito Santo (ES) between 2010 and 2019 to investigate trophic ecology using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis. In addition, 127 prey were analyzed to identify the preferred prey. The most important prey species in the diet of the franciscana dolphins were Trichiurus lepturus, Chirocentrodon bleekerianus, and Pellona harroweri. The franciscana dolphins were grouped into three subareas according to where they were collected throughout the distribution: 1 (North), 2 (Center), and 3 (South). In subarea 1, the preferred prey were Stellifer spp., Isopisthus parvipinnis, and P. harroweri, while in subareas 2 and 3, the prey were similar, changing the order of preference among them (Stellifer spp., T. lepturus, and C. bleekerianus). Finally, we identify two possible ecological groups of franciscana dolphins on the coast of ES, influenced by different carbon sources. Our results improve our understanding of the franciscana dolphin's trophic ecology and habitat use, providing new information and guidelines for species conservation in the region.

Serologic Survey of Selected Arthropod-Borne Pathogens in Free-Ranging Snowshoe Hares (Lepus americanus) Captured in Northern Michigan, USA.

Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan, USA, occupy the southern periphery of the species' range and are vulnerable to climate change. In the eastern UP, hares are isolated by the Great Lakes, potentially exacerbating exposure to climate-change-induced habitat alterations. Climate change is also measurably affecting distribution and prevalence of vector-borne pathogens in North America, and increases in disease occurrence and prevalence can be one signal of climate-stressed wildlife populations. We conducted a serosurvey for vector-borne pathogens in snowshoe hares that were captured in the Hiawatha National Forest in the eastern UP of Michigan, USA, 2016-2017. The most commonly detected antibody response was to the mosquito-borne California serogroup snowshoe hare virus (SSHV). Overall, 24 (51%) hares screened positive for SSHV antibodies and of these, 23 (96%) were confirmed positive by plaque reduction neutralization test. We found a positive association between seroprevalence of SSHV and live weight of snowshoe hares. Additionally, we detected a significant effect of ecological land type group on seroprevalence of SSHV, with strong positive support for a group representing areas that tend to support high numbers of hares (i.e., acidic mineral containing soils with cedar, mixed swamp conifers, tamarack and balsam fir as common overstory vegetation). We also detected and confirmed antibodies for Jamestown Canyon virus and Silverwater virus in a single hare each. We did not detect antibodies to other zoonotic vector-borne pathogens, including Lacrosse encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, Borrelia burgdorferi, Powassan virus, and Francisella tularensis. These results provide a baseline for future serological studies of vector-transmitted diseases that may increase climate vulnerability of snowshoe hares in the UP of Michigan, as well as pose a climate-related zoonotic risk.

Evolutionary history shapes variation of wood density of tree species across the world

The effect of evolutionary history on wood density variation may play an important role in shaping variation in wood density, but this has largely not been tested. Using a comprehensive global dataset including 27,297 measurements of wood density from 2621 tree species worldwide, we test the hypothesis that the legacy of evolutionary history plays an important role in driving the variation of wood density among tree species. We assessed phylogenetic signal in different taxonomic (e.g., angiosperms and gymnosperms) and ecological (e.g., tropical, temperate, and boreal) groups of tree species, explored the biogeographical and phylogenetic patterns of wood density, and quantified the relative importance of current environmental factors (e.g., climatic and soil variables) and evolutionary history (i.e., phylogenetic relatedness among species and lineages) in driving global wood density variation. We found that wood density displayed a significant phylogenetic signal. Wood density differed among different biomes and climatic zones, with higher mean values of wood density in relatively drier regions (highest in subtropical desert). Our study revealed that at a global scale, for angiosperms and gymnosperms combined, phylogeny and species (representing the variance explained by taxonomy and not direct explained by long-term evolution process) explained 84.3% and 7.7% of total wood density variation, respectively, whereas current environment explained 2.7% of total wood density variation when phylogeny and species were taken into account. When angiosperms and gymnosperms were considered separately, the three proportions of explained variation are, respectively, 84.2%, 7.5% and 6.7% for angiosperms, and 45.7%, 21.3% and 18.6% for gymnosperms. Our study shows that evolutionary history outpaced current environmental factors in shaping global variation in wood density.

Biodiversity of Earthworms with Special Reference to Tehsil Wazirabad, District Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan

Earthworms are crucial soil invertebrates that are involved in the circulation of nutrients, humus formation, decomposition of organic matter and generation of soil texture. They play an important role as bioindicator of soil contamination. Objective: To investigate the biodiversity of earthworms in different habitats (Grassy lawns, croplands, marshy areas, ponds, edges of river and canals) of Tehsil Wazirabad, Punjab, Pakistan. Methods: A total number of four hundred and fifty (450) samples of earthworms were collected from above mentioned sites for a period of six months (March 2015 to August 2015), by hand sorting technique. Morphological details of all earthworm specimens collected from the designated areas were recorded and species were identified by using the systematic key. Results: During present investigation, six species; Pheretima posthuma, P. lignicola, P. morrisi, Microscolex dubis, Aporrectodea longa and Notoscolex sacutarius belonging to 4 genera and 2 families (Megascolecidae, Lumbricidae) were recorded. The distribution patterns of various earthworm species in the designated habitats shows that Pheretima posthuma is the most abundant species distributed in all sites; whereas, P. lignicola was least populated in the selected habitats. According to ecological grouping of reported earthworm species; Endogeic (50%) was the most dominant group followed by Epigeic (33%) and Anecic (17%). Conclusions: This study provided the base line data and much needed information about biodiversity of earthworms in Tehsil Wazirabad. This knowledge can be very useful in improving the soil conditions and agriculture gross production in investigated area.

Long-term changes in qualitative composition of the Buzuluk Pine Forest avifauna (Orenburg Province area) based on retrospective and present-time observations

We conducted a comparative analysis of qualitative composition of the Buzuluk Pine Forest avifauna, mainly based on data collected by ornithologist E.P. Knorre for the period 1928–1941, and modern observations done between 2000 and the present. Retrospective data were obtained from the now-defunct Buzuluk Bor Reserve with an area of 10 503 hectares (now Borovoye-Opytnoe Forestry in the Orenburg Province). Present-time personal avifaunistic observations (using standard methods with referring to literature sources) were carried out on an area of 49 000 hectares, both in Borovoye-Opytnoe and in several adjacent forestries that were part of the Buzuluk Bor National Park within the Orenburg Province. Comparing the historical and current bird lists, we used a relative assessment of changes in the composition of various bird groups based on the observed and expected frequencies according to the χ2 test. Long-term data on average annual temperatures and precipitation from a nearby state weather station were also used. As a result, it is shown that by now the list of birds of E.P. Knorre decreased from 153 to 109 species (28.8%). When comparing by orders, the water birds were found to be the most affected group. The number of species in orders Podicipediformes, Ciconiiformes, Gruiformes decreased by 80–100%, and it dropped by more than 50% in orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes. There was also a slightly smaller decrease in the number of species in orders Falconiformes and Strigiformes – by about 40%. An assessment of the relative changes in various bird groups from Knorre’s list based on expected and observed frequencies showed significant differences in the portion of avifauna associated with water. It decreased between 23.5% and 9% in the group ‘Limnophiles’ (χ2 = 11.7, df = 1, p = 0.0006) and between 24.8% and 9% in the group of orders represented by waterfowl and waterbird species (χ2 = 13.4, df = 1, p = 0.0002). The change in the portion of birds of prey was statistically non-significant. The same portion assessment method did not statistically confirm the decrease in the rest ecological and order groups. Comparison of groups by occurrence status found no significant changes in the portions of all groups of birds in the past and present, but the largest reduction was recorded in the group of migrating species. The portion of migrants decreased from 8.7% to 3.0% (χ2 = 3.2, df = 1, p = 0.07, Yates corrected χ2 = 2.2, p = 0.1). A dramatic decline in group of bird species associated with wetlands was suggested to be due, among other factors, to the progressive desiccation of the Buzuluk Pine Forest, as E. Knorre himself wrote in his report. The ongoing aridization of the climate, as shown by the graph of average annual air temperatures, has been taking place since at least the 20s of the twentieth century and led to the drying-up of wetlands, and also to migration of groundwater to deeper horizons. The emerging trend towards a reduction in the portion of migrants could be explained by the fact that a number of migratory bird species, mainly ducks and waders, disappeared in the study area, and several other migrants began breeding species. In addition, large-scale fires and logging led to formation of burned wasteland areas inside the forest at the beginning of the twentieth century and also probably contributed to fragmentation and desiccation of this biome.

Distribution, taxonomic diversity and ecology of paleogene <i>Bacillariophyta</i> in Ukraine

The geographic distribution, level of taxonomic diversity, and ecological preferences of Bacillariophyta complexes extracted from Paleogene deposits in various regions of Ukraine are characterized. The stratigraphic sequence of diatom assemblages, the relationship of the conditions of their formation to paleoceanological events in sedimentation basins, and the biostratigraphic significance are traced. The most taxonomically diverse (up to 250 species) associations of marine diatoms and silicoflagellates are found in the Middle to Upper Eocene deposits of the northeast margin of the Dnieper-Donetsk Depression, the northwest margins of the Donbas, and the slopes of the Voronezh Uplift. In Eocene-Oligocene deposits of the Ukrainian Shield, diatom complexes consist of over 60 marine and brackish taxa. Early Oligocene marine associations, widespread in the Sambir Carpathians and the eastern part of the Azov region, include over 130 species-level taxa. Changes in the proportion of ecological groups of diatom algae indicate their formation under different facies conditions and the transition from marine warm to more cold-water coastal-marine environments during the Eocene, with episodes of freshwater input in the Oligocene.

Macrobenthic fauna and the ecological status of a shellfish farm in the Mediterranean Sea (Algeria)

A faunistic and ecological study on the benthic macrofauna was carried out in the shellfish farm in Ain Chorb (Ain Taya), central Algeria. This study aims to characterise the composition, structure, and functioning of the benthic community to establish the reference state and ecological quality of the shellfish farm and to monitor its evolution through an adapted sampling and observation methodology adapted and used by the scientific community at the international level. Benthic fauna samples were collected in two different periods (warm and cold season) between February 2020 and June 2021; six grab samples were carried out at three sampling stations. Different indices were evaluated based on the benthic community characteristics (species richness, abundance, density, ecological and trophic groups, and the biotic index) and indicator species. An inventory of the macrobenthic fauna of the farm allowed us to identify 6 phyla, 10 classes, 48 families, 106 genera, and 138 species, with a total of 45960 ind/m2. The benthic assemblage is characterised by the dominance of the species Abra alba, Salvatoria clavata, Caecum spp., and Bittium spp. The results of the four benthic indices (the Shannon-Weaver diversity index [H′], the AZTI Marine Biotic Index [AMBI], the multivariate AZTI Marine Biotic Index [M-AMBI], and the BENTIX) indicated that that the sampling stations have a moderate and good ecological status. These results were confirmed by the abundance/biomass comparison curves and geometric abundance class methods. This study provides the first inventory and represents the reference state of the soft-bottom communities of the aquaculture farm. The findings also indicate that the macrobenthic assemblage is excellent indicator of the ecological status.

Influence of agroforestry systems on earthworm diversity and soil properties in a Sudano-Sahelian landscape

Agroforestry systems promote a range of ecological base management to support sustainable agriculture. However, the influence of agroforestry management on soil biodiversity is still poorly investigated in Sudano-Sahelian landscapes. This study aims to guide sustainable management for soil biodiversity conservation in agroforestry systems by determining the drivers of earthworm diversity with their abundance and corresponding soil properties. Nested sampling following three management systems (agroforestry fallow, agroforestry intercropping, agroforestry grazing) and the protected area as a baseline, were designed for data collection in a Sudano-Sahelian landscape. Earthworm inventory and soil sampling (0–10 cm), coupled with a survey focusing on the cropping and fallowing duration with other agricultural practices (herbicide use, soil tillage), were conducted on the farm. The soil analysis included soil texture, bulk density and a suite of chemical analyses (pHKCl, C and N, available macro and micronutrients). The data were analyzed using generalized linear models (GLMs) and ANCOVA to determine the effects of agroforestry systems on earthworm abundance and soil properties. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to determine the relationship between the species richness of earthworms, agroforestry systems and soil properties. The results showed a diversity of five species belonging to the endogeic and epigeic ecological groups numbered at 7 ± 3 to 22 ± 10 individuals m−2 (mean ± standard deviation). In agroforestry fallow systems, earthworm diversity and abundance were both highest, and the abundance increased with the fallow duration. The prolongation of cropping duration coupled with herbicide use in agroforestry intercropping systems decreased significantly the abundance of earthworms. Agroforestry grazing systems increased significantly soil C, N and available nutrients, but the abundance of earthworms and species richness were the lowest likely due to soil destructuration by trampling. Overall, soil texture controlled the species richness of earthworms. Fallow management and agricultural practices with fewer herbicide use and soil destructuration, are essential to improve earthworm abundance and diversity.

Karst landforms as microrefugia for soil Collembola: Open versus forested dolines

Enclosed surficial karst dolines are geomorphologically diverse habitats with the potential to strongly shape community structure and the distribution of functional groups of organisms. Forest habitats in karst landscapes are characterized by lower soil temperatures and microclimatic fluctuations compared to open habitats; therefore, they may provide favorable conditions for cold-adapted/psychrophilic species, which are highly vulnerable to climate warming. We compared the diversity and structure of soil Collembola communities at sites along microclimatic gradients in open and forested karst dolines. The effect of topography and related environmental conditions on the distribution of ecological groups of soil Collembola was analyzed, and the function of the dolines as potential climate refugia for psychrophilic arthropods was assessed. The karst dolines revealed significant habitat heterogeneity, including warm plateaus and S-facing slopes and colder and wetter bottoms and N-facing slopes. The inner sites of the dolines had an overall higher abundance and species richness compared to the plateau sites. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination revealed a clear delimitation of Collembola communities in terms of warmer and cooler sites in the open dolines, while the forested dolines did not reveal such a clear pattern. The studied dolines showed a potential to serve as microrefugia in the context of global climate change. Dolines could support the long-term persistence of at least some species such as cold-adapted species. Karst dolines in the temperate zone play a key role in maintaining biodiversity; therefore, they should be central in biodiversity conservation programs.

Influence of insectocompost obtained by cultivation of the during beetle <i>Ulomoides dermestoides</i> on the ecological-trophic composition and development of soil and phytoparasitic nematodes

The purpose of the research is to study the effect of insect compost obtained as a result of the vital activity of insects of the Coleoptera order Ulomoides dermestoides on the quantitative and qualitative composition of soil nematodes of various ecological and trophic groups, as well as on the morphological and physiological state of plants and infection of tomato plants with root-knot nematodes.Materials and methods. Under laboratory conditions, soil containing a diverse fauna of nematodes was treated with 1% dry and 0.5; 0.75 and 1% aqueous solutions of biocompost. Insect compost was obtained by keeping the U. dermestoides on a dry nutrient mixture. Then a mixture of lawn grasses was sown in the ground. After 30 days, the composition of nematodes was analyzed. The ability of insect compost to suppress parasitic nematode species was studied using the tomato-knot nematode model system. Tomatoes were infected with Meloidogyne incognita at a rate of 500 larvae (J2) per plant and simultaneously treated with a 0.5% aqueous biocompost solution.Results and discussion. The insect compost U. dermestoides has an effect on quantitative and qualitative indicators in the community of soil nematodes, increasing the number of predatory and saprobiotic nematodes and displacing parasitic ones. And due to the content of various biologically active compounds, it affects the development of rootknot nematodes in tomato roots. When tomatoes are treated with an aqueous solution of insect compost, the infection score and the number of nematodes that penetrate the roots are reduced. The introduction of compost when growing a mixture of lawn grasses and tomatoes can improve the condition of the plants.

Měkkýši národní přírodní rezervace Jazevčí v CHKO Bílé Karpaty [Molluscs of Jazevčí National Nature Reserve in the White Carpathians PLA]

The Jazevčí National Nature Reserve is located in the southern part of the White Carpathians PLA near the Javorník nad Veličkou village. The reserve protects a heterogeneous landscape with meadows, groves, springs, and creeks. This diversity is reflected in the mollusc assemblages, which contain nine out of ten ecological groups. In total, 58 mollusc species are known from the reserve, 56 being terrestrial gastropods with one aquatic snail and one bivalve. Most diversity consists of forest species, followed by the euryvalent and hygrophilous species. Three species are listed in the Red List of Threatened Species: Daudebardia brevipes (VU), Bythinella austriaca (NT), and Vertigo angustior (VU), the latter also being internationally protected under Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive. Vertigo angustior was found in a deciduous forest, a habitat highly unusual for this species. Trochulus villosulus, a rare species, was found in a wet meadow near the Velička stream. As most species diversity is found in groves and forests, a non-intervention regime is suggested to retain their species diversity, while meadows should be managed extensively by kettle grazing or mowing.

Exploring the relationship between environment and brain morphology in anurans: a comparative phylogenetic approach

Abstract The correlation of ecological and behavioural characteristics with morphological features of brain structures has been recurrently corroborated for different vertebrate taxa, such as mammals, birds, and fishes. Here, we asked whether such correlations can also be detected in amphibians, an animal group of great interest due to its great behavioural and ecological diversity. We analysed the shape of two brain regions, cerebellum and optic tectum, of 67 species from 32 families of the order Anura (frogs and toads), applying 2D geometric morphometrics in a phylogenetic context. We found species that share similar environments and daily patterns have a similarly shaped cerebellum and optic tectum, with diurnal and arboreal species with more varied brain shapes. We did not find a correlation between activity mode or lifestyle with shape for both brain regions; however, we found that shared ancestry had an influence in their evolution. Future studies including a higher number of species from each ecological group, and from more families, would help to better clarify whether the patterns found here are a general rule for anurans.

Bacterial community shifts occur primarily through rhizosphere expansion in response to subsoil amendments.

To comprehensively evaluate the impact of agricultural management practices on soil productivity, it is imperative to conduct a thorough analysis of soil bacterial ecology. Deep-banding nutrient-rich amendments is a soil management practice that aims to improve plant growth and soil structure by addressing the plant-growth constraints posed by dense-clay subsoils. However, the response of bacterial communities to deep-banded amendments has not been thoroughly studied. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a controlled-environment column experiment to examine the effects of different types of soil amendments (poultry litter, wheat straw + chemical fertiliser and chemical fertiliser alone) on bacterial taxonomic composition in simulated dense-clay subsoils. We evaluated the bacterial taxonomic and ecological group composition in soils beside and below the amendment using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and robust statistical methods. Our results indicate that deep-banded amendments alter bacterial communities through direct and indirect mechanisms. All amendments directly facilitated a shift in bacterial communities in the absence of growing wheat. However, a combination of amendments with growing wheat led to a more pronounced bacterial community shift which was distinct from and eclipsed the direct impact of the amendments and plants alone. This indirect mechanism was evidenced to be mediated primarily by plant growth and hypothesised to result from an enhancement in wheat root distribution, density and rhizodeposition changes. Therefore, we propose that subsoil amendments regardless of type facilitated an expansion in the rhizosphere which engineered a substantial plant-mediated bacterial community response within the simulated dense-clay subsoils. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of considering the complex and synergistic interactions between soil physicochemical properties, plant growth and bacterial communities when assessing agricultural management strategies for improving soil and plant productivity.

Bird population changes in urban green spaces explained by regional population trends

AbstractUrban bird species represent a subset of the regional species pool, consisting of species that have been able to survive in, or colonise, urban areas. Urban birds are typically resident non-forest species with a broad diet and nesting high in trees or in cavities, and some studies have also claimed that they are large-brained. However, little is known about how urban bird communities change over time. Does the urban environment impose specific selective pressures favouring particular species or ecological groups, or do birds in urban areas simply have population changes reflecting population trends at larger scales? We assessed population changes of 45 breeding land bird species in Oslo, the capital of Norway, based on surveys conducted ca. 15 years apart. Population changes within Oslo most closely matched changes occurring at the regional level (national population trends from Norway and Sweden). Thus, species increasing in Oslo were those that also increased at the regional level. We found no evidence that relative brain size, diet or habitat preferences influenced population trends. However, controlling for regional population trends, there were additional residual effects of nest site and migration: species nesting on the ground or low in bushes had more positive changes than species nesting high in trees or in cavities, and resident species did better than long- or short-distance migrants. These results indicate that urban environments are not isolated islands only influenced by own selection pressures, but are connected with regional population dynamics, most likely through immigration.

Dermatophytes and ringworm infection

For both people and animals, superficial fungal infections affecting the keratinized layers of skin and its appendages are usually referred to as "ringworm." All layers of the skin can be penetrated by ringworm fungi, or dermatophytes, although they are usually limited to cornified areas of the skin “stratum corneum”. Dermatophytosis is the name for a medical condition caused by dermatophytes. Virtually, there is no human population free from these mycotic diseases and about 25% of the world population are infected by derrmatophytosis. Three genera, Microsporum, Epidermophyton, and Trichophyton (Fungi Imperfecti) in Hyphomycetes, the anamorphic class of the Deuteromycota, are the causative agents of dermatophytosis. Trichophyton rubrum appears to be the most common causative agent of ringworm infections, followed by Trichophyton interdigitale and Microsporum canis. It is critical to advance our understanding of fungal biology and pathology and to raise public awareness of the importance of these infections by providing accurate epidemiological data. Ecological groupings, pathogenic potential, clinical manifestation and therapy “chemical and natural” for dermatophytosis are reviewed.

Birds that breed exclusively on islands have smaller clutches

Abstract The “island syndrome” refers to similarity in the biology of island organisms, but its generality is questionable, as the scope of species and traits examined are often limited. Here, I show that birds breeding exclusively on islands (breeding island endemics) evolved smaller clutches, using a dataset of 4,530 bird species. Using an inclusive definition of a breeding island endemic, which also encompasses migratory species and seabirds, I examine the evolution of clutch sizes in island breeding species using phylogenetic generalized linear models. Across disparate phylogenetic hypotheses, and after accounting for biological and geographical co-variables, I show that breeding island endemic landbirds (470 species) evolved smaller clutch sizes than continental breeding species (3,818 species). I show that the evolution of clutch size follows the expectations of the island syndrome, as among breeding island endemic landbirds there is a positive relationship between clutch size and breeding range area. Finally, I reinforce the view that the island syndrome is a general pattern in birds, spanning diverse phylogenetic and ecological groups, by showing that in a seabird-only dataset (242 species), breeding island endemic seabirds show evolution of smaller clutch sizes. In a model of the full dataset of both landbirds and seabirds (4,530 species) there was no evidence of an interaction of being a seabird with breeding island endemicity, showing that seabirds and landbirds respond in the same way. This study, using more than 40% of all bird species, provides the first evidence of a general evolutionary response in a life history trait, clearly showing the island syndrome as a general evolutionary tendency associated with island environments.

Dynamics оf Nesting Ornithofauna Structure оf Tiraspol City’s Resident Area

43 species of nesting birds were registered of Tiraspol City’s resident area in 1999–2019. The total density was about 1995,7–2361 pairs/km2 . House Sparrow, Rock Dove, Tree Sparrow and Common Swift were the dominants. Crested Lark, Willow Warbler and Wood Warbler disappeared from nesting ornithofauna of resident area. Common Kestrel, Common Woodpigeon, Eurasian Scops-owl, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Blue Tit and Eurasian Nuthatch for 20 years were appeared. A signifi cant increase in abundance was noted in populations of Rock Dove, Long-eared Owl, Common Swift, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Rook and Tree Sparrow. There was a decrease in the number in the populations of Chiffchaff, Northern Wheatear, Black Redstart, House Sparrow and Chaffi nch. The majority of birds nesting in the resident area belong to the Transpalearctic type of the fauna, to the desert-mountains landscape-genetic faunistic complex, to the sklerophilnai ecological group and phytophagan trophic group.