Declines in common, widespread native birds in a mature temperate forest

Elliott, Graeme; Wilson, Peter R.; Taylor, R. H.; Beggs, Jacqueline R.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2010.05.022

Cited by 76 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…An important and biologically significant finding was a decline in grey warbler abundance by more than 50% at feeding properties during the feeding regime, in comparison with nonfeeding properties where grey warbler abundance remained steady. This effect is concerning in light of evidence that the grey warbler, regarded as a common species, may in fact be declining in forest habitats (43). A likely reason for the negative impact of the feeding regime on warblers is the increased disturbance by heterospecifics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Supplementary feeding restructures urban bird communities

Galbraith

Beggs

Jones

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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173

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Food availability is a primary driver of avian population regulation. However, few studies have considered the effects of what is essentially a massive supplementary feeding experiment: the practice of wild bird feeding. Bird feeding has been posited as an important factor influencing the structure of bird communities, especially in urban areas, although experimental evidence to support this is almost entirely lacking. We carried out an 18-mo experimental feeding study at 23 residential properties to investigate the effects of bird feeding on local urban avian assemblages. Our feeding regime was based on predominant urban feeding practices in our region. We used monthly bird surveys to compare avian community composition, species richness, and the densities of local species at feeding and nonfeeding properties. Avian community structure diverged at feeding properties and five of the commonest garden bird species were affected by the experimental feeding regime. Introduced birds particularly benefitted, with dramatic increases observed in the abundances of house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and spotted dove (Streptopelia chinensis) in particular. We also found evidence of a negative effect on the abundance of a native insectivore, the grey warbler (Gerygone igata). Almost all of the observed changes did not persist once feeding had ceased. Our study directly demonstrates that the human pastime of bird feeding substantially contributes to the structure of avian community in urban areas, potentially altering the balance between native and introduced species.avian ecology | community composition | garden birds | human interactions | wildlife feeding

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Supplementary feeding restructures urban bird communities

Galbraith

Beggs

Jones

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

Self Cite

179

173

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“…However, this negative impact is habitat dependent; oceanic islands, native grassland and forests seem to be the most affected (Wiles et al 2003;Flanders et al 2006;Bonnaud et al 2009;Elliott et al 2010;Pons et al 2010;Strubbe et al 2010). One habitat that is often invaded by alien species, primarily plants and invertebrates, is inland wetlands (for example: lakes, ponds and river beds).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An invasive gull displaces native waterbirds to breeding habitats more exposed to native predators

et al. 2014

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The effect of invasive opportunistic predators may include population changes in both native prey and native predators as well as alteration of predator-prey interactions. We analyzed the activity of native magpie Pica pica and changes in population, nest sites and nesting success probability of native waterbirds (namely: grebes, ducks, rails and native gulls) in response to the population growth of the invasive Caspian gull Larus cachinnans. The study was carried out at a reservoir in southern Poland and at a similar control reservoir where the Caspian gull was absent. Both the invasive gulls and the native magpie are opportunistic predators of nests of native waterbirds. The population increase of the invasive gull led to a decline in the population of native black-headed gulls Larus ridibundus only. However, the invasive gull displaced all the native species from the breeding islets located in the central part of the reservoir to islets located close to the shoreline. The latter were frequently visited by magpies, which depredated on nests along the shores, leading to an up to threefold decrease in nesting success as compared with nests located in the central area of the invaded reservoir. Predation by Caspian gulls was rarely observed. Thus, the invasion of Caspian gull caused complex direct and indirect effects on the waterbird community that included competition for breeding sites, changes in the spatial distribution of nests and alteration of predation rate by native predators. Moreover, the effects of invasion may not be reflected by changes in population size of native species.

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“…This is consistent with evidence that ship rats are absent from alpine habitats in New Zealand (Studholme 2000;Innes 2005). In a concurrent study at Mt Misery, declines in common bird abundance at low elevations in comparison to high elevations were linked to elevational variation in invasive species distribution (Elliott et al 2010). Ship rats are habitat generalists (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…data). The vegetation along the trap line was classified into seven distinct elevational zones; silver (Elliott et al 2010). Twenty 0.28 m 2 trays were used to measure annual beech seed production every year except for 1986 and 1987 ).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Establishing whether there is a link between ship rat elevational distribution and temperature is important, because in the next 100 years temperatures are predicted to increase as a result of climate change (Mullan et al 2016). A temperature-induced increase in ship rat elevational distribution may negatively impact native species that have persisted at higher elevations (Elliott et al 2010) and are vulnerable to being preyed on by ship rats (Dilks et al 2003;Innes 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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How elevation affects ship rat (Rattus rattus) capture patterns, Mt Misery, New Zealand

Christie¹,

Wilson²,

Taylor³

et al. 2017

NZ J Ecol

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Abstract:There is a lack of information about how elevation affects the distribution of ship rats in New Zealand. In this study, ship rats (Rattus rattus) were captured in traps set along a 2 km elevational transect (455-1585 m a.s.l.) in beech (Nothofagaceae) forest and adjacent alpine tussock at Mt Misery, in Nelson Lakes National Park, from 1974 to 1993. A total of 118 rats were captured. In years with beech seed fall, upper range limits corresponded with the red beech forest (Fuscospora fusca) limit (~1030 m a.s.l.), with no rats caught above this line in the silver (Lophozonia menziesii) and mountain (F. cliffortioides) beech forest (1050-1408 m a.s.l.) or alpine zone (1425-1585 m a.s.l.). Binary generalised linear models indicated there is an indirect relationship between ship rat capture and temperature, as beech seed production, as well as decreasing elevation, were important predictors of rat capture. There was some evidence to suggest decreasing winter temperature and increasing annual precipitation also influenced ship rat capture and warrants further investigation. Our analyses provide an important insight into the drivers of ship rat elevational distribution, as well as providing a benchmark for comparing both current and future ship rat elevational distributions. Interrogation of more recent rat monitoring data from a range of beech forest types and sites is needed to test hypotheses around how warming temperatures, as predicted with climate change, will both directly and indirectly effect ship rat distribution.

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Declines in common, widespread native birds in a mature temperate forest

Cited by 76 publications

References 30 publications

Supplementary feeding restructures urban bird communities

Supplementary feeding restructures urban bird communities

An invasive gull displaces native waterbirds to breeding habitats more exposed to native predators

How elevation affects ship rat (Rattus rattus) capture patterns, Mt Misery, New Zealand

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