Wind effects on habitat use by wintering waders in an inland lake of the Iberian Peninsula

  1. M. S. S. Gonçalves 1
  2. J. A. Gil-Delgado 1
  3. G. M. López-Iborra
  4. P. dos Santos Pons 1
  1. 1 Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Universidad de Valencia
Revista:
Animal Biodiversity and Conservation

ISSN: 1578-665X

Ano de publicación: 2019

Volume: 42

Número: 1

Páxinas: 163-169

Tipo: Artigo

DOI: 10.32800/ABC.2019.42.0163 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openAcceso aberto editor

Outras publicacións en: Animal Biodiversity and Conservation

Resumo

We aimed to identify the effects of the direction and wind speed on feeding habitat selection of wintering dunlins and little stints in an inland lake of the Iberian Peninsula. Feeding habitat (muddy surface or shallow water) and location in the lake with respect to wind direction (windward and leeward) of feeding flocks of both species were assessed on days with different wind speed (light or strong). We also performed visual counts of potential prey items (zooplankton) in mud and water habitats. In light wind conditions, wader flocks mostly selected the shallow water on the lake’s leeward shore. On the contrary, in strong wind conditions, the birds tended to forage on the windward shore, with a similar frequency in mud and shallow water habitats. The abundance of prey items in the mud and water column varied according to wind conditions, being higher in the sites preferred by waders. Our findings advance knowledge on how small–sized waders cope with environmental dynamics of wind in non–tidal lakes.

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Información de financiamento

This study forms part of the doctoral thesis of M. S. S. G. and was supported by a grant from CAPES–Coor-denação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Brazil (IBEX 0850/14–4). This study was jointly supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) 'One way to make Europe', through the projects: CLIMAWET–Climate change mitigation and adaptation in the main types of Iberian Mediterranean wetlands: carbon budged and response models of species and habitats (CGL2015–69557–R); and ECOLAKE–Ecological patterns in endorheic lakes: keys to their conservation (CGL2012–38909).

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Fonte de datos: Dialnet