Lesser Flamingo as a Central Element of the East African Avifauna

Krienitz, Lothar; Mähnert, Barbara; Schagerl, Michael

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-28622-8_10

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…Hypersaline ecosystems also support populations of terrestrial predatory vertebrates attracted to the often‐dense populations of nesting waterbirds, and these can be important drivers of nesting success and mortality, especially of juvenile birds (Baldassarre & Arengo, 2000; Bucher, 2019). Depending on location and ecosystem type, these predators include reptiles, corvids, gulls and birds of prey such as falcons, vultures and eagles (Asem et al ., 2014; Krienitz, Mahnert & Schagerl, 2016), and terrestrial mammals including foxes, coyotes, hyenas, and pumas (Baldassarre & Arengo, 2000; Asem et al ., 2014) (Fig. 2, route 8).…”

Section: Hypersaline Biota: Diversity Adaptations and Metabolismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salt to conserve: a review on the ecology and preservation of hypersaline ecosystems

et al. 2021

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When it comes to the investigation of key ecosystems in the world, we often omit salt from the ecological recipe. In fact, despite occupying almost half of the volume of inland waters and providing crucial services to humanity and nature, inland saline ecosystems are often overlooked in discussions regarding the preservation of global aquatic resources of our planet. As a result, our knowledge of the biological and geochemical dynamics shaping these environments remains incomplete and we are hesitant in framing effective protective strategies against the increasing natural and anthropogenic threats faced by such habitats. Hypersaline lakes, water bodies where the concentration of salt exceeds 35 g/l, occur mainly in arid and semiarid areas resulting from hydrological imbalances triggering the accumulation of salts over time. Often considered the ‘exotic siblings’ within the family of inland waters, these ecosystems host some of the most extremophile communities worldwide and provide essential habitats for waterbirds and many other organisms in already water‐stressed regions. These systems are often highlighted as natural laboratories, ideal for addressing central ecological questions due to their relatively low complexity and simple food web structures. However, recent studies on the biogeochemical mechanisms framing hypersaline communities have challenged this archetype, arguing that newly discovered highly diverse communities are characterised by specific trophic interactions shaped by high levels of specialisation. The main goal of this review is to explore our current understanding of the ecological dynamics of hypersaline ecosystems by addressing four main research questions: (i) why are hypersaline lakes unique from a biological and geochemical perspective; (ii) which biota inhabit these ecosystems and how have they adapted to the high salt conditions; (iii) how do we protect biodiversity from increasing natural and anthropogenic threats; and (iv) which scientific tools will help us preserve hypersaline ecosystems in the future? First, we focus on the ecological characterisation of hypersaline ecosystems, illustrate hydrogeochemical dynamics regulating such environments, and outline key ecoregions supporting hypersaline systems across the globe. Second, we depict the diversity and functional aspects of key taxa found in hypersaline lakes, from microorganisms to plants, invertebrates, waterbirds and upper trophic levels. Next, we describe ecosystem services and discuss possible conservation guidelines. Finally, we outline how cutting‐edge technologies can provide new insights into the study of hypersaline ecology. Overall, this review sheds further light onto these understudied ecosystems, largely unrecognised as important sources of unique biological and functional diversity. We provide perspectives for key future research avenues, and advocate that the conservation of hypersaline lakes should not be taken with ‘a grain of salt’.

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Section: Hypersaline Biota: Diversity Adaptations and Metabolismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salt to conserve: a review on the ecology and preservation of hypersaline ecosystems

et al. 2021

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“…A difference in foraging efficiency and energetic uptake is responsible for the higher numbers of lesser flamingos to greater flamingos in these East African soda lakes (Brown, 1975). The lesser flamingo, foraging across the whole soda lake can exist in flocks many magnitudes larger in number than the greater flamingo, which is restricted to areas where animal material is abundant (Brown, 1975;Krienitz et al, 2016). Lesser flamingos also commonly feed whilst swimming (Robinson, 2015); they maximise the foraging space available to them across their habitat.…”

Section: F I G U R Ementioning

confidence: 99%

“…As carotenoid ingestion is key to the attainment of feather colour, flamingos need to spend time maximising ingestion of high-quality food. The itinerant movements of birds between feeding lakes (Kaggwa, Gruber, Oduor, & Schagerl, 2013;Krienitz, Mähnert, & Schagerl, 2016) and the population die-offs that have been recorded over recent years (Koenig, 2006;Straubinger-Gansberger et al, 2014)-partly attributed to starvation-show the strong link between a flamingo's habitat choice and its specific dietary requirements. Wild flamingos will also maintain specific individual bird distances between themselves and foraging conspecifics whilst filter feeding (Schmitz & Baldassarre, 1992b), and birds will maintain a stable distance from the lake shoreline during feeding (Henriksen et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What influences aggression and foraging activity in social birds? Measuring individual, group and environmental characteristics

Rose

Soole

2020

Ethology

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For specialised feeders, accessing food resources may impact on the performance of appetitive foraging and social behaviours at individual and population levels. Flamingos are excellent examples of social species with complex, species‐specific feeding strategies. As attainment of coloured plumage depends upon intake of dietary carotenoids, and as study of free‐ranging flamingos shows that foraging is disrupted by aggression from other birds, we investigated the effect of four feeding styles on foraging and aggression in captive lesser flamingos. We evaluated individual and group differences in foraging and aggression when birds consumed bespoke “flamingo pellet” from a bowl, an indoor feeding pool and an outdoor feeding section of their pool. Natural foraging (when birds were feeding irrespective of the presence of pellet) was recorded for comparison with artificial feeding styles. One‐minute long video footage of the birds' activities in these different locations, recorded between 2013 and 2016, was used to evaluate behaviour. Total number of seconds engaged in feeding and in aggression was recorded by continuous sampling. The colour of individual birds was scored from 1 (mainly white) to 4 (mainly pink). For natural filter feeding in the outdoor pool, maximum foraging was twice as much as bowl feeding, whilst aggression was less than half as much as other feeding methods. Overall, a more restricted feeding style significantly predicted aggression, along with increasing group size. Plumage colour significantly influenced aggression (brightest flamingos were more aggressive) and showed a non‐significant trend with foraging (brighter birds fed less than paler birds). No sex effect on feeding or aggression was found. This study enhances our understanding of husbandry and species' biology impacts on captive behaviour and provides data‐based evidence to improve food presentation. For flamingos, implementation of spacious outdoor feeding areas can encourage natural foraging patterns by reducing excess aggression and enhances welfare by improving flock social stability.

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“…Marine research showed that Cyanobacterial viruses tend to be tightly linked to their hosts, to the extent that they are able to acquire from them a large number of genes (e.g., Clokie et al, 2006); these can be used to sustain host physiology during infection, in order to ensure that cells are 'healthy' and can maintain an energy source to produce more viruses. It is also known that the diversity of the cyanoviruses may drive bacterial diversity; this indicates that viruses are important for bacterial population Zaccara et al, 2014;Kavembe et al, 2016b;Krienitz et al, 2016bBettinetti et al, 2011Magadi van Zyl et al, 2016Zavarzina et al, 2013;Ghauri et al, 2006;Kevbrin et al, 1998;Jones, 2016 Kambura et al, 2016;Foti et al, 2006;Grant et al, 1999Mikhodiuk et al, 2008Kotut and Krienitz, 2011;Krienitz et al, 2012;Schagerl, 2016 Seegers et al, 1999;Seegers and Tichy, 1999;Zaccara et al, 2014;Kavembe et al, 2016a,b;Krienitz et al, 2016bJones et al, 1977Deocampo and Renaut, 2016 Nasikie Engida Jones et al, 1977;Renaut, 2011;Deocampo andRenaut, 2016 Oloidien Dadheech et al, 2009;Luo et al, 2017Krienitz et al, 2013a,c Yasindi and Taylor, 2016Krienitz et al, 2016bVerschuren et al, 2000Naivasha Krienitz et al, 2013b,c Owino et al, 2001…”

Section: Aquatic Biodiversity Including Microbiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Biogeochemistry and biodiversity in a network of saline–alkaline lakes: Implications of ecohydrological connectivity in the Kenyan Rift Valley

Fazi¹,

Butturini

Tassi

et al. 2018

Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology

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Lesser Flamingo as a Central Element of the East African Avifauna

Cited by 11 publications

References 69 publications

Salt to conserve: a review on the ecology and preservation of hypersaline ecosystems

Salt to conserve: a review on the ecology and preservation of hypersaline ecosystems

What influences aggression and foraging activity in social birds? Measuring individual, group and environmental characteristics

Biogeochemistry and biodiversity in a network of saline–alkaline lakes: Implications of ecohydrological connectivity in the Kenyan Rift Valley

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