Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

About: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is a nonprofit organization based out in Sandy, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Biodiversity. The organization has 670 authors who have published 1425 publications receiving 88006 citations. The organization is also known as: RSPB & Plumage League.

An exceptional Calluna vulgaris winter die-back event, Abernethy Forest, Scottish Highlands

Abstract: Background: Calluna vulgaris is a woody shrub forming plant communities of economic and international conservation importance. Following winter 2002–2003, there was exceptional Calluna die-back in the central Scottish Highlands. Aim: To understand the effects and causes of this die-back event at Abernethy Forest Nature Reserve, Cairngorms National Park. Methods: Patterns of weather, foliage moisture and microclimate were interpreted in relation to patterns of Calluna vulgaris die-back. Vegetation development was investigated over 4 years, based on pre-existing monitoring plots. Results: February 2003 included a period of exceptionally low air humidity, during which unusually low Calluna shoot moisture readings were made, particularly in areas that subsequently had severe die-back. In monitored areas, Calluna cover declined by a third, with minimal recovery after three growing seasons. Die-back was more severe where Calluna was longer-stemmed and less abundant, and where topography was flatter or more nort...

Characterization of moorland vegetation and the prediction of bird abundance using remote sensing

Abstract: Aims To characterize and identify upland vegetation composition and height from a satellite image, and assess whether the resulting vegetation maps are accurate enough for predictions of bird abundance. Location South-east Scotland, UK. Methods Fine-taxa vegetation data collected using point samples were used for a supervised classification of a Landsat 7 image, while linear regression was used to model vegetation height over the same image. Generalized linear models describing bird abundance were developed using field-collected bird and vegetation data. The satellite-derived vegetation data were substituted into these models and efficacy was examined. Results The accuracy of the classification was tested over both the training and a set of test plots, and showed that more common vegetation types could be predicted accurately. Attempts to estimate the heights of both dwarf shrub and graminoid vegetation from satellite data produced significant, but weak, correlations between observed and predicted height. When these outputs were used in bird abundance–habitat models, bird abundance predicted using satellite-derived vegetation data was very similar to that obtained when the field-collected data were used for one bird species, but poor estimates of vegetation height produced from the satellite data resulted in a poor abundance prediction for another. Conclusions This pilot study suggests that it is possible to identify moorland vegetation to a fine-taxa level using point samples, and that it may be possible to derive information on vegetation height, although more appropriate field-collected data are needed to examine this further. While remote sensing may have limitations compared with relatively fine-scale fieldwork, when used at relatively large scales and in conjunction with robust bird abundance–habitat association models, it may facilitate the mapping of moorland bird abundance across large areas.

Influence of Seed Mixture and Hydrological Regime on the Establishment of a Diverse Grassland Sward at a Site with High Phosphorus Availability

Abstract: Three experiments were undertaken to investigate the influence of seed mixture on the establishment of a target grassland community on a site with high available phosphorus. In the first experiment autumn- and spring-sown commercial seed mixtures were compared with seed harvested from a nature reserve with respect to their ability to produce an inundation grassland community similar to that described by the British National Vegetation Classification (NVC) as Agrostis stolonifera–Alopecurus geniculatus grassland (MG13). In the second experiment the composition and sowing rate of a commercial seed mixture were altered to investigate whether these factors were significant in the establishment of a sward similar to MG13. Similarly, in the third experiment the composition of a commercial seed mixture designed to achieve an alternative community, Cynosurus cristatus–Caltha palustris grassland (NVC code MG8), was sown. The vegetation resulting from each of these treatments was monitored with permanent quadrats for a 3-year period, and the hydrological regime of each quadrat location was modeled and quantified. The results showed that seed mixture, timing of sowing, and seeding rate had an initial effect on the vegetation that established. However, by the third year of monitoring there were no significant differences between these treatments, and hydrological regime had become the most important factor in determining the distribution of species. The vegetation was less diverse than predicted from germination tests and decreased in diversity over the monitoring period. It is suggested that this may be a result of the hydrological regime being unsuitable for several of the sown species or due to the extremely high available phosphorus concentration in the soil. This study highlights the need to understand the soil and hydrological conditions of a site before choosing a target community and designing a seed mixture.

Does climate change explain the decline of a trans-Saharan Afro-Palaearctic migrant?

Abstract: There is an urgent need to understand how climate change will impact on demographic parameters of vulnerable species. Migrants are regarded as particularly vulnerable to climate change; phenological mismatch has resulted in the local decline of one passerine, whilst variations in the survival of others have been related to African weather conditions. However, there have been few demographic studies on trans-Saharan non-passerine migrants, despite these showing stronger declines across Europe than passerines. We therefore analyse the effects of climate on the survival and productivity of common sandpipers Actitis hypoleucos, a declining non-passerine long-distant migrant using 28 years' data from the Peak District, England. Adult survival rates were significantly negatively correlated with winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), being lower when winters were warm and wet in western Europe and cool and dry in northwest Africa. Annual variation in the productivity of the population was positively correlated with June temperature, but not with an index of phenological mismatch. The 59% population decline appears largely to have been driven by reductions in adult survival, with local productivity poorly correlated with subsequent population change, suggesting a low degree of natal philopatry. Winter NAO was not significantly correlated with adult survival rates in a second, Scottish Borders population, studied for 12 years. Variation in climatic conditions alone does not therefore appear to be responsible for common sandpiper declines. Unlike some passerine migrants, there was no evidence for climate-driven reductions in productivity, although the apparent importance of immigration in determining local recruitment complicates the assessment of productivity effects. We suggest that further studies to diagnose common sandpiper declines should focus on changes in the condition of migratory stop-over or wintering locations. Where possible, these analyses should be repeated for other declining migrants.

The conservation value of restored landfill sites in the East Midlands, UK for supporting bird communities

Abstract: There has been a rapid decline of grassland bird species in the UK over the last four decades. In order to stem declines in biodiversity such as this, mitigation in the form of newly created habitat and restoration of degraded habitats is advocated in the UK biodiversity action plan. One potential restored habitat that could support a number of bird species is re-created grassland on restored landfill sites. However, this potential largely remains unexplored. In this study, birds were counted using point sampling on nine restored landfill sites in the East Midlands region of the UK during 2007 and 2008. The effects of restoration were investigated by examining bird species composition, richness, and abundance in relation to habitat and landscape structure on the landfill sites in comparison to paired reference sites of existing wildlife value. Twelve bird species were found in total and species richness and abundance on restored landfill sites was found to be higher than that of reference sites. Restored landfill sites support both common grassland bird species and also UK Red List bird species such as skylark Alauda arvensis, grey partridge Perdix perdix, lapwing Vanellus vanellus, tree sparrow, Passer montanus, and starling Sturnus vulgaris. Size of the site, percentage of bare soil and amount of adjacent hedgerow were found to be the most influential habitat quality factors for the distribution of most bird species. Presence of open habitat and crop land in the surrounding landscape were also found to have an effect on bird species composition. Management of restored landfill sites should be targeted towards UK Red List bird species since such sites could potentially play a significant role in biodiversity action planning.