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Landscape context and wetland attributes influence wintering waterbirds in important bird and biodiversity areas : implications for conservation and management

Hamza, Foued ; Abdi, Abdulhakim M. LU orcid ; Chokri, Mohamed Ali ; Yacoubi, Lamia ; Dlensi, Habib ; Hammouda, Naoufel ; Ghlis, Abdenaceur ; Jemaa, Badreddine ; Elghoul, Marwa LU and Hedhili, Ahlem , et al. (2024) In Landscape Ecology 39(8).
Abstract

Context: The intensification and expansion of human activities have caused profound changes in global wetlands and their associated aquatic bird communities. Understanding the mechanisms that drive the spatial assemblages of wetland birds is important for the development of effective conservation and management strategies. Objectives: The overall objective was to evaluate the influence of wetland features such as size and distance to the nearest coastline, and landscape composition, configuration, and function in shaping waterbird richness and abundance in 43 Tunisian Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). Methods: Systematic waterbird surveys on species abundance and richness at each IBA were carried out between December and... (More)

Context: The intensification and expansion of human activities have caused profound changes in global wetlands and their associated aquatic bird communities. Understanding the mechanisms that drive the spatial assemblages of wetland birds is important for the development of effective conservation and management strategies. Objectives: The overall objective was to evaluate the influence of wetland features such as size and distance to the nearest coastline, and landscape composition, configuration, and function in shaping waterbird richness and abundance in 43 Tunisian Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). Methods: Systematic waterbird surveys on species abundance and richness at each IBA were carried out between December and January in 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. Satellite remote sensing indices were used to map wetlands and characterize the vegetation condition in the landscape surrounding them. Landscape metrics were used to describe the habitat configuration around the wetlands. Results: Our results show that landscape composition, configuration and function have significant effects on waterbirds (i.e., shorebirds, waterfowl, wading birds, and open-water birds). We found that wetland surface area and distance to the coast were important factors influencing the richness and abundance of waterbirds. Our results also indicate that landscape diversity is an important predictor of waterbird richness and abundance, and that there is a significant interaction between wetland surface area and distance to the nearest wetland in explaining the richness and abundance of waterbirds. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the richness and abundance of waterbirds are robustly dependent on the interaction between wetland surface area and distance to the nearest wetland. Furthermore, local wetland characteristics (wetland surface area and distance to the nearest coastline), landscape composition (forest area and urban area), landscape configuration (spatial heterogeneity), and landscape function (maximum and minimum NDVI), significantly affect wintering waterbird communities. This study also highlights the importance of large and connected wetlands in conserving various bird communities in Tunisian IBAs and provides recommendations for their conservation and sustainable management.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Bird migration, Conservation, Land cover, Land use, Remote sensing, Sustainable management
in
Landscape Ecology
volume
39
issue
8
article number
151
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85200873430
ISSN
0921-2973
DOI
10.1007/s10980-024-01942-9
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ba21d6d7-cf33-4d2d-b7d1-dc878f11ba7e
date added to LUP
2024-09-09 16:14:06
date last changed
2024-09-10 03:04:26
@article{ba21d6d7-cf33-4d2d-b7d1-dc878f11ba7e,
  abstract     = {{<p>Context: The intensification and expansion of human activities have caused profound changes in global wetlands and their associated aquatic bird communities. Understanding the mechanisms that drive the spatial assemblages of wetland birds is important for the development of effective conservation and management strategies. Objectives: The overall objective was to evaluate the influence of wetland features such as size and distance to the nearest coastline, and landscape composition, configuration, and function in shaping waterbird richness and abundance in 43 Tunisian Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). Methods: Systematic waterbird surveys on species abundance and richness at each IBA were carried out between December and January in 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. Satellite remote sensing indices were used to map wetlands and characterize the vegetation condition in the landscape surrounding them. Landscape metrics were used to describe the habitat configuration around the wetlands. Results: Our results show that landscape composition, configuration and function have significant effects on waterbirds (i.e., shorebirds, waterfowl, wading birds, and open-water birds). We found that wetland surface area and distance to the coast were important factors influencing the richness and abundance of waterbirds. Our results also indicate that landscape diversity is an important predictor of waterbird richness and abundance, and that there is a significant interaction between wetland surface area and distance to the nearest wetland in explaining the richness and abundance of waterbirds. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the richness and abundance of waterbirds are robustly dependent on the interaction between wetland surface area and distance to the nearest wetland. Furthermore, local wetland characteristics (wetland surface area and distance to the nearest coastline), landscape composition (forest area and urban area), landscape configuration (spatial heterogeneity), and landscape function (maximum and minimum NDVI), significantly affect wintering waterbird communities. This study also highlights the importance of large and connected wetlands in conserving various bird communities in Tunisian IBAs and provides recommendations for their conservation and sustainable management.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hamza, Foued and Abdi, Abdulhakim M. and Chokri, Mohamed Ali and Yacoubi, Lamia and Dlensi, Habib and Hammouda, Naoufel and Ghlis, Abdenaceur and Jemaa, Badreddine and Elghoul, Marwa and Hedhili, Ahlem and Hanane, Saâd}},
  issn         = {{0921-2973}},
  keywords     = {{Bird migration; Conservation; Land cover; Land use; Remote sensing; Sustainable management}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Landscape Ecology}},
  title        = {{Landscape context and wetland attributes influence wintering waterbirds in important bird and biodiversity areas : implications for conservation and management}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10980-024-01942-9}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10980-024-01942-9}},
  volume       = {{39}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}