Insect diet of some afrotropical insectivorous passerines at the jos wildlife park, nigeria.
01 Jan 2011-Science World Journal (Kaduna State University, Faculty of Science)-Vol. 6, Iss: 4, pp 1-4
TL;DR: The study shows that insects utilised by avian insectivores in the Jos Wildlife Park is probably a reflection of insect abundance and diversity, and therefore insectivorous passerines may have adapted to feeding largely on abundant and diversed insect species present in the study area.
Abstract: Despite being the most common avian dietary strategy, our understanding of the nutrition of avian insectivores lags behind that of less populous granivores, herbivores, and frugivores; thereby attracting research interest. Insect diet of Afrotropical insectivorous passerines at the Jos Wildlife Park was studied by trapping birds using mist nets in 2009. Trapped birds were identified and kept in a wooden box for 15 minutes to create a dark interior for the discharge of faeces. Insect remains in faecal droppings collected from individual passerines were identified to at least Order level. SPSS 2001 506 /id software packages was used for statistical analyses. Identified insect remains in faecal droppings of insectivorous passerines showed that there were 13 positively identified Orders. Ten Families belonging to the Orders Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Diptera, Isoptera, Anoplura and Mantodae were positively identified. There was a significant difference (One sample- T-test; t=5.05, df=18, P<0.001) in the choice of insect diet by the insectivorous passerines trapped during the study. Of the fragments recorded from the faecal droppings, 325(83%) constitute insect diet, 35(10%) plant materials and 25(7%) were unidentified. The study shows that insects utilised by avian insectivores in the Jos Wildlife Park is probably a reflection of insect abundance and diversity. Therefore insectivorous passerines may have adapted to feeding largely on abundant and diversed insect species present in the study area.
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TL;DR: This study successfully discerned more details on the diets of insectivorous birds inhabiting Malaysian forests, providing a foundation for future studies on the ecology and biology of understorey birds.
Abstract: Despite the importance of diet in avian ecology, knowledge of bird diet in tropical regions, particularly South-East Asia, is limited. Assessing predator–prey relationships of how energy flows acro...
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors used a five minute unit to obtain both relative frequency of presence and that of location utilization of birds in the reclamation area of PT Adaro Indonesia.
Abstract: There was no monitoring specifically on fauna in the reclamation area of PT Adaro Indonesia. The objective of the research was to record fauna species in this area which had been revegetated less than two years ago. Diurnal birds as a main object were recorded through observation point and survey in four reclamation locations, but mammals, reptiles, and amphibians as supporting objects were recorded merely through survey. Data on birds was analyzed based on a five minute unit to obtain both relative frequency of presence and that of location utilization, but those of others were analyzed merely to list their presence. Thirty bird species, 1 mammal, 3 reptiles, and 4 amphibians were identified in the reclamation area, but each 1 species of mammal, reptile, and amphibian was not identified yet. Five bird species were always present in every location, although their relative frequencies of presence varied. They could be categorized as pioneer birds in the reclamation area. Nine bird species were found only in a certain location
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Dissertation•
14 Dec 2019
TL;DR: Tese de doutoramento em Biociencias, na especialidade de Ecologia, apresentada ao Departamento de Ciencias da Vida da Faculdade de Cientcias e Tecnologia da Universidade of Coimbra, was presented in this article.
Abstract: Tese de doutoramento em Biociencias, na especialidade de Ecologia, apresentada ao Departamento de Ciencias da Vida da Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra
5 citations
Cites background from "Insect diet of some afrotropical in..."
...Such studies identify the food resources that provide the necessary nutrient and energy requirements of organisms (Turshak & Mwansat, 2011)....
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...Diet studies deal with fundamental aspect of the biology of organisms and provide important information for a given set of evolutionary, ecological, and conservation questions (Turshak & Mwansat, 2011)....
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TL;DR: Observations showed that birds in the Jos Wildlife Park are orally susceptible to infection with protozoans, some of which have been reported to cause health implications in birds, and any measure to curtail environmental contamination by the parasites may improve ecosystem health and survival of avian species in the Park.
Abstract: Occasional screening of food and water quality available to organisms in protected areas could be beneficial to their successful conservation. This is important for areas receiving regular human visitors and exhibiting activities that may be detrimental to ecosystem health. This study determined the intestinal protozoan species harboured by insectivorous and granivorous birds within the Jos Wildlife Park, Nigeria and whether the two avian feeding guilds are more susceptible to protozoan infection through water or food (grass seeds and insects). Special boxes were used to collect faecal samples from trapped birds. Samples were later analysed in the laboratory for protozoans. Both food and water utilised by the birds in the area were microscopically screened. The composition and abundance of intestinal protozoans between the two feeding guilds did not show significant differences. However, considering parasite species individually, the degree of infection by protozoans such as Giardia lamblia was highly related to the range of infection sources that a feeding guild was exposed to. The composition of parasites observed in the two feeding guilds was strongly linked to both water bodies and avian diet obtainable in the Park. These observations showed that birds in the Park are orally susceptible to infection with protozoans, some of which have been reported to cause health implications in birds. Thus, any measure to curtail environmental contamination by the parasites may improve ecosystem health and survival of avian species in the Park.
3 citations
TL;DR: This study compared the foraging sites of the Sunlark, Galerida modesta and Familiar Chart, Cercomela familiaris a week after fire engulfed about one third of the 300 ha of the Amurum Forest Reserve, Nigeria.
Abstract: Detailed investigation of the foraging site utilised by avian species may reveal the habitat factors important in their conservation. This study compared the foraging sites of the Sunlark, Galerida modesta and Familiar Chart, Cercomela familiaris (both African resident insectivorous birds) a week after fire engulfed about one third of the 300 ha of the Amurum Forest Reserve, Nigeria. Foraging sites were compared based on proxies of food availability (ant, grasshopper and other insect abundance) and vegetation structure. Data on food availability and vegetation structures were obtained by quadrate sampling while foraging spots were determined from four stratified transects each surveyed four times during the study. Food availability was not a significant predictor of foraging site characteristics between the two bird species. However of the nine vegetation variables measured, grass height and proportion of burned grass cover per foraging site significantly distinguished the foraging sites of the two bird species; Sunlark foraged more at sites with shorter grasses and high proportion of burned grass cover as compared to the Familiar Chat. The characteristics of the foraging sites observed might have implications on the foraging success of the birds in line with literature on the Influences of vegetation structure on avian foraging behaviour. Key words: Foraging site, Insectivorous birds, Burn, Vegetation structure, Food availability
2 citations
Cites background or result from "Insect diet of some afrotropical in..."
...However, a recent study in similar environment (The Jos Wildlife Park, Nigeria) had reported the insect Orders Hymenoptera (e.g. ants) and Orthopterans (e.g. grasshoppers) as constituting the top three insect Orders in the diet of insectivorous birds in the area (Turshak and Mwansat, 2011)....
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...grasshoppers) as constituting the top three insect Orders in the diet of insectivorous birds in the area (Turshak and Mwansat, 2011)....
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References
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Journal Article•
4 citations
"Insect diet of some afrotropical in..." refers result in this paper
...This finding is consistent with results of earlier studies (Sen, 1944; Mukherjee, 1975; Yahya, 2001; Asokan et al., 2009)....
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Journal Article•
TL;DR: Soil organisms play an integral role in decomposition and nutrient cycling, but pesticides and artificial irrigation from agriculture can kill soil organisms and thereby compromise the vital ecosystem services that they provide.
Abstract: Soil organisms play an integral role in decomposition and nutrient cycling, but pesticides and artificial irrigation from agriculture can kill soil organisms and thereby compromise the vital ecosystem services that they provide. Organic farming practices are known to alleviate the native effect of agriculture on soil insects. Soil insect abundance was examined in a variety of organic farms and in natural forest in northern Thailand using pitfall traps. More than 7,000 insects were collected and sorted to order. Soil insect abundance varied significantly with season, treatment, and agricultural crop. Insects were most abundant in Asian pear (AP), hill evergreen forest (HF), Chinese teas (CT), strawberries (ST), Asian maple trees (MT) and vegetables for human consumption (VH). Collembola were most abundant in most treatments, and ants were disproportionately common in samples from treatments with trees. There were more insects in the wet seasons than in the dry season in all treatments. Collembola, Orthoptera, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera differed significantly among different treatments, but Diptera did not.
4 citations
"Insect diet of some afrotropical in..." refers background in this paper
...However, Wichaikam et al. (2010) recorded 50% of insects from the Order Collembola in their samples, even though the Orders Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera and Orthoptera were caught in substantial number....
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