Macrophyte-associated macroinvertebrates as an important food source for wintering waterbirds at Lake Constance

Matuszak, Anja; Mörtl, Martin; Quillfeldt, Petra; Bauer, Hans‐Günther

doi:10.1007/s10201-013-0414-z

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Benthivorous birds, feeding on macrofauna, produce an effect on the benthic system similar to that of fishes, removing animals that may keep the sediment oxidized and resuspending sediments and nutrients (Werner et al, 2005;Sánchez et al, 2006;Rodríguez-Pérez et al, 2007;Matuszak et al, 2014). Piscivorous birds convert fish-associated P into reactive P (Putys and Zarankaitė, 2010).…”

Section: Birdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drivers of Cyanobacterial Blooms in a Hypertrophic Lagoon

et al. 2018

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The Curonian Lagoon is Europe's largest lagoon and one of the most seriously impacted by harmful blooms of cyanobacteria. Intensive studies over the past 20 years have allowed us to identify the major drivers determining the composition and spatial extent of hyperblooms in this system. We summarize and discuss the main outcomes of these studies and provide an updated, conceptual scheme of the multiple interactions between climatic and hydrologic factors, and their influence on internal and external processes that promote cyanobacterial blooms. Retrospective analysis of remote sensed images demonstrated the variability of blooms in terms of timing, extension and intensity, suggesting that they occur only under specific circumstances. Monthly analysis of nutrient loads and stoichiometry from the principal tributary (Nemunas River) revealed large interannual differences in the delivery of key elements, but summer months were always characterized by a strong dissolved inorganic N (and Si) limitation, that depresses diatoms and favors the dominance of cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria blooms occurred during high water temperatures, long water residence time and low-wind conditions. The blooms induce transient (night-time) hypoxia, which stimulates the release of iron-bound P, producing a positive feedback for blooms of N-fixing cyanobacteria. Consumermediated nutrient recycling by dreissenid mussels, chironomid larvae, cyprinids and large bird colonies, may also affect P availability, but their role as drivers of cyanobacteria blooms is understudied.

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Section: Birdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drivers of Cyanobacterial Blooms in a Hypertrophic Lagoon

et al. 2018

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“…While the influence of pond management on aquatic species assemblages is now established (Gee et al 1997, Sayer et al 2012, the links between pond management and the terrestrial environment have been comparatively neglected. Farmland ponds generally harbour substantial numbers of aquatic macroinvertebrates whose adult aerial stages are known to constitute an important food resource for nesting and fledging birds (Newton 1998, Baxter et al 2005, Richardson et al 2010, Schummer et al 2012, Stenroth et al 2015, and wintering waterbirds (Matuszak et al 2014). In addition, mixed grassland margins around open ponds may increase the availability and diversity of broad-leaved plants and seeds utilised as a food resource by granivores (McCracken & Tallowin 2004); we believe that these open pond margins are of high importance to birds.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

A new role for pond management in farmland bird conservation

Davies

Sayer

Greaves

et al. 2016

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment

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1. Biodiversity declines in agricultural landscapes represent a major conservation challenge. In the UK, some agricultural landscapes contain high pond densities, but many farmland ponds have become terrestrialised since the 1960s, with input of organic material resulting in a decrease in the size and depth of ponds that eventually transform into wet woodland habitats. Pond management, including removal of overhanging scrub and sediment, has proven highly effective in enhancing freshwater biodiversity. However, the implications of this management for farmland bird assemblages are unknown. 2. Bird surveys were undertaken at recently managed, open, macrophyte-dominated and at highly terrestrialised, macrophyte-free ponds in the intensively cultivated farmland of North Norfolk, UK. The diversity, abundance and composition of bird assemblages visiting these ponds were compared to determine responses to pond management by tree and mud removal. 3. Avian species richness, abundance and bird-visit frequencies were all higher at open farmland ponds. The observed patterns of bird occurrence were best explained by management-induced reductions in tree shading that resulted in aquatic macrophyte-dominance likely associated with high emergent invertebrate prey abundance. Moreover, we predict that open-canopy ponds offer greater habitat heterogeneity than overgrown ponds, allowing diversified bird use. Overgrown, terrestrialised ponds were preferred by some woodland bird species. Gamma diversity across the entire pondscape exceeded all individual pond alpha diversity measures by an order of magnitude, suggesting distinct variation in the bird assemblages visiting farmland ponds during different successional stages. 4. Pond management that generates a mosaic of pond successional stages, including open-canopy, macrophyte-dominated ponds, could help to address the long-term decline of farmland birds. We strongly advocate increased agro-ecological research in this field, combined with greater emphasis on ponds and pond management options in agri-environment schemes.

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“…The wintering period is an important stage in the life of migratory waterbirds. During this period, wintering waterbirds need to forage to obtain energy to replenish the large amounts consumed during the long migration, and also need to store energy for the return to their breeding grounds at the end of winter [8,9]. In wintering grounds with low food quality, foraging not only affects the waterbirds' survival through winter and their physiological energy and nutritional needs, but is also significant for their continued migration and the successful maintenance of their life cycle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Geese Facilitate or Compete with Wintering Hooded Cranes (Grus monacha) for Forage Resources?

Zhu

Zhou

et al. 2020

Diversity

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Foraging is the key behavior of waterbirds, which profoundly affects the survival of their population, and it is affected by interspecific interaction. At Shengjin Lake in China, owing to the reduced availability of suitable habitats for a large population of migratory waterbirds (especially wild geese) over winter, mixed species foraging inevitably occurs. This study aimed to investigate whether mixed-species foraging affects the foraging of hooded cranes (Grus monacha). Fields surveys were carried out at Shengjin Lake from November 2018 to March 2019. Mixed-species foraging was surveyed between the flocks of hooded cranes and three species of geese, greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons), lesser white-fronted geese (Anser erythropus) and bean geese (Anser fabalis). Instantaneous scanning and focal animal methods were used to collect behavioral samples of hooded cranes. The quadrat method was used to survey the food density in three habitats: meadows, mudflats, and paddy fields. The results showed that the foraging success rate of hooded cranes was not significantly correlated with food density and the relative flock size in the mixed-species foraging flock in meadows, but a significant negative correlation with the relative flock size in mudflats. However in paddy fields it was a significant positive correlation with the relative flock size. Foraging efforts of hooded cranes were negatively correlated with food density and positively correlated with the relative flock size in meadows. In mudflats, foraging efforts of hooded cranes had a significant positively correlation with the relative flock size, however, there was a significant negative correlation with the relative flock size in paddy fields. To sum up, larger numbers of geese mixed with hooded cranes has a favorable effect on the foraging of hooded cranes in meadows and mudflats, however, the reverse was observed in the paddy fields.

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Macrophyte-associated macroinvertebrates as an important food source for wintering waterbirds at Lake Constance

Cited by 5 publications

References 34 publications

Drivers of Cyanobacterial Blooms in a Hypertrophic Lagoon

Drivers of Cyanobacterial Blooms in a Hypertrophic Lagoon

A new role for pond management in farmland bird conservation

Do Geese Facilitate or Compete with Wintering Hooded Cranes (Grus monacha) for Forage Resources?

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