Birds in power-line corridors: effects of vegetation mowing on avian diversity and abundance

0543132 - ÚBO 2022 RIV CZ eng J - Journal Article
Hrouda, J. - Brlík, Vojtěch
Birds in power-line corridors: effects of vegetation mowing on avian diversity and abundance.
Journal of Vertebrate Biology. Roč. 70, č. 2 (2021), č. článku 21027. E-ISSN 2694-7684
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA20-00648S
Institutional support: RVO:68081766
Keywords : anthropocene * disturbance * ornithology * transmission network
OECD category: Zoology
Impact factor: 1.460, year: 2021
Method of publishing: Open access
https://bioone.org/journalArticle/Download?fullDOI=10.25225%2Fjvb.21027

Human activities have tremendous impact on the environment but the extent of this influence on
animals is frequently unknown. Here we focus on a ubiquitous man-made landscape element, power line
corridors in forested areas where vegetation is regularly mowed, and its effects on avian species richness
and abundance. We surveyed bird communities at 35 sites in southern Czech Republic and found power
line corridors hosted on average three more bird species and eight more individuals than transects in the
surrounding forests. The lesser whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) and the tree sparrow (Passer montanus) were the
most frequently detected species under power lines, suggesting the importance of these habitats for openhabitat specialists. Overall, we found positive effects of this human-altered landscape element on avian
communities but future studies could focus on communities of other animals in this habitat with an emphasis
on the presence of endangered species.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0320414


Research data: Zenodo