Characteristics of Urban Natural Areas Influencing Winter Bird Use in Southern Ontario,Canada |
| |
Authors: | Paul G R Smith |
| |
Institution: | (1) Environmental Policy and Programs Branch, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 1 Stone Road West, 3rd floor, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 4Y2 |
| |
Abstract: | Characteristics of urban natural areas and surrounding landscapes were identified that best explain winter bird use for 28
urban natural areas in southern Ontario, Canada. The research confirms for winter birds the importance of area (size) and
natural vegetation, rather than managed, horticultural parkland, within urban natural areas as well as percent urban land
use and natural habitat in surrounding landscapes. Alien bird density and percent ground feeding species increased with percent
surrounding urban land use. Higher percent forest cover was associated with higher percentages of forest, bark feeding, small
(<20 g) and insectivorous species. Natural area size (ha) was related to higher species richness, lower evenness and higher
percentages of insectivorous, forest interior, area-sensitive, upper canopy, bark feeding, and non-resident species. Higher
number of habitat types within natural areas and percent natural habitat in surrounding landscapes were also associated with
higher species richness. Common, resident bird species dominated small areas (<6.5 ha), while less common non-residents increased
with area, indicative of a nested distribution. Areas at least 6.5 ha and more generally >20 ha start to support some area-sensitive
species. Areas similar to rural forests had >25% insectivores, >25% forest interior species, >25% small species, and <5% alien
species. Indicator species separated urban natural areas from rural habitats and ordination placed urban natural areas along
a gradient between urban development and undisturbed, rural forests. More attention is needed on issues of winter bird conservation
in urban landscapes. |
| |
Keywords: | Winter birds Urban ecology Natural area Urbanization |
本文献已被 PubMed SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|