Numerical Response of Migratory Shorebirds to Prey Distribution in a Large Temperate Arid Wetland, China
Wuliangsuhai Lake provides important breeding and stopover habitats for shorebirds. The health of this wetland ecosystem is rapidly deteriorating due to eutrophication and water pollution and environmental management is urgently needed. To explore the connections among ecosystem health, prey density...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2016-01-01
|
| Series: | Scientifica |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1297603 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849307652831576064 |
|---|---|
| author | Yamian Zhang Yi Zhu Aojie Zuo Li Wen Guangchun Lei |
| author_facet | Yamian Zhang Yi Zhu Aojie Zuo Li Wen Guangchun Lei |
| author_sort | Yamian Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Wuliangsuhai Lake provides important breeding and stopover habitats for shorebirds. The health of this wetland ecosystem is rapidly deteriorating due to eutrophication and water pollution and environmental management is urgently needed. To explore the connections among ecosystem health, prey density, and shorebird populations, we conducted surveys of both the benthic macroinvertebrates and shorebirds in the shorebird habitat of the wetland during the 2011 autumn migration season. The abundance of both shorebirds and benthic macroinvertebrates varied significantly in both space and time. Our data showed a clear association between shorebird populations and the density of benthic macroinvertebrates, which explained 53.63% of the variation in shorebird abundance. The prey density was strongly affected by environmental factors, including water and sediment quality. Chironomidae were mainly found at sites with higher total phosphorus, but with lower sediment concentrations of Cu. Lymnaeidae were mainly found at sites with a higher pH, lower salinity, and lower concentrations of total phosphorus and Cu. Habitats with very high concentrations of total phosphorus, heavy metals, or salinity were not suitable for benthic macroinvertebrates. Our findings suggest that the reductions of nutrient and heavy metal loadings are crucial in maintaining the ecological function of Wuliangsuhai as a stopover habitat for migratory shorebirds. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-21522fb6f0c24e9db37cc87b5e8a2557 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2090-908X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientifica |
| spelling | doaj-art-21522fb6f0c24e9db37cc87b5e8a25572025-08-20T03:54:42ZengWileyScientifica2090-908X2016-01-01201610.1155/2016/12976031297603Numerical Response of Migratory Shorebirds to Prey Distribution in a Large Temperate Arid Wetland, ChinaYamian Zhang0Yi Zhu1Aojie Zuo2Li Wen3Guangchun Lei4School of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaSchool of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaSchool of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaScience Division, Office of Environment and Heritage, Sydney, NSW 2000, AustraliaSchool of Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, ChinaWuliangsuhai Lake provides important breeding and stopover habitats for shorebirds. The health of this wetland ecosystem is rapidly deteriorating due to eutrophication and water pollution and environmental management is urgently needed. To explore the connections among ecosystem health, prey density, and shorebird populations, we conducted surveys of both the benthic macroinvertebrates and shorebirds in the shorebird habitat of the wetland during the 2011 autumn migration season. The abundance of both shorebirds and benthic macroinvertebrates varied significantly in both space and time. Our data showed a clear association between shorebird populations and the density of benthic macroinvertebrates, which explained 53.63% of the variation in shorebird abundance. The prey density was strongly affected by environmental factors, including water and sediment quality. Chironomidae were mainly found at sites with higher total phosphorus, but with lower sediment concentrations of Cu. Lymnaeidae were mainly found at sites with a higher pH, lower salinity, and lower concentrations of total phosphorus and Cu. Habitats with very high concentrations of total phosphorus, heavy metals, or salinity were not suitable for benthic macroinvertebrates. Our findings suggest that the reductions of nutrient and heavy metal loadings are crucial in maintaining the ecological function of Wuliangsuhai as a stopover habitat for migratory shorebirds.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1297603 |
| spellingShingle | Yamian Zhang Yi Zhu Aojie Zuo Li Wen Guangchun Lei Numerical Response of Migratory Shorebirds to Prey Distribution in a Large Temperate Arid Wetland, China Scientifica |
| title | Numerical Response of Migratory Shorebirds to Prey Distribution in a Large Temperate Arid Wetland, China |
| title_full | Numerical Response of Migratory Shorebirds to Prey Distribution in a Large Temperate Arid Wetland, China |
| title_fullStr | Numerical Response of Migratory Shorebirds to Prey Distribution in a Large Temperate Arid Wetland, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Numerical Response of Migratory Shorebirds to Prey Distribution in a Large Temperate Arid Wetland, China |
| title_short | Numerical Response of Migratory Shorebirds to Prey Distribution in a Large Temperate Arid Wetland, China |
| title_sort | numerical response of migratory shorebirds to prey distribution in a large temperate arid wetland china |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1297603 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yamianzhang numericalresponseofmigratoryshorebirdstopreydistributioninalargetemperatearidwetlandchina AT yizhu numericalresponseofmigratoryshorebirdstopreydistributioninalargetemperatearidwetlandchina AT aojiezuo numericalresponseofmigratoryshorebirdstopreydistributioninalargetemperatearidwetlandchina AT liwen numericalresponseofmigratoryshorebirdstopreydistributioninalargetemperatearidwetlandchina AT guangchunlei numericalresponseofmigratoryshorebirdstopreydistributioninalargetemperatearidwetlandchina |