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.

Natal and breeding dispersal in a reintroduced population of White‐tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla

Abstract: Capsule Natal dispersal distance was significantly shorter in males than in females. Aim To examine the correlates of variation in dispersal in a reintroduced population of White‐tailed Eagles Haliaeetus albicilla in western Scotland. Methods Observations of natal (or release) sites and subsequent breeding sites of individually marked birds were used to calculate natal dispersal distance (NDD; the distance between natal (or release) site and first breeding site) and breeding dispersal distance, which is the distance moved by adults between sites of reproduction. Results NDD was significantly shorter in males than in females. Male NDD did not change over the 25+‐year study as the population expanded. Female NDD appeared to increase over time. Brood size at fledging and fledging date were not associated with NDD in either sex. There was no evidence of an association between parent and offspring NDD. Breeding dispersal was uncommon and involved moves to neighbouring territories when it did occur. Conclusions...

An assessment of land cover and threats in Important Bird Areas in Africa

Abstract: Summary Over1,200 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) have been identified in Africa, each meeting at least one of four objective criteria that identify it as an area of high conservation importance for birds. Despite their biodiversity value, many IBAs are threatened by habitat degradation and a high proportion lack legal protection. We integrate an inventory of these IBAs with remote sensing data to identify patterns that could be used to assess priorities for monitoring and conservation. Land cover composition in IBAs differed significantly from that in buffer zones of the same area immediately surrounding them and was significantly more homogeneous. Agriculture and deforestation were the most prevalent threats to IBAs, particularly in IBAs containing a high proportion of dense forest or shrub. Human population density within IBAs was no lower than that immediately outside IBAs, and was around three times higher than the average for sub-Saharan Africa. However, projected human population growth was lower than the average for sub-Saharan Africa, with the projected increase greatest in IBAs with a high proportional cover of dense forest and mosaic woodland and lowest in IBAs with a higher grassland component. Fifty seven percent of IBAs fell within or overlapped Protected Areas, though this percentage differed between different categories of IBA. IBAs that were included within Protected Areas supported a greater number of globally threatened bird species and contained proportionally more dense forest, woodland and shrub than IBAs falling outside Protected Areas. IBAs outside Protected Areas contained a high proportion of mosaic woodland and open water, suggesting that such habitats are under-protected in Africa. We suggest that because the most prevalent threats to IBAs involve changes in land cover that could be detected from satellites, remote sensing could play an important role in the monitoring of African IBAs. This would permit monitoring of a wider range of sites than is possible solely by conventional, ground-based approaches.

Flexibility and the use of indicator taxa in the selection of sites for nature reserves

Abstract: 'Minimum' sets of complementary areas represent all species in a region a given number of times. In recent years, conservation assessments have centred around the evaluation of these 'minimum' sets. Previous research shows little overlap between 'minimum' sets and existing nature reserves and between 'minimum' sets for different taxonomic groups. The latter has been used as an argument to discount the use of indicator taxa in the selection of sites for nature reserves. However, these 'minimum' set analyses have only considered a single set for each taxonomic group when there are, in fact, a large number of equally valid 'minimum' sets. We present new methods for evaluating all of these alternative 'minimum' sets. We demonstrate that if all of the sets are evaluated, significantly higher levels of overlap are found between 'minimum' sets and nature reserves, and pairs of 'minimum' sets for different taxonomic groups. Furthermore, significantly higher proportions of species from non-target taxonomic groups are recorded in the 'minimum' sets of target groups. Our results suggest that previous conservation assessments using 'minimum' sets may have been unduly pessimistic.

Taxonomy of the super-cryptic Hyperolius nasutus group of long reed frogs of Africa (Anura: Hyperoliidae), with descriptions of six new species

Abstract: Specimens from across the range of the Hyperolius nasutus species group were sequenced for two mitochondrial genes and one nuclear gene. Advertisement calls were recorded from the same specimens where possible, and morphological characters were compared. Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood produced a tree indicating 16 clades. The clades show little or no overlap in combinations of 16S sequence difference, shared tyr haplotypes, advertisement call parameters, snout profiles and webbing. On the basis of these data we recognise H. acuticeps, H. adspersus, H. benguellensis, H. dartevellei, H. igbettensis, H. nasutus, H. nasicus, H. poweri, H. viridis and describe six new species: Hyperolius friedemanni sp. nov. Mercurio & Rodel, Hyperolius howelli sp. nov. Du Preez & Channing, Hyperolius inyangae sp. nov. Channing, Hyperolious jacobseni sp. nov. Channing, Hyperolius rwandae sp. nov. Dehling, Sinsch, R6del & Channing, and Hyperolius lupiroensis sp. nov. Channing. Hyperolius lamottei is confirmed to be outside the H. nasutus group clade. Hyperolius granulatus, H. oxyrhynchus, H. punctulatus and H. sagitta are assigned as junior synonyms. As our results are based on a small number of specimens, these hypotheses await testing with larger sample sizes and more characters. A species distribution model suggests where outlier populations might be found.