Bird Richness and Abundance in Urban Areas: Simulation-Based Conservation Strategies for an Italian Town

Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 14(1), P. 37 - 37

Published: Jan. 6, 2025

In this study, we (a) inventoried the breeding bird community of a town located in Northern Italy using quadrat sampling, (b) quantified richness and abundance, (c) measured sample completeness, (d) tested whether assembly was driven by environmental filtering (i.e., local properties every single quadrat), e) explained abundance light land cover types present each quadrat, (f) disentangled marginal effects type, (g) simulated on birds different planning decisions. We recorded 36 species, which 17 were resident, 10 mid-range migrants, 9 trans-Saharan migrators. The sampling completeness estimated ranged from 82.73% to 99.66% depending estimator procedure. Environmental affected significantly (p < 0.10) assembly. Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) both (R2 = 91.7%) 87.4%) satisfactorily types. Simulations based GAMs showed that planners can largely influence study area, with positive (urban greening) negative densification sprawl) strategies.

Language: Английский

The Genetic Response of Forest Birds to Urbanization: Variability in the Populations of Great and Blue Tits

Forests, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(8), P. 1445 - 1445

Published: Aug. 16, 2024

Anthropogenic pressures such as over-urbanization, intensive agriculture/forestry practices, and the development of energy farms alter natural landscapes. Intensive urban poses greatest threat to ecosystems. Habitat degradation, fragmentation, loss are among key factors behind current rise biodiversity loss. In this study, we hypothesized that urbanization advances adaptation forest bird populations relatively new The study was conducted in Kaunas, Lithuania, located Eastern Europe. Genetic samples were collected city, representing landscapes, its surrounding forests. total, 160 nest boxes erected, which 80 placed areas Using a set microsatellite markers, investigated genetic differentiation, diversity, gene flow, population structure two common species Paridae family, great tit (Parus major) blue (Cyanistes caeruleus), forests urbanized areas. We observed low but significant differences between populations, proving high diversity. determined cities’ spatial fragmented habitats can influence formation small isolated (subpopulations). Urban tits had higher differentiation tendency form subpopulations. conclusion, birds inhabit landscapes both respond differently urbanization-related changes.

Language: Английский