| 1. |
- Hudson, Lawrence N, et al.
(författare)
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The database of the PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems) project
- 2017
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 2045-7758. ; 7:1, s. 145-188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The PREDICTS project-Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems (www.predicts.org.uk)-has collated from published studies a large, reasonably representative database of comparable samples of biodiversity from multiple sites that differ in the nature or intensity of human impacts relating to land use. We have used this evidence base to develop global and regional statistical models of how local biodiversity responds to these measures. We describe and make freely available this 2016 release of the database, containing more than 3.2 million records sampled at over 26,000 locations and representing over 47,000 species. We outline how the database can help in answering a range of questions in ecology and conservation biology. To our knowledge, this is the largest and most geographically and taxonomically representative database of spatial comparisons of biodiversity that has been collated to date; it will be useful to researchers and international efforts wishing to model and understand the global status of biodiversity.
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| 2. |
- Valdés-Correcher, Elena, et al.
(författare)
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Herbivory on the pedunculate oak along an urbanization gradient in Europe : Effects of impervious surface, local tree cover, and insect feeding guild
- 2022
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Ingår i: Ecology and Evolution. - : Wiley. - 2045-7758. ; 12:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Urbanization is an important driver of the diversity and abundance of tree-associated insect herbivores, but its consequences for insect herbivory are poorly understood. A likely source of variability among studies is the insufficient consideration of intra-urban variability in forest cover. With the help of citizen scientists, we investigated the independent and interactive effects of local canopy cover and percentage of impervious surface on insect herbivory in the pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) throughout most of its geographic range in Europe. We found that the damage caused by chewing insect herbivores as well as the incidence of leaf-mining and gall-inducing herbivores consistently decreased with increasing impervious surface around focal oaks. Herbivory by chewing herbivores increased with increasing forest cover, regardless of impervious surface. In contrast, an increase in local canopy cover buffered the negative effect of impervious surface on leaf miners and strengthened its effect on gall inducers. These results show that—just like in non-urban areas—plant–herbivore interactions in cities are structured by a complex set of interacting factors. This highlights that local habitat characteristics within cities have the potential to attenuate or modify the effect of impervious surfaces on biotic interactions.
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| 3. |
- Kale, Manoj Ashokrao
(författare)
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Bird Species in Urban and Agricultural Landscapes : Bird diversity patterns along an urbanisation gradient and crop damage caused by birds on the Deccan Plateau, India
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The major human activities that have transformed the Earth include agriculture and urbanization. The present study was conducted to contribute to a description of the effect on birds of urbanization and agriculture in an Indian region. Terrestrial bird assemblages were censused along a five-stage urbanisation gradient between January and April 2010-2013 near the city of Amravati, on the Deccan Plateau, Central India. Altogether, 89 species of birds were recorded, with the highest species richness in the rural areas (67 species) and lowest in the urban stage (29 species). The assemblages were significantly nested in all the five stages. Maximum cumulative species abundance (12 399 individuals over four years) was found in the urban stage, and was due to the constant presence of large groups of Rose-ringed Parakeets (Psittacula krameri). The lowest bird abundance was found in the industrial zone (4837 in total), where there was also a nearly two-fold decrease from 2010 to 2013. Thirty-six species demonstrated significant variation in their densities at least in one stage and between at least two months (p<0.05). Densities of 13.9% (n=5) of those species varied significantly in two stages, that of Copsychus saularis in three stages, and of Phoenicurus ochruros, in all five stages. Urban, suburban, periurban and forest stages were characterised by relatively stable species densities (significant changes observed only for 17.2% (n=5), 17.1% (n=6), 12.9% (n=7), and 17.8% (n=16) species, respectively). The additive diversity partitioning indicated that of the overall diversity (gamma-diversity), alpha diversity (within transects located within one stage) contributed 50.1% to the total diversity, and the controbution of within-stage variability was small (2.7%). Additionally, censuses on cultivated fields were taken. In two areas under mixed cropping systems, 53 bird species were identified in the two years period between June and December, 2011 and 2012. Out of the 53 detected species, only 14 were common (recorded at ≥50% of visits). Twenty-one species were recorded at Zadgaon in crops of tur (Cajanus cajan), cotton (Gossypium arboreum) and soybean (Glycine max). Nineteen species were recorded at Bhankhed in jawar (Sorghum bicolor), cotton and mung bean (Phaseolus aureus). At Zadgaon, territorial activity was observed in four species: the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), Jungle Babbler (Turdoides striata), Yellow-eyed Babbler (Chrysomma sinense) and Red-wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus). The study indicated that four bird species were found under high risk, thirteen species at medium risk and eight species at low risk due to pesticide applications in croplands. The extent of crop damage in fields of groundnut, pearl millet, peas, sorghum, and sunflower was assessed by doing actual field censuses. The sustainable solution for reducing crop damage is a need for the farmers and such techniques will help to avoid direct or indirect effects of use of lethal bird control techniques on bird species diversity.
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| 4. |
- Kale, Manoj, et al.
(författare)
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Analysis of bird assemblage structure along an urbanisation gradient in Central India
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Annan publikation (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- We censuses terrestrial bird assemblages along a five-stage urbanisation gradient (rural forest, industrial zone, periurban, suburban, urban abitats) in and around Amravati City, Central India between January and April 2010-2013. A total of 89 species of birds were recorded, with the highest species richness in the rural areas (67 species) and lowest in the urban one (29 species). The rural habitats had the highest diversity, followed, in a decreasing order, by industrial, periurban, suburban, and urban areas, supporting the increasing disturbance hypothesis rather than the medium disturbance hypothesis. The densities were, however, highest in the urban habitats, supporting the resource concentration hypothesis. The assemblages were significantly nested.
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