Ecological factors affecting wetland occupancy by breeding Anatidae in the southwestern mediterranean

Abstract

Conservation of Anatidae in North Africa is hindered by lack of information concerning population size, population trends, and species‐habitat relationships. In this work, we used a 2‐year survey data in 25 wetlands distributed throughout Morocco to model duck spatial distribution and to assess the relevance of a set of environmental and anthropogenic factors in predicting site occupancy, by means of Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM). Mallards and Ferruginous ducks were the most commonly detected species, whereas White‐Headed Ducks and Common Pochards were the least detected ones. An inter‐annual variation in site occupancy was recorded for Ruddy Shelducks, Red‐Crested Pochards and White‐Headed Ducks. Geographical location (measured mainly as distance to the coastline and altitude) was the major predictor of the occurrence probability of Ruddy Shelducks, Marbled Teals and Red‐Crested Pochards, while human presence and habitat features were the most relevant factors in shaping Mallard's distribution. However, none of the considered environmental and anthropogenic factors explained the distribution patterns of the Ferruginous Duck, Common Pochard and Gadwall. The results of this study clearly show that there are still gaps in our knowledge on factors driving wetland occupancy by breeding Anatidae in Morocco. The pursuit of the investigations, while considering other explanatory factors such as water quality (limnological data), diet, predation, and conservation status, is of great importance to more profoundly understand the dynamics of Moroccan duck populations.

Structure of waterbird assemblages in fragmented coastal wetlands of Northeastern Algeria

“…This biodiversity assessment indicates that this hydrosystem has retained regional importance for the resident and migrant species of aquatic avifauna since Beni-Belaid Lake was designated a Ramsar site in 2003 (De Bélair and Samraoui, 2000). In this regard, we can say the ecological interest of this eco-complex is comparable to that in the great emblematic wetlands of North Africa, the case of (1) the wetlands of Merja-Zerka in Morocco (Qninba et al, 2009;Cherkaoui et al, 2017), (2) the wetland complex of 'Eastern Numidia' in Algeria (Stevenson et al, 1988;Samraoui and De Bélair, 1997), 3and the wetlands of 'Kroumiria' in Tunisia (Daoud-Bouattour et al, 2011;Nefla and Nouira, 2016).…”

Are diurnal time-budgets and activity patterns density-dependent in the Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) wintering in Algeria? An analysis across multiple temporal scales

“…However, beyond the description of time budgets of bird activities, nothing has been done to explain ecologically behavioral changes and habitat use nor the environmental factors influencing the observed activity patterns. It is therefore imperative to know how these species use the habitat during wintering, what are the environmental factors that determine the modalities of habitat use, and how these species adjust their behavior in order to efficiently take advantage of habitat services to match their ecological needs that vary in space and time (Paracuellos 2006;Cherkaoui et al 2017).…”

“…Investigating time budgets and habitat use has been found to be important tools in unraveling the ecological requirements of waterfowl by linking foraging activities to habitat selection (Caraco 1979;Paulus 1988;Baldassarre and Bolen 2006). This in turn provides fundamental information on the functional role of wetlands, and how habitat changes can affect the ecology of birds using the ecosystem (Tamisier and Dehorter 1999;Baldassarre and Bolen 2006;Cherkaoui et al 2017).…”

Diversity of waterbirds wintering in Douz wetlands (south Tunisia): factors affecting wetland occupancy and species richness

“…Wetlands are considered among the most productive ecosystems in the world (Nabahungu and Visser 2011). They also harbour a rich biodiversity and provide habitats for many waterbirds (Sebastia´n-Gonza´lez and Green 2014;Cherkaoui et al 2015Cherkaoui et al , 2017. However, these habitats are among the most threatened ecosystems worldwide, mainly due to the intensification of agricultural activities (Georgoudis et al 1999;Zedler and Kercher 2005), urban development (Zedler and Kercher 2005;Erwin 2009;C í zˇkova´et al 2013) and climate change (Brinson and Malvarez 2002;Dudgeon et al 2006;Woodward et al 2010).…”

“…Carvalho et al 2013;Sebastia´n-Gonza´lez et al 2013;Sebastia´n-Gonza´lez and Green 2014), but less attention has been paid to wetlands situated at the southern border of the Mediterranean, such us North African wetlands. However, numerous North African wetlands are recognized as important bird areas and seem to play crucial roles as wintering and breeding sites for a great diversity of waterbirds (Bensaci et al 2013;Cherkaoui et al 2015;Hamza and Selmi 2015;Cherkaoui et al 2017). Among these bird-rich sites the wetland complex of Douz, in south-western Tunisia, has remained particularly poorly known.…”