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.

Building Development and Roads: Implications for the Distribution of Stone Curlews across the Brecks

Abstract: Background Substantial new housing and infrastructure development planned within England has the potential to conflict with the nature conservation interests of protected sites The Breckland area of eastern England (the Brecks) is designated as a Special Protection Area for a number of bird species, including the stone curlew (for which it holds more than 60% of the UK total population) We explore the effect of buildings and roads on the spatial distribution of stone curlew nests across the Brecks in order to inform strategic development plans to avoid adverse effects on such European protected sites Methodology Using data across all years (and subsets of years) over the period 1988-2006 but restricted to habitat areas of arable land with suitable soils, we assessed nest density in relation to the distances to nearest settlements and to major roads Measures of the local density of nearby buildings, roads and traffic levels were assessed using normal kernel distance-weighting functions Quasi-Poisson generalised linear mixed models allowing for spatial auto-correlation were fitted Results Significantly lower densities of stone curlew nests were found at distances up to 1500m from settlements, and distances up to 1000m or more from major (trunk) roads The best fitting models involved optimally distance-weighted variables for the extent of nearby buildings and the trunk road traffic levels Significance The results and predictions from this study of past data suggests there is cause for concern that future housing development and associated road infrastructure within the Breckland area could have negative impacts on the nesting stone curlew population Given the strict legal protection afforded to the SPA the planning and conservation bodies have subsequently agreed precautionary restrictions on building development within the distances identified and used the modelling predictions to agree mitigation measures for proposed trunk road developments

Numerical and functional responses of Common Buzzards Buteo buteo to prey abundance on a Scottish grouse moor

Abstract: Predators will often respond to reductions in preferred prey by switching to alternative prey resources. However, this may not apply to all alternative prey groups in patchy landscapes. We investigated the demographic and aggregative numerical and functional responses of Common Buzzards Buteo buteo in relation to variations in prey abundance on a moor managed for Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus scotica in south-west Scotland over three consecutive breeding and non-breeding seasons. We predicted that predation of Red Grouse by Buzzards would increase when abundance of their preferred Field Vole Microtus agrestis prey declined. As vole abundance fluctuated, Buzzards responded functionally by eating voles in relation to their abundance, but they did not respond demographically in terms of either breeding success or density. During a vole crash year, Buzzards selected a wider range of prey typical of enclosed farmland habitats found on the moorland edge but fewer Grouse from the heather moorland. During a vole peak year, prey remains suggested a linear relationship between Grouse density and the number of Grouse eaten (a Type 1 functional response), which was not evident in either intermediate or vole crash years. Buzzard foraging intensity varied between years as vole abundance fluctuated, and foraging intensity declined with increasing heather cover. Our findings did not support the prediction that predation of Red Grouse would increase when vole abundance was low. Instead, they suggest that Buzzards predated Grouse incidentally while hunting for voles, which may increase when vole abundances are high through promoting foraging in heather moorland habitats where Grouse are more numerous. Our results suggest that declines in their main prey may not result in increased predation of all alternative prey groups when predators inhabit patchy landscapes. We suggest that when investigating predator diet and impacts on prey, knowledge of all resources and habitats that are available to predators is important.

The relative importance of COVID-19 pandemic impacts on biodiversity conservation globally

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on almost all aspects of human society and endeavour; the natural world and its conservation have not been spared. Through a process of expert consultation, we identified and categorised, into 19 themes and 70 sub-themes, the ways in which biodiversity and its conservation has been or could be impacted by the pandemic globally; nearly 60% of which were broadly negative in impact. Subsequently, we created a compendium (see Supporting Information) of all themes and sub-themes, each with explanatory text, and in August 2020 a diverse group of experienced conservationists with expertise from across sectors and geographies assessed each sub-theme for its likely impact on biodiversity conservation globally. The 9 sub-themes ranked highest were all negative in impact. These were, in rank order: governments side-lining the environment during their economic recovery, reduced wildlife-based tourism income, increased habitat destruction, reduced government funding, increased plastic and other solid waste pollution, weakening of pro-nature regulations and their enforcement, increased illegal harvest of wild animals, reduced philanthropy, and threats to survival of conservation organisations. In combination, these impacts present a worrying future of increased threats to biodiversity conservation but reduced capacity to counter them. The highest-ranking positive impact, at 10, was the beneficial impact of wildlife trade restrictions. More optimistically, amongst impacts ranked 11 to 20, 6 were positive and 4 were negative. We hope our assessment will draw attention to the impacts of the pandemic, improving the conservation community's ability to respond to them in the future. Article impact statement: The COVID-19 pandemic presents increased threats to biodiversity conservation globally yet reduced capacity to counter them. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.