Activity Pattern and Habitat Use of Shorebirds in an Artificial Wetland Complex:A Case Study of Breeding Pied Avocet in the Yellow River Delta,China

With the loss of substantial natural wetlands in coastal zones,artificial wetlands provide alternative habitats for many shorebirds.Scientific management of artificial wetlands used by shorebirds plays an important role in maintaining the stability of shorebird population.Satellite tracking technique can obtain high-precision location information of individuals day and night,providing a good technical support for the study of quantitative relationship between waterfowls and their habitats.In this study,satellite tracking method,Remote Sensing(RS)and Geographic Information System(GIS)technology were used to analyze the activity pattern and habitat utilization characteristics of Pied Avocet during breeding period in an artificial wetland complex in the Yellow River Delta(YRD),China.The results showed that the breeding Pied Avocets had a small range of activity,with a total core and main home range of 33.10 km^(2) and 216.30 km^(2),respectively.This species tended to forage in the pond and salt pan during the day and night,respectively,with an unfixed staying time in the breeding ground.The distance between breeding ground and feeding ground was less than 6 km.It is emphasized that in addition to improving the conditions of the remaining natural habitats,effective managing artificial habitats is a priority for shorebird conservation.This research could provide reference for the management of artificial wetlands in coastal zones and supply technique support for the protection of shorebirds and their habitats,and alleviate human-bird conflicts and sustainable development of coastal zones.

Summer-autumn habitat use by Galliformes in a primary forest,southeastern Tibet

Habitat use by Galliformes in an ornithologically unexplored region,a forest area in southeastern Tibet,was investigated during the summer and autumn periods of 1995.A total of seven species were recorded,most of which preferred habitats on south-facing slopes and avoided those on north-facing slopes where conditions were relatively humid.A hybrid population of White (Crossoptilon crossoptilon) versus Tibetan Eared-pheasants (C.harmani) was predominant among the Galliforme community,followed by Blood Pheasants (Ithaginis cruentus) and Chinese Grouse (Bonasa sewerzowi).A further investigation in 2001 showed that on account of little human activity in the distant primary forests,the birds suffered less of a threat from hunting and habitat disturbance.

Differences in Thermal Preference and Tolerance among Three Phrynocephalus Lizards (Agamidae) with Different Body Sizes and Habitat Use

We acclimated adults of two viviparous （Phrynocephalus guinanens＆ and P. vlangalii） and one oviparous （P. versicolor） species of toad-headed lizards （Agamidae） to 28 ℃, 33 ℃ and 38 ℃ to examine whether thermal preference （preferred body temperature, Tp） and thermal tolerance （critical thermal minimum, CTMin; critical thermal maximum, CTMax） were affected by acclimation temperature, and correlate with body size and habitat use. Both Tp and CTMax were highest in P. versicolor and lowest in P. vlangalii, with P. guinanensis in between. The two viviparous species did not differ in CTMin and thermal tolerance range, and they both were more resistant to low temperatures and had a wider range of thermal tolerance than the oviparous species. Both CTMin and CTMax shifted upward as acclimation temperature increased in all the three species. Tp was higher in the lizards acclimated to 33 ℃ than in those to 28 ℃ or 38 ℃. The range of thermal tolerance was wider in the lizards acclimated to 28 ℃ than in those to 33 ℃ or 38 ℃. The data showed that： 1） thermal preference and tolerance were affected by acclimation temperature, and differed among the three species of Phrynocephalus lizards with different body sizes and habitat uses; 2） both Tp and CTMax were higher in the species exchanging heat more rapidly with the environment, and CTMin was higher in the species using warmer habitats during the active season; and 3） thermal preference and tolerance might correlat with body size and habitat use in Phrynocephalus lizards.

Contrasting habitat use and conservation status of Chinese-wintering and other Eurasian Greater White-fronted Goose(Anser albifrons)populations

Background:GPS/GSM tracking data were used to contrast use of(i)habitats and(ii)protected areas between three Arctic-nesting Greater White-fronted Geese(Anser albifrons,GWFG)populations throughout the annual cycle.We wished to demonstrate that the East Asian Continental Population(which winters on natural wetlands in the Chinese Yangtze River floodplain and is currently declining)avoids using farmland at multiple wintering sites.We also gath-ered tracking evidence to support general observations from two increasing population of GWFG,the North Sea-Baltic(which winters in Europe)and the West Pacific(which winter in Korea and Japan)winter mostly within farmland landscapes,using wetlands only for safe night roosts.Methods:We tracked 156 GWFG throughout their annual cycle using GPS/GSM transmitters from these three popu-lations to determine migration routes and stopover staging patterns.We used Brownian Bridge Movement Models to generate summer,winter and migration stopover home ranges which we then overlaid in GIS with land cover and protected area boundary at national level to determine habitat use and degree of protection from nature conserva-tion designated areas.Results:Data confirmed that 73%of European wintering GWFG homes ranges were from within farmland,com-pared to 59%in Japan and Korea,but just 5%in China,confirming the heavy winter use of agricultural landscapes by GWFG away from China,and avoidance of farmland at multiple sites within the Yangtze River floodplain.The same GWFG used farmland in northeast China in spring and autumn,confirming their experience of exploiting such habi-tats at other stages of their annual cycle.Chinese wintering birds showed the greatest overlap with protected areas of all three populations,showing current levels of site safeguard are failing to protect this population.Conclusions:Results confirm the need for strategic planning to protect the East Asian Continental GWFG popu-lation.While the site protection network in place to protect the species seems adequate,it has failed to stop the declines.Buffalo grazing could serve as one simple strategy to improve the condition of feeding habitats at Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake in the Yangtze,where vast Carex meadows exist.In addition,while we warn against pushing GWFG to winter farmland feeding in China because of the long-term potential to conflict with agricultural interests,we recommend experimental sacrificial,disturbance-free farmland within designated refuge areas adjacent to the Yangtze River floodplain wetland reserves as a manipulative experiment to improve the conservation status of this population in years when natural food sources are limited.

Habitat use and space preferences of Eurasian Bullfinches(Pyrrhula pyrrhula)in northwestern Iberia throughout the year

Background:For all vertebrates in general,a concerted effort to move beyond single season research is vital to improve our understanding of species ecology.Knowledge of habitat use and selection by Eurasian Bullfinches(Pyrrhula pyrrhula)is limited with regard to the non-breeding season.To date,research on the habitat of the Iberian subspecies iberiae consists of very general descriptions.In relation to space use,only broad features are available for the entire distribution range of Eurasian Bullfinches,including Iberia.Methods:In this study,seasonal preferences regarding habitat and space in a population of Eurasian Bullfinches are examined for the first time in the Iberian Peninsula,through direct observation during a six-year period.The essential habitat components,substrate selection and perch height were assessed.Results:Hedgerows were the key essential habitat component for bullfinches during all seasons.Nevertheless,small poplar plantations became increasingly important from winter to summer-autumn.Bullfinches perched mostly in shrubs/trees throughout the year,but there were significant seasonal changes in substrate use,ground and herbs being of considerable importance during spring-summer.Throughout the year,over half of the records corresponded to feeding,reaching almost 90%in winter.Generally,bullfinches perched noticeably lower while feeding.Male bullfinches perched markedly higher than females,notably singing males in spring-summer.Juveniles perched at a height not much lower than that of males.In all seasons,males tended to feed at greater heights than females.Bullfinches of different ages and sexes were seen bathing in all seasons except winter.Conclusions:Hedgerow habitat in general appeared to be valuable for bullfinches throughout the year.In summer and autumn,they selected sites with an abundance of food and shade,as well as shelter,a much-needed requirement for fledglings and moulting individuals.There was usually a close link between the most used and most consumed plant species in each season.Males appeared to assume a more important role in vigilance,and often they accompanied dependent young in June and July.Bullfinch conservation strategies should consider seasonal demand for habitat and space.

Evaluating Behavioural Modelling Predictions in the Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) Enables Greater Insight on Habitat Use from Location only Argos Data

The relationship between habitat and behaviour provides important information for species management.For large,free roaming,marine animals satellite tags provide high resolution information on movement,but such datasets are restricted due to cost.Extracting additional biologically important information from these data would increase utilisation and value.Several modelling approaches have been developed to identify behavioural states in tracking data.The objective of this study was to evaluate a behavioural state prediction model for blue shark(Prionace glauca)ARGOS surface location-only data.The novel nature of the six SPLASH satellite tags used enabled behavioural events to be identified in blue shark dive data and accurately mapped spatio-temporally along respective surface location-only tracks.Behavioural states modelled along the six surface location-only tracks were then tested against observed behavioural events to evaluate the model’s accuracy.Results showed that the Behavioural Change Point Analysis(BCPA)model augmented with K means clustering analysis performed well for predicting foraging behaviour(correct 86%of the time).Prediction accuracy was lower for searching(52%)and travelling(63%)behaviour,likely related to the numerical dominance of foraging events in dive data.The model’s validation for predicting foraging behaviour justified its application to nine additional surface location-only(SPOT tag)tracks,substantially increasing the utilisation of expensive and rare data.Results enabled the critical behavioural state of foraging,to be mapped throughout the entire home range of blue sharks,allowing drivers of critical habitat to be investigated.This validation strengthens the use of such modelling to interpret historic and future datasets,for blue sharks but also other species,contributing to conservational management.

Habitat use and locomotion of the François’langur(Trachypithecus francoisi)in limestone habitats of Nonggang,China

We collected data on habitat use and locomotion of the François’langur(Trachypithecus francoisi)between August 2003 and July 2004 at Nonggang Nature Reserve,China.A total of 739 h of behavioral data were collected during this study.We tested 2 predictions:(1)that the langurs may have special patterns of habitat use and locomotion adaptive to the limestone habitat,and(2)the langurs may exhibit different patterns of habitat use and locomotion among different zones of limestone hill.Our results indicated that François’langurs spent more time in the low-risk,relatively food-poor cliff-hilltop areas.When young leaves and fruit were scarce in the dry season,the langurs increased their time in the high-risk,food-rich valley basin.François’langurs were semi-terrestrial,and leaping and climbing were their main locomotor modes.These behavioral patterns are considered to be related to characteristics of topography and vegetation in limestone habitat,such as large areas of cliff and discontinuous canopy.Our results also supported Prediction 2.The langurs confined locomotion to the main canopy and frequently adopted leaping while traveling in the hillside and valley basin.While traveling in cliff-hilltop areas,they tended to stay in the lower stratus(≤5 m)or move on the ground,and walking and climbing were their dominant traveling modes.

Coping with extremes:convergences of habitat use,territoriality,and diet in summer but divergences in winter between two sympatric snow finches on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

On the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,extreme environmental conditions have imposed intense selective pressure on the evolution of phenotypic traits of wild animals.To date,limited information is available on behavioral and ecological traits concerning niche differentiation among sympatric animals on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,especially during winter when the environments are most severe.Here,we studied the seasonal variations in habitat occurrence,territorial behavior,and diet in two sympatric snow finches(the white-rumped snow finch,Onychostruthus taczanowskii,WRSF;and the rufous-necked snow finch,Pyrgilauda ruficollis,RNSF)to determine convergence and divergence of ecological traits in such severe climatic conditions.Our results showed that:(i)WRSF occupied rural areas as a dominant species throughout the annual cycle while RNSF occupied the rural areas in summer and then shifted to human-occupied areas in winter and spring;(ii)WRSFs exhibited robust aggressive behavior and territoriality during winter relative to RNSFs;(iii)the diets of both species varied with the season but did not vary between species except that WRSF ate significantly more seeds but RNSF consumed more starchy material derived from human food waste during winter.Therefore,the separations in the spatial niche and territoriality between WRSF and RNSF,especially in winter,may contribute to alleviating the pressure of interspecific competition,and promoting the coexistence of the two sympatric snow finches in the extreme environments on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Blue sheep in the Annapurna Conservation Area,Nepal:habitat use,population biomass and their contribution to the carrying capacity of snow leopards

The Himalaya region of Nepal provides a habitat for the endangered snow leopard(Panthera uncia)and its principal prey species,the blue sheep(Pseudois nayaur).The aim of this study was to describe the habitat,the distribution and the population structure of blue sheep,and to estimate their contribution to the carrying capac-ity of snow leopard in the upper Mustang region of Nepal.Blue sheep were recorded at altitudes from 3209-5498 m on slopes with gradients of 16-60°and aspects of 40°NE to 140°SE.A total of 939 blue sheep were counted in the upper Mustang region,and 98 were counted in the Yak Kharka region of Manang district;how-ever,upper Mustang had the lowest population density of blue sheep recorded within their distribution range in Nepal(0.86 blue sheep/km^(2)).The results of the study show that a higher density of blue sheep is associated with greater plant species diversity.The most important species present in the blue sheep habitat were Kobresia pyg-maea,Artemesia spp.,Lonicera spp.,Lancea tibetica,Poa spp.,Astragalus spp.and Ephedra gerardiana.It is estimated that the existing blue sheep population biomass of approximately 38925 kg in the upper Mustang re-gion could support approximately 19 snow leopards(1.6 snow leopards/100 km^(2)).

Habitat use in eight populations of Sceloporus grammicus(Squamata:Phrynosomatidae)from the Mexican Plateau

Studies on habitat use have often helped explain observed variation in morphology,behavior and reproductive characteristics among populations within a single species.Here we analyze morphological and ecological characteristics of individuals from the Sceloporus grammicus species complex from 7 different localities(CER,El Cerezo;PAC,Pachuca;HUI,Huichapan;EZA,Emiliano Zapata;SMR,San Miguel Regla;LMJ,La Mojonera;and LMZ,La Manzana)in the state of Hidalgo,and one locality(Cahuacán)in the State of Mexico.A canonical correspondence analysis(CCA)showed that females from PAC,EZA,LMZ,HUI,SMR and CAH populations use similar microhabitats characterized mostly by bare soil,in females from LMJ and CER use microhabitats characterized primarily by vegetation and rocks.Females were observed using 12 different types of perches.With regard to perch height use,the CCA showed that females from PAC,LMJ,LMZ,SMR,CER and CAH populations were correlated with height to nearest perch(HNP),in the rest of the females were not related to any perch use variable.In contrast,the CCA showed that males from PAC,LMJ and CAH were characterized by microhabitats with higher vegetal coverage,while males from LMZ and CER used microhabitats composed of bare soil,but males from HUI and SMR populations used microhabitats composed chiefly of bare soil and rocks.With respect to perch height use,the CCA showed that males from PAC,LMJ,EZA and LMZ were correlated with distance to the nearest perch,but the rest of the males were not correlated with any perch use variables.Males were observed in 9 different perch types.The males were larger than the females in all morphological variables analyzed.Moreover,in both sexes the snout-vent length is positively correlated with all morphological variables,and although both the slope and ordinate of the origin of all morphological variables were larger in males than females,the analysis of covariance indicated that there is no increase in the morphological variables with increasing SVL between sexes.Our results suggest that variation in habitat use and morphology among populations is an adaptive response(phenotypic plasticity)to the environmental conditions where these populations of Sceloporus grammicus occur.

Home range and habitat use of male Reeves’s Pheasant(Syrmaticus reevesii)during winter in Dongzhai National Nature Reserve,Henan Province,China

Home range and habitat use of male Reeves’s pheasant(Syrmaticus reevesii)were studied during winter of 2001~2002 and 2002~2003 in the Dongzhai National Nature Reserve,Henan Province.Results from five individuals of Reeves’s pheasant with over 30 relocations,indicated that the average size of home range was 10.03±1.17 hm^(2) by Minimum Convex Polygon method,8.60±0.35 hm^(2) by 90%Harmonic Mean Transformation method,and 9.50±1.90 hm^(2) by 95%Fixed Kernel method.It was observed that the winter range is smaller than that in the breeding season.The mean core area of the home range was found to be 1.88±0.37 hm^(2).Although the habitat composition of the core area varied greatly for individuals,a large part of the habitats used were composed of conifer and broadleaf mixed forests,masson pine forests,fir forests,and shrubs.Habitat use within the study area was non-random,while habitats within home ranges were randomly used.Habitat use was dictated by tree diameter at breast height,shrub height and coverage at 2.0 m.The proximity between forests and shrubs were also found to be important in providing refuge for the birds during winter.Recommendations for conservation management include protecting the existing habitats in Dongzhai National Nature Reserve,increasing suitable habitat for Reeves’s Pheasant through artificial plantations(e.g.firs),and restoring some parts of the large shrub area into forests.

Habitat use of urban Tree Sparrows in the process of urbanization:Beijing as a case study

The Tree Sparrow(Passer montanus)is a dom-inant species in urban bird communities.With the devel-opment of urbanization,the habitats and sources of food for Tree Sparrows are decreasing.Can the urban Tree Sparrow adapt to changes in the urban environment?To answer this question,we studied the habitat use of Tree Sparrows in eight types of urban areas in Beijing.The results show that the number of both breeding and winter-ing Tree Sparrows decreased with increasing urbanization.The habitat use of Tree Sparrows,analyzed using stepwise discriminant analysis,was positively correlated with the number of brick bungalows,coniferous and broad-leaved trees and air conditioners.It was negatively correlated with the area of high buildings and hardened roads,pedestrian and automobile flux.This indicates that the Tree Sparrow had not adapted to rapid urbanization even though it is a generally adaptable species.Urban planning should take birds such as the Tree Sparrow into consideration.

Assessing site-safeguard effectiveness and habitat preferences of Bar-headed Geese (Anser indicus) at their stopover sites within the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau using GPS/ GSM telemetry

Background:The Bar-headed Goose(Anser indicus)breeds across the high plains and plateau of Central Asia and winters in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP),the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Indian sub-continent.Of the two recognized discrete flyways of the Bar-headed Goose,the Eastern Tibetan Flyway(ETF)is the larger,comprising at least six migration routes.However,we remain ignorant about their migratory connectivity,habitat use and effectiveness of site-safeguard mechanisms set in place for the species.Methods:We tracked 30 ETF Bar-headed Geese from Chinese and Mongolian breeding areas to their wintering grounds using GPS/GSM transmitters,to determine their migration routes and stopover staging patterns within the QTP,overlaying these upon GIS layers of protected area status and habitat type,to model their habitat selection.Results:In total,14 tagged Bar-headed Geese provided information on their entire autumn migration and 4 geese on their entire spring migration.Qinghai Lake marked birds overwintered in the QTP(n=2),geese tagged in Mongolia wintered either in the QTP(n=3)or in India/Bangladesh(n=9),representing three of the migration routes within the ETF.In total,tagged birds staged at 79 different stopover sites within QTP in autumn and 23 in spring,of which 65%(autumn)and 59%(spring)of all fixes fell within the boundaries of either National Nature Reserves(NNRs)or Important Birds Areas(IBAs)in the QTP.Bar-headed Geese predominantly occurred on four land-cover types:grassland(mostly by day),water bodies(at night),wetlands and bare substrates(salt flats,dry lake/river substrates and plough)with little change in proportion.Generalized linear mixed models comparing presence with pseudo-absence data suggested geese strongly selected for wetlands as staging habitat,avoiding bare substrates in spring.Conclusions:Based on our limited observations of these tagged geese,this study is the first to show that the current designated National Nature Reserves in place in the staging areas within the QTP appear adequate to protect this increasing population.In addition,Hala Lake in Qinghai Province and adjacent areas used as initial QTP staging during autumn migration(currently outside of designated as NNRs/IBAs)are recommended for protection,based on their use by tagged birds from this study.Habitat modelling confirmed the importance of natural wetlands as feeding areas and safe areas of open water as roosting places.

Nest-site Use by the Chinese Alligator (Alligator sinensis) in the Gaojingmiao Breeding Farm,Anhui,China

Nest-site and nesting material used by the Chinese alligator （Alligator sinensis） was studied at the Gaojingmiao Breeding Farm, Langxi County, Anhui, China from May to September 2009. In this study, artificial nesting materials were placed in 43 potential nesting sites before the nesting season, 11 of which were used. Additionally, eight nests were built at natural sites without artificial nesting materials provided. Seven environmental variables were measured at each nest site： distance from water, height from water surface, sunlight duration, nearest bank slope, nest site slope, vegetation coverage and concealment. Statistical analyses indicated that concealment was significantly different between used and unused nest sites, with concealment being significantly correlated to the use of materials- placed sites. In comparing the nests at artificial vs. natural sites, only the nearest bank slope differed significantly. Further, principal component analysis of natural nests indicated that the duration of nest exposure to sunlight and vegetation coverage were more influential than the other factors studied.

Identifying important habitats for waterbird conservation at a Greek Regional Nature Park

Background:Small coastal wetlands are vital sites for wintering waterbirds.Identifying important habitats is critical for managing waterbirds effectively.The Vourkari inlet is a small coastal wetland located near the capital Athens,within the most urbanized and industrialized area of Greece.We aimed at identifying the most important habitats for waterbirds at the Vourkari inlet during winter.Methods:Data about habitat use and availability were collected for 14 waterbird species and for seven habitat classes.Habitat selection(Manly’s selection ratio),overlap indices(Pianka’s niche overlap index)and null models were calculated.Results:All the studied waterbird species selected available habitats nonrandomly.Shallow waters(0–2 m),were used by 13 waterbirds and selected by five waterbirds.Pools and channels were used and selected by 10 species.Mud was used by nine species and selected by six species.Mud with rocky substrate was used by nine species and selected by eight species.Medium(2–4 m)and deep(4–6 m)open water habitats were used by seven species and selected by four species.Halophytic vegetation was used by six species and selected by two species.Several habitats were selected by nationally important populations:mudflat habitats(i.e.,mud,mud with rocky substrate and pools and channels)by Common Redshanks(Tringa totanus),halophytic vegetation by Little Egrets(Egretta garzetta),shallow waters by Common Shelducks(Tadorna tadorna)and medium and deep waters by Sandwich Terns(Thalasseus sandvicencis),whilst shallow waters and mudflat habitats were preferred by a possibly internationally important population of Mediterranean Gulls(Ichthyaetus melanocephalus).Although overlap in habitat use between species was generally low,null models indicated habitat sharing and a lack of competition.Conclusions:Waterbirds coexisted in the absence of competition for habitats at Vourkari,where they mostly used and preferred shallow water and mudflats.Small coastal wetlands are numerous,both in Greece and worldwide,therefore our findings would be useful as a basis for comparisons,both temporal at the inlet and spatial with other sites,that would help assess the importance of habitats and improve management strategies to benefit waterbirds,especially in areas with similar Mediterranean-type habitats and climate.

Relative importance of tidal flats and artificial habitats for two spoonbill species and related interspecific differences

Artificial/seminatural environments,such as aquacultural ponds,saltpans,and croplands,have recently been acknowledged as important habitats for coastal waterbirds.Although coastal waterbirds tend to use artificial habitats around tidal flats as roosting sites during high-tide,it remains unclear whether the importance of surrounding habitats relative to tidal flats varies among landscape types,seasons,species,or tidal conditions.The Black-faced Spoonbill(Platalea minor)and Eurasian Spoonbill(P.leucorodia)are two closely related sympatric species in East Asia with narrow and wide distribution ranges and habitat requirements,respectively.We therefore expect that both species will use surrounding artificial habitats across seasons at high tides,but Blackfaced Spoonbills will use them less frequently than Eurasian Spoonbills.Here,we address these hypotheses in the Imazu tidal flat and its surrounding environments in southern Japan.We investigated the habitat use and behavioral patterns of both species through route and behavioral surveys during the fall migration and wintering seasons in 2021.We found that both species used surrounding habitats including artificial ones more frequently than the tidal flat regardless of the tidal condition or season,but spoonbills used these habitats more frequently in winter than in autumn.We also found that Eurasian Spoonbills foraged in surrounding artificial habitats more frequently than Black-faced Spoonbills.These results not only demonstrate how coastal waterbirds exploit surrounding habitats relative to tidal flats but also suggest that the importance of surrounding habitats varies among species and seasons.Our study thus emphasizes that valuing and managing surrounding habitats in addition to tidal flats are key to conserving globally declining waterbirds.

Habitat selection by nestbox-breeding birds and Roe Deer are incongruent within a heterogeneous woodland landscape

Conserving species relies upon acquiring an understanding of their use of habitat,yet our understanding of the use of habitat by co-existing species of different guilds at microgeographic scales remains poor.In particular,the use of habitat by woodland species is of conservation concern because of widespread declines in woodland biodiversity.Woodland bird declines have been ascribed,in part,to high deer densities because their browsing reduces the availability of nesting sites and food.We quantify the microgeographic use of habitat by Roe Deer(Capreolus capreolus)and of Great Tits(Parus major),Blue Tits(Cyanistes caeruleus)and Pied Flycatchers(Ficedula hypoleuca)in a heterogenous woodland landscape.We examined the use of habitat at microgeographic scales by the deer and the three bird species in relation to whether the local habitat was flat or wet or had a path,fence or wall within a 25-m radius of 206 randomly selected locations.We first examined if the occupancy rates of nestboxes in those locations were correlated with the number of Roe Deer lays and second,examined if the use of habitat by the Roe Deer and the bird species were associated with each of the habitat features that we quantified.We begin by showing that the use of habitat by Roe Deer is incongruent with the use of habitat by Great Tits,Blue Tits and Pied Flycatchers during the breeding season.Also,whilst all three bird species showed no,or weak,habitat preferences,the Roe Deer preferred daytime lay sites that were in flat areas of wet woodland close to paths,whilst there were no significant effects of the presence of fences and walls.These findings show that the Roe Deer and the three bird species differ in the use of habitat within a heterogenous woodland landscape,meaning that their use of habitat did not overlap at microgeographic scales.Meanwhile,the deer showed preferences for flat areas of wet woodland,whilst none of the bird species exhibited such preferences,and we discuss the implications of our findings for the management of woodlands.

Seasonal resource use and niche breadth in an assemblage of coexisting grazers in a fenced Park

Many small Parks inKenyaare being fenced to control human-wildlife conflict. Some of these Parks have a diversity of large herbivores which might increase in density in the wake of fencing and subsequent compression of their home ranges due to closure of their migratory routes. It is important to understand the consequences of such an increase on the structuring of insularised herbivore assemblages in such Parks. We studied seasonal resource segregation and niche breadth variation as mechanisms of coexistence in a high density grazer assemblage inLakeNakuruNational Parkwhich is small and completely fenced. Diet composition and habitat use were considered as variables of resource use. We predicted that overlap in resource use and niche breadth would be the smallest among grazers with similar body weights in the dry season which is the most resource limiting for grazers in East Africa. Our results were contrary to the predictions because of lack of seasonal differentiation in the overlap of diet composition and habitat use, and in niche breadth. Overlaps in resource use were consistently high during both the wet and dry seasons, and niche breadth contraction during the dry season was not possible probably because of lack of species-specific niches during the dry season. Our results suggest that there might be competitive interactions in this grazer assemblage which is an important parameter to consider in the management of the Park.

Niche partitioning between sympatric rhesus macaques and Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys at Baimaxueshan Nature Reserve, China

Here we provide a preliminary assessment of dietary and habitat requirements of two sympatric primate taxa, a ＂simple-stomached＂ and ＂complex-stomached＂ species （Rhinopithecus bieti Colobinae vs. Macaca mulatta Cercopithecinae）, as a basis for illuminating how the two coexist. Of ca. 22 plant food species consumed by the macaques, at least 16 were also eaten by the snub-nosed monkeys. Both species showed a preference for fruits. While the snub-nosed monkeys did not utilize any resources associated with human communities, rhesus macaques did occasionally raid agricultural crops. The mean elevation of the snub-nosed monkey group was 3,218 m, while the mean elevation of the macaque group was 2,995 m. Macaques were also spotted on meadows whereas snub-nosed monkeys evidently avoided these. For both species, mixed deciduous broadleaf/conifer forest was the most frequently used ecotype, but whereas evergreen broadleaf forest （Cyclobalanopsis community） accounted for only 3% of the location records of the snub-nosed monkeys, it accounted for 36% of the location records of the macaques. Groups of the two species usually kept a considerable spatial distance from one another （mean 2.4 km）. One close encounter and confrontation between groups of the two species resulted in the macaque group moving away. Our findings suggest that the coexistence of the two taxa is facilitated via differential macrohabitat use and spatial avoidance. Although divergent habitat-use strategies may reflect interspecific competition, they may also merely reflect different physiological or ecological requirements.

Ecology and Behaviour of Burton's Legless Lizard(Lialis burtonis,Pygopodidae) in Tropical Australia

The elongate, functionally limbless flap-footed lizards （family Pygopodidae） are found throughout Australia, ranging into southern New Guinea. Despite their diversity and abundance in most Australian ecosystems, pygopodids have attracted little scientific study. An intensive ecological study of one pygopodid, Burton＇s legless lizard （Lialis burtonis Gray 1835）, was conducted in Australia＇s tropical Northern Territory. L. burtonis eats nothing but other lizards, primarily skinks, and appears to feed relatively infrequently （only 20.8% of stomachs contained prey）. Ovulation and mating occur chiefly in the late dry-season （beginning around September）, and most egg-laying takes place in the early to middle wet-season （November-January）. Females can lay multiple clutches per year, some of which may be fertilised with stored sperm. Free-ranging L. burtonis are sedentary ambush foragers, with radio-tracked lizards moving on average 〈 5 m/day. Most foraging is done diurnally, but lizards may be active at any time of day or night. Radiotracked lizards were usually found in leaf-litter microhabitats, a preference that was also evident in habitat-choice experiments using field enclosures. Lizards typically buried themselves in 6-8 cm of litter; at this depth, they detect potential prey items while staying hidden from predators and prey and avoiding lethally high temperatures.