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Institution

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

NonprofitSandy, United Kingdom
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.


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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, surface and sediment core samples were collected from brackish marsh and mudflat areas around the former landfill at Lodmoor, which was operational between 1949 and 1990.
Abstract: Uncontrolled landfill disposal can cause the release of significant contamination. In Southern England and in other parts of the UK, historical landfills are located along many coastal and estuarine marshes and mudflats. At these sites waste, often significantly contaminated with heavy metals and other contaminants, was dumped with little engineering control and without regard to the surrounding environment. The aim of this study is to investigate the degree to which heavy metals from these historical sites may have contaminated adjacent marshes and mudflats, using the Lodmoor marsh, Dorset, UK as a test site. Surface and sediment core samples were collected from brackish marsh and mudflat areas around the former landfill at Lodmoor, which was operational between 1949 and 1990. Sediment samples were investigated for metallic pollutants, grain size, and mineralogy, and core samples dated via 137 Cs and 210 Pb. To examine the transfer of heavy metals through the food chain, Phragmites australis leaves were analysed for metallic pollutants. Geochemical data revealed that sediments from the Lodmoor marsh are probably contaminated with Pb. 137 Cs dating indicates that concentration maxima for heavy metals correlate to the 1950s and 1960s when landfill activities commenced in Lodmoor. Shallow electromagnetic surveys indicate potential continued leaching from the historic landfill complex. This study indicates the potential for possible landfill-derived contaminants to persist in coastal systems for decades after landfill closure. Over the longer term, it is possible that salinisation and enhanced coastal erosion may cause significant metal release from the landfills and their surrounding sedimentary systems into adjacent ecosystems.

14 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: There is a single species of Heteromirafra in the Horn of Africa (for which the scientific name H. archeri has priority, and which is suggested retains the English name Liben Lark), consisting of two tiny populations separated by 590 km of apparently unsuitable habitats.
Abstract: The African lark genus Heteromirafra is thought to consist of three threatened species inhabiting mid-altitude grasslands, one in South Africa and two in the Horn of Africa. One of the latter, Archer’s Lark H. archeri of Somaliland, has not been seen with certainty since 1922. We surveyed its type locality as well as a nearby area of grassland east of Jijiga in adjacent north-eastern Ethiopia, where sightings of Heteromirafra larks have recently been made. First, we used a combination of morphological and molecular evidence to show that these recent sightings refer to the same taxon as Archer’s Lark. Second, we used a combination of morphological, molecular and vocal evidence to show that these populations are conspecific with the Liben (Sidamo) Lark H. sidamoensis of southern Ethiopia, but that the Horn of Africa populations are highly distinct from Rudd’s Lark H. ruddi of South Africa. Third, we suggest that the extent and quality of their habitat in north-eastern Ethiopia is small and poor, and that the type locality of Archer’s Lark in Somaliland has been completely transformed. Taken together, these results imply that there is a single species of Heteromirafra in the Horn of Africa (for which the scientific name H. archeri has priority, and which we suggest retains the English name Liben Lark), consisting of two tiny populations separated by 590 km of apparently unsuitable habitats. Environmental niche models suggest that there are no environmentally similar locations elsewhere within the region. Despite the discovery of a second population, the Liben Lark remains a highly threatened species in urgent need of conservation intervention to avert the extinction of both of its populations.

14 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Great Bustards can adapt to an intensive agricultural setting, but require unrestricted access to adjacent grasslands, and would be best served with small-scale habitat mosaics.
Abstract: Capsule Reintroduced Great Bustards achieve dietary and habitat diversity despite living in an intensive agricultural setting. Aims To investigate dietary composition and habitat use of reintroduced Great Bustards Otis tarda released in southwest England and the impact of supplemental feed on autumn dietary selection. Methods Faecal samples were collected from a mixed group of free-ranging bustards without (July 2012, May, September, and November 2013) and with (October and December 2012) access to supplemental feeds. Concurrently, diurnal land use observations were recorded for all months but September and December. Composite monthly faecal samples were micro-histologically analysed to assess dietary composition. Year-round landscape-level habitat use was determined using re-sightings and satellite telemetry data for birds surviving more than 182 days post-release. Generalized linear models were used to test for differences in habitat selection across the year, by sex and within and outside release areas for each habitat type, and habitat diversity was quantified using the Shannon–Weaver Index. Results Dietary composition varied depending on plant availability and phenological stage, and invertebrates were rarely selected. Agricultural crops – primarily oil-seed rape, mustard, barley grass, lucerne, and barley seed – comprised the bulk of the diet, but grassland and weedy forbs were always important secondary foods (>25%), except when provided extruded pellets. Monthly changes in habitat use suggest sex-based habitat segregation, with females living in higher habitat diversity settings. Grasslands were used across the year. When supplemental food was provided, it came to dominate dietary intake. Conclusion Great Bustards can adapt to an intensive agricultural setting, but require unrestricted access to adjacent grasslands. They would be best served with small-scale habitat mosaics. If supplemental foods are to be provided to juvenile birds, quantities must be limited and the birds weaned off before dispersal to maximize reintroduction success.

14 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the optimal foraging theory predicts that an animal's ability to exploit the uneven distribution of resources available to foragers is determined by environmental heterogeneity, which is ubiquitous in nature.
Abstract: Environmental heterogeneity shapes the uneven distribution of resources available to foragers, and is ubiquitous in nature. Optimal foraging theory predicts that an animal's ability to exploit reso...

13 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This work compared two methods for estimating population size of European Storm Petrels based on playback responses and found that the du Feu method is more widely applicable and precise than the standard method widely used in the UK and Ireland.
Abstract: Acoustic playback methods have been widely used to survey burrow-nesting petrels but playback stimuli typically yield low response rates. Digitally manipulated recordings of the calls of the European Storm Petrel were created with the aim of producing an acoustic “super-stimulus” which could be used to elicit a higher response rate to improve population census methods. However, the manipulated recordings elicited a lower response than those that were unmanipulated. We also compared two methods for estimating population size of European Storm Petrels based on playback responses and found that the du Feu method is more widely applicable and precise than the standard method widely used in the UK and Ireland.

13 citations


Authors

Showing all 672 results

NameH-indexPapersCitations
Andrew Balmford9129033359
Rhys E. Green7828530428
Richard D. Gregory6116518428
Richard Evans4830610513
Rafael Mateo462387091
Deborah J. Pain46996717
Jeremy D. Wilson4512312587
Les G. Underhill452338217
Richard B. Bradbury421138062
Paul F. Donald4111711153
James W. Pearce-Higgins401445623
Jörn P. W. Scharlemann408416393
Juliet A. Vickery391168494
Mark A. Taggart381113703
Patrick W Thompson381446379
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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers from the Institution in previous years
YearPapers
20224
202190
202073
201993
201882
201770