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
References
1. Amosov P. N., Asoskova N. I. Influence of agricultural activity on the populations of birds in the north of European Russia. In: T. K. Zheleznova and L. V. Malovichko, eds. Birds and Agriculture: Proceedings of the 1st International Conference. Moscow, Znak Publ., 2016, pp. 11-15 (in Russian).
2. Bolnykh S. I., Vengerov P. D. Features of dynamics of fauna and population of birds in the course of progressive succession in long fallow in Lipetsk Region. Problems of Regional Ecology, 2010, no. 1, pp. 66-71 (in Russian).
3. Vengerov P. D. Birds and Poorly Used Farmlands of Voronezh Region (Prospects of restoration of meadow-steppe avifauna). Voronezh, Krivichi Publ., 2005. 152 p. (in Russian).
4. Volkovskaya-Kurdjukova E. A., Kurdjukov A. V. Results of study of bird complexes in poorly used farmlands of the South Primorye. Bulletin of Orenburg State University, 2008, no. 6, pp. 129-137 (in Russian).
5. Gudina A. N. Methods of Census of Breeding Birds. Mapping of the territories. Zaporozhye, Dikoye Pole Publ., 1999. 241 p. (in Russian).
6. Koblik E. A., Red'kin Y. A., Arkhipov V. Yu. Checlist of the Birds of Russian Federation. Moscow, KMK Scientific Press Ltd., 2006. 256 p. (in Russian).
7. Korovin V. A. Population trends of birds in steppe agro-landscape in connection with changes in character of land use. In: E. N. Kurochkin and I. I. Rakhimov, eds. Achievements and problems of ornithology of Northern Eurasia on the boundary of centuries: Proceedings of the International Conference. Kazan, Magarif Publ., 2001, pp. 469-477 (in Russian).
8. Lyuri D. I., Goryachkin S. V., Karavaeva N. A., Denisenko E. A., Nefedova T. G. Dynamics of Agricultural Lands of Russia in XX century and Postagrogenic Restoration of Vegetation and Soils. Moscow, GEOS Publ., 2010. 416 p. (in Russian).
9. Melnikov V. N., Khrulyova O. B. Post-technogenic successions of the ornithocomplexes of the Eastern Upper-Volga region. Part II. Bird population dynamics in the course of overgrowing of neglected arable lands. Povolzhskiy J. of Ecology, 2011, no. 4, pp. 532-536 (in Russian).
10. Mischenko A. L., Sukhanova O.V. Birds in floodplains of European Russia: Winners and losers under changed land use. In: E. S. Preobrazhenskaya, ed. Population dynamics of birds in terrestrial landscapes. Proceedings of the Russian Scientific Conference. Moscow, KMK Scientific Press Ltd., 2017, pp. 239-246 (in Russian).
11. Morozov N. S. Method of mapping territories of birds on constant trial plots: the international recommendations and personal experience. In: E. A. Shvarts, ed. Organization of Scientific Researches in Nature Reserves and National Parks. Proceedings of the Scientific Seminar. Moscow, RPO WWF Press, 1999, pp. 156-186 (in Russian).
12. Naumov R. L. Organization and Methods of Census of Birds and Harmful Rodents. Moscow, Leningrad, Izdatel'stvo AN SSSR, 1963. 163 p. (in Russian).
13. Nefedova T. G. Ten Topical Issues about Rural Russia: A Geographer’s Viewpoint. Moscow, LENAND Publ., 2014. 456 p. (in Russian).
14. Oparin M. L., Oparina O. S. Population dynamics of ground nesting birds during fallow land succession of vegetation in the turf-cereal steppes of the Trans-Volga region. Povolzhskiy J. of Ecology, 2006, no. 2-3, pp. 154-163 (in Russian).
15. Ravkin E. S., Chelintsev N. G. Methodical recommendations on the route census of the population of birds in nature reserves. In: E. A. Shvarts, ed. Organization of scientific researches in nature reserves and national parks: Proceedings of the Scientific Seminar. Moscow, RPO WWF Press, 1999, pp. 143-155 (in Russian).
16. Ravkin Yu. S. To the method of bird census in the forest landscapes. In: A. A. Maksimov, ed. The Nature of the loci of tick cephalitis in Altai (the North-East part). Novosibirsk, Nauka Publ., 1967, pp. 66-75 (in Russian).
17. Regiony Rossii. Social'no-ekonomicheskie pokazateli. 2002: R32. Statisticheskij sbornik [Regions of Russia. Social and Economic Indices. 2002: R32. The Statistical Collection]. Moscow, Goscomstat of Russia Publ., 2002. 863 p. (in Russian).
18. Regiony Rossii. Social'no-ekonomicheskie pokazateli. 2017: R32. Statisticheskij sbornik [Regions of Russia. Social and Economic Indices. 2017: R32. The Statistical Collection]. Moscow, Goscomstat of Russia Publ., 2017. 1402 p. (in Russian).
19. Mischenko A. L., Sukhanova O. V. Response of wader populations in the Vinogradovo Floodplain (Moscow Region, Russia) to changes in agricultural land use and spring flooding. Wader Study, 2016, vol. 123, iss. 2, pp. 136-142.
20. Popov I., Starikov S. Recent northward expansion of breeding Black-tailed Godwits Limosa limosa in NW Russia. Wader Study, 2016, vol. 122, iss. 3, pp. 173-183.
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
Views:
429
Email this article 
