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.

Climate change vulnerability for species-Assessing the assessments.

Abstract: Climate change vulnerability assessments are commonly used to identify species at risk from global climate change, but the wide range of methodologies available makes it difficult for end users, such as conservation practitioners or policymakers, to decide which method to use as a basis for decision-making. In this study, we evaluate whether different assessments consistently assign species to the same risk categories and whether any of the existing methodologies perform well at identifying climate-threatened species. We compare the outputs of 12 climate change vulnerability assessment methodologies, using both real and simulated species, and validate the methods using historic data for British birds and butterflies (i.e. using historical data to assign risks and more recent data for validation). Our results show that the different vulnerability assessment methods are not consistent with one another; different risk categories are assigned for both the real and simulated sets of species. Validation of the different vulnerability assessments suggests that methods incorporating historic trend data into the assessment perform best at predicting distribution trends in subsequent time periods. This study demonstrates that climate change vulnerability assessments should not be used interchangeably due to the poor overall agreement between methods when considering the same species. The results of our validation provide more support for the use of trend-based rather than purely trait-based approaches, although further validation will be required as data become available.

Using daily ration models and stable isotope analysis to predict biomass depletion by herbivores

Abstract: Summary 1 Food availability is one of the major factors governing the distribution of animals. Because animal numbers can in turn regulate the availability of food, the relationship between the two can be described in terms of resource depletion, which can be difficult to quantify. 2 We present a novel method utilizing multisource stable isotope mixing models and a daily ration approach to predict the depletion of seagrass (Zostera spp.) by grazing light-bellied Brent geese Branta bernicla hrota at Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland. 3 The model successfully predicted the depletion of Zostera spp. over the whole Lough compared with empirically derived estimates of biomass. Further, the model was able to predict biomass depletion over 2 years with different population sizes. 4 The predicted quantities of Zostera consumed were not in agreement with previous studies, being considerably higher, but this may be explained in terms of the lower energetic value of Zostera at Strangford Lough compared with other sites. 5 When reparameterized with energetic values from previous studies, the model predictions for Zostera consumption were comparable with estimates derived by standard techniques. 6 Synthesis and applications. This approach offers a novel, efficient and widely applicable method to investigate the relationship between consumers and their food sources. It may have application in deriving site carrying capacities and in quantifying agricultural damage by consumers.

Habitat associations of British breeding farmland birds

Abstract: Capsule Territory distribution for ten species was most strongly positively influenced by the presence of hedges and woodland edge. Aims To describe and rank the importance of different habitat predictors on the distribution of bird territories. Methods We derived territory maps for ten bird species across 25 sites on English lowland farmland in 2002. We related habitat predictors to the distribution of these species using information theoretic methods. Results Habitat predictors were ranked as follows (numbers in parentheses indicate the number of species with a strong effect): hedge presence (8), boundary height (7), woodland edge (6), tree presence in boundary (4), brassica (mainly oil seed rape) (3), within‐field vegetation height (3), boundary strip (3), boundary width (3), tilled fields (3), winter set‐aside (2), ditch (1), winter stubble fields (1). Conclusions Non‐cropped habitats had the most consistent positive effects across all ten species, with crop types and their margins exerting smaller ef...