Wyniki wyszukiwania - BazTech

1

Habitat Use of Hipparchia semele (Lepidoptera) in Its Artificial Stronghold : Necessity of the Resource-Based Habitat View in Restoration of Disturbed Sites

Tropek R., Cizek O., Kadlec T., Klecka J.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2017

|

Vol. 65, nr 3

385--399

EN

Post-industrial sites, including fly ash deposits, are common landscape components in many Central European regions. Their effective restoration is thus crucial because such habitats have been recognised as critical secondary refuges for many endangered and declining species. Controversially, the overwhelming majority of restoration projects consider vegetation units as the restoration target and thus ignore various habitat resources of many endangered species. Our study details habitat-use of the grayling Hipparchia semele, a European endemic xerothermophilous specialist and one of the most rapidly declining butterflies in Central Europe, inhabiting a fly ash deposit in the Kadaň region, western Czech Republic. We estimated its population to 510 males and 346 females by the capture-mark-recapture method during its whole flight period. By detailed recording of all observed specimens' behaviour, we show that this species uses resources from distinct vegetation units, such as exposed and disturbed spots, ruderal regrowths, solitary trees and shrubs, rocks and artificial concrete structures. Because the studied population can act as a source for the whole region, the grayling's ecological needs should be considered in any restoration project. Oppositely, the originally planned restoration of dry grasslands based on plant species composition of vegetation would very probably threaten one of the last two metapopulations in the whole country. Using the grayling's case, we thus warn against the vegetation-based habitat approach in restoration ecology; the resource-based habitat approach should be prioritised, especially when considering needs of the most threatened and/or umbrella species.

2

Wintering Farmland Bird Assemblages in West Hungary

Báldi A., Somay L., Kovács-Hostyánszki A.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2015

|

Vol. 63, nr 4

608--615

EN

Farmland bird populations declining rapidly all over Europe. Most of the knowledge is, however, from the breeding season, and much less is known about the winter period, especially from Central and Eastern Europe. We censused wintering farmland bird assemblages in West Hungary, in 2011/2012. The censuses covered semi-natural and seeded grasslands, plough fields and wheat fields. The available winter seed food was estimated for each field from the top soil and from the vegetation. We recorded 25 species with 844 individuals on the fields. Semi-natural grasslands were the most important habitats for species richness of all, granivorous, and resident species, with seeded grasslands as the second best habitat. Abundance showed similar pattern, although with no significant effect for granivorous species and for short-range migrants. Seed mass was significantly different among the habitat types, higher on seeded grasslands and seminatural grasslands than on ploughed sites and winter wheat fields. Date had a significant effect on species richness and abundance with highest values in December. There was a positive significant correlation between bird species richness and seed mass only in December. Our results strengthen former findings that changes and drivers of wintering farmland bird populations may differ between Central and West Europe, and highlight the need for further, large scale studies to provide evidence base to guide agrienvironmental programs.

3

The importance of winter catch crops compared with other farmland habitats to birds wintering in Poland

Goławski A., Kasprzykowski Z., Jobda M., Duer I.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2013

|

Vol. 61, nr 2

357--364

EN

The study examined the importance of winter catch crops (intercrops) to wintering birds in a low-intensity farming area of Poland. Birds were counted on two occasions between November 2009 and January 2010 in 514 research plots in two different parts of the country. During the two counts 28 species were recorded. Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella, Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra, Tree Sparrow Passer montanus and Shorelark Eremophila alpestris were the most numerous species. The statistical analysis (GLZ) of the influence of survey, location and habitat types on the occurrence of birds in the farmland did not reflect the significant effect on any variables. Significant differences in densities of birds between the habitats analysed (GLM) were noted. The stubbles supported a relatively greater density of birds than the mustard winter catch crop and ploughed fields. Increasing the area of winter catch crops at the expense of ploughed fields may favour birds, but when winter crops are sown in fields that would otherwise be left as stubble, wintering conditions for birds deteriorate, especially for buntings.

4

Forest roads used by commuting and foraging bats in edge and interior zones

Lesiński G., Olszewski A., Popczyk B.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2011

|

Vol. 59, nr 3

611-616

EN

We hypothesized that the flight activity of bats in forests is higher in parts closer to edges due to the presence of species roosting in trees and foraging mostly outside as well as those coming to forage from outside. The aim of our study was to test this expectation using bat netting on roads in a forest belt 4-5 km wide in Kampinos National Park near Warsaw (central Poland). Tree stands were mostly coniferous. Ten full-night study sessions were done between the end of July and the beginning of September in the years 2007-2009. During each session, bats were netted at two sites situated in two zones designated as "edge" (100-500 m from forest edge) and "interior" (1750-2250 m from forest edge). The study revealed twelve species, among which Eptesicus serotinus (Schreber), Nyctalus noctula (Schreber) and Barbastella barbastellus (Schreber) were by far most abundant. Total bat abundance recorded at ten pairs of netting sites differed significantly between the edge zone (ca. 2.5 times higher numbers) and the interior zone. Among individual species, a statistically important difference was shown only for Plecotus auritus (L.), which was more abundant close to the forest edge, though a similar tendency was noted in other species, mostly E. serotinus. The frequency of each species in the bat assemblage as well as species diversity of bats flying along forest roads did not differ between the two zones.

5

Changes in habitat use by the Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo L.) during non-breeding season in relation to winter conditions

Wikar D., Ciach M., Bylicka M., Bylicka M.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2008

|

Vol. 56, nr 1

119-125

EN

Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo L.) found in central Europe are partial migrants and the number of birds which winter on the breeding ground depends on atmospheric conditions. The advantages of wintering on breeding grounds are counterbalanced by the risk of unfarorable atmospheric conditions and influence the birds' migration decision. During the periods from October to March (2002/2003-2004/2005), changes in habitat use by the Common Buzzard were studied in the open terrain of the mountain valley (Kotlina Orawsko-Nowotarska, Carpathians, southern Poland). The results were analyzed according to four meteorological periods (autumn, early winter, winter, early spring). Snow cover caused significant differences in types of habitats used by foraging Common Buzzards. During permanent snow cover the extent to which open areas was used decreased from 65% in periods without snow cover to 52% in other periods. At the same time the number of birds foraging in afforestations increased from 28% during periods without snow cover to 42% during periods with snow cover. The extent to which vegetation types was used also changed significantly. During the winter abandoned lands, which probably offer a richer food base, were used more often (56 vs. 23-33% in periods without snow cover). During permanent snow cover birds used higher perches, which presumably enabled them to observe a larger area and made hunting more efficient and compensated for limited access to prey.

6

Do dense and fast growing crops provide foraging habitats for insectovorous birds?

Surmacki A.

Polish Journal of Ecology

|

2005

|

Vol. 53, nr 1

129-133

EN

The foraging behavior of Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus), Sedge Warbler (A. schoenobaenus) and Marsh Warbler (A. palustris) was surveyed on three crop types (spring cereals, winter cereals, and oil seed rape) in western Poland. The foraging intensity was greatest in oil seed rape, while the lowest was in spring cereals. For Sedge Warbler, oil seed rape fields were visited mainly in May, while cereal fields were visited in June and July. The number of foraging visits decreased with increasing distance from a breeding marsh patch. There was no difference in distance traveled to different crop types. There was a significant negative correlation between marsh patch area and foraging intensity for all species combined. This study shows that oil seed rape may be useful as a foraging habitats for some farmland birds during the breeding season.