Steadily increasing human population is changing the environment in many ways. One of the most di... more Steadily increasing human population is changing the environment in many ways. One of the most disturbing impacts is the development of anthropogenic noise pollution connected to ever-growing traffic intensity. The road network can have both positive and negative effects on biodiversity and populations. Many bird species use acoustic communication to establish and maintain their territories and for intra-pair and adult-young communication. Noise pollution can impact negatively on breeding success and biorhythm if this communication is masked by noise and the individuals must adjust their singing activity. Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) is a common bird species of agricultural landscapes whose population is declining due to agricultural intensification. It is found also in habitats near highways with forest steppe-like characteristics, where it is affected by the high levels of anthropogenic noise pollution. This study aimed to determine how this species adapts to noise from highway traffic by adjusting its singing activity. The influence of locality type, immediate and long-term impact of traffic noise on the average and total length of song sequences in the birdsong, and influence on the total number of recorded song sequences during the second hour after sunrise were evaluated in this study. Our results showed that Yellowhammer's singing activity changed in localities close to highways compared to agricultural landscape. With increasing long-term traffic intensity on highways, song duration of the Yellowhammer song was decreasing. The present traffic intensity led to later onset of dawn chorus and decreasing strophe length with increasing number of passing vehicles. Furthermore, in the agricultural landscape, Yellowhammer's song duration increased with increasing distance from the nearest road.
Worldwide forests fragmentation has lead to a massive increase of habitat edges, creating both ne... more Worldwide forests fragmentation has lead to a massive increase of habitat edges, creating both negative and positive impacts on birds. While busy highways dissecting forested areas create edges which are known to reduce bird densities due to the disturbing effect of noise, the impacts of logging forest roads with low traffic volumes have rarely been studied. In this study, we
One of the main questions in ecology and conservation is how organisms are governed and affected ... more One of the main questions in ecology and conservation is how organisms are governed and affected by their traits within the context of abiotic gradients. The main question of our study addresses how patch, topography, and land use influence conservation trait status (rarity and red-list index) of birds generally, and of farmland and woodland specialists specifically, in marginal forest landscape types. We sampled birds from 68 traditional fruit orchards existing as remnants of agroforestry within the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic during two consecutive years. We recorded 57 bird species, of which 31 species were forest dwellers and 16 farmland dwellers. Topographical predictors played the most significant role in influencing traits of the bird community as a whole. Farmland bird traits indicated the most balanced values, as they were significantly influenced by all studied predictor sets. Their responses nevertheless differed among the studied traits and also showed a more ...
Alterations to riverine ecosystems and the establishment of new man-made habitats along rivers ha... more Alterations to riverine ecosystems and the establishment of new man-made habitats along rivers have been accompanied by changes in vegetation composition and structure, which affect the birds inhabiting riparian stands. We examined the differences between bird communities inhabiting the relict growth of river meanders and those inhabiting secondary plantations along the Rivers Otava and Blanice (Czech Republic). In addition, we investigated whether the well-developed oak plantations on artificial fishpond dams, which are common in the studied landscape, might compensate for the loss of bird diversity following river regulation. Breeding bird community and habitat attributes were studied on 30 fixed-width line transects and analysed using Multivariate Redundancy Analysis. Relict meanders were the most structurally diversified habitat type, with the highest species diversity and the great richness of forest birds. In contrast, secondary plantations were the simplest stands with the poorest communities inhabited by more farmland species. Fishpond dams, though resembling the meanders more so than secondary stands, were found to be insufficient compensation for river meanders in regard to avian diversity. Supporting diverse plantations of softwood tree species and widening the narrow belts along river banks are highlighted as ways of managing riparian stands that are beneficial to birds.
Worldwide forests fragmentation has lead to a massive increase of habitat edges, creating both ne... more Worldwide forests fragmentation has lead to a massive increase of habitat edges, creating both negative and positive impacts on birds. While busy highways dissecting forested areas create edges which are known to reduce bird densities due to the disturbing effect of noise, the impacts of logging forest roads with low traffic volumes have rarely been studied. In this study, we
Steadily increasing human population is changing the environment in many ways. One of the most di... more Steadily increasing human population is changing the environment in many ways. One of the most disturbing impacts is the development of anthropogenic noise pollution connected to ever-growing traffic intensity. The road network can have both positive and negative effects on biodiversity and populations. Many bird species use acoustic communication to establish and maintain their territories and for intra-pair and adult-young communication. Noise pollution can impact negatively on breeding success and biorhythm if this communication is masked by noise and the individuals must adjust their singing activity. Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) is a common bird species of agricultural landscapes whose population is declining due to agricultural intensification. It is found also in habitats near highways with forest steppe-like characteristics, where it is affected by the high levels of anthropogenic noise pollution. This study aimed to determine how this species adapts to noise from highway traffic by adjusting its singing activity. The influence of locality type, immediate and long-term impact of traffic noise on the average and total length of song sequences in the birdsong, and influence on the total number of recorded song sequences during the second hour after sunrise were evaluated in this study. Our results showed that Yellowhammer's singing activity changed in localities close to highways compared to agricultural landscape. With increasing long-term traffic intensity on highways, song duration of the Yellowhammer song was decreasing. The present traffic intensity led to later onset of dawn chorus and decreasing strophe length with increasing number of passing vehicles. Furthermore, in the agricultural landscape, Yellowhammer's song duration increased with increasing distance from the nearest road.
Worldwide forests fragmentation has lead to a massive increase of habitat edges, creating both ne... more Worldwide forests fragmentation has lead to a massive increase of habitat edges, creating both negative and positive impacts on birds. While busy highways dissecting forested areas create edges which are known to reduce bird densities due to the disturbing effect of noise, the impacts of logging forest roads with low traffic volumes have rarely been studied. In this study, we
One of the main questions in ecology and conservation is how organisms are governed and affected ... more One of the main questions in ecology and conservation is how organisms are governed and affected by their traits within the context of abiotic gradients. The main question of our study addresses how patch, topography, and land use influence conservation trait status (rarity and red-list index) of birds generally, and of farmland and woodland specialists specifically, in marginal forest landscape types. We sampled birds from 68 traditional fruit orchards existing as remnants of agroforestry within the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic during two consecutive years. We recorded 57 bird species, of which 31 species were forest dwellers and 16 farmland dwellers. Topographical predictors played the most significant role in influencing traits of the bird community as a whole. Farmland bird traits indicated the most balanced values, as they were significantly influenced by all studied predictor sets. Their responses nevertheless differed among the studied traits and also showed a more ...
Alterations to riverine ecosystems and the establishment of new man-made habitats along rivers ha... more Alterations to riverine ecosystems and the establishment of new man-made habitats along rivers have been accompanied by changes in vegetation composition and structure, which affect the birds inhabiting riparian stands. We examined the differences between bird communities inhabiting the relict growth of river meanders and those inhabiting secondary plantations along the Rivers Otava and Blanice (Czech Republic). In addition, we investigated whether the well-developed oak plantations on artificial fishpond dams, which are common in the studied landscape, might compensate for the loss of bird diversity following river regulation. Breeding bird community and habitat attributes were studied on 30 fixed-width line transects and analysed using Multivariate Redundancy Analysis. Relict meanders were the most structurally diversified habitat type, with the highest species diversity and the great richness of forest birds. In contrast, secondary plantations were the simplest stands with the poorest communities inhabited by more farmland species. Fishpond dams, though resembling the meanders more so than secondary stands, were found to be insufficient compensation for river meanders in regard to avian diversity. Supporting diverse plantations of softwood tree species and widening the narrow belts along river banks are highlighted as ways of managing riparian stands that are beneficial to birds.
Worldwide forests fragmentation has lead to a massive increase of habitat edges, creating both ne... more Worldwide forests fragmentation has lead to a massive increase of habitat edges, creating both negative and positive impacts on birds. While busy highways dissecting forested areas create edges which are known to reduce bird densities due to the disturbing effect of noise, the impacts of logging forest roads with low traffic volumes have rarely been studied. In this study, we
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