The Mediterranean Basin is a biodiversity hotspot. Wetlands make a key contribution to this status, but many of them remain outside the Ramsar network fifty years after the establishment of the ...Ramsar Convention. Here we evaluate the extent to which the Mediterranean Ramsar network covers wetlands of international importance for wintering waterbirds using the Ramsar Convention criteria 2 (species of conservation concern), 5 (> 20,000 waterbirds) and 6 (1% of a population). These criteria were applied to 4186 sites in 24 Mediterranean countries using counts of 145 wintering waterbird species from 1991 to 2017. We identified 161 sites of international importance for waterbirds that have not yet been declared as Ramsar sites, which could be added to the 180 current Mediterranean Ramsar sites established based on waterbird criteria (criteria 5 and/or 6). Among these sites, a subset of 32 very important sites reached double the required level for at least one criterion and 95 were not protected by any site conservation status. Coastal wetlands represented half of the Ramsar gap for waterbirds. We identified that an additional 1218 monitored sites could be provisionally considered as internationally important and thus require more survey efforts to assess their status. This study highlights a lack of participation of the Mediterranean countries to build the Ramsar network for wetland protection. Our results should help policymakers and managers to prioritize future Ramsar site designation, notably in the Middle East and Western European region where important gaps were identified.
The present study assessed the effect of agricultural practices on biomarker response in white stork (Ciconia ciconia) nestlings from continental Croatia. During the breeding season of 2022, blood ...was sampled (n = 54) from the landfill Jakuševec and the agricultural areas Baranja and Srijem. Different patterns of biomarker response in regard to the sampling site were detected. Results demonstrate the presence of inhibitory pollutants from the landfill Jakuševec and agricultural area Baranja, which is reflected in lower cholinesterase (ChE) activity. Oxidative stress biomarkers show different responses concerning study sites. Glutathione reductase (GR) activity was higher in Baranja and Srijem, suggesting a different mixture of pollutants inducing an antioxidative response. Leachate from the landfill Jakuševec is suspected to affect the white stork nestlings by elevating the concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS). An environmental combination of pollutants appears to induce oxidative stress in white stork nestlings. In addition to agricultural practices, white stork nestlings may also be under environmental pressure from the surrounding pollution. Further research is warranted to include additional chemical analysis to associate the environmental concentrations with the potential adverse effects in apex predators, such as the white stork.
European populations of the white-tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla suffered a drastic decline during the 20th century. In many countries, only a few dozen breeding pairs survived or the species ...disappeared completely. By today, the populations have recovered, naturally or through restocking (e.g. in Scotland or the Czech Republic). In the Carpathian Basin, which is now a stronghold in southern Europe for the species in the southern part of the distribution range with more than 500 breeding pairs, only about 50 pairs survived the bottleneck. This region provides important wintering places for individuals arriving from different regions of Eurasia. In the present study, we investigated 249 DNA samples from several European countries, using 11 microsatellites and mitochondrial control region sequences (499 bp), to answer two main questions: 1) did the Carpathian Basin population recover through local population expansion or is there a significant gene flow from more distant populations as well? 2) Does the Czech population show signs in its genetic structure of the restocking with birds of unknown origin? Our microsatellite data yielded three genetically separate lineages within Europe: northern, central and southern, the latter being present exclusively in the Carpathian Basin. Sequencing of mitochondrial DNA revealed that there is one haplotype (B12) which is not only exclusive to the Carpathian Basin but it is frequent in this population. Our results suggest that in accordance with the presumably philopatric behaviour of the species, recovery of the Carpathian Basin population was mainly local, but some of the wintering birds coming from the northern and central populations contributed to its genetic composition as well. We detected considerably higher proportions of northern birds within the Czech Republic compared to the neighbouring areas, making it likely that parents of the reintroduced birds came from northern populations.
The goal of the present study was to investigate differences in biomarker responses related to metal(loid)s in white stork (Ciconia ciconia) nestling's blood from continental Croatia. To achieve ...this, a battery of biomarkers that can be affected by environmental pollutants, including metal(loid)s, was assessed (esterase activity, fluorescence–based oxidative stress biomarkers, metallothionein levels, glutathione–dependent enzyme activity). The research was conducted during the white stork breeding season in diverse areas (a landfill, industrial and agricultural sites, and an unpolluted area). White storks' nestlings near the landfill exhibited reduced carboxylesterase (CES) activity, elevated glutathione (GSH) concentration, as well as high Pb content in the blood. Increased As and Hg concentrations in blood were attributable to environmental contamination in agricultural area and an assumed unpolluted area, respectively. Furthermore, agricultural practices appeared to affect CES activity, as well as elevate Se levels. In addition to the successful implementation of biomarkers, present research showed that agricultural areas and a landfill are areas with increased metal(loid) levels possibly causing adverse effects on the white storks. This first–time heavy metal and metalloid analyses in the white stork nestlings from Croatia point to the necessary monitoring and future assessments of pollution impact to prevent irreversible adverse effects.
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•White stork nestling blood (n = 106) was sampled in Pannonian Croatia.•Higher glutathione levels are associated with foraging at landfill Jakuševec.•Carboxylesterase activity is decreased in the agricultural area Donje Podravlje.•Nestlings had concerning levels of arsenic, selenium and lead in the blood.•Monitoring of white storks in Podunavlje, Crnac Polje and Jakuševec is necessary.
From 2003â2006, research on the breeding distribution of the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) was conducted in Croatia in order to assess the size of the national population. In 125 ...locations, clear signs of breeding activity were found. An additional 10 presumably active territories were detected but it was not possible to locate the exact position of the nests and confirm the breeding. Based on this, it is concluded that the national breeding population is not less than 135 breeding pairs. The present distribution can be compared with previous reports with the exception of the area along the Ilova and Lonja rivers that have never been reported as an important breeding site. Analysis of the characteristics of 138 nest positions as well as preferences/avoidance of specific structural features were performed. The results showed that white-tailed eagles prefer to build their nests on pedunculate oaks, narrow-leafed ash and white poplars with the greatest preference for mature trees with a diameter above 92.5 cm. The minimal distance between two active pairs was 348 meters. More than 50% of the national population breed less than two km from a large water area and 95% of the population less than four km. More than 95% of the population breed at altitudes lower than 140 m above sea level and are further than one km away from the nearest human settlement, regardless of the availability of forests. According to several parameters (distance to a large water area, elevation, forest presence, distance to the nearest settlement, distance to highways and railways) geographic information system (GIS) helped to determine potential white-tailed eagle breeding areas.
White stork (Ciconia ciconia) nestlings can provide quantitative information on the quality of the surrounding environment by indicating the presence of pollutants, as they depend on locally foraged ...food. This study represents the first comparison of biomarkers in two fractions of white stork nestling blood: plasma and S9 (the post-mitochondrial fraction). The aim of this study was to evaluate acetylcholinesterase (AChE), carboxylesterase (CES), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and glutathione reductase (GR), as well as to establish a novel fluorescence-based method for glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection in plasma and S9. Considering the enzymatic biomarkers, lower variability in plasma was detected only for AChE, as CES, GST, and GR had lower variability in S9. Enzyme activity was higher in plasma for AChE, CES, and GST, while GR had higher activity in S9. Regarding the fluorescence-based method, lower variability was detected in plasma for GSH and ROS, although higher GSH detection was reported in S9, and higher ROS was detected in plasma. The present study indicated valuable differences by successfully establishing protocols for biomarker measurement in plasma and S9 based on variability, enzyme activity, and fluorescence. For a better understanding of the environmental effects on nestlings’ physiological condition, biomarkers can be measured in plasma and S9.
Climate warming is driving changes in species distributions and community composition. Many species have a so‐called climatic debt, that is, shifts in range lag behind shifts in temperature ...isoclines. Inside protected areas (PAs), community changes in response to climate warming can be facilitated by greater colonization rates by warm‐dwelling species, but also mitigated by lowering extirpation rates of cold‐dwelling species. An evaluation of the relative importance of colonization‐extirpation processes is important to inform conservation strategies that aim for both climate debt reduction and species conservation. We assessed the colonization‐extirpation dynamics involved in community changes in response to climate inside and outside PAs. To do so, we used 25 years of occurrence data of nonbreeding waterbirds in the western Palearctic (97 species, 7071 sites, 39 countries, 1993–2017). We used a community temperature index (CTI) framework based on species thermal affinities to investigate species turnover induced by temperature increase. We determined whether thermal community adjustment was associated with colonization by warm‐dwelling species or extirpation of cold‐dwelling species by modeling change in standard deviation of the CTI (CTISD). Using linear mixed‐effects models, we investigated whether communities in PAs had lower climatic debt and different patterns of community change than communities outside PAs. For CTI and CTISD combined, communities inside PAs had more species, higher colonization, lower extirpation, and lower climatic debt (16%) than communities outside PAs. Thus, our results suggest that PAs facilitate 2 independent processes that shape community dynamics and maintain biodiversity. The community adjustment was, however, not sufficiently fast to keep pace with the large temperature increases in the central and northeastern western Palearctic. Our results underline the potential of combining CTI and CTISD metrics to improve understanding of the colonization‐extirpation patterns driven by climate warming.
Beneficios de las Áreas Protegidas para las Aves Acuáticas No Reproductoras que Están Ajustando su Distribución Debido al Calentamiento Climático
Resumen
El calentamiento climático está generando cambios en la distribución y en la composición comunitaria de las especies. Muchas de ellas tienen una deuda climática, es decir, los cambios en la distribución se atrasan con respecto a los cambios en las isoclinas térmicas. Dentro de las áreas protegidas (APs), los cambios comunitarios como respuesta al calentamiento climático pueden facilitarse mediante tasas mayores de colonización por especies de climas cálidos, pero también pueden mitigarse al reducir las tasas de extirpación de las especies de climas fríos. Se requiere una evaluación de la importancia relativa de los procesos de colonización‐extirpación para orientar las estrategias de conservación que buscan la reducción de la deuda climática y la conservación de las especies. Analizamos las dinámicas de colonización‐extirpación que participan en los cambios comunitarios como respuesta al clima dentro y fuera de las APs. Para realizar lo anterior, usamos datos tomados durante 25 años de la presencia de aves acuáticas no reproductoras en el Paleártico occidental (97 especies, 7,071 sitios, 39 países, 1993–2017). Usamos un marco de trabajo del índice de temperatura comunitaria (ITC) basado en las afinidades térmicas de las especies para así investigar la rotación de especies inducida por el incremento en la temperatura. Determinamos si el ajuste térmico en la comunidad estuvo asociado con la colonización por especies de climas cálidos o con la extirpación de especies de climas fríos al modelar el cambio mediante una desviación estándar del ITC (ITCDS). Con los modelos lineales de efectos mixtos investigamos si las comunidades dentro de las APs tenían una deuda climática más baja y patrones diferentes de cambio comunitario que las comunidades localizadas fuera de las APs. Con la combinación del ITC y deL ITCDS, las comunidades dentro de las APs tuvieron más especies, una mayor colonización, una menor extirpación y una deuda climática más baja (16%) que las comunidades fuera de las APs. Por lo tanto, nuestros resultados sugieren que las APs facilitan dos procesos independientes que moldean las dinámicas comunitarias y mantienen la biodiversidad. Sin embargo, el ajuste comunitario no fue lo suficientemente rápido para mantener el paso de los grandes incrementos en la temperatura de las regiones central y noreste del Paleártico occidental. Nuestros resultados resaltan el potencial que tiene la combinación de las medidas del ITC y del ICTDS para mejorar el entendimiento de los patrones de colonización‐extirpación causados por el calentamiento climático.
【摘要】
气候变暖正在引起物种分布和群落组成的变化。许多物种都背负着所谓的 “气候债务”, 即分布范围的变化滞后于温度的变化。气候变暖背景下, 保护地中适应温暖环境的物种较高的定殖率可以促进群落变化, 适应寒冷环境的物种灭绝率下降也可以减缓影响。评估定殖–灭绝过程的相对重要性, 对于制定旨在减少气候债和促进物种保护的保护战略而言十分重要。本研究利用西古北界非繁殖水鸟 25 年的出现记录 (97 个物种, 7071 个位点, 39 个国家, 1993–2017 年) , 评估了保护地内外鸟类群落响应气候变化过程中的定殖–灭绝动态。我们使用基于物种对温度亲和性的群落温度指数框架探究了温度升高引起的物种更替。通过模拟群落温度指数标准偏差的变化, 我们确定了群落对温度的调整是否与适应温暖环境的物种的定殖或适应寒冷环境的物种的灭绝有关。接下来, 我们利用线性混合效应模型分析了保护地内与保护地外的群落相比是否具有较低的气候债务和不同的群落变化格局。结合群落温度指数与其标准偏差, 我们发现保护地内的群落比保护地外的具有更多的物种、更高的定殖率、更低的灭绝率和更低的气候债务 (16%) 。因此, 我们的结果表明, 保护地促进了群落动态形成和生物多样性维持这两个独立过程。然而, 群落调整的速度不足以跟上古北界中部和东北部地区气温的大幅上升。我们的结果强调了群落温度指数和群落温度指数标准偏差这两个指标相结合, 有潜力提高对气候变暖导致的定殖–灭绝格局的理解。【翻译: 胡怡思; 审校: 聂永刚】
Article impact statement: Protected areas are needed to facilitate waterbird distribution change in response to climate warming in the western Palearctic.
Migratory waterbirds require an effectively conserved cohesive network of wetland areas throughout their range and life-cycle. Under rapid climate change, protected area (PA) networks need to be able ...to accommodate climate-driven range shifts in wildlife if they are to continue to be effective in the future. Thus, we investigated geographical variation in the relationship between local temperature anomaly and the abundance of 61 waterbird species during the wintering season across Europe and North Africa during 1990–2015. We also compared the spatio-temporal effects on abundance of sites designated as PAs, Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), both, or neither designation (Unlisted). Waterbird abundance was positively correlated with temperature anomaly, with this pattern being strongest towards north and east Europe. Waterbird abundance was higher inside IBAs, whether they were legally protected or not. Trends in waterbird abundance were also consistently more positive inside both protected and unprotected IBAs across the whole study region, and were positive in Unlisted wetlands in southwestern Europe and North Africa. These results suggest that IBAs are important sites for wintering waterbirds, but also that populations are shifting to unprotected wetlands (some of which are IBAs). Such IBAs may therefore represent robust candidate sites to expand the network of legally protected wetlands under climate change in north-eastern Europe. These results underscore the need for monitoring to understand how the effectiveness of site networks is changing under climate change.
Sea-level rise (SLR) is expected to cause major changes to coastal wetlands, which are among the world's most vulnerable ecosystems and are critical for nonbreeding waterbirds. Because strategies for ...adaptation to SLR, such as nature-based solutions and designation of protected areas, can locally reduce the negative effects of coastal flooding under SLR on coastal wetlands, it is crucial to prioritize adaptation efforts, especially for wetlands of international importance for biodiversity. We assessed the exposure of coastal wetlands important for nonbreeding waterbirds to projected SLR along the Mediterranean coasts of 8 countries by modeling future coastal flooding under 7 scenarios of SLR by 2100 (from 44- to 161-cm rise) with a static inundation approach. Exposure to coastal flooding under future SLR was assessed for 938 Mediterranean coastal sites (≤30 km from the coastline) where 145 species of nonbreeding birds were monitored as part of the International Waterbird Census and for which the monitoring area was delineated by a polygon (64.3% of the coastal sites monitored in the Mediterranean region). Thirty-four percent of sites were threatened by future SLR, even under the most optimistic scenarios. Protected study sites and study sites of international importance for waterbirds were, respectively, 1.5 and 2 times more exposed to SLR than the other sites under the most optimistic scenario. Accordingly, we advocate for the development of a prioritization scheme to be applied to these wetlands for the implementation of strategies for adaptation to SLR to anticipate the effects of coastal flooding. Our study provides major guidance for conservation planning under global change in several countries of the Mediterranean region.
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