Habitat Use and Life History as Predictors of Bird Responses to Habitat Change

Abstract:  In theory the consideration of life-history characteristics should provide a way of making predictive generalizations about the responses of different species to environmental modification. Nevertheless, few studies have tested the validity of this assumption or attempted to apply it across large numbers of related species. We explored both quantitative and qualitative contrasts between species of waterbirds that have either expanded or contracted their ranges in southern Africa over the past 40 years to test the hypothesis that expansionists and contractionists, respectively, should share life-history characteristics and/or ecological attributes. Similarities and differences in life history and ecology were explored through multivariate statistics. Overall, life-history traits provided an inadequate explanation of whether species would be range expansionists or contractionists. By contrast, ecological attributes of species that related to habitat use correlated well with range changes. In particular, waterbird species that inhabit pans seemed to be preadapted to using human-made dams and impoundments. The ability of many species to use artificial wetlands has aided their westward range expansions into arid regions of southern Africa. By contrast, species that rely on vegetated wetlands and that require reeds for nesting were predisposed to range contraction because their habitats have been severely affected by agricultural development and urbanization. In direct contrast to range expansions, most range contractions were west to east, the eastward contraction reflected the high level of wetland loss and degradation in the eastern lowlands of South Africa. Based on analysis of ecological attributes of regional contractionists, several additional species were identified as of potential conservation concern, although such concern may not as yet have been expressed.     

上海浦东东滩鸟类栖息地生态修复区的水鸟群落变化

河口和海岸带自然湿地的大量退化与丧失导致了迁徙路线上水鸟栖息地的大量减少,从而加剧了迁徙水鸟种群数量的下降,一般认为,栖息地修复能够缓解上述过程。于2010年、2012年对位于上海浦东东滩的鸟类栖息地生态修复区和自然退化区（对照样地）进行调查,比较两个区域的水鸟群落结构差异与年际变化,研究生态修复区的水鸟群落变化并评价其在水鸟保育方面的作用。结果表明：生态修复区的水鸟种类、数量和物种多样性均极显著高于自然退化区,而均匀度与自然退化区无显著差异;生态修复区2012年水鸟种类显著低于2010年,而水鸟数量、物种多样性和均匀度均无显著差异;自然退化区2012年水鸟种类、数量和物种多样性均极显著低于2010年,而均匀度无显著差异。生态修复区通过营造浅滩、浅水区、深水区等多样化生境,为迁徙水鸟提供了重要的补充栖息地,对水鸟保育工作起到了积极作用     

Distribution of mercury in some organs of the Kani Barazan wetland common coot (Fulica atra)

We document mercury distribution in the tissues (kidney, liver, breast feathers and pectoral muscle) of a waterbird, the common coot (Fulica atra) from the Kani Barazan wetlands in north-western Iran. Bird samples were collected between November 2011 and January 2012, and mercury was assayed by using a Varian 220 atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Mean levels of mercury in kidney, liver, breast feathers and pectoral muscle were 0.13, 0.22, 0.20 and 0.09 μg/g, respectively. Mercury concentrations in tissues of F. atra were in the following order: liver>feather>kidney>pectoral muscle. The mercury level was significantly (one-way ANOVA, p<0.05) different between kidneys, livers, pectoral muscles and feathers in F. atra. Although mercury concentrations were higher for all tissues in female birds compared with males, significant (p<0.05) differences were observed in muscle only.     

中国西南不同湿地类型水鸟多样性评价

水鸟是反映湿地生态系统健康的指标之一,对不同湿地水鸟多样性进行评价能提出有利于湿地生态系统健康良性发展的湿地管理措施,亦能更好地保护水鸟资源。为缓解近年来中国自然湿地退化和消失的问题,中国政府积极推进实施了大量修复自然湿地和新建人工湿地的工程。然而受限于人力、物力和经费,当前对自然湿地和人工湿地水鸟多样性的系统调查和评价多局限于单一地点或局部区域。因水鸟的分布具有地域性,从地域尺度进行不同湿地类型水鸟多样性评价将更为客观,公众科学数据为区域大尺度数据获取提供了可能。本研究借助中国观鸟记录中心数据,比较了2014年1月至2018年2月中国西南4省(市)自然湿地和人工湿地的水鸟物种多样性和组成相似性;结果共记录到9目19科139种水鸟,其中有94.96%的物种分布于自然湿地,67.63%的物种分布于人工湿地;各类群水鸟在自然湿地中的物种数均高于人工湿地。结果说明自然湿地在水鸟保护中具有重要栖息地功能,人工湿地能为大部分水鸟提供栖息地,但不能完全代替自然湿地。自然湿地中的湖泊湿地、河流湿地和沼泽化草甸以及人工湿地中的水库、城市人工景观水面和娱乐水面是水鸟,特别是受威胁水鸟分布的重要湿地类型;建议政府部门重点对上述湿地亚类进行合理的规划和管理。     

Long‐distance flights and high‐risk breeding by nomadic waterbirds on desert salt lakes

Understanding and conserving mobile species presents complex challenges, especially for animals in stochastic or changing environments. Nomadic waterbirds must locate temporary water in arid biomes where rainfall is highly unpredictable in space and time. To achieve this they need to travel over vast spatial scales and time arrival to exploit pulses in food resources. How they achieve this is an enduring mystery.  We investigated these challenges in the colonial‐nesting Banded Stilt (Cladorhynchus leucocephalus), a nomadic shorebird of conservation concern. Hitherto, Banded Stilts were hypothesized to have only 1–2 chances to breed during their long lifetime, when flooding rain fills desert salt lakes, triggering mass‐hatching of brine shrimp. Over 6 years, we satellite tagged 57 individuals, conducted 21 aerial surveys to detect nesting colonies on 14 Australian desert salt lakes, and analyzed 3 decades of Landsat and MODIS satellite imagery to quantify salt‐lake flood frequency and extent. Within days of distant inland rainfall, Banded Stilts flew 1,000–2,000 km to reach flooded salt lakes. On arrival, females laid over half their body weight in eggs. We detected nesting episodes across the species’ range at 7 times the frequency reported during the previous 80 years. Nesting colonies of thousands formed following minor floods, yet most were subsequently abandoned when the water rapidly evaporated prior to egg hatching. Satellite imagery revealed twice as many flood events sufficient for breeding‐colony initiation as recorded colonies, suggesting that nesting at remote sites has been underdetected. Individuals took risk on uncertain breeding opportunities by responding to frequent minor flood events between infrequent extensive flooding, exemplifying the extreme adaptability and trade‐offs of species exploiting unstable environments. The conservation challenges of nest predation by overabundant native gulls and anthropogenic modifications to salt lakes filling frequencies require investigation, as do the physiological and navigational mechanisms that enable such extreme strategies.     

贵州草海湿地水鸟重金属暴露风险评估与应用

运用综合暴露风险模型评价贵州草海湿地水鸟群落的重金属暴露风险,并通过反距离权重插值法和图层叠加分析确定暴露风险的空间分布.结果表明,草海水鸟栖息地土壤中As、Cd、Cr、Ni、Pb、Zn的均值含量均超过贵州的土壤背景值,As、Cd、Cr、Pb、Zn在浅水沼泽、草地、耕地和水沟4种生境植物中均呈污染水平,As、Pb在水鸟肉食性食物鱼样中超标.草海水鸟主要对Cr、Pb、Zn存在暴露风险,在不同食性水鸟食物摄入途径不同则对重金属的暴露风险不同.在不同食性的代表性水鸟中,Pb在食植途径对针尾鸭、斑头雁,在食土途径则对白鹭暴露风险最高.Cr在食土途径中对3种水鸟暴露风险都较高.而Zn主要在食肉途径对白鹭、斑头雁的暴露风险最高.综合评价表明,代表肉食性水鸟的白鹭和代表植食性的针尾鸭的重金属潜在危害风险为高风险,代表杂食性的斑头雁为中风险.以水鸟栖息区域的潜在危害风险来看,双河、胡叶林、王家院子周边和邻近威宁县城城区的区域达到了高风险水平.建议重点监测肉食性水鸟群落的健康状态,优先治理和防控Cr、Pb、Zn重金属污染物以及污染高风险区域,采取科学合理的人为活动限制和污染防控措施.     

洪湖湿地水鸟肝脏中有机氯农药的分布

对我国中部地区洪湖湿地6种水鸟肝脏中20种有机氯农药进行了测量.发现DDTs是最主要的OCPs,约占总OCPs的38.3%~93.0%,其平均含量范围为2.74~121.72ng/g 湿重.HCHs和DDTs的富集形态说明洪湖湿地这些有机氯农药主要来源于历史残留.不同水鸟肝脏中∑OCPs含量差异显著(P<0.01),表现为白鹭和池鹭体内OCPs含量(37.91~137.22ng/g 湿重)要远高于其他水鸟(5.00~21.49ng/g 湿重),这种差异的产生主要与其饮食习性有关.大多数水鸟HCHs性别间基本无差异;但白鹭、池鹭雄性水鸟中总OCPs平均含量(白鹭: 136.90ng/g 湿重; 池鹭: 52.41ng/g 湿重)高于雌性水鸟(白鹭: 126.60ng/g 湿重; 池鹭: 49.78ng/g 湿重).与已有研究相比,洪湖湿地水鸟体内OCPs含量处于较低水平.风险评价结果表明研究区水鸟肝脏中OCPs含量不会对该地区水鸟种群产生不利效应.