Assessing Effects of Multi-Scale Landscape Pattern and Habitats Attributes on Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of Urban River Birds

Abstract

Several studies have revealed that urban rivers with relatively complete habitat structures can support a high level of biodiversity in urban areas. However, few studies have analyzed the impact of the plan, design, and management of multi-scale urban riverside green space on bird communities by assessing several aspects of diversity (e.g., taxonomic and functional). In this study, we explored bird community variation (taxonomic and functional) among three rivers (28 sampling sites) with different levels of human disturbance along the urban development gradient in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, during an annual cycle. This study related bird species richness and functional diversity to environmental variables at three spatial scales: landscape metrics at two different landscape scales (500 and 100 m radius) and vegetation structure at patch scales (20 m radius). Using partial least squares regression (PLSR) and multiple linear regression, we found that bird species richness and functional diversity were strongly related to various landscape- and patch-level variables. Multiple linear regression models revealed that, compared with the richness influenced by explanatory variables on three spatial scales (500, 100, and 20 m), the functional diversity was significantly influenced by explanatory variables on the 100 and 20 m scales. Tree cover at the 20 m scale had significantly positive impacts on bird species richness and functional diversity. Forest land in the 100 m scale had a significantly positive effect on bird species richness and functional diversity, while construction land in the two landscape scales (the 500- and 100 m scales) had a significantly negative effect on species richness. Accordingly, we suggest that urban riverside green space should be planned and managed at multiple scales.

The critical role of coastal protected areas in buffering impacts of extreme climatic conditions on bird diversity and their ecosystem services' provisioning in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

“…Furthermore, our moderate functional evenness indices indicate a balanced utilisation of resources and thus productivity (Mason et al, 2005). Our results are consistent with reports that diversity in environmental conditions, especially in vegetation types, can increase the diversity of bird communities (BirdLife South Africa, 2022; Mao et al, 2023), and a similar observation was reported in central Argentina (Leveau, 2019; Tilman et al, 1997).…”

“…Forest habitats tend to provide more resources than other vegetation types in the Eastern Cape province in South Africa (Bitani et al, 2020;Leaver & Cherry, 2020;Maseko et al, 2020;Oatley, 1989). Similarly, our finding of a relatively large number of different forest bird species may be attributed to those abundant resources although there are no predictable fruit patterns in forest patches (Gumede et al, 2022;Hart et al, 2013) of which may influence bird movement between the forest patches, and thus, associated dispersal services (Gumede et al, 2022;Mao et al, 2023;Maseko et al, 2020). Furthermore, the protected biodiversity conservation areas experience minimal anthropogenic habitat disturbance and thus adequate structural resources, thereby providing a safe living place for certain bird species (Evans et al, 2006;Gomes et al, 2008;Gregory et al, 2003;Lecina-Diaz et al, 2019;Maseko et al, 2020).…”

“…Birds provide important ecosystem services for both the natural and built environments (Şekercioğlu et al, 2016; Whelan et al, 2008), and consequently, knowledge of species diversity could be used to predict the potential ecological functions in local habitat maintenance (Mao et al, 2023; Morante‐Filho & Faria, 2017). In this study, we report bird species' diversity and the potential roles of these birds for habitat maintenance in four nature reserves located in the east wildcoast of South Africa.…”

“…The interest in associations between various habitat types and bird species' diversity has gained importance as a critical issue in biodiversity conservation (Mao et al, 2023; Tu et al, 2020) possibly because species diversity or richness can predict the functional diversity in a habitat (Martin et al, 2019; Seymour et al, 2015; Tilman, 2001). Functional diversity measures either the diversity of functionally different species with their different functional traits in the properties of a community (Martin et al, 2019; Petchey et al, 2004; Silva et al, 2020; Suárez‐Castro et al, 2022; Tilman, 2001), and it is important for understanding the dynamics and architecture of many ecosystems (Gagic et al, 2015; Mao et al, 2023; Tilman, 2001). It is suggested that functional diversity connects organisms and ecosystems to better explain and predict ecological processes maintaining the habitat (Li et al, 2022; Petchey et al, 2004).…”

“…The interest in associations between various habitat types and bird species' diversity has gained importance as a critical issue in biodiversity conservation (Mao et al, 2023;Tu et al, 2020) possibly because species diversity or richness can predict the functional diversity in a habitat (Martin et al, 2019;Seymour et al, 2015;Tilman, 2001).…”