安徽清凉峰国家级自然保护区鸟兽生物多样性调查

[目的]了解安徽清凉峰国家级自然保护区鸟兽生物多样性状况。[方法]2015年12月至2016年3月,利用红外相机技术对安徽清凉峰国家级自然保护区进行鸟兽生物多样性调查。[结果]鉴定出鸟兽6目11科15种(兽类9种,鸟类6种),其中白颈长尾雉(Syrmaticus ellioti)、黑麂(Muntiacus crinifrons)为国家I级重点保护动物,白鹇(Lophura nythemera)、勺鸡(Pucrasia macrolopha)、鬣羚(Capricornis milneedwardsii)为国家Ⅱ级重点保护动物。相对丰富度指数较高的兽类依次为北社鼠(Niviventer confucianus)、华南兔(Lepus sinensis)、小麂(Muntiacus reevesi)等;相对丰富度指数较高的鸟类依次为白鹇(L.nythemera)、大山雀(Parus major)、勺鸡(P.macrolopha)等。核心区红外相机所拍摄的物种数显著多于缓冲区。[结论]研究可为进一步开展长期监测工作和野生动物资源保护提供科学依据。     

南滚河自然保护区鸟类系分布研究

经调查．在南滚河保护区共记录到鸟类１４７种和亚种．隶属１４目．３６科另４亚科．约占云南省鸟类种数的１８．４％。在实地考察和综合前人资料的基础上、对南滚河自然保护区的鸟类进行了区系和生境分析及资源评价．并提出了保护和开发的建议。     

Bird diversity and the conservation value of a new Ramsar site: Guangdong Haifeng Wetlands,China

Wetlands are critical habitats for birds. However, wetlands are being degraded at an accelerating rate due to global human activity, and a disproportionate fraction of wetland‐dependent bird species are in decline. We evaluated the conservation value of a new Ramsar site, Guangdong Haifeng Wetlands, China, for birds, by comparing bird communities (using line transect data) in 3 different districts: Gongping, Dongguan Lian'anwei and Dahu. We recorded 139 species of birds, including 26 species that are protected at a national level. Dahu had the highest species richness and diversity, whereas Dongguan Lian'anwei had the highest abundance of birds and the lowest species diversity. Finally, Gongping had both the lowest species richness and the lowest abundance. The endemism of constituent species differed among districts, and the bird communities were complementary. There were significant seasonal differences in the species richness and the number of individuals. Spring had the highest species richness and diversity. The present study identifies the high conservation value of Haifeng Wetlands for both waterbirds and terrestrial birds. Our findings suggest that conservation efforts in Haifeng Wetlands and other wetlands should focus not only on wintering migratory birds, but also on resident birds. To accomplish effective conservation, we should consider the reserve and surrounding wetlands as a whole, incorporating ecological research, education and local economic development.     

Misleading results from conventional gap analysis – Messages from the warming north

Gap analysis is a widely used method for assessing the representation of species in protected area (PA) networks. However, representation does not imply persistence. Here, we investigated whether gap analysis may result in misleading conservation guidelines by comparing the representation to two indicators of persistence. We ran a gap analysis with Finnish breeding birds and identified conservation priorities based on current distribution patterns. We tested the sensitivity of these results by using two target setting schemes and several thresholds defining the amount of protected area, and found the levels of representation identified by gap analysis to be robust. We then compared the gap analysis results with recent population trends and projected changes in potential suitable climate under different climate change scenarios for the year 2050. We show that although high latitude species are well represented in PAs, they are currently declining and are projected to lose climatic suitability in the near future. In contrast, low latitude species with poor representation in PAs have increasing population trends and are generally expected to expand their ranges into protected areas in the near future. This study demonstrates with empirical data a mismatch between representation in PAs and population trends, resulting in misleading understanding of current PA effectiveness. The mismatch is linked to the latitude of species distributions and corresponds to expected future changes, indicating that the patterns are potentially driven by climate change. We therefore urge practitioners and researchers to include better indicators of persistence in gap-analysis frameworks even for short term assessments.     

Hurricane Katrina impacts the breeding bird community in a bottomland hardwood forest of the Pearl River basin, Louisiana

We monitored breeding bird communities and vegetation both before and after Hurricane Katrina category 2 winds severely damaged extensive bottomland hardwood forest of the Pearl River basin, south Louisiana. Many trees were felled by wind, most others were stripped of leaves and branches, and the canopy opened considerably (57%). Blackberry thickets sprouted and expanded to cover almost all of what was previously a patchily open forest understory. The bird community changed distinctively following the hurricane, driven primarily by increased density of species that prefer dense understory (regenerating) habitat. Individual species that increased significantly in density included one year-round resident, Carolina wren, and five breeding migrants, white-eyed vireo, Swainson's warbler, Kentucky warbler, hooded warbler, and yellow-breasted chat. These patterns were predictable responses to the opened canopy and increased density of understory vegetation. However, over three years following the storm, most species, especially canopy breeders, showed no distinct numerical response to the hurricane, which suggests that the initial bird community was resistant to hurricane disturbance. Only one species, Acadian flycatcher, declined significantly after the hurricane, presumably because of loss of its preferred open understory breeding and feeding habitat. Our results thus document and reinforce the important role hurricanes play along the Gulf coast in structuring forest bird communities by altering understory habitat. We expect habitat changes will continue as invasive plant species further change forest community structure, and as large storms increase in frequency in relation to global climate change. Thus, we also expect continued changes to the bird community, which may include additional future declines.     

Extinction rates, extinction-prone habitats, and indicator groups in Britain and at larger scales

We present the first detailed comparison of extinction rates amongst a wide range of nonmarine groups, using data from Britain. For selected taxa, comparisons are made with rates in the United States and the globe. We estimate the overall extinction rate in Britain is 1–5% of the regional species list per century. Most of the groups of organisms assessed have very similar rates, with high rates in some groups which are aquatic, use dead wood or are on their climatic margin. In Britain, the extinction rate probably rose from the 19th to the 20th Century, and is projected to rise in the 21st Century. Habitat loss is the principal driver of extinctions. In Britain, birds are relatively good indicators of extinction rates and extinction-prone habitats, whilst butterflies are not. At larger scales, such as the USA and globally, birds, freshwater fish and amphibians show potential as indicators. Consideration of ‘Possibly Extinct’ species and monitoring of habitat area may provide more responsive measures of biodiversity loss.     

四川天全县鸟类资源调查与分析

2008年2月至2013年7月,对天全县鸟类资源进行了调查,并结合历史文献,确定该区域分布有鸟类18目、60科、327种,包括留鸟155种,夏候鸟77种,冬候鸟39种,旅鸟51种,迷鸟5种。其中,中国特有鸟类16种,国家Ⅰ、Ⅱ级重点保护鸟类和省级重点保护鸟类43种。     

Change in avian abundance predicted from regional forest inventory data

An inability to predict population response to future habitat projections is a shortcoming in bird conservation planning. We sought to predict avian response to projections of future forest conditions that were developed from nationwide forest surveys within the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program. To accomplish this, we evaluated the historical relationship between silvicolous bird populations and FIA-derived forest conditions within 25 ecoregions that comprise the southeastern United States. We aggregated forest area by forest ownership, forest type, and tree size-class categories in county-based ecoregions for 5 time periods spanning 1963–2008. We assessed the relationship of forest data with contemporaneous indices of abundance for 24 silvicolous bird species that were obtained from Breeding Bird Surveys. Relationships between bird abundance and forest inventory data for 18 species were deemed sufficient as predictive models. We used these empirically derived relationships between regional forest conditions and bird populations to predict relative changes in abundance of these species within ecoregions that are anticipated to coincide with projected changes in forest variables through 2040. Predicted abundances of these 18 species are expected to remain relatively stable in over a quarter (27%) of the ecoregions. However, change in forest area and redistribution of forest types will likely result in changed abundance of some species within many ecosystems. For example, abundances of 11 species, including pine warbler (Dendroica pinus), brown-headed nuthatch (Sitta pusilla), and chuck-wills-widow (Caprimulgus carolinensis), are projected to increase within more ecoregions than ecoregions where they will decrease. For 6 other species, such as blue-winged warbler (Vermivora pinus), Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus), and indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea), we projected abundances will decrease within more ecoregions than ecoregions where they will increase.     

安徽省鸟类分布新纪录——白额鹱

2011年11月在安徽省合肥市蜀山湖水库(117.195 625 E,31.888 053 N)观察到白额鹱(Calonectris leucomelas)1只,并拍摄到照片。经查阅相关文献资料,证实白额鹱为安徽省鸟类分布新记录。在安徽发现白额鹱对于研究其地理分布和迁徙通道等具有重要的学术意义。