Ten-year dynamics of the nesting bird population of the coniferous-deciduous forest in the Pustynskiy wildlife area (Nizhny Novgorod Region)

• Main Author: Olga S. Noskova
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Fund for Support and Development of Protected Areas 2016-08-01
• Series: Nature Conservation Research: Zapovednaâ Nauka
• Subjects: bird population; coniferous-deciduous forests; long-term dynamic; nesting season; wildlife area
• Online Access: http://ncr-journal.bear-land.org/article/16

On the basis of ten years' monitoring the nesting bird population of the coniferous-deciduous forests in the Pustynsky wildlife area (2006–2015) the long-term dynamics of the bird population structure was analyzed. The wildlife area is located on the border of the subtaiga and oak forests near the steppes islands, and its territory differs in a great variety of habitat types. The ornithological researches are conducted here from the thirties of the last century, using different methods of counting. The complex year-round bird counts were carried out by the author of this article around 2000. In the article the main cumulative indicators (the number of species, the abundance, the biomass, etc.) and characteristics (the dominants structure and share, the distribution level) of the bird population for the last decade, in comparison with similar indicators achieved here by different researchers throughout the last century and at the beginning of the 21st century, were analyzed. The tendencies of the long-term changes of the bird population revealed at the turn of the centuries, increased in the next decade. Generally they are connected with the natural succession and the increase in the anthropogenic transformation of the habitat, the climatic changes, especially abnormal, and also with the biotechnical actions, which were carried out on one site of the research. It was reflected in the change of the participation of the dominants on abundance – Fringilla coelebs, Parus major and Ficedula hypoleuca and the general characteristics of the bird population. The distribution of the coniferous trees in the forests promoted the high participation of the southern taiga species (Regulus regulus and Parus montanus) in the bird population. The increase of the mosaic of the forests and the surrounding territories caused an increase of the rare species number, at the same time a decrease in the bird population uniformity, an increase in the share of the dominants in their structure and an increase in the cumulative abundance of the bird population in general made the population vulnerable. At the same time, the bird population of the coniferous-deciduous forests in the Pustynsky wildlife area has still kept its uniqueness. The creation of a national park in this territory will allow the redistribution of the anthropogenic load on its separate parts and to keep the main part of the bird population.