Diversity metrics, species turnovers and nestedness of bird assemblages in a deep karst sinkhole

Battisti, Corrado; Giardini, Marco; Marini, Francesca; Rocco, Lorena Di; Dodaro, G; Vignoli, Leonardo

doi:10.1163/22244662-06301009

Cited by 8 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Karst sinkholes are peculiar structures characterized by sudden changes in altitude, temperature, and lighting: these environmental gradients can influence some ecosystem components [1][2][3]. Among these components, birds are still little studied in these peculiar ecosystems [4,5]. This note reports data on the community structure of breeding birds in a deep karstic sinkhole located in central Italy (Pozzo del Merro; Latium), actively studied in the past decades regarding geology and vegetation [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here, we report, for the first time, original data relating to the density of breeding (territorial) species within the sinkhole recorded with a mapping method: a census technique useful to obtain data at species and community level (species richness, diversity, and evenness). Furthermore, the results obtained were compared with the data obtained with the point counts method carried out in the same phenological period [4]. Although the mapping method obtains fine-grained data [7], it is time-consuming compared to the more rapid method of point counts [8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mapping Breeding Birds in a Karstic Sinkhole with a Comparison between Different Sampling Methods

Battisti,

Crucitti,

Dodaro

et al. 2024

Diversity

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Karstic sinkholes are peculiar structures hosting specific biological communities. Birds are still little studied in this regard. This note reports, for the first time, original data relating to the density of breeding species occurring within a sinkhole in central Italy obtained with a fine-grained and time-expensive sampling technique (mapping method). The results were compared with data sampled with the point counts method carried out in the same phenological period. We recorded 22 breeding species, all typical of meso-thermophilous forests and ecotonal habitats of hilly central Italy. Among them, two species (Turdus merula and Troglodytes troglodytes), typical of shady, undergrowth habitats, were recorded in the deepest part of the sinkhole (−70 m from the top). No significant differences emerged between the relative frequencies of the species obtained with the two methods, except for Luscinia megarhynchos (overestimated with the mapping method) and Aegithalos caudatus (underestimated). At the community level, the comparison of the two methods revealed similar values in univariate diversity metrics, Whittaker plots did not show a significant difference (ANCOVA test), and ordinary least squares regression between the frequencies showed a highly significant correlation. Therefore, in these peculiar habitats, data obtained from the two methods are comparable: since the point counts method needs lower sampling effort, it appeared to be more effective when compared to the mapping method to study these peculiar habitats.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mapping Breeding Birds in a Karstic Sinkhole with a Comparison between Different Sampling Methods

Battisti,

Crucitti,

Dodaro

et al. 2024

Diversity

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“…In addition, the accumulation of cold-adapted plants (e.g., high montane and glacial relict species) within certain microhabitats of dolines -such as poleward-facing slopes and bottoms -is a prime indicator of the presence of current warm-stage microrefugia. Although recent investigations have indicated that dolines may also provide safe havens for various functional groups of animals from different phyla (Vilisics et al, 2011;Kemencei et al, 2014;Raschmanová et al, 2015Raschmanová et al, , 2018Růžička et al, 2016;Battisti et al, 2017;Bátori et al, 2019), data on many taxa is scarce or completely lacking. Furthermore, most of these studies do not provide information about the effects of habitat heterogeneity and related vegetation patterns on the functional diversity of animal assemblages within dolines.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Karstic Microrefugia Host Functionally Specific Ant Assemblages

et al. 2020

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Karst landscapes are among the topographically most complex systems with various microhabitats, where species can persist despite unfavourable macro-environmental changes. These microhabitats can also function as stepping stones during range shifts. Although the enclosed depressions (dolines, sinkholes or tiankengs) of karst landscapes may act as such safe havens, data on the functional diversity of their animal assemblages are scarce. Here, we investigate the functional diversity (i.e., certain functional groups and functional traits) of ant assemblages in dolines and study whether dolines surrounded by resource-poor environments (i.e., Fagus sylvatica forests) may function as safe havens for different kinds of ants. We found that dolines have the potential to maintain distinctive ant assemblages characterised by specific functional groups and traits that are rare in the surrounding habitats. Although continuous Fagus sylvatica cover in dolines had a detrimental impact on ant assemblages, grassland dolines surrounded by grasslands or Fagus sylvatica forests supported the presence of some specific functional groups and traits. These results suggest that conservation management needs to consider the influence of vegetation characteristics not only in dolines but also on the surrounding plateau. Moderate grazing and/or mowing would be desirable in order to prevent shrub encroachment into grasslands to ensure optimal vegetation structure for ants in the long run. Therefore, proper management and conservation of these safe havens may mitigate the rate of biodiversity loss under global warming. There is a need to explore a wide variety of taxonomic groups and taxon-specific traits in parallel with the quality of the surrounding habitats when evaluating current and potential microrefugia.

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“…Dolines provide steep gradients of environmental conditions (e.g., soil moisture and temperature) within very short distances (Whiteman et al 2004;Chauchard et al 2007;Su et al 2017), enabling them to facilitate the persistence of various functional groups of species in various phyla (Růžička et al 2016;Breg Valjavec et al 2018a;Bátori et al 2019). As a result, they are characterised by high genetic (Egli 1991;Su et al 2017), taxonomic (Bátori et al 2014b;Kemencei et al 2014;Raschmanová et al 2015;Růžička et al 2016;Battisti et al 2017) and microhabitat diversity (Özkan et al 2010;Bátori et al 2019) and may offer the best chances of survival for cool-adapted species and/or species retreating from global warming (i.e. trailing edge and stabilized relict populations) (Hampe and Petit 2005;Bauer 2018;Bátori et al 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anthropogenic disturbances alter the conservation value of karst dolines

et al. 2019

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Dolines are depressions in karst landscapes that are of high value for conservation, providing habitats and supporting species not found in the surrounding landscape. This is due to their high microhabitat diversity and ability to decouple microclimate from regional climate changes, making them potential refugia for biodiversity. Nevertheless, local anthropogenic disturbances have had considerable impact on the species composition and vegetation structure of many dolines. Here we investigate the conservation value of dolines in three European karst areas, where different levels and types of anthropogenic disturbances have been shaping the vegetation for centuries, using the number of plant species that are cool-adapted, moist-adapted and of high conservation importance (i.e. vulnerable species) as indicators. We found that anthropogenic disturbances generally have a negative impact, reducing the number of vulnerable species supported by dolines. However, more cooladapted and moist-adapted species were found in some dolines planted with non-native Picea abies than in less disturbed dolines, indicating that anthropogenic disturbances can also have positive consequences for biodiversity. We conclude that anthropogenic disturbances alter the capacity of dolines to support vulnerable species, and that this will impact survival of species in landscapes under global warming. In this context, the effects of various disturbances on species composition and diversity need to carefully considered to determine the best conservation and/or management options.

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Diversity metrics, species turnovers and nestedness of bird assemblages in a deep karst sinkhole

Cited by 8 publications

References 35 publications

Mapping Breeding Birds in a Karstic Sinkhole with a Comparison between Different Sampling Methods

Mapping Breeding Birds in a Karstic Sinkhole with a Comparison between Different Sampling Methods

Karstic Microrefugia Host Functionally Specific Ant Assemblages

Anthropogenic disturbances alter the conservation value of karst dolines

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