A network approach to prioritize conservation efforts for migratory birds

Xu, Yanjie; Si, Youbin; Takekawa, John Y.; Liu, Qiang; Prins, Herbert H. T.; Yin, Shenglai; Prosser, Diann J.; Gong, Peng; Boer, Willem F. de

doi:10.1111/cobi.13383

Cited by 52 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Because eastern China is an important part of the East Asian—Australasian Flyway (EAAF), many species such as geese and shorebirds breed in northern China or Russia, migrate past eastern China [ 48 ], or winter in southern China [ 49 ]. If only breeding ranges are considered, the key resting and wintering habitats for these birds to survive may be omitted from the conservation plan, and these potentially missing habitats may face serious threats [ 39 , 50 , 51 ]. As a reference, we distinguished the localities and mapped the breeding ranges of migratory bird species in China for comparison with other similar research results (for details, see S1 File & S2 Table ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifts in bird ranges and conservation priorities in China under climate change

Gu²,

Luo

et al. 2020

PLoS ONE

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Climate change is one of the most significant causes of species range shift and extinction. Based on a citizen science dataset of birds in China, the Bird Report, we developed a highresolution map of bird species richness in China, and simulated the range shifts and area changes of the 1,042 birds through the year 2070 using three different General Circulation Models and two different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs, including RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5). It was found that 241-244 (under different scenarios) bird species would lose a portion of their distribution ranges; and that most species in China would move to either higher elevations or northward. The other 798-801 species would experience range expansion. Compared to resident species (n = 516), migratory birds (n = 526) may undergo more limited range expansion but a longer range shift distance on average. The species diversity of birds will considerably increase in areas higher than 1,500 m in elevation under both RCPs. Conservation priorities with higher species richness were also identified using the Zonation model. The existing national nature reserves are not sufficient for protecting important bird habitats, especially after range shifts. Significant gaps in protected areas were observed in the northern Xinjiang, southern Tibet, Greater Khingan, Sanjiang Plain, Songnen Plain, northern Bohai Rim, and southeastern coastline areas. Many of these areas are characterized by high human populations and intensive development, and establishing sizable protected areas has become difficult. Inclusive conservation mechanisms that include restoring habitats in urban parks and sharing habitats in farmland areas, may be a feasible solution.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shifts in bird ranges and conservation priorities in China under climate change

Gu²,

Luo

et al. 2020

PLoS ONE

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“…In other words, removing the sites in order of habitat loss does not immediately alter the spatial distributions of migratory species. However, if the sites that are crucial to the network's connectivity are not protected or conserved [27], loss of these sites can rapidly change their distributions. Therefore, our simulations of removing sites in order of habitat loss, rather than in the order of decreasing connectivity, might have postponed the more drastic consequences of habitat loss to emerge.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat loss exacerbates pathogen spread: An Agent-based model of avian influenza infection in migratory waterfowl

Yin

Jong

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Habitat availability determines the distribution of migratory waterfowl along their flyway, which further influences the transmission and spatial spread of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). The extensive habitat loss in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) may have potentially altered the virus transmission and spread, but those consequences are rarely studied. We constructed 6 fall migration networks that differed in their level of habitat loss, wherein an increase in habitat loss resulted in smaller networks with fewer sites. The networks were integrated with an agent-based model and a susceptible-infected-recovered model to simulate waterfowl migration and AIV transmission. We found that extensive habitat loss in the EAAF can 1) relocate the outbreaks northwards responding to the distribution changes of wintering waterfowl geese, 2) increase the outbreak risk in remaining sites due to larger bird congregations, and 3) facilitate AIV transmission among wintering geese. Our modelling output suggested that there was a certain system resilience of migration network to confront the site removal. In addition, the outputs were in line with the predictions from the concept of “migratory escape”, affecting the pattern of infection prevalence in the waterfowl population. Our modelling shed light on the potential consequences of habitat loss in transmitting and spreading AIV at the flyway scale, and suggested the driving mechanisms behind these effects, advocating the importance of nature conservation in changing spatial and temporal patterns of AIV outbreak.Author summaryWhat are the possible consequences of extensive habitat loss on the transmission and spread of avian influenza viruses (AIVs)? We used a logistic regression model to select the suitable habitats of Greater white-fronted goose in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and treated these habitats as sites to construct 6 fall migration networks that differed in their level of habitat loss (i.e., site removal). We then simulate geese migration in these networks, and explore the impacts of habitat loss on habitat connectivity and AIV transmission. We found the extensive habitat loss can cause relocation of the outbreaks and increase the outbreak risk and AIV transmission. Our modelling outputs suggested a certain network resilience to confront the site loss, and a “migratory escape” to change the spatial and temporal pattern of infection prevalence in the population. Overall, our study showed that land use changes and habitat loss can affect disease distribution and prevalence, suggested the importance of habitat conservation in changing the spatial and temporal pattern of AIVs transmission and spread.

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“…2) to the protected area network for this species, as part of the ecological redline for the region. This is part of the NE edge of the QTP which represents the first staging area encountered and used by geese during autumn migration, yet very few of our tracked birds used areas inside the current protected area boundaries, despite the importance of the position of this area in the overall migration network (Xu et al 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing site-safeguard effectiveness and habitat preferences of Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus) at their stopover sites within the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau using GPS/GSM telemetry

Zhang

Xie

et al. 2020

Avian Res

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Background The Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) breeds across the high plains and plateau of Central Asia and winters in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Indian sub-continent. Of the two recognized discrete flyways of the Bar-headed Goose, the Eastern Tibetan Flyway (ETF) is the larger, comprising at least six migration routes. However, we remain ignorant about their migratory connectivity, habitat use and effectiveness of site-safeguard mechanisms set in place for the species. Methods We tracked 30 ETF Bar-headed Geese from Chinese and Mongolian breeding areas to their wintering grounds using GPS/GSM transmitters, to determine their migration routes and stopover staging patterns within the QTP, overlaying these upon GIS layers of protected area status and habitat type, to model their habitat selection. Results In total, 14 tagged Bar-headed Geese provided information on their entire autumn migration and 4 geese on their entire spring migration. Qinghai Lake marked birds overwintered in the QTP (n = 2), geese tagged in Mongolia wintered either in the QTP (n = 3) or in India/Bangladesh (n = 9), representing three of the migration routes within the ETF. In total, tagged birds staged at 79 different stopover sites within QTP in autumn and 23 in spring, of which 65% (autumn) and 59% (spring) of all fixes fell within the boundaries of either National Nature Reserves (NNRs) or Important Birds Areas (IBAs) in the QTP. Bar-headed Geese predominantly occurred on four land-cover types: grassland (mostly by day), water bodies (at night), wetlands and bare substrates (salt flats, dry lake/river substrates and plough) with little change in proportion. Generalized linear mixed models comparing presence with pseudo-absence data suggested geese strongly selected for wetlands as staging habitat, avoiding bare substrates in spring. Conclusions Based on our limited observations of these tagged geese, this study is the first to show that the current designated National Nature Reserves in place in the staging areas within the QTP appear adequate to protect this increasing population. In addition, Hala Lake in Qinghai Province and adjacent areas used as initial QTP staging during autumn migration (currently outside of designated as NNRs/IBAs) are recommended for protection, based on their use by tagged birds from this study. Habitat modelling confirmed the importance of natural wetlands as feeding areas and safe areas of open water as roosting places.

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A network approach to prioritize conservation efforts for migratory birds

Cited by 52 publications

References 41 publications

Shifts in bird ranges and conservation priorities in China under climate change

Shifts in bird ranges and conservation priorities in China under climate change

Habitat loss exacerbates pathogen spread: An Agent-based model of avian influenza infection in migratory waterfowl

Assessing site-safeguard effectiveness and habitat preferences of Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus) at their stopover sites within the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau using GPS/GSM telemetry

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