Patterns of bird predation on reptiles in small woodland remnant edges in peri-urban north-western Sydney, Australia

Anderson, Lynette P; Burgin, Shelley

doi:10.1007/s10980-008-9252-5

Cited by 38 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Concealed microhabitats may buffer edge-dwelling species from the increased unfavorable interactions that can occur in complex habitat fragments. For instance, edge-dwelling organisms often suffer greater predation rates than organisms in the core of habitat patches (Ferguson 2000;Purger et al 2004;Anderson and Burgin 2008). The choice of more concealed, structurally complex habitat to avoid detrimental encounters is prevalent among various taxa including spiders (Wise 2006;Manicom et al 2008), insects (Atlegrim 1989), fish and lobsters (Eggleston et al 1997) andbirds (Jenks-Jay 1982), and can have important consequences at the population and community levels (Holbrook and Schmitt 2002).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patch shape alters spider community structure: links between microhabitat choice and sensitivity to increased edge habitat

Cobbold

Supp

2011

J Insect Conserv

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Increased edge effects in fragmented habitats can affect the abundance of edge-dwelling organisms, but these impacts may depend on the biological attributes of species. Microhabitat choice, a species characteristic that reflects combinations of biological traits, may affect the ability of peripheral species to take advantage of increased edge habitat in the presence of edge effects. In this field study, we built artificial shrub modules designed to encourage web spiders to build webs on the periphery. While modules were identical in volume, they differed in shape (cubic and elongated), so that elongated modules had more edge habitat and were subject to enhanced edge effects. Given that the tangle-web spiders Theridion and Dictyna built webs on module edges and strongly differed in terms of concealment and substrate generalization, two habitat characteristics associated with lower vulnerability to habitat modification, we tested the hypothesis that Theridion, which built webs in more concealed locations and on a greater diversity of substrate configurations in the modules compared to Dictyna, would take better advantage of increased edge habitat. As predicted, Theridion was significantly more abundant on elongated modules whereas the abundance of Dictyna did not respond to shape, even though the change in module shape entailed a similar increase in favored substrate for both spider groups. Our results suggest that the microhabitat associations of organisms may be linked to their propensity to be sensitive to edges, and that a better understanding of these links can improve our ability to predict the effects of habitat modification on biodiversity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patch shape alters spider community structure: links between microhabitat choice and sensitivity to increased edge habitat

Cobbold

Supp

2011

J Insect Conserv

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“…In Latin America, studies have concentrated on bird feeding behavior (Levin et al, 2000;Pinheiro, 2003;Echeverría et al, 2006;Echeverría and Vassallo, 2008). In contrast, studies performed in temperate zones and Australia focus on the behavioral responses of birds to human disturbance and urbanization (Fernández-Juricic et al, 2001;Chace and Walsh, 2006), and compare predator activities between edge and interior urban woodlands (Anderson and Burgin, 2008). However, a broad conclusion can be drawn from the results of these studies: bird behavior is heavily affected by urban development, particularly as a result of predation risk, human activities, and urban features.…”

Section: Ethologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Dusting-off the file: A review of knowledge on urban ornithology in Latin America

Ortega-Álvarez

MacGregor-Fors

2011

Landscape and Urban Planning

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“…This is probably because resources (e.g., prey, cover) were more evenly distributed within this effectively monoculture African love grass. This supposition is based on the observations of Anderson and Burgin (2008) who found that small skinks were in much lower numbers at the edge, compared with the core of small remnants. Conversely, predatory birds that cross forage between the local urban areas and urban remnants were in greater density at the edge of the woodlands they studied compared to the core.…”

Section: Spatial Use Of Habitatmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat use by the jacky lizard Amphibolurus muricatus in a highly degraded urban area

et al. 2011

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Over time native vegetation remnants in urban areas are typically eroded in size and number due to pressures from urban expansion and consolidation. Such remnants, frequently neglected and invaded by weeds, may constitute the last remaining habitat for some species' populations in urban areas. In the restoration of remnants for biodiversity, weed removal is often a high priority but there is a dearth of information on the role that exotic vegetation plays as habitat for fauna such as small reptiles. We investigated the vegetation type preference of urban remnants at the edge of a Sydney golf course by Amphibolurus muricatus, the native jacky lizard. The three vegetation types present were Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub (an Endangered Ecological Community) with sparse groundcover, dense stands of the introduced Eragrostis curvula African love grass, and open fairways of lawn: three structurally different habitats. Captured jacky lizards were spooled and their movements traced by following the thread left as they moved through their home range. Jacky lizards preferred areas that afford them most cover. While they foraged throughout the stands of love grass, they tended to avoid the edge of native vegetation remnants. They also basked on the lawn close to the vegetation where they had recently foraged, or traversed it to enter natural vegetation or grass. We concluded that introduced love grass offered additional habitat because of the relatively dense vegetation cover, and that areas should not be managed with the assumption that invasive weeds are detrimental to native species without appropriate assessment.

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Patterns of bird predation on reptiles in small woodland remnant edges in peri-urban north-western Sydney, Australia

Cited by 38 publications

References 37 publications

Patch shape alters spider community structure: links between microhabitat choice and sensitivity to increased edge habitat

Patch shape alters spider community structure: links between microhabitat choice and sensitivity to increased edge habitat

Dusting-off the file: A review of knowledge on urban ornithology in Latin America

Habitat use by the jacky lizard Amphibolurus muricatus in a highly degraded urban area

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