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EFFECTS OF HABITAT DISTURBANCE FROM RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ON BREEDING BIRD COMMUNITIES IN RIPARIAN CORRIDORS
Citation:
LUSSIER, S. M., R. W. ENSER, S. N. DASILVA, AND M. A. CHARPENTIER. EFFECTS OF HABITAT DISTURBANCE FROM RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ON BREEDING BIRD COMMUNITIES IN RIPARIAN CORRIDORS. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT. Springer-Verlag, New York, NY, 38(3):504-521, (2006).
Impact/Purpose:
to assess the relationship of land use, riparian vegetation, and avian populations
Description:
This study was conducted to assess the relationship of land use, riparian vegetation, and avian populations. Our objective was to compare indicators of condition for vegetated riparian corridors with the composition of breeding bird populations in eight Rhode Island subwatersheds along a range of increasing residential and commercial land use. We used field transects to measure riparian vegetation structure and species richness at the reach scale, and a Geographic Information System to document land cover attributes at the subwatershed scale. Bird surveys were conducted in the riparian zone at both ends of a stream reach at each site. The observed bird species were separated into guilds based on tolerance to human disturbance, habitat preference, foraging type, and diet preference. Species composition, tolerance, and habitat preference were correlated with riparian vegetation, revealing patterns of breeding bird distribution. Residential land use was not correlated with species richness, but was significantly correlated with species composition. The number of intolerant species declined significantly at 17% development and 3% impervious surface, while tolerant species increased at these levels. This study showed that the addition of avian to riparian metrics at the stream reach and subwatershed scales offer a more comprehensive assessment of effects from disturbed habitat, but that the subwatershed scale is a more efficient method of evaluation.