Breeding Dispersal by Birds in a Dynamic Urban Ecosystem

Marzluff, John M.; DeLap, Jack H.; Oleyar, M. David; Whittaker, Kara A.; Gardner, Beth

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0167829

Cited by 22 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…Studies that documented land change over time and related it to changes in ecological processes would be especially useful. A motivating example is provided by Marzluff, DeLap, Oleyar, Whittaker, and Gardner (), who studied avian dispersal as a function of land change within breeding territories by quantifying the area converted from forest to built land each year (see Moll et al., for additional examples of dynamic metrics). We recommend that future studies consider how to weave dynamic land‐use effects into urban ecological research, given its clear relevance and strongly overlooked nature (Pickett et al., ; Ramalho & Hobbs, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What does urbanization actually mean? A framework for urban metrics in wildlife research

Moll

Cepek

Lorch

et al. 2019

Journal of Applied Ecology

100

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1. Extensive research has demonstrated that urbanization strongly alters ecological processes, often perniciously. However, quantifying the magnitude of urban effects and determining how generalized they can be across systems depends on the ways in which urbanization is measured and modelled. 2. We coupled a formal literature survey with a novel conceptual framework to document and synthesize the myriad of metrics used to quantify urbanization. The framework enables clear cataloguing of urban metrics by identifying (a) the urban component measured, (b) the method of measurement, (c) the metric's spatial scale and (d) the metric's temporal nature. Thus, the framework comprehensively captures the what, how, where and when of urban metrics.3. We documented striking variability in urban metrics with respect to which urban components were measured as well as how, where and when they were quantified. Overall, our survey revealed that they tended to be: (a) structurally focused, (b) methodologically simplistic, (c) spatially variable and (d) temporally static. 4. Synthesis and applications. Many metrics are used to quantify urbanization or 'urbanness'. The variation in urban metrics complicates the development of theory, comparisons of findings across studies, and the implementation of management and conservation actions. To pave a clear path forward for more efficient and policyrelevant urban research, we systematically organized urban metrics using a simple, flexible and comprehensive framework. The framework clarifies what urbanization actually means in empirical practice and identifies several crucial areas for future research, including: (a) systematic assessments of urban metrics across multiple scales, (b) an increased and judicious use of more complex urban metrics aimed at evaluating both mechanistic and broad-scale correlative ecological hypotheses, and (c) an increased emphasis on the socio-economic aspects of urban effects. K E Y W O R D S framework, human-natural systems, spatio-temporal scale, urban gradient, urban metrics, urbanization, urban-ness, variability

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What does urbanization actually mean? A framework for urban metrics in wildlife research

Moll

Cepek

Lorch

et al. 2019

Journal of Applied Ecology

100

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“…The intra-patch flights of up to 200m were neither confined to contiguous habitat nor, in all cases, reliant upon these corridors. This is perhaps surprising given that previous studies found that birds were (i) reluctant to leave sites when separated by urban development [55], (ii) incurred apparent survival/productivity costs when switching patches [56], (iii) gap-crossing tendency is apparently allometric [57] and (iv) that insectivores, in particular, were unlikely to penetrate edges [58]. Our findings do not corroborate the idea that energetic cost and vulnerability to predation (from aerial predators) means that small songbirds are unlikely to undertake edge crossing behaviour [16,17,59].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Field studies invariably rely on methodologically limited movement data for the questions addressed in our study, i.e. point counts, citizen science monitoring programs, proximity loggers or colour ring resightings [18,55,56,63]. However, while they provide complementary insights into processes of species abundance and assemblage, below the population level, the individual is rarely considered [4,9,12,14].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple fragmented habitat-patch use in an urban breeding passerine, the Short-toed Treecreeper

et al. 2020

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Individual responses of wild birds to fragmented habitat have rarely been studied, despite large-scale habitat fragmentation and biodiversity loss resulting from widespread urbanisation. We investigated the spatial ecology of the Short-toed Treecreeper Certhia brachydactyla, a tiny, resident, woodland passerine that has recently colonised city parks at the northern extent of its range. High resolution spatiotemporal movements of this obligate treeliving species were determined using radio telemetry within the urbanized matrix of city parks in Copenhagen, Denmark. We identified regular edge crossing behaviour, novel in woodland birds. While low numbers of individuals precluded a comprehensive characterisation of home range for this population, we were able to describe a consistent behaviour which has consequences for our understanding of animal movement in urban ecosystems. We report that treecreepers move freely, and apparently do so regularly, between isolated habitat patches. This behaviour is a possible driver of the range expansion in this species and may contribute to rapid dispersal capabilities in certain avian species, including Shorttoed Treecreepers, into northern Europe. Alternatively, these behaviours might be common and/or provide an adaptive advantage for birds utilising matrix habitats, for example within urban ecosystems. OPEN ACCESSCitation: Snell KRS, Jensen RBE, Ortvad TE, Willemoes M, Thorup K (2020) Multiple fragmented habitat-patch use in an urban breeding passerine, the Short-toed Treecreeper. PLoS ONE 15(1): e0227731. https://doi.org/10.

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“…The creation of new green space in urban landscapes increases the amount of habitat available to birds. While such green space can also expose birds to increased anthropogenic threats [ 141 , 142 ], these threats are often offset by the benefits of additional habitat which supports bird populations [ 31 , 79 , 143 ]. Consequently, creating urban green space remains important for bird conservation [ 120 , 144 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Urban green roofs provide habitat for migrating and breeding birds and their arthropod prey

Partridge

Clark

2018

PLoS ONE

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The world is rapidly urbanizing, and many previously biodiverse areas are now mostly composed of impervious surface. This loss of natural habitat causes local bird communities to become dominated by urban dweller and urban utilizer species and reduces the amount of habitat available for migrating and breeding birds. Green roofs can increase green space in urban landscapes, potentially providing new habitat for wildlife. We surveyed birds and arthropods, an important food source for birds, on green roofs and nearby comparable conventional (non-green) roofs in New York City during spring migration and summer breeding seasons. We predicted that green roofs would have a greater abundance and richness of both birds and arthropods than conventional roofs during both migration and the breeding season for birds. Furthermore, we predicted we would find more urban avoider and urban utilizer bird species on green roofs than conventional roofs. We found that both birds and arthropods were more abundant and rich on green roofs than conventional roofs. In addition, green roofs hosted more urban avoider and utilizer bird species than conventional roofs. Our study shows that birds use green roofs as stopover habitat during migration and as foraging habitat during the breeding season. Establishing green roofs in urban landscapes increases the amount of habitat available for migrating and breeding birds and can partially mitigate the loss of habitat due to increasing urbanization.

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Breeding Dispersal by Birds in a Dynamic Urban Ecosystem

Cited by 22 publications

References 70 publications

What does urbanization actually mean? A framework for urban metrics in wildlife research

What does urbanization actually mean? A framework for urban metrics in wildlife research

Multiple fragmented habitat-patch use in an urban breeding passerine, the Short-toed Treecreeper

Urban green roofs provide habitat for migrating and breeding birds and their arthropod prey

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