The bird communities in three cemeteries of Bratislava (the Ondrejský cemetery, the Ružinov cemetery and the Slávičie údolie cemetery) were investigated within the period 1992-1995 with the aim to characterise breeding bird communities in this urban type of habitat. A total of 33 breeding bird species was found in the localities, with nine species constantly breeding in each of them. The mean density varied from 3.30 to 14.72 breeding pairs (BP)/ha. Altogether, five species were classified as dominant: Turdus merula, Carduelis chloris, Sylvia atricapilla, Serinus serinus, Streptopelia decaocto. The breeding bird communities follow the geometric model of abundance distribution, indicating harsh environment. The occurrence of breeding birds depended on the location of the cemetery in the town, and on the age, structure and composition of its vegetation. Passer montanus, Passer domesticus and Sturnus vulgaris occupied habitats with old lime trees characterised with high basal area. Fringilla coelebs was associated with high ash trees and Luscinia megarhynchos with dense young trees. Birds most connected with dense conifers included Turdus merula and Carduelis chloris. Areas with medium tree and shrub cover were prefered by Serinus serinus, Sylvia atricapilla, Parus major. Information generated by this study have important implications for management of vegetation in cemeteries.
Density and distribution of red deer (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L., 1758) in relation to habitat structure and distribution of food sources was studied using simple faeces transects and monitoring plots during winter in a floodplain forest along the Morava River. Deer densities detected on monitoring plots and parallel simple faeces transects were comparable, so we used the faeces transects, thus enabling us to gather data from a larger part of study area. Densities of both species were relatively high (red and roe deer; 9.6 and 7.0 ind./km2 respectively). Red deer preferred forest stands with dense (60–80 %) cover and a diversified shrub layer (more than three tree species). Roe deer mainly used old stands of age 50–99 years with a high cover of canopy layer and conversely low cover of herb layer, dominated by bramble. A positive relationship between the distributions of both species was detected. Inter-specific spatial interference was not observed, despite their high densities in the study area.
The distribution patterns of loaches (Teleostei: Cobitoidea) were revealed in the River East Tiaoxi in China. Eight loach species (Cobitis sinensis, C. dolichorhynchus, C. laterimaculata, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, Paramisgurnus dabryanus, Leptobotia tchangi, Vanmanenia pingchowensis and V. stenosoma) were found in field surveys at 90 sites. A macroscale analysis of the geographical distribution showed that related species were segregated in accordance with longitudinal alterations along the river course. M. anguillicaudatus was widely distributed from the middle reaches to upstream of the river whereas the related species, P. dabryanus, was distributed only downstream. Three spined loaches, namely C. dolichorhynchus, C. sinensis, and C. laterimaculata, were distributed in the middle reaches, the middle to upstream reaches, and the upstream section of the river, respectively. The distribution of V. pingchowensis was further upper stream than that of V. stenosoma in the upstream section. More detailed microscale analysis revealed that L. tchangi and the two Vanmanenia species, V. stenosoma and V. pingchowensis were mostly found in the ‘Riffle’ (lotic) habitats, whereas the two spined loaches, C. laterimaculata and C. sinensis preferred the ‘Pool’ (lentic) habitats. These results demonstrated that related loach species preferred similar habitat units in the River East Tiaoxi system.
We studied the location of Eurasian badger (Meles meles) setts in relation to various environmental factors, and attempted to assess the role of competition with other burrowing carnivores and the importance of human activity on their sett selection in the Western Carpathians (southern Poland). Excavated dens (53 %), caves and rock crevices (43 %), and burrows under buildings (4 %), were used by badgers as permanent shelters. Setts were located mostly in foothills (< 680 m a.s.l.), but selection for den location within the lower montane zone (680-980 m a.s.l.) was also observed. Excavated setts were recorded only up to 640 m a.s.l., while setts in rock crevices occurred up to 1050 m a.s.l. Badger shelters were mainly situated in forests or covered by dense bushes. Badgers avoided northern slopes in all altitudinal zones, and located their burrows mostly on SE or W slopes in foothills, and S or E slopes in montane zones. Setts were placed further from human settlements and main roads, but closer to meadows with high earthworm biomass, when compared with random points. Within badger territories, 1-12 setts were recorded. Badgers occupying territories which included both foothills and montane zones used burrows at various altitudes, but their main setts used for overwintering, were located exclusively above 800 m a.s.l. We conclude that sett location by badgers in mountains is shaped not only by the availability of cover and geological factors influencing digging, but also by human pressure and distance to foraging areas.
Geographically peripheral populations are likely to experience suboptimal conditions, and several population characteristics may be influenced. The aim of the present study was to assess characteristics of the populations of hazel, forest and fat dormice on the northern periphery of their ranges in continental Europe in comparison to populations situated in the rest of their ranges. The dormouse populations analysed were found to be distinct from other populations in many aspects of their ecology. On this northern periphery of the ranges, the dormouse activity season is shorter and ends earlier. The population density is also lower, but inter-annual abundance dynamics are comparatively stable. Except the shorter breeding season however, there is no clear general pattern regarding other aspects of reproduction. The composition of the vegetable food used by dormice is rather specific. Contrary to expectations, the proportion of food of animal origin is not increased in the dormouse diets. The main habitat requirements of dormice are similar to those in other parts of their ranges, though the composition of woody plant species in the dormouse habitats is different. Dormice living on the northern periphery of their ranges show a high degree of adaptability to local conditions, but factors limiting their distribution are not clear yet.
We studied habitat selection of the woodchat Lanius senator, red-backed Lanius collurio, and masked Lanius nubicus shrikes in NE Greece, where they occur sympatrically. During the breeding season the masked shrike is most distinct, but woodchat and red-backed shrikes highly overlap in their habitat use. Multivariate discriminant analysis revealed the best separating variables from a set of 13 vegetation variables measured around perch sites. For axis one the best separating variables were identified as the woodland character, and the shrub character for axis two. By the help of the multivariate discriminant analysis the habitat selection in these avian species can be separated with high probability (64%, 64%, and 86% for the woodchat, red-backed and masked shrikes, respectively).
Foraging and bedding sites are key ungulate demands of their habitats. Research however, on the differences between these two types of sites has been neglected. This study deals with the winter foraging and bedding site selection of the Asiatic ibex (Capra sibirica) in the Tianshan Mountains in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. A total of twelve line-transects were used to assist research of the Asiatic ibex within five valleys and canyons during December of 2010 and January of 2011. Ninety-five bedding and one hundred foraging sites used by the Asiatic ibex were examined and the effects of fifteen different environmental factors on habitat selection were analyzed and evaluated in this study. In comparison with its bedding sites, the Asiatic ibex in winter showed a greater preference for semi-shady slopes and higher vegetation density in its selection of foraging sites. Regarding its foraging site preferences when compared to its bedding site preferences, this species was less sensitive to deeper and greater snow cover, to a lower hiding cover level, and to greater
distances from the nearest escape structures. Stepwise Discriminant Analysis showed that a group of five environmental factors played a dominant role in bedding and foraging site preferences. These factors were, in the order of their contribution value: vegetation density, hiding cover level, distance from the top of the mountain, and distance from escape structures. Using these five environmental factors alone, the ability to accurately predict bedding and foraging site preferences of the Asiatic ibex reached 93.3 %.