Breeding habitat of sparrowhawks, Accipiter nisus on spoil heaps after coal mining

Šálek, Miroslav; Hendrychová, Markéta; Rehor, Michal

doi:10.1016/j.actao.2009.12.006

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Also ants achieve higher abundances and species richness on open patches with sparser and mosaic vegetation than on afforested plots or sites with compact cover of Calamagrostis epigejos (Holec & Frouz 2004). Our finding that the sites left to natural development give rise to similar or even greater species richness than do reclaimed sites is therefore in good agreement with previous results regarding plants and birds (Schultz & Wiegleb 2000; Prach & Pyšek 2001; Eyre et al 2003; Hodačová & Prach 2003; Prach 2003; Hendrychová et al 2009; Šálek et al 2010).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…Generally, higher species richness of invertebrates on successions probably resulted from richer habitat given by their diversified mosaics of spontaneously developed open patches and tree clusters (i.e. horizontal habitat heterogeneity) compared with the much more uniform plantations on reclaimed sites in the study area (Šálek et al 2010). The importance of microhabitat diversification was supported also by the finding that the mosaic of microclimatic conditions positively influenced invertebrate species richness, a piece of knowledge revealed in other studies on invertebrates documenting that small, sunny, non‐afforested patches are preferred, e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Soil Properties and Species Richness of Invertebrates on Afforested Sites after Brown Coal Mining

Hendrychová

Šálek

Tajovský

et al. 2011

Restoration Ecology

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Variation in soil properties may influence diversity of invertebrate communities, a crucial component of every ecosystem, and their impact should be considered also in restoration management. Although most spoil heaps have been reclaimed after brown coal mining, some post-mining sites are left to natural succession. Little is known, however, about the effects of these two fundamentally different approaches on diversity of invertebrates inhabiting these stands. While controlling for habitat characteristics, we analyzed the effects of soil properties on species richness of seven invertebrate groups representing various trophic levels and diverse spatial niches at afforested spoil heaps and adjacent pits managed under these two basic restoration approaches in the North Bohemia Brown Coal Basin (Czech Republic, central Europe). Forty-seven percentage of 140 invertebrate species occurred on both reclamations and successions, but many were found exclusively on successions (37%) or reclamations (16%). The species richness of various groups was affected by different soil properties either independently of other variables or in interaction with microclimatic conditions or management history. These results imply a need for diverse management approaches in post-mining areas to support the diversity of invertebrate communities. Technical reclamations with artificial plantations and spontaneous forest development on bare substrate (thus creating mosaics of open patches and afforested stands with different soil deposit materials) were found to be reasonable alternatives to support invertebrate richness on post-mining forested stands. We conclude that these two approaches should properly be combined in practice.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Soil Properties and Species Richness of Invertebrates on Afforested Sites after Brown Coal Mining

Hendrychová

Šálek

Tajovský

et al. 2011

Restoration Ecology

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“…According to our models, at a landscape level the presence of a nesting site is positively influenced by the extension of exotic‐tree plantation and proximity to human settlements (Table 5, 6). That seems to indicate that sparrowhawks need secure trees to place the nests but also optimal foraging habitats in the surroundings (Marquiss and Newton 1982, Selås and Rafoss 1999, Šálek et al 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exotic tree plantations as alternative breeding habitat for an endemic avian predator

Rodríguez¹,

Rodríguez

Lorenzo³

et al. 2021

Journal of Avian Biology

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Forest-dwelling raptors living on islands are more vulnerable than continental relatives due to their particular life history traits and habitat degradation. The Canary Islands' forests have suffered severe transformations because of intense human exploitation since its colonization by the Europeans. In recent decades, forest managers have initiated actions to restore the original ecosystems. Consequently, gathering knowledge on the relationships between habitat and reproduction output of forest species is essential to develop long-term conservation actions. Here, we explore the suitability of exotic tree plantations as breeding habitat for an island endemic raptor, the Macaronesian sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus granti. We monitored territories distributed in three main forest types, two native (laurel forest and Canarian pinewood) and one composed of exotic trees. We assessed breeding density, characterized nesting habitat at macro-, micro-habitat and nest tree levels, and estimated breeding parameters in the three forests. We evaluated habitat selection and its potential relationship with breeding parameters, as well as nest structure survival in native versus exotic tree species. Density was higher in exotic forests and habitat features differed among forests at three spatial scales. Sparrowhawks used areas with high cover of exotic trees, with high trees, far away from human settlements and at low altitudes. All models testing for differences in breeding success and productivity among the forest types were not significant, but the percentage of successful pairs was slightly higher in exotic tree plantations than in native forests. Nest structures located in exotic trees showed a higher annual survival than those placed in native trees. Our results indicate that exotic plantations are a secure nesting habitat and therefore forestry practices, including those aiming to eradicate exotic trees, must be carefully planned to avoid nest destruction or disturbance in occupied forest patches.

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Non-native spruce plantations represent a suitable habitat for Tengmalm’s Owl (Aegolius funereus) in the Czech Republic, Central Europe

2014

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Anthropogenic activity can lead to deforestation and subsequent dramatic impacts on forest-dwelling animal species. In this study, we investigated the habitat use of a forest raptor (Tengmalm's Owl Aegolius funereus) in an air-polluted area of the Ore Mountains (Czech Republic) that has been restored by non-native spruce. Based on a 14-year Tengmalm's Owl nest-box breeding dataset, we found that the percentage of native Norway Spruce forest was higher for occupied nest boxes than for unoccupied ones within close surroundings of the nest (buffer radius of 25 m). Meanwhile, the percentage of nonnative Blue Spruce (originally from Northern America) was higher for occupied nest boxes than for unoccupied ones within the home-range breeding area (buffer radius of 750 m). Moreover, the surroundings of non-predated nests (radius of 750 m) showed a higher percentage of Blue Spruce and a lower percentage of deciduous trees than surroundings of nests predated by Pine Martens. Although small mammal availability was not affected by habitat categories, we found a positive correlation between the percentage of Apodemus mice in the diet of owls and the percentages of both Blue Spruce and open forest area within the foraging area radius (750 m). We suggest that adult owls and young fledglings use remnants of tall, oldgrowth Norway Spruce forests as a safe refuge against avian predators, while secondary stands of non-native Blue Spruce are suitable for hunting both main prey types (Apodemus mice and Microtus voles), and also ensure good protection against nest predation by Pine Martens.

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Breeding habitat of sparrowhawks, Accipiter nisus on spoil heaps after coal mining

Cited by 9 publications

References 18 publications

Soil Properties and Species Richness of Invertebrates on Afforested Sites after Brown Coal Mining

Soil Properties and Species Richness of Invertebrates on Afforested Sites after Brown Coal Mining

Exotic tree plantations as alternative breeding habitat for an endemic avian predator

Non-native spruce plantations represent a suitable habitat for Tengmalm’s Owl (Aegolius funereus) in the Czech Republic, Central Europe

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