Rapid increase in numbers and change of land-use in two expanding Columbidae species (Columba palumbus and Streptopelia decaocto) in Algeria

Abstract

Background: Investigating population ecology of urban bird species, particularly the invasive and expending species, is the key for the success of urban management and planning strategies. Methods:Populations of two Columbidae species, the Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus) and the Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto), were monitored from 1992 to 2010 in the Algiers Sahel, the Mitidja Plain and surrounding areas (Northern Algeria). Monitoring of species densities was performed by the mapping-plot method. The foraging flight routes of Woodpigeon and the distribution of Eurasian Collared Dove were assessed by systematic observations. Results:The number of counted birds was statistically constant at first years of the survey, and then increased significantly, beginning from low numbers, their densities accelerated sharply between 2001 and 2006, then reached to an equilibrium state. The significant increase in Woodpigeon's population could be explained by the reduced hunting pressure and by species adaptation to new food resources provided by nearby agriculture. Indeed, monitoring of flight directions of the species revealed the use of agricultural landscapes and habitats, which is a good indicator explaining adaptation and trophic niche of the species. The occurrence of the Eurasian Collared Dove in Algiers began in 2000. Its density experienced a rapid increase with similar trend pattern as that of Woodpigeon. Its distributional range is confined mainly in suburban environments of the Mitidja Plain. Conclusion:The modifications of habitats, urbanization increase and the lessening of hunting in the Mitidja Plain facilitated the rapid expansion of the Eurasian Collared Dove and Woodpigeon as well contributed to the increase in their numbers over time.

A recent colonizer bird as indicator of human-induced landscape change: Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) in a small Mediterranean island

“…We confirm the synanthropic ecology of this species at fine-grained scale in our simplified insular landscape: indeed, their abundance was positively related both to urbanization (Coombs et al 1981;Bendjoudi et al 2015) and road density (Fujisaki et al 2010).…”

“…Human disturbances are an important driver of multi-scale changes in ecosystem components (Sousa 1984;Battisti et al 2016), especially in Mediterranean contexts (Blondel and Aronson 1999). More in particular, anthropogenic land use changes (e.g., agriculture and urbanization; Salafsky et al 2003;Salafsky et al 2008) are strong driving forces disrupting species ranges and consequently the structure of species assemblages.…”

The Rough Bent‐toed Gecko Cyrtopodion scabrum (Heyden, 1827) (Squamata: Gekkonidae): First records in Algeria and NW Africa with morphometric and meristic description of population

“…Bioinvasions cause long‐lasting effects and alter the balance of ecological succession (Early et al., 2016). Regardless of the biological invasion type, spontaneous, subspontaneous or anthropogenic (Bendjoudi et al., 2015), colonisation of alien species can cause drastic disturbances in ecological processes, such as trophic interactions and food web dynamics (Chaibi et al., 2012; Pimentel, Lach, Zuniga, & Morrison, 2000). Many animal and plant species have already disappeared as a result of unwanted introductions, while many others are seriously threatened (Clavero & García‐Berthou, 2005; Harper & Bunbury, 2015; Kraus, 2009).…”

A comprehensive monograph on the ecology and distribution of the House bunting (Emberiza sahari) in Algeria

“…(Reynolds et al 2019, Metallaoui et al 2020. According to Behidj-Benyounes et al (2013), the synchronization of reproduction depends on climatic conditions, which influence the abundance, quality and availability of food and thus affect breeding success and population demographics (Bendjoudi et al 2015. Subsequently, Bradai et al (2015) indicated that both the amount of rainfall and its temporal distribution have an important influence on habitat productivity.…”