Winter Habitat Research Articles

Dietary composition of Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis Przewalski, 1876 (Aves: Gruiformes: Gruidae) in its winter habitat: insights from fecal analysis in Bumdeling, Trashiyangtse, Bhutan

Gaining comprehensive insights into the dietary habits and food preferences of the Black-necked Crane (BNC) is crucial for developing effective conservation plans to safeguard this globally near-threatened species. The choice of habitats by these birds is primarily influenced by the availability of diverse food sources and overall environmental security. This study was conducted in 2019–2020 in Bumdeling, one of three wintering sites for BNC in Bhutan. It was prompted by concerns over a declining crane population, largely due to habitat alteration that threatens food sources. This study aimed to examine the dietary preferences of cranes by collecting and analyzing fecal samples from foraging and roosting sites. Results revealed that paddy-fields were the primary foraging areas. The presence of domestic grains after harvest, herbaceous plants, and invertebrates are crucial components of the food structure of cranes. Fecal samples contained 79 species from domestic crops, herbaceous plants, and invertebrates. Fecal dry weight exhibited significant differences from December to February compared to March, suggesting a decline in rice intake and an increase in invertebrate consumption, resulting in lower fecal weight. These results also showed that as the months progress rice decreases with a shift to a protein-rich diet of invertebrates before cranes migrate back to their summer grounds. Traces of plastics were found in feces from all feeding sites, highlighting the need for better waste management. Changes in agricultural practices have had significant impacts on the availability of food sources for cranes in Bumdeling. Collaboration among conservationists, local government, and communities is recommended to enhance winter habitats and provide food supplements when rice supplies start to diminish.

Consistent phenological advancement of Common Toad migration in response to climate change in Flanders, Belgium

Abstract Many species use temperature as a cue to time certain life events. Such phenological events can be particularly sensitive to climate change. In amphibians, seasonal migration events between ponds and winter habitats are crucial to ensure reproduction. Therefore, shifts in phenological events – called phenological shifts – can significantly affect the persistence of amphibian populations, especially when induced by climate change. We used citizen science data collected during the spring migration of the Common Toad (Bufo bufo) from 1981 until 2020 to: (i) estimate the phenological shift, (ii) determine consistency of these changes within the studied region, and (iii) relate its temporal variation with changes in temperature. The results revealed an advancement in the peak migration of 3.1 days per decade. This shift was consistent across all populations in Flanders, indicating a regional effect that is most likely due to climate change. This reasoning is supported by the temperature-based model, which indicates that earlier migration occurs in warmer years. Nonetheless, significant local variations persist in the timing of spring migration. Our results highlight the importance of studying in detail the timing of spring migration and its variability, as it may elucidate mechanisms underlying trends in population decline at both national and international scales.

Evaluation of Protocols for DNA Extraction from Individual Culex pipiens to Assess Pyrethroid Resistance Using Genotyping Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction.

Culex pipiens is a major vector of pathogens, including West Nile and Usutu viruses, that poses a significant public health risk. Monitoring pyrethroid resistance in mosquito populations is essential for effective vector control. This study aims to evaluate four DNA extraction protocols-QIAsymphony, DNAzol® Direct reagent, PrepMan® Ultra Sample Preparation Reagent (USPR), and Chelex® 100-to identify an optimal method to extract DNA from individual Culex pipiens, as part of a high-throughput surveillance of pyrethroid resistance using Real-Time Genotyping PCR. The target is the L1014F mutation in the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC) gene, which confers knockdown (kdr) resistance to pyrethroids. Mosquitoes were collected from wintering and summer habitats in Lazio and Tuscany, Italy, and DNA was extracted using the four methods. The quality, quantity, extraction time, and cost of the DNA were compared among the various methods. The PrepMan® USPR protocol was the most efficient, providing high-quality DNA with a 260/280 purity ratio within the optimal range at the lowest cost and in a short time. This method also demonstrated the highest amplification success rate (77%) in subsequent real-time PCR assays, making it the preferred protocol for large-scale genotyping studies.

Ecological Predictors of Habitat Occupancy for the Southeastern Beach Mouse

Abstract The federally threatened southeastern beach mouse Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris occupies just a fraction of its former range along Florida’s Atlantic coast, mostly within the 72 km of continuous coastline on federal lands of the Cape Canaveral Barrier Island Complex. Although believed to be caused by loss and degradation of habitat associated with human urban expansion, no precise explanation for the reduction in southeastern beach mouse range is known. We used nine years of winter habitat occupancy survey data for a trend analysis, and a subset of four years to identify key factors influencing occupancy dynamics in coastal habitat throughout the core population. Using a maximum likelihood based model selection approach, we tested evidence for the effects of environmental and anthropogenic factors arranged into four hypotheses related to habitat structure, beach erosion, population isolation, and access to inland habitat. As predicted, sites closer to the primary dune, farther from open water, and with higher elevation had higher initial occupancy than sites with the opposite characteristics. Also as predicted, sites farther from open water, with higher elevation, and more coastal strand, less disturbed ruderal vegetation, and in proximity to oak trees had lower site extinction. Contrary to predictions sites closer to infrastructure (roads, railroads, paved sites), and more isolated by narrow width or unsuitable habitat features also had lower extinction, possibly due to restriction of predator access. A Bayesian analysis showed that annual southeastern beach mouse habitat occupancy was generally high (0.63-0.97) but variable across the 72 km of coastal dune spanning most of the remaining species’ range. Simulation showed that the power of the survey was sufficient to detect a 20% decline between years. This study provides a baseline of knowledge about habitat occupancy dynamics for future monitoring and management of the southeastern beach mouse, and other beach mouse sub-species.

Drivers of winter habitat selection by muskrats in southern boreal wetlands of Alberta, Canada

Drivers of winter habitat selection by muskrats in southern boreal wetlands of Alberta, Canada

The Influence of Short-Term Water Level Fluctuations on the Habitat Response and Ecological Fragility of Siberian Cranes in Poyang Lake, China

The landscape of the Poyang Lake wetland is significantly influenced by changes in water levels, impacting the distribution of habitats for migratory birds. While long-term effects of water level variations have been extensively studied, short-term impacts on Siberian crane habitats and their ecological vulnerability remain poorly understood. This study utilized 35 years (1987–2022) of Landsat remote sensing data and daily water level records from Poyang Lake to examine the effects of short-term water level fluctuations on the spatial distribution and ecological vulnerability of Siberian crane habitats. The geographic detector method was employed to quantify the explanatory power and interaction effects of factors, including short-term water level fluctuations, on ecological vulnerability. The findings reveal significant differences in the habitats of wintering Siberian cranes across various water level intervals and short-term fluctuation patterns. Short-term water level fluctuations can result in the largest suitable wintering habitat area for Siberian cranes, reaching 1856.41 km2 in this study. These habitats are highly sensitive to short-term water level changes, with rising and falling trends potentially leading to habitat loss. Oscillating water levels in the short term create broader and more concentrated habitats. Notably, fluctuations at low water levels support the sustainability and stability of crane habitats. Furthermore, short-term water level trends and nature reserves play a critical role in maintaining habitat ecological vulnerability; well-managed and protected nature reserves exhibit significant explanatory power, both in single-factor analysis and in their interaction with other environmental factors. Specifically, these protected areas show explanatory power exceeding the 20% threshold for both water level fluctuations and ranges, highlighting the crucial role of anthropogenic management in mitigating ecological vulnerability. This study emphasizes the necessity of scientifically informed regulation of short-term water level fluctuations to protect Siberian crane habitats and provides a strong scientific basis for decision-making support.

Native and non-native winter foraging resources do not explain Pteropus alecto winter roost occupancy in Queensland, Australia.

Anthropogenic land use change concurrent with introductions of non-native species alters the abundance and distribution of foraging resources for wildlife. This is particularly concerning when resource bottlenecks for wildlife are linked to spillover of infectious diseases to humans. Hendra virus is a bat-borne pathogen in eastern Australia. Spillovers align with winter food shortages for flying foxes and flying foxes foraging in agriculture or peri-urban lands, as opposed to native forests. It is believed the increased abundance and spatiotemporal reliability of non-native species planted in anthropogenically modified areas compared to native, ephemeral diet species may be a key draw for flying foxes into urban and peri-urban areas. We investigate the explanatory power of environmental factors on the winter roost occupancy of the reservoir for Hendra virus, the black flying fox Pteropus alecto, from 2007-2020 in Queensland, Australia. We measured the extent, spatial aggregation, and annual reliability of typical (i.e. native) and atypical (i.e. non-native) winter habitat species in 20km foraging areas around roosts surveyed by the National Flying Fox Monitoring Program. We find that neither the extent nor the spatial distribution of winter habitats explained black flying fox winter roost presence. Although the establishment of roosts was associated with high reliability for typical winter diet species, the reliability of frequently listed winter diet species surrounding surveyed roosts was not different between roosts that were occupied versus unoccupied in the winter. Significant interactions between lagged weather conditions and winter habitats identified by the best model did not reflect observable differences in patterns of occupancy upon scrutiny. Static measures of winter habitat and weather conditions poorly explained the winter roost occupancy of black flying foxes. Understanding the drivers of flying fox movement and presence requires further investigation before they can be thoughtfully integrated into Hendra spillover prevention efforts and flying fox management.

Quantifying the Ecological Performance of Migratory Bird Conservation: Evidence from Poyang Lake Wetlands in China.

Protected areas are essential for the conservation of biodiversity. However, the rapid expansion of urbanization and the intensification of human activities have significantly disrupted environmental integrity, leading to a continuous deterioration in both the quantity and quality of large ecological patches. This has further diminished the connectivity among ecological patches, leading to significant consequences for regional biodiversity conservation. Taking Poyang Lake as a case study, which serves as a crucial wintering habitat for migratory birds along the East Asia-Australasia flyway, this research employs ArcMap technology. It considers various factors including land use type, slope, and elevation to evaluate habitat quality and degradation through the application of the InVEST model. Additionally, the study utilizes the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model alongside circuit theory to delineate ecological corridors within the area and to establish a comprehensive ecological network system. The research results in this paper are as follows. (i) During the period from 2000 to 2020, there was an overall decline in habitat quality within the study area, indicating a clear trend of habitat degradation. However, it is worth noting that there was an increase in habitat quality in certain local areas within the protected area. (ii) The ecological resistance values in the core area of the migratory bird reserve in Poyang Lake are generally low. However, the ecological resistance values of the habitats have shown a consistent increase from 2000 to 2020. Additionally, there has been a significant decrease in the density of ecological corridors during this time period. (iii) Over the period from 2000 to 2020, both the number and connectivity of ecological corridors decreased and their integrity and functionality degraded. Consequently, this weakened role of the ecological network has had implications for maintaining regional biodiversity and ecosystem service functions. The findings indicate two conclusions. (i) Ecological connectivity is essential for the conservation of migratory bird habitats. Strengthening control measures aimed at expanding ecological corridors can effectively safeguard flagship and umbrella species, thereby promoting biodiversity conservation. (ii) The establishment of ecological corridors can help reconcile conflicts between conservation efforts and development objectives. This reconciliation carries significant theoretical implications for fostering a harmonious coexistence between humans and birds in Poyang Lake's migratory bird sanctuary.

The Protection and Management of Wapiti in Desert Oases: Bare Land Poses a Limitation to Wapiti Conservation.

The Helan Mountains, situated in the heart of the desert, act as a dividing line between China's arid and semi-arid zones. Often referred to as a "desert oasis", they create an ecological island with a uniquely distinctive geographical location, making this area a focal point of contemporary research. Ungulates play a critical role in this ecosystem. The Alashan wapiti (Cervus canadensis alashanicus), an isolated population of China's smallest wapiti (Cervus canadensis) subspecies, is found exclusively within the Helan Mountains Nature Reserve. The conservation of this isolated population is fraught with challenges, particularly during winter, the harshest season for northern ungulates. Winter habitats are crucial for ensuring population stability. Therefore, we used certain methods, such as factor screening and model parameter optimization to assess habitat suitability using multi-scale species distribution models. The optimized results show that suitable habitats overlap with areas of high vegetation coverage in the Helan Mountains, covering just 588.32 km2, which is less than a quarter of the reserve's total area. The bare land area and winter NDVI are the two primary factors influencing habitat suitability, with other factors having minimal impact, underscoring the critical importance of food resources for the Alashan wapiti. The limited availability of these resources poses significant conservation challenges. Our findings provide a more precise foundation for targeted habitat protection and restoration efforts. We recommend enhancing the protection and restoration of food resources, effectively conserving vegetated areas, and preventing desertification.

Temporal Differences in Winter Habitat Use by Japanese Hares (Lepus brachyurus) in a Heavy Snowfall Environment

Temporal Differences in Winter Habitat Use by Japanese Hares (Lepus brachyurus) in a Heavy Snowfall Environment

Spring migration strategies of Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard) necessitate individual time-energy trade-offs despite wintering origins or migratory destinations

Abstract Spring migration is hypothesized to be time-constrained because of competition for optimal nesting and brood-rearing sites. Therefore, individuals are predicted to minimize migration time to breeding destinations; however, migration strategies likely lie on a continuum based on wintering and stopover habitat quality, environmental conditions, or individual-level factors. In other words, individuals and wintering subpopulations may differentially prioritize time-energy trade-offs during migration depending on where they are from, when they leave, and where they are going. We tested these hypotheses by characterizing spatial and temporal variation in spring migration strategies in female Anas platyrhynchos (Mallards), using global positioning system (GPS) data from ~150 individuals captured across the Mississippi Alluvial Valley and Gulf Coast Chenier Plain, USA. We used principal components analysis to classify a series of migratory behaviors into distinct time- and energy-minimization migration strategies, and tested whether migration strategies were related to wintering origins (habitat quality or latitudinal differences influencing migration initiation), migratory destinations (resource predictability), and individual-level factors (age and body condition). Additionally, we estimated individual and wintering subpopulation space-use to identify geographic regions of high and overlapping use that may facilitate time- or energy-minimizing migration strategies. Our results indicated a gradient of time-minimization migration strategies but migration strategy was not influenced by wintering origins nor migratory destination. Instead, time-energy trade-offs manifested at the individual level with time-minimization depending on experience and body condition. We also revealed stopovers and migration corridors of continental importance for spring-migrating A. platyrhynchos and space-use therein suggested migration strategies varied spatially with increasing time-minimization behavior as A. platyrhynchos neared their breeding grounds. Future research should link migration strategies and settling patterns to demographic rates.

Threshold responses and relationships between waterbird distribution and habitat factors at Shengjin Lake, China

The wintering period is an essential part of the annual life history of waterbirds. The environmental conditions of habitats in winter directly affect the abundance and physical condition of waterbirds. Therefore, it is important to study the relationship between waterbird abundance and habitat factors. In this study, we conducted significance and threshold analyses between habitat factors and the waterbird community at Shengjin Lake, a Ramsar Site in China, using Redundancy Analysis (RDA), Spearman Correlation Analysis, and Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis (TITAN). The results indicate that seven environmental variables significantly affected the abundance of waterbird communities, that is, fractional vegetation cover, degree of receding water, grassland area, mudflat area, shallow water area, deep water area, and distance to reeds. Waterbird communities exhibited significant threshold responses to all seven factors. The number of species significantly responding to different habitat factors varied among waterbird communities, with the highest number of species (15) responding to distance to reeds. Except for the deep water area and distance to reeds, waterbirds showed higher positive than negative thresholds for the remaining five factors. Different groups of waterbirds influenced the threshold responses of waterbird communities to habitat factors, and there were variations in how each waterbird group responded to these factors. The results of this study highlight the importance of habitat type, water recession degree, and shelter conditions in waterbird habitat selection. Minor differences in habitat structure can influence waterbird habitat preferences. Therefore, wetland management at Shengjin Lake should consider the specific habitat needs of different waterbird species.

Population Trends of the Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) Wintering in California

Abstract The Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) is a raptor of conservation concern in much of its range. Population trend estimates from Breeding Bird Surveys and migration counts for this species are often contradictory and of low credibility. Therefore, we used Christmas Bird Count data to assess population trends for Ferruginous Hawks that winter in California, USA. Evidence suggests that the birds breeding in southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon may represent a metapopulation that winters almost exclusively in California. Data for the 25-yr period from Count Year 98 (winter 1997–1998) to Count Year 122 (winter 2021–2022) from 22 California Christmas Bird Count circles in the core winter range of Ferruginous Hawks showed a significant positive trend. This positive trend contrasts with the continent-wide negative trends observed for most grassland/open country bird species and is surprising given ongoing declines of this species’ preferred winter habitat in California during this same period. We discuss potential explanations that may account for these differences, including the possibility that the California-wintering Ferruginous Hawks include a large proportion of birds breeding outside of southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon.

Invasive Spartina alterniflora alters sediment organic carbon mineralization dynamics in a coastal wetland of Southeastern China

Invasive Spartina alterniflora has significant impacts on sediment carbon pool and turnover in the tidal wetlands of estuaries and coasts. Yet, how this exotic S. alterniflora affects sediment organic carbon mineralization dynamics remains poorly understood. In this study, sediment geochemical properties, organic carbon fractions, and mineralization dynamics were examined in a native Cyperus malaccensis habitat and three invasive S. alterniflora habitats (6-, 10-, and 14-year-old) in summer and winter. We found that invasive S. alterniflora generally increased sediment total organic carbon and their labile fraction contents. The organic carbon mineralization rates and cumulative carbon mineralization amounts were significantly influenced by invasive S. alterniflora, and their values increased with this exotic plant invasion chronosequences. The mineralization rates and cumulative mineralization amounts were also characterized by higher values in surface sediment (0 – 10 cm depth) compared to subsurface sediment (10 – 20 cm depth) and by seasonal variations with higher values in summer than in winter. The sediment organic carbon labile fractions, rather than total organic carbon, were the most important factor affecting carbon mineralization dynamics. The cumulative carbon mineralization amounts exhibited an excellent fit to the first-order kinetic equation (R2 ≥ 0.93). The changes in modeled kinetic parameters (potential carbon mineralization amounts (C0) and carbon mineralization rate constant (k)) among these four habitats were similar to carbon mineralization rates, implying invasive S. alterniflora promoted the availabilities of organic compounds for microbial respiration metabolism. Overall, our findings highlighted the importance of S. alterniflora invasion in accelerating organic carbon decomposition and carbon dioxide release potential, although it also increases carbon accumulation.

Multi-Scale Habitat Selection by the Wintering Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) in Manas National Wetland Park, Northwestern China

Habitat selection has been a central focus of animal ecology, with research primarily concentrating on habitat choice, utilization, and evaluation. However, studies confined to a single scale often fail to reveal the habitat selection needs of animals fully and accurately. This paper investigates the wintering whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) in Manas National Wetland Park, Xinjiang, using satellite tracking to determine their locations. The Maximum Entropy model (MaxEnt) was applied to explore the multi-scales habitat selection needs of Manas National Wetland Park’s wintering whooper swans across nighttime, daytime, and landscape scales. This study showed that the habitat selection of the wintering whooper swans varied in different scales. At the landscape scale, wintering whooper swans prefer habitats with average winter precipitations of 6.9 mm and average temperatures of −6 °C, including water bodies and wetlands, indicating that climate (precipitation and temperature) and land type (wetlands and water bodies) influence their winter habitat selection. During daytime, whooper swans prefer areas close to wetlands, water bodies, and bare land, with a more dispersed distribution of water bodies. For nighttime, they tend to choose areas within the wetland park where human disturbance is minimal and safety is higher. This study can provide scientific basis and data support for habitat conservation and management of wintering waterbirds like whooper swans, recommending targeted conservation measures to effectively manage and protect the wintering grounds of whooper swans.

Flying without fear: Shooting disturbance has little effect on site preferences in a conflict goose species

Abstract Human‐modified landscapes have created opportunities for numerous taxa. Agricultural expansion has proven advantageous for several Arctic‐breeding goose species, leading to increased abundance and intensified conflict with farmers. Shooting is frequently implemented as a mitigation strategy to control population and via scaring to alter the spatial distribution of conflict species. However, the efficacy of such regimes in manipulating the fear landscape is not always investigated. We developed resource selection functions using GPS‐tracking data for Greenland barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) wintering on Islay, Scotland to assess foraging site choice. We assessed overall foraging site preference and evaluated the influence of shooting management on foraging site selection of key habitats. Barnacle geese selected for improved grassland areas and the likelihood of utilisation varied between these fields according to field‐specific management. Protected areas were strongly selected for along with newly reseeded grassland. Field‐level exposure to shooting disturbance did not cause a notable change in site selection. Synthesis and Applications: Our results demonstrate the importance of providing refuges within managed agricultural landscapes to encourage site use and minimise conflict. We highlight how low‐intensity shooting disturbance may be ineffective in altering winter habitat selection of high‐value foraging sites (especially near roosts). If future management aimed to stimulate redistribution, higher intensity shooting disturbance along with the spatial and temporal coordination of shooting effort would likely be required to create a stronger perceived gradient of disturbance risk.

Satellite tagging insights into the seasonal movements and behavior of Mediterranean spearfish (Tetrapturus belone, Istiophoridae)

The Mediterranean spearfish (Tetrapturus belone) is a highly migratory predator, also exploited by commercial and recreational fisheries although its catches are poorly reported. The fishing pressure on this species is currently unknown because catch and landing data are fragmentary. Furthermore, more ecological information (e.g. migratory movements) is needed to establish eventual management measures, and ICCAT has not examined the population status yet. Understanding species migratory movements is crucial for addressing conservation challenges and supporting management decisions. In this study we investigated the migratory movements, seasonal patterns, vertical behavior, and thermal preference of T. belone, with the aim to improve information on its ecology and behavior. Overall, six individuals were tagged in the Strait of Messina and Tyrrhenian Sea with pop-up satellite tags and their movements were mainly restricted to the central Mediterranean. Utilization distributions derived from geolocation revealed an overall and seasonal importance of the Tyrrhenian Sea and Strait of Sicily, as well as variability in winter habitat use. While the fish exhibited similar depth preference, spending the majority of time at depths ≤ 10 m, we observed that the Mediterranean spearfish is also able to perform sporadic deep dives below 200 m. Vertical movement showed a bimodal pattern common in other billfish species, characterized by occupation of shallower, warmer waters during the night and deeper, cooler waters during the day. This research increases knowledge on the migration ecology and habitat preference of T. belone which is important for management of this understudied species.

Preference for hibernacula microclimates varies among 3 bat species susceptible to white-nose syndrome

Abstract North American bat populations have experienced precipitous declines since the introduction of white-nose syndrome (WNS). Evidence that bats have responded to WNS by altering their winter habitat selection has been used to manipulate underground environments and improve winter survival. However, such management practices must be based on local data, which do not exist for all regions. Our goal was to identify determinants of winter habitat use for 3 bat species with varying susceptibility to WNS. To do so, we conducted 188 surveys of 129 potential hibernacula over 3 winters. We found that the range of winter temperatures and presence of water were important for the Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus) and Tricolored Bat (Perimyotis subflavus), species that are highly susceptible to WNS. Counts of both species were greater in sites with a narrow (<5 °C) temperature range and where streams or water bodies >25 m2 were present. In addition, we found larger groups of Little Brown Myotis in abandoned railroad tunnels than in caves. Winter counts of these species increased over time at 3 railroad tunnels that were surveyed for 3 consecutive winters, whereas populations were extirpated from historically important caves and mines. Counts of Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus), which are less susceptible to WNS, were also greater in hibernacula with water bodies. However, average winter temperature also helped predict counts of Big Brown Bats. This species had a curvilinear response to temperature, with most bats found at hibernacula with average winter temperatures of 4 to 6 °C, and fewer bats observed at warmer and colder conditions. These data show that focusing solely on historically important hibernacula may fail to achieve conservation goals for the Little Brown Myotis and Tricolored Bat in our region, and suggest that anthropogenic structures can provide habitat for remnant populations of imperiled bat species.

Abundance and Seasonal Migration Patterns of Green Lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) across the Bohai Strait in Eastern Asia.

Many insects, including green lacewings, migrate seasonally to exploit suitable breeding and winter habitats. Green lacewings are important natural enemies of insect pests worldwide. Here, four dominant green lacewing species, Chrysoperla nipponensis (Okamoto), Chrysopa pallens (Rambur), Chrysoperla furcifera (Okamoto), and Chrysopa formosa Brauer, were investigated for their ability to migrate between northern and northeastern China across the Bohai Strait from late May to late October each year. Furthermore, there were significant interannual and seasonal differences in the number of migratory green lacewings collected. The number of green lacewings in spring was significantly lower than that in summer and autumn, and the highest average number of green lacewings occurred in June. In addition, there were differences in the sex ratio of migrating green lacewings between months, with a greater proportion of females than males. Finally, the seasonal migration trajectories simulated by the HYSPLIT model revealed that the green lacewings captured on Beihuang Island primarily originated from Shandong Province. Accordingly, these findings contribute to our understanding of green lacewing migration in eastern Asia and aid its incorporation within integrated pest management (IPM) packages for several crop pests. Furthermore, long-term tracking of migrant insect populations can reveal ecosystem services and trophic dynamic processes at the macroscale.

First estimates of Common Sandpiper <i>Actitis hypoleucos</i> and Ruddy Turnstone <i>Arenaria interpres</i> wintering along the coast of Trapani (Sicily, Italy)

A census was carried out using the method of transects along stretches of coast of the Province of Trapani in order to estimate the wintering population of Common Sandpiper and Ruddy Turnstone. Although the International Waterbird Census (IWC) provides accurate estimation of wintering waders in Italy, the number of wintering individuals of Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos and Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres are strongly underestimated. The reason for this underestimation lies in the type of habitat they are used to populate along with the solitary life habits of the Common Sandpiper. To address this issue, we inspected 46.9 km of coastline where we recorded to 92 Ruddy Turnstones and 56 Common Sandpipers. For both species, the sites (coast) where bird-sightings occurred were marked with georeferenced data and classified as harbour area, sandy, rocky (including vermetid reefs) and posidonia banquettes. For each species, the IKA (Index of Abundance per Kilometer) was calculated, both global index and relative to each type of coast. As for the Common Sandpiper we observed 87 individuals, between transects and spot observations in the province of Trapani, which is the 22% of the whole wintering population estimated in Italy. Notably, even greater is the importance of our observations of the Ruddy Turnstone, which accounting for up to 154 individuals corresponds to the 71% of the whole Italian wintering population. Projection of these data to the entire Italian coast allows estimating a wintering population in Italy much larger than that reported so far, especially for the Common Sandpiper, which uses not only the sea cost but also inland wetlands and rivers as suitable wintering habitats for wintering.