Nordmann's Greenshank(Tringa guttifer)is a globally endangered species that has received little research attention.It is threatened by rapid habitat loss,an incomplete network of protected sites,and lack of long-t...Nordmann's Greenshank(Tringa guttifer)is a globally endangered species that has received little research attention.It is threatened by rapid habitat loss,an incomplete network of protected sites,and lack of long-term data on population dynamics.Citizen science data can be combined with survey data to support population estimation and conservation gap analysis.From 2020 to 2021,Nordmann's Greenshank was surveyed in Tiaozini,Xiaoyangkou,and Dongling on the southern coast of Jiangsu Province,China,and the global population of the species was re-evaluated using the data obtained.We integrated citizen science data from eBird and the China Bird Report from 2000 to 2020 with the survey results to identify important habitats harboring over 1%of its total population,and compared this data with existing protected areas to identify gaps in its global conservation.Our survey found that Tiaozini supported at least 1194 individuals.Consequently,its global population was reestimated to be 1500-2000.Moreover,45 important habitats were identified based on citizen data and survey results.Although 44.4%and 50.0%of the priority sites in the world and China,respectively,are located outside protected areas,the Conservation Effectiveness Index(C)is 68.4%and 71.1%,respectively,showing that the current coverage of protected areas for this part of its range is reasonable.This study presents the most complete and recent population data to date.Tiaozini is the most important migration stopover site for Nordmann's Greenshanks.The species is under threat in terms of breeding,wintering,and stopover sites.Therefore,we suggest improving monitoring,establishing new protected sites to complete the habitat protection network,and improving the effectiveness of existing habitat protection strategies,including further developing high tide roosting sites.展开更多
Background:In the past decades,birdwatching as a hobby developed rapidly and produced ample scientific records that have aided conservation efforts.Therefore,it is increasingly attractive to promote avian research by ...Background:In the past decades,birdwatching as a hobby developed rapidly and produced ample scientific records that have aided conservation efforts.Therefore,it is increasingly attractive to promote avian research by providing data from birdwatching.Methods:We compared records from 16 years of community birdwatching and a 1-year formalized bird monitoring in Suzhou,China to study the similarities and differences between the two monitoring methods.Results:We showed that within the 325 bird species recorded by the two methods,an annual average of 108 species were documented by community science and 223 bird species were recorded by 1-year formalized monitoring.Measured by the number of bird species recorded per survey trip,the bird monitoring activity of community birdwatchers was significantly lower.Furthermore,the monitoring intensity of community birdwatching measured as the average survey trips per site each survey year was also lower than that of formalized bird monitoring.In addition,community birdwatchers preferred urban landscapes to rural areas.Conclusions:Community birdwatching could record the majority of local birds and complements the professional surveys in avian research.Well designed and coordinated community science can be used to expand the knowledge about avian distribution and population dynamics.These findings are critical for the development of conservation science with regard to community involvement.展开更多
By combining satellite tracking,land-cover extracted from Landsite 8 images,and the traditional stable isotope analysis,we studied the habitat selection and food preference of a vulnerable migratory waterbird,the Whit...By combining satellite tracking,land-cover extracted from Landsite 8 images,and the traditional stable isotope analysis,we studied the habitat selection and food preference of a vulnerable migratory waterbird,the Whitenaped Crane(Grus vipio),in one of its key stagging sites,the Shandian River Basin in the semi-arid northern China,to provide knowledge that is critical for its conservation in the Anthropocene.Our results showed that the White-naped Cranes used both uplands and natural wetlands in the stopover site.While the cranes used farmland and natural land cover equally as night-time roosting grounds,they spent most daytime foraging at farmlands.Despite the extensive usage of croplands as their foraging ground,the Bayesian mixing models based on stable isotopic analysis revealed that crop residues after harvesting,such as Maize(Zea mays)and Naked Oat(Avena chinensis),were only a small fraction of the White-naped Cranes’diet(~19%),and their diet composited mainly natural plants,such as Allium ledebourianum,Potentilla anserina,and P.tanacetifoli.Moreover,more than 20%of the total wetlands in the region were modelled as home range of the cranes.On contrast,less than 10%of croplands and about 1%of the unused uplands were identified as home range.In addition,the entire core habitats were located in natural wetlands.Our findings demonstrated the importance of natural wetlands for the survival of the threatened crane.However,the satellite-derived land cover data showed that croplands increased rapidly in the last decade in this area,at the expense of natural wetlands.With the sharp decrease of White-naped Crane population in China,the conservation of stopover sites becomes imperative.Based on our analysis,we recommend the following management actions:conserving adequate natural wetland area,regulating anthropogenic pressures such as the use of herbicides,expanding the duration and extent of current conservation regulations,establishing a comprehensive monitoring program,and initiating basin-scale ecological restoration,for effective conservation of this threatened species.These integrated conservation strategies for migratory waterbirds are necessary,considering the rapid land-cover changes and agricultural expansion that have been occurring in East Asian-Australasian Flyway,especially in the semi-arid temperate zone.展开更多
Dams and reservoirs,regulating water levels for irrigation,hydropower and flood control,are sometimes considered as artificial managed wetlands.Recent research has shown that increased water surface of reservoirs have...Dams and reservoirs,regulating water levels for irrigation,hydropower and flood control,are sometimes considered as artificial managed wetlands.Recent research has shown that increased water surface of reservoirs have become habitats for some species of migratory waterbird.However,hydraulic engineering can be a Sword of Damocles for birds.Regulating water levels may dramatically alter a wetland展开更多
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31971400)the"Saving Spoon-billed Sandpiper"of Shenzhen Mangrove Wetlands Conservation Foundation(MCF)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.BLX202144)。
文摘Nordmann's Greenshank(Tringa guttifer)is a globally endangered species that has received little research attention.It is threatened by rapid habitat loss,an incomplete network of protected sites,and lack of long-term data on population dynamics.Citizen science data can be combined with survey data to support population estimation and conservation gap analysis.From 2020 to 2021,Nordmann's Greenshank was surveyed in Tiaozini,Xiaoyangkou,and Dongling on the southern coast of Jiangsu Province,China,and the global population of the species was re-evaluated using the data obtained.We integrated citizen science data from eBird and the China Bird Report from 2000 to 2020 with the survey results to identify important habitats harboring over 1%of its total population,and compared this data with existing protected areas to identify gaps in its global conservation.Our survey found that Tiaozini supported at least 1194 individuals.Consequently,its global population was reestimated to be 1500-2000.Moreover,45 important habitats were identified based on citizen data and survey results.Although 44.4%and 50.0%of the priority sites in the world and China,respectively,are located outside protected areas,the Conservation Effectiveness Index(C)is 68.4%and 71.1%,respectively,showing that the current coverage of protected areas for this part of its range is reasonable.This study presents the most complete and recent population data to date.Tiaozini is the most important migration stopover site for Nordmann's Greenshanks.The species is under threat in terms of breeding,wintering,and stopover sites.Therefore,we suggest improving monitoring,establishing new protected sites to complete the habitat protection network,and improving the effectiveness of existing habitat protection strategies,including further developing high tide roosting sites.
基金supported by Social Development Research Program of Jiangsu Province Science and Technology department(No.BE2019773)Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD)。
文摘Background:In the past decades,birdwatching as a hobby developed rapidly and produced ample scientific records that have aided conservation efforts.Therefore,it is increasingly attractive to promote avian research by providing data from birdwatching.Methods:We compared records from 16 years of community birdwatching and a 1-year formalized bird monitoring in Suzhou,China to study the similarities and differences between the two monitoring methods.Results:We showed that within the 325 bird species recorded by the two methods,an annual average of 108 species were documented by community science and 223 bird species were recorded by 1-year formalized monitoring.Measured by the number of bird species recorded per survey trip,the bird monitoring activity of community birdwatchers was significantly lower.Furthermore,the monitoring intensity of community birdwatching measured as the average survey trips per site each survey year was also lower than that of formalized bird monitoring.In addition,community birdwatchers preferred urban landscapes to rural areas.Conclusions:Community birdwatching could record the majority of local birds and complements the professional surveys in avian research.Well designed and coordinated community science can be used to expand the knowledge about avian distribution and population dynamics.These findings are critical for the development of conservation science with regard to community involvement.
基金This research was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31971400)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.BLX202144).
文摘By combining satellite tracking,land-cover extracted from Landsite 8 images,and the traditional stable isotope analysis,we studied the habitat selection and food preference of a vulnerable migratory waterbird,the Whitenaped Crane(Grus vipio),in one of its key stagging sites,the Shandian River Basin in the semi-arid northern China,to provide knowledge that is critical for its conservation in the Anthropocene.Our results showed that the White-naped Cranes used both uplands and natural wetlands in the stopover site.While the cranes used farmland and natural land cover equally as night-time roosting grounds,they spent most daytime foraging at farmlands.Despite the extensive usage of croplands as their foraging ground,the Bayesian mixing models based on stable isotopic analysis revealed that crop residues after harvesting,such as Maize(Zea mays)and Naked Oat(Avena chinensis),were only a small fraction of the White-naped Cranes’diet(~19%),and their diet composited mainly natural plants,such as Allium ledebourianum,Potentilla anserina,and P.tanacetifoli.Moreover,more than 20%of the total wetlands in the region were modelled as home range of the cranes.On contrast,less than 10%of croplands and about 1%of the unused uplands were identified as home range.In addition,the entire core habitats were located in natural wetlands.Our findings demonstrated the importance of natural wetlands for the survival of the threatened crane.However,the satellite-derived land cover data showed that croplands increased rapidly in the last decade in this area,at the expense of natural wetlands.With the sharp decrease of White-naped Crane population in China,the conservation of stopover sites becomes imperative.Based on our analysis,we recommend the following management actions:conserving adequate natural wetland area,regulating anthropogenic pressures such as the use of herbicides,expanding the duration and extent of current conservation regulations,establishing a comprehensive monitoring program,and initiating basin-scale ecological restoration,for effective conservation of this threatened species.These integrated conservation strategies for migratory waterbirds are necessary,considering the rapid land-cover changes and agricultural expansion that have been occurring in East Asian-Australasian Flyway,especially in the semi-arid temperate zone.
文摘Dams and reservoirs,regulating water levels for irrigation,hydropower and flood control,are sometimes considered as artificial managed wetlands.Recent research has shown that increased water surface of reservoirs have become habitats for some species of migratory waterbird.However,hydraulic engineering can be a Sword of Damocles for birds.Regulating water levels may dramatically alter a wetland
