Interactions Between Grazing Birds and Macrophytes

Mitchell, Stuart F.; Perrow, Martin R.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4612-0695-8_9

Cited by 37 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…The higher abundance and richness of macro-invertebrates and fish occurred in the submerged vegetation [45][46][47]. Apparently, relative abundance of ducks and geese was strongly related to the domination of submerged vegetation in open water bodies, and they preferred to forage in submerged vegetation for food items [48][49][50][51]. The submerged vegetation supported the complex trophic structure in the wetland [52], and it was an important source of food for invertebrates such as insects, isopods, decapods, crustaceans, and molluscs, as well as fish and birds [53][54][55].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bird Species Abundance and Their Correlationship with Microclimate and Habitat Variables at Natural Wetland Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia

Rajpar¹,

Mohamed

2011

International Journal of Zoology

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Birds are the most conspicuous and significant component of freshwater wetland ecosystem. Presence or absence of birds may indicate the ecological conditions of the wetland area. The objectives of this study were to determine bird species abundance and their relationship with microclimate and habitat variables. Distance sampling point count method was applied for determining species abundance and multiple regressions was used for finding relationship between bird species abundance, microclimate and habitat variables. Bird species were monitored during November, 2007 to January, 2009. A total of 8728 individual birds comprising 89 species and 38 families were detected. Marsh Swamp was swarmed by 84 species (69.8%) followed open water body by 55 species (17.7%) and lotus swamp by 57 species (12.6%). Purple swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio (9.1% of all detections) was the most abundant bird species of marsh swamp, lesser whistling duck-Dendrocygna javanica (2.3%) was dominant species of open water body and pink-necked green pigeon-Treron vernans (1.7%) was most common species of lotus swamp. Results revealed that the habitat characteristics such as vegetation composition (i.e. emergent and submerged vegetations, grasses, shrubs, and trees), vegetation structures (tree diameter and height) and microclimate variables (temperature, relative humidity and light intensity) were the key factors that influenced the distribution, diversity and density of the wetland bird species. This study also revealed that the wetland bird species have adapted a fairly unique set of microhabitat and microclimate conditions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bird Species Abundance and Their Correlationship with Microclimate and Habitat Variables at Natural Wetland Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia

Rajpar¹,

Mohamed

2011

International Journal of Zoology

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“…Herbivory by coot (Fulica sp.) can have a major impact on fennel pondweed biomass (Anderson & Low, 1976;Søndergaard et al, 1996;Mitchell & Perrow, 1998). Other researchers also suggest that the impact of fish may be important either directly through herbivory (e.g Van Donk et al, 1994) or indirectly through reduction of water clarity when the fish search for invertebrates in the sediment (Beklioglu et al, 2003), and through predation on large-bodied daphnids so that the indirect effects of reduced light may become intensified through eutrophication (Scheffer et al, 1993).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…Strong effects of waterfowl and fish herbivory has been recorded in several investigations, which were mostly carried out during the period of re-establishment of macrophytes in eutrophic lakes following restoration to enhance underwater light climate (Søndergaard et al, 1996;Mitchell & Perrow, 1998). During such a period, growth of submerged macrophytes seems to be highly vulnerable to herbivory and periphyton-induced light limitation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Most of the studies conducted on waterfowl (defined as all varieties of ducks, geese, swans, coots, grebes and divers) herbivory on submerged macrophytes have suggested that the most obvious impact occurs in autumn and winter when large numbers of migrating waterfowl congregate (Kiørboe 1980;Søndergaard et al, 1996;Mitchell & Perrow, 1998). However, it is also stated that consumption of a small amount of plant tissue in an early seasonal growth phase in spring may have profound effects on subsequent rate of plant biomass increase (Mitchell & Perrow, 1998). Herbivory exerted by fish probably increase with water temperature, because cyprinids such as carp consume more in warm (25°C) than in cold (10°C) water (Garcia & Adelman, 1985).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of waterfowl, large fish and periphyton on the spring growth of Potamogeton pectinatus L. in Lake Mogan, Turkey

2005

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It has been argued that waterfowl and fish may threaten growth of submerged macrophytes, especially in spring during the early growth phase when plant biomass is low. A small reduction of biomass at that time might delay growth or decrease subsequent productivity. We investigated the impact of waterfowl and large fish on the spring growth of fennel pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus L.) by employing an exclosure experiment in the macrophyte-dominated clear-water Lake Mogan, Turkey. Birds and large fish were excluded from eight plots and both in situ vegetation and macrophytes kept in pots were compared to eight open plots. Also, to investigate the effect of periphyton on plant growth it was removed from half of the pot plants. Exclusion of waterfowl and fish may decrease predation on macroinvertebrates, which in turn may affect periphyton, and macrophyte growth, why macroinvertebrates also were sampled. Waterfowl density was high (15-70 ind. of coot, Fulica atra L. ha )1 ), abundance of submerged plants was also high with a surface coverage of 70-80%, and benthivorous fish were present, mainly tench, (Tinca tinca L.) and carp, (Cyprinus carpio L.). Exclusion of waterfowl and large fish did not significantly affect the spring growth of pondweed; neither plants growing in situ nor kept in pots. Removal of periphyton from the plants in the pots did not favour growth. The density of macroinvertebrates was not affected by the exclusion of waterfowl and large fish, but it was positively related to aboveground biomass of fennel pondweed. We suggest that even if waterfowl and large fish are in high densities, their effect on fennel pondweed spring growth in lakes with abundant submerged vegetation, such as Lake Mogan, is low.

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“…Submerged macrophytes play a key role in the ecology of shallow, alkaline, clearwater lakes, where they form an extensive and diverse littoral community with numerous associated invertebrates, fish, and birds (Jeppesen et al 1998;Mitchell and Perrow 1998). While the cover and biomass of submerged macrophytes and their role in lake metabolism are largely predictable from lake area, basin configuration, and nutrient loading (Duarte et al 1986;Sand-Jensen and Borum 1991;Gasith and Hoyer 1998), the regulation of species composition and richness is more complex, depending on both the physicochemical suitability of the lake environ-ment and the extent of the area colonised by submerged macrophytes (Rørslett 1991;Weiher and Boylen 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aquatic macrophyte richness in Danish lakes in relation to alkalinity, transparency, and lake area

Vestergaard¹,

Sand‐Jensen²

2000

Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.

130

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We examined the relationship between environmental factors and the richness of submerged macrophytes species in 73 Danish lakes, which are mainly small, shallow, and have mesotrophic to hypertrophic conditions. We found that mean species richness per lake was only 4.5 in acid lakes of low alkalinity but 12.3 in lakes of high alkalinity due to a greater occurrence of the species-rich group of elodeids. Mean species richness per lake also increased significantly with increasing Secchi depth. No significant relationship between species richness and lake surface area was observed among the entire group of lakes or a subset of eutrophic lakes, as the growth of submerged macrophytes in large lakes may be restricted by wave action in shallow water and light restriction in deep water. In contrast, macrophyte species richness increased with lake surface area in transparent lakes, presumably due to expansion of the area colonised by submerged macrophytes. Thus, the size of the colonised area is a better predictor of species richness than lake surface area. The strong increase in species richness accompanying greater transparency can be accounted for by the combined effect of higher colonised area and higher habitat richness along gradients of deeper macrophyte growth.Résumé : Nous avons examiné la relation entre les facteurs environnementaux et la diversité des espèces macrophytes immergées dans 73 lacs danois, qui sont principalement petits et peu profonds et présentent des conditions mésotrophes et hypereutrophes. Nous avons découvert que la diversité moyenne des espèces par lac n'était que de 4,5 dans les lacs acides de faible alcalinité, mais de 12,3 dans les lacs de forte alcalinité, en raison de la forte présence d'élodées. La diversité moyenne des espèces par lac augmentait fortement avec la transparence mesurée au disque de Secchi. Nous n'avons noté aucune relation entre la diversité des espèces et la superficie de la surface, ni dans les lacs ni dans le sous-ensemble de lacs eutrophes, la croissance des macrophytes immergés dans les grands lacs étant peut-être limitée par l'action des vagues dans les eaux peu profondes et par la faible luminosité des eaux profondes. Par contre, la diversité spécifique des macrophytes augmentait avec la superficie de la surface dans les lacs transparents, sans doute à cause de l'expansion de la zone colonisée par les macrophytes immergées. Par conséquent, la superficie de la zone colonisée est un meilleur prédicteur de la diversité des espèces que la superficie de la surface des lacs. L'accroissement important de la diversité des espèces dans les lacs transparents peut s'expliquer par l'effet combiné de la grande superficie colonisée et de la diversité supérieure des habitats selon les gradients de colonisation en profondeur par les macrophytes.[Traduit par la Rédaction] Vestergaard and Sand-Jensen 2031

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Interactions Between Grazing Birds and Macrophytes

Cited by 37 publications

References 72 publications

Bird Species Abundance and Their Correlationship with Microclimate and Habitat Variables at Natural Wetland Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia

Bird Species Abundance and Their Correlationship with Microclimate and Habitat Variables at Natural Wetland Reserve, Peninsular Malaysia

Effects of waterfowl, large fish and periphyton on the spring growth of Potamogeton pectinatus L. in Lake Mogan, Turkey

Aquatic macrophyte richness in Danish lakes in relation to alkalinity, transparency, and lake area

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