Comparing the Community Composition of European and Eastern Chinese Waterbirds and the Influence of Human Factors on the China Waterbird Community

Abstract

We compared the European and eastern Chinese waterbird assemblages and checked whether the effects of human disturbance could be detected in the assemblages' composition. For the different Chinese provinces, we expected to find a negative effect of economic development on the mean bird species mass and on the proportion of bentivorous, piscivorous and insectivorous bird species. We also expected to find relatively fewer large species in the Chinese assemblage. Species rankabundance curves were relatively similar, but China had significantly more species with smaller body masses. The China assemblage was characterized by relatively higher abundance of heavy-bodied species, contrary to our expectations. Mean bird body mass decreased in China with increasing disturbance and increasing gross domestic product (GDP). For coastal provinces in China the percentage of bentivorous, piscivorous and insectivorous bird species declined with increasing GDP, maybe through the increased use of pesticides or fertilizer.

Loss of functional connectivity in migration networks induces population decline in migratory birds

“…Others, such as species with a relatively small body mass (de Boer et al. ), large clutch size (Jiguet et al. ), and short generation length (Murray et al.…”

“…Species, such as those with longer migration distances (Morrison et al 2013), with a smaller size of their nonbreeding ranges relative to breeding ranges (migratory dispersion; Gilroy et al 2016), and with smaller breeding ranges (Murray et al 2014), are more likely to experience population declines. Others, such as species with a relatively small body mass (de Boer et al 2011), large clutch size (Jiguet et al 2007), and short generation length (Murray et al 2014), are less likely to decline.…”

Spring migration patterns, habitat use, and stopover site protection status for two declining waterfowl species wintering in China as revealed by satellite tracking

“…Among the global network of migratory waterfowl flyways, the Asian flyways are the least studied in terms of migration ecology, while they are characterized by the most pronounced human–bird conflicts (Si, Xin, Prins, et al., ). East Asian migratory waterfowl have greatly declined since the 1950s, and several species are at critically low numbers (Cao, Barter, & Lei, ; de Boer et al., ; Syroechkovskiy, ). Although hunting remains a problem, habitat loss and degradation of stopover and wintering sites, especially those in China, are considered the main threat (de Boer et al., ; Syroechkovskiy, ).…”

“…East Asian migratory waterfowl have greatly declined since the 1950s, and several species are at critically low numbers (Cao, Barter, & Lei, 2008;de Boer et al, 2011;Syroechkovskiy, 2006). Although hunting remains a problem, habitat loss and degradation of stopover and wintering sites, especially those in China, are considered the main threat (de Boer et al, 2011;Syroechkovskiy, 2006). Due to fast economic development, the number and size of natural wetlands have declined considerably in eastern China from the 1970s onwards (Gong et al, 2010;Niu et al, 2012).…”

Landscape-Level Associations of Wintering Waterbird Diversity and Abundance from Remotely Sensed Wetland Characteristics of Poyang Lake

“…More than 400 waterbird species, including long-distance migrants, critically depend on wintering habitat in wetlands of warm low-latitude regions, large extents of which have been lost to agriculture, residential sprawl and modifications to store or manage water resources in recent decades [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. The United Nations has designated a number of conservation targets and wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention [9].…”