A guild-based approach to assessing the influence of beech forest structure on bird communities

Balestrieri, Rosario; Basile, Marco; Posillico, Mario; Altea, Tiziana; Cinti, Bruno De; Matteucci, Giorgio

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2015.07.011

Cited by 47 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 54 publications

(63 reference statements)

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“…These species are characterized by an insectivorous diet and nest located either in tree cavities or within shrubs, further supporting the role of higher habitat complexity in shaping local bird distribution (Brotons and Herrando ; Balestrieri et al. ). Higher prey availability and more abundant tree cavities in more complexly structured forest edges than forest interiors, are factors potentially explaining the observed pattern (Van Wilgenburg et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 54%

“…Edge responses are often species‐ or guild‐specific, depending on habitat preferences and species traits (Balestrieri et al. ), and these attributes determine the observed patterns of variation in species abundance with distance from the forest edge (Ries et al. ; Ewers and Didham ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, fragmentation and edge effects may also act as an environmental filter that determines species persistence via functional traits, potentially enhancing the local density of insectivorous birds (Gonz alez-G omez et al 2006; Barbaro et al 2012) and thus increasing the capacity of bird assemblages to provide ecosystem services such as pest biocontrol (Jones et al 2005;Whelan et al 2015). Edge responses are often species-or guild-specific, depending on habitat preferences and species traits (Balestrieri et al 2015), and these attributes determine the observed patterns of variation in species abundance with distance from the forest edge (Ries et al 2004;Ewers and Didham 2006a). Most edgerelated studies either do not actually consider distance from edge as a continuous factor, or concentrate on one side of the interiorÀexterior gradient only (usually from forest edge into its interior), rather than considering both sides of the forest edges (Ewers and Didham 2006b;Zurita et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Forest edges have high conservation value for bird communities in mosaic landscapes

Terraube

Archaux²,

Deconchat

et al. 2016

Ecology and Evolution

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A major conservation challenge in mosaic landscapes is to understand how trait‐specific responses to habitat edges affect bird communities, including potential cascading effects on bird functions providing ecosystem services to forests, such as pest control. Here, we examined how bird species richness, abundance and community composition varied from interior forest habitats and their edges into adjacent open habitats, within a multi‐regional sampling scheme. We further analyzed variations in Conservation Value Index (CVI), Community Specialization Index (CSI) and functional traits across the forest‐edge‐open habitat gradient. Bird species richness, total abundance and CVI were significantly higher at forest edges while CSI peaked at interior open habitats, i.e., furthest from forest edge. In addition, there were important variations in trait‐ and species‐specific responses to forest edges among bird communities. Positive responses to forest edges were found for several forest bird species with unfavorable conservation status. These species were in general insectivores, understorey gleaners, cavity nesters and long‐distance migrants, all traits that displayed higher abundance at forest edges than in forest interiors or adjacent open habitats. Furthermore, consistently with predictions, negative edge effects were recorded in some forest specialist birds and in most open‐habitat birds, showing increasing densities from edges to interior habitats. We thus suggest that increasing landscape‐scale habitat complexity would be beneficial to declining species living in mosaic landscapes combining small woodlands and open habitats. Edge effects between forests and adjacent open habitats may also favor bird functional guilds providing valuable ecosystem services to forests in longstanding fragmented landscapes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 54%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Forest edges have high conservation value for bird communities in mosaic landscapes

Terraube

Archaux²,

Deconchat

et al. 2016

Ecology and Evolution

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“…, Balestrieri et al. ). Species allocations to guild and scientific names are given in Appendix : Table S1.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Do novel ecosystems provide habitat value for wildlife? Revisiting the physiognomy vs. floristics debate

et al. 2018

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Although novel ecosystems are increasing globally, their utility for biodiversity conservation is poorly understood. Native fauna are predicted to use novel ecosystems when those ecosystems provide structure and resources similar to the native habitat. We modified existing terminology on wildlife functional groups to develop a conceptual model that illustrates fundamental differences in how native wildlife respond to novel ecosystems: novel ecosystem avoiders, novel ecosystem utilizers, and novel ecosystem flourishers. We postulate that species membership in these functional groups is related to the relative importance habitat physiognomy and floristics play in habitat selection cues. An excellent opportunity to test this conceptual model exists with birds in historic and novel ecosystems. A long‐standing, equivocal literature investigating relative contribution of physiognomy vs. floristics to avian abundance and community diversity in native ecosystems exists. Using data from grassland and woodland biomes in western North America (Oregon, USA) and Western Australia, respectively, we evaluated use of habitats by indigenous bird species in relation to physiognomy and floristics. Our two case studies represent two extremes on the novelty spectrum: (1) urban gardens in the metropolitan region of Perth, Western Australia, which are designed ecosystems that vary in the percentage of native plantings; and (2) the Zumwalt Prairie in northeastern Oregon where native grassland plants still dominate the ecosystem but non‐native plants are present and available for use as breeding sites. Using an information‐theoretic perspective, we asked whether habitat use based on occurrence (Perth gardens) or breeding success (Oregon grassland) was best explained by physiognomy, floristics, or both. Using these two case studies, our evidence shows that species or guilds within a community will not respond equally to novelty as predicted. We found strong evidence for only one taxon showing sensitivity to floristics and two to physiognomy. All taxa considered were either grouped as novel ecosystem avoiders or utilizers; no flourishers were identified. These results suggest novel ecosystems providing appropriate physiognomy can provision suitable habitat for some taxa.

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“…Foraging guilds often respond to environmental conditions differently (Balestrieri et al, 2015). Recent studies have demonstrated population declines of long-distance migrant insectivore birds in forest habitats (Gregory et al, 2007;Vickery et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bird species diversity in Altai riparian landscapes: Wood cover plays a key role for avian abundance

Sun

Chu

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Aims We aim to understand bird richness and variation in species composition (beta diversity) along a 630 km riparian landscape in the Altai Mountains of China and to test whether vegetation cover is the main explanation of species diversity. Methods We selected nine regions along a gradient of natural vegetation change. Bird surveys and environmental measurements were conducted at 10 points in each of the nine regions. We collected environmental land cover variables such as wood cover (area proportion of trees and shrubs with saplings in habitats; here trees are woody plant with a single trunk and higher than 3 m, shrubs and saplings are distinguished from trees by their multiple trunks and shorter height) and tree cover, and two climate factors which were Annual Mean Temperature (AMT) and Annual Precipitation (AP). We used Liner Regression Models to explore the correlation between bird species richness and environmental variables. We used Sørensen's dissimilarity index to measure birds' beta diversity, and quantified the contribution of environmental variables to this pattern using a Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Results Wood cover was the strongest predictor of overall, insectivore, and omnivore bird richness. Regions with wood cover contained more bird species. Beta diversity was overall high in the studied regions, and turnover components occupied a major part of beta diversity. Wood cover and AP were significant predictors of bird species composition explaining 33.24% of bird beta diversity together. Conclusions Wood vegetation including trees, shrubs, and saplings, rather than only trees, contains high bird richness. High beta diversity suggests that expansion of the existing nature reserves is needed in the riparian landscapes to capture the variation in bird species composition. Thus all wood cover in the overall riparian landscapes of Altai Mountains should be protected from farming and grazing to improve bird conservation outcomes. OPEN RESEARCH BADGES This article has earned an Open Data Badge for making publicly available the digitally‐shareable data necessary to reproduce the reported results. The data is available at Raw bird data in this study: http://osf.io/78qcw; Raw environment data: http://osf.io/qr5cw.

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A guild-based approach to assessing the influence of beech forest structure on bird communities

Cited by 47 publications

References 54 publications

Forest edges have high conservation value for bird communities in mosaic landscapes

Forest edges have high conservation value for bird communities in mosaic landscapes

Do novel ecosystems provide habitat value for wildlife? Revisiting the physiognomy vs. floristics debate

Bird species diversity in Altai riparian landscapes: Wood cover plays a key role for avian abundance

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