Effects of habitat fragmentation on avian nest predation risk in Thousand Island Lake, Zhejiang Province

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1003.2011.07036

Abstract

Abstract:

To investigate the effects of habitat fragmentation on avian nest predation risk, we placed 726 artificial ground nests with chicken or quail (Coturnix japonica) eggs on 16 islands in edge and interior locations in Thousand Island Lake from April to August 2010. We compared nest predation rates between nests with different egg types and between the nests located at different distances from the edge. We also evaluated the relationships between nest predation and island area, isolation, shape index and plant richness. Predation rate was higher for nests containing quail eggs (81.2%) compared to chicken eggs (60.0%), and lower in the interior than at the edge (66.1% vs. 75.1%). Predation rate was higher in August than that in April or June. Isolation and plant richness had no relationship with nest predation rate; but island area and island shape index were positively related with nest predation rate. Our results suggest that habitat fragmentation could increase avian predation risk due to edge and area effects, and that birds with small eggs might be more sensitive to fragmentation than those with large eggs.

Key words: predation risk, artificial nests, predation rate, edge effects, habitat fragmentation, the Thousand Island Lake

Jiji Sun, Siyu Wang, Yanping Wang, Deyu Shao, Ping Ding. Effects of habitat fragmentation on avian nest predation risk in Thousand Island Lake, Zhejiang Province[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2011, 19(5): 528-534.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1003.2011.07036

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2011/V19/I5/528

Figures/Tables 5

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岛屿 Island	面积 Area (ha)	隔离度 Isolation (m)	植物物种丰富度 Plant richness	形状指数 Shape index	人工巢数量 No. of artificial nests
1	101.03	114.10	86	3.37	20
2	36.56	25.20	51	3.96	20
3	27.49	949.70	57	3.02	20
4	2.17	799.75	85	2.27	12
5	1.51	286.28	74	1.39	20
6	1.35	936.42	65	1.35	10
7	1.33	391.26	45	1.48	20
8	1.30	227.17	50	1.36	20
9	1.11	76.55	100	1.35	10
10	0.99	30.46	65	1.07	10
11	0.86	1,664.07	53	2.18	10
12	0.69	34.01	36	1.44	20
13	0.62	34.13	56	1.27	20
14	0.43	36.12	68	1.59	10
15	0.39	1,756.01	50	1.56	10
16	0.25	1,442.86	47	1.16	10

岛屿 Island	面积 Area (ha)	隔离度 Isolation (m)	植物物种丰富度 Plant richness	形状指数 Shape index	人工巢数量 No. of artificial nests
1	101.03	114.10	86	3.37	20
2	36.56	25.20	51	3.96	20
3	27.49	949.70	57	3.02	20
4	2.17	799.75	85	2.27	12
5	1.51	286.28	74	1.39	20
6	1.35	936.42	65	1.35	10
7	1.33	391.26	45	1.48	20
8	1.30	227.17	50	1.36	20
9	1.11	76.55	100	1.35	10
10	0.99	30.46	65	1.07	10
11	0.86	1,664.07	53	2.18	10
12	0.69	34.01	36	1.44	20
13	0.62	34.13	56	1.27	20
14	0.43	36.12	68	1.59	10
15	0.39	1,756.01	50	1.56	10
16	0.25	1,442.86	47	1.16	10

鸟卵类型Egg type	放置位置Location	P	R²	F	df	回归方程 Regression equation
大型卵 Large egg	边缘 Edge	0.003*	0.53	14.7	12	Y=0.14x-0.30
大型卵 Large egg	内部 Interior	0.000*	0.69	27.2	12	Y=0.20x-0.43
小型卵 Small egg	边缘 Edge	0.02*	0.37	8.13	12	Y=0.10x-0.16
小型卵 Small egg	内部 Interior	0.007*	0.45	10.8	12	Y=0.11x-0.18

鸟卵类型Egg type	放置位置Location	P	R²	F	df	回归方程 Regression equation
大型卵 Large egg	边缘 Edge	0.003*	0.53	14.7	12	Y=0.14x-0.30
大型卵 Large egg	内部 Interior	0.000*	0.69	27.2	12	Y=0.20x-0.43
小型卵 Small egg	边缘 Edge	0.02*	0.37	8.13	12	Y=0.10x-0.16
小型卵 Small egg	内部 Interior	0.007*	0.45	10.8	12	Y=0.11x-0.18

鸟卵类型Egg type	放置位置Location	P	R²	F	df	回归方程 Regression equation
大型卵 Large egg	边缘 Edge	0.03*	0.30	6.25	12	Y=0.49x-0.38
大型卵 Large egg	内部 Interior	0.001*	0.63	21.6	12	Y=0.79x-0.55
小型卵 Small egg	边缘 Edge	0.18	0.08	2.01	12	Y=0.28x-0.20
小型卵 Small egg	内部 Interior	0.07	0.21	4.10	12	Y=0.33x-0.22