Mammals under a colony of great cormorants: population structure andbody condition of yellow-necked mice

Balčiauskas, Linas; Balčiauskienė, Laima; Jasiulionis, Marius

doi:10.3906/zoo-1407-27

Cited by 12 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…With regard to great cormorant colonies and small mammals, investigations are scarce. In previous studies, we have discovered that the great cormorant colony in Juodkrantė, Lithuania, changes the ecology of the small mammals inhabiting the territory, decreasing their diversity and abundance (Balčiauskienė et al, 2014), as well as changing population structure and fitness (Balčiauskas et al, 2015) -these changes indicate poor habitat and heightening values of δ 13 C and δ 15 N in their hair (Balčiauskas et al, 2016). Unexpectedly, the number of breeding cormorant pairs in the colony increased in 2015 due to the absence of deterrent measures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immediate increase in isotopic enrichment in small mammals following the expansion of a great cormorant colony

Balčiauskas¹,

Skipitytė²,

Jasiulionis³

et al. 2018

Biogeosciences

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Abstract. Colonies of great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) impact terrestrial ecosystems through the transport of nutrients from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems. Deposited guano overload the ecosystem with N and P, change soil pH and damage vegetation. The ways in which small mammals are impacted, however, are little known. We aimed to evaluate the effects of an expanding great cormorant colony, testing if the expansion immediately increased the input of biogens into the forest ecosystem and, further, if the growing influence of the colony was reflected in basal resources (plants and invertebrates) and the hair of small mammals. δ15N and δ13C signatures were analyzed in granivorous yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis), omnivorous bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and basal resources of animal and plant origin from the territory of a colony of great cormorants situated near the Baltic Sea in west Lithuania. We found that biogens transferred by great cormorants to the terrestrial ecosystem affected the potential foods of the small mammals and led to highly elevated and variable δ15N values. An increase of the size of the colony in 2015 resulted in isotopic enrichment of the small mammals in the zone of expansion in comparison to levels in 2014. The increase of δ15N in A. flavicollis was 7.5 % (p < 0.05) in the ecotone and 5.7 % in the expansion zone. The decrease in δ13C signatures in A. flavicollis was 4.5 % (p < 0.1) in the expansion zone and 3.1 % (p < 0.001) in the colony. In M. glareolus, the decrease in δ13C signatures was 8.5 % in the expansion zone, 3.3 % (p < 0.1) in the control zone and 2.6 % in the ecotone. Isotopic niches (central ellipses) of A. flavicollis in the colony and between the control and expansion zones were separated in 2014 and 2015, while they partially overlapped in the ecotone. The isotopic niches of M. glareolus in 2014 and 2015 were separated in the ecotone and had a small overlap in the colony. For most of the resources tested, the isotopic signatures in the established colony area were significantly higher than in the rest of cormorant-inhabited area. In the colony, the δ15N values in plants (16.9 ± 1.1 ‰) were higher than in invertebrates (13.6 ± 0.4 ‰). In the ecotone, the δ15N values were 12.0 ± 1.4 in plants and 14.7 ± 0.04 ‰ in invertebrates, while in the expansion zone they were 7.2 ± 3.0 and 9.9 ± 3.8 ‰, respectively. δ15N-rich resources led to increased δ15N values in the hair of A. flavicollis and M. glareolus. Thus, biogens from the great cormorant colony immediately affected small mammals through their food sources.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immediate increase in isotopic enrichment in small mammals following the expansion of a great cormorant colony

Balčiauskas¹,

Skipitytė²,

Jasiulionis³

et al. 2018

Biogeosciences

Self Cite

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show abstract

“…Small mammal ecology in the colonies was for the first time investigated in Lithuania (Balčiauskienė et al, 2014;Balčiauskas et al, 2015). Some aspects of isotopic enrichment of small mammals in great cormorant colonies were reviewed in Balčiauskas et al, (2016).…”

Section: Biogenic Pollution Is Disclosed By Stable Isotope Concentratmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nests and droppings appeared in the expansion zone, however, trees had no visible influence of the birds. In 2013-2014 expansion zone was used as trapping 15 control (Balčiauskas et al, 2015;, thus, we compared results to find colony influence after the first year of cormorant breeding in the formerly free territory.…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In general, small mammals are mostly omnivorous 30 (Nakagawa et al, 2007), though Sorex typical consume invertebrates (Makarov and Ivanter, 2016). Individuals were measured, sex and age were recorded during dissection as described elsewhere (Balčiauskas et al, 2015).…”

Section: Small Mammal Samplingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In previous studies, we have discovered 10 that great cormorant colony in Juodkrantė, Lithuania, change the ecology of the small mammals inhabiting the territory, decreasing their diversity and abundance (Balčiauskienė et al, 2014), changing population structure and fitness (Balčiauskas et al, 2015) -all changes indicating poor habitat, and heightening values of δ 13 C and δ 15 N in their hair (Balčiauskas et al, 2016). Our continuing interest in the great cormorant colony in Juodkrantė was maintained by the fact that it's area and number of breeding pairs increased in 2015 due to the absence of deterrent measures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Expansion of great cormorant colony immediately increased isotopic enrichment in small mammals

Balčiauskas

Skipitytė

Jasiulionis

et al. 2017

Preprint

Self Cite

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Abstract. Colonies of great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) impact terrestrial ecosystems transporting nutrients from aquatic to terrestrial ecosystems. Deposited guano overload ecosystem with N and P, change soil pH, damage vegetation.However, ways how small mammals are impacted, are not known in details. We aimed to evaluate the effects of an expanding great cormorant colony, testing if the expansion immediately increases input of biogens to the forest ecosystem, and if influence of the colony is reflected in the basal resources (plants and invertebrates) and the hair of small mammals. Stable carbon and 5 nitrogen isotope signatures were analysed in granivorous yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis), omnivorous bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and basal resources of animal and plant origin from the territory of a colony of great cormorants, situated near Baltic Sea, in West Lithuania. We found that biogens transferred by great cormorants to terrestrial ecosystems affected the potential foods of the small mammals and led to highly elevated and variable δ 15 N values. Increase of the colony in 2015 caused isotopic enrichment of the small mammals in the zone of expansion compared to 2014 levels. For most of the resources 10 tested, the isotopic signatures in the established colony area were significantly higher, than in the ecotone (between colony and surrounding forest) and expansion zone with the first year on cormorant nests present. Surprisingly, in the colony δ

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Accumulation of chemical elements in yellow-necked mice under a colony of great cormorants

et al. 2018

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Mammals under a colony of great cormorants: population structure andbody condition of yellow-necked mice

Cited by 12 publications

References 28 publications

Immediate increase in isotopic enrichment in small mammals following the expansion of a great cormorant colony

Immediate increase in isotopic enrichment in small mammals following the expansion of a great cormorant colony

Expansion of great cormorant colony immediately increased isotopic enrichment in small mammals

Accumulation of chemical elements in yellow-necked mice under a colony of great cormorants

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