Meadow Birds at the Waning Traditional Pasture Animal Husbandry
https://doi.org/10.35885/1684-7318-2019-1-28-46
Abstract
As a result of our long-term field studies in the areas of abandoned meadows and grasslands in the Arkhangelsk, Novgorod, Ivanovo and Moscow regions, peculiarities of the bird population trends in the process of demutational succession were found out: from scattered weed associations to domination of scrub and woods. Changes in the specific composition and abundance of birds (passerines, waders, and corncrake Crex crex) at various stages of plant succession and their probable causes are discussed. It has been established that the most expressed negative trends were demonstrated by ground-nesting bird species for which short-grass habitats are optimal, supported owing to cattle grazing and haymaking: the northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), the black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), the redshank (Tringa totanus), the skylark (Alauda arvensis), and the yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava). Variously directed population trends of two Motacillidae species are shown, namely: an increase in the numbers and range expansion of the citrine wagtail (Motacilla citreola) preferring abandoned swampy meadows, and a decrease in the numbers of the meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) preferring low vegetation in used grasslands. Factors delaying and interrupting demutational succession and hampering any decline in the numbers of some passerines and waders were revealed. The causes of the probable continuation of reduction of the hay meadows and pastures area in the forest zone, aggravating negative trends of the meadow bird numbers are discussed.
About the Authors
Alexander L. Mischenko
A. N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
33 Leninsky Prosp., Moscow 119071
Olga V. Sukhanova
Russian Society for Bird Conservation and Study
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
6 Bolshaya Nikitskaya Str., Moscow 125009
Vladimir N. Melnikov
Ivanovo State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
136 Prosp. Lenina, Ivanovo 153002
Pavel N. Amosov
Saint Petersburg State Academy of Veterinary Medicine
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
5 Chernigovskaya Str., Saint Petersburg 196084
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Review
For citations:
Mischenko A.L., Sukhanova O.V., Melnikov V.N., Amosov P.N. Meadow Birds at the Waning Traditional Pasture Animal Husbandry. Povolzhskiy Journal of Ecology. 2019;(1):28-46. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.35885/1684-7318-2019-1-28-46
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