摘要: Human-modified landscapes serve as ecological filters,determining species distributions and persistence.Energy-efficient technologies,while crucial for climate change mitigation,represent novel filters whose impacts on synanthropic biodiversity are poorly understood.We investigated how attached sunspaces,a widely adopted energy-saving technology in rural China,filter the distribution of two ecologically important aerial insectivores,the Barn Swallow(Hirundo rustica) and Red-rumped Swallow(Cecropis daurica).We surveyed 106 villages during the 2024 and 2025 breeding seasons and recorded a total of 2323 nests(612 Barn Swallow,1711 Red-rumped Swallow).Using Generalized Linear Models,we assessed their responses to building characteristics,landscape composition and the prevalence of sunspaces.Barn Swallow nests preferred perches at the base and single attachment faces,while Red-rumped Swallow nests favored multiple attachment faces and avoided long shelters.The proportion of buildings with sunspaces acted as a strong positive filter for Barn Swallow nest abundance(+24%) but as a significant negative filter for Red-rumped Swallow(-51%).Other landscape variables(e.g.,human population density,NDVI,Human Footprint Index) were not significant.This study demonstrates that specific architectural innovations can act as powerful ecological filters,leading to divergent distributional outcomes for sympatric species reliant on anthropogenic structures.Our findings reveal a critical trade-off in sustainable development:energy efficiency gains may inadvertently reduce habitat suitability for certain species.To reconcile climate and biodiversity goals in rural landscapes,we advocate integrating species-specific habitat requirements into building design.We propose actionable modifications to sunspaces to support swallows without compromising energy savings.These principles provide a template for mitigating the distributional impacts of green infrastructure globally.

摘要: The arms race between avian brood parasites and their hosts provides a classic model for studying coevolution.In one of the most widespread obligate brood parasites,the Common Cuckoo(Cuculus canorus),chicks typically evict all host progeny(eggs and nestlings) from the nest cup,resulting in complete reproductive failure for the host.Host parents of Common Cuckoos could thus potentially benefit from retrieving evicted eggs and nestlings into the nest cup.However,whether hosts of the Common Cuckoo exhibit such retrieval behavior has been scarcely studied.In this study,we experimentally investigated the occurrence of retrieval in a nestbox-breeding population of Daurian Redstarts(Phoenicurus auroreus),a common cavity-nesting host of the Common Cuckoo.To test the redstarts' response to an egg or a nestling outside the nest cup,we experimentally placed either a conspecific egg,a model cuckoo egg,or a redstart nestling near the rim of the nest cup.We found that redstarts never showed retrieval behavior of either eggs or nestlings.All hosts ignored the experimental nestling and conspecific egg,but most ejected the model cuckoo egg from the nestbox.Our results suggest that selection for retrieval behavior in this cavity-nesting host may be weak or even negative.We discuss several ecological and evolutionary factors that may explain the absence of retrieval in this system.

摘要: Nest predation is a critical driver of avian reproductive success,yet its response to urbanization remains controversial.Using infrared camera traps to monitor 133 artificial nests and 32 natural nests of the Spotted Dove(Spilopelia chinensis) along an urbanization gradient in Nanchang and Shangrao,China,from 2021 to 2023,we examined spatiotemporal variation in predation pressure.We deconstructed predation pressure into risk(nest fate and survival time) and pattern(predation frequency,predator size,and predator-nest interaction duration).We found that higher urbanization and better nest concealment significantly reduced predation risk.The composition of the predator community did not change along the urbanization gradient,suggesting that the reduced nest predation risk in cities is likely driven by behavioral factors,such as the availability of alternative food or human shield effect,rather than by the filtering of predator species.In contrast,predation patterns were primarily moderated by season.The off-peak breeding season was char acterized by more frequent but less severe predation events involving smaller predators and had shorter predator-nest interaction durations compared to the peak season.This seasonal shift opens a breeding window during the off-peak season,when lethal nest predation risk is reduced.The Spotted Dove's unique life-history traits enable it to capitalize on this opportunity by balancing environmental costs,enhancing its reproductive success and facilitating its colonization of urban environments.

摘要: Climate change is altering vegetation phenology,differentially affecting food quality and availability for the gosling development(and therefore fitness) of migratory herbivores,especially those experiencing range contraction and fragmentation.By quantifying the climate-vegetation nexus for two waterbird species of contrasting conservation status,we assessed the differential implications of climate change in semi-arid landscapes for gosling development windows in different parts of their mid-latitude breeding ranges.We defined breeding ranges using telemetry data from 663 summering tracks of tagged Swan Geese(Anser cygnoides) and Greylag Geese(A.anser) breeding across the Mongolian Plateau.Within these areas,we systematically analyzed spatiotemporal variations in vegetation phenology based on MODIS NDVI datasets from 2000 to 2024 and their response to climate factors.Combining the above data,we demonstrated synchrony between goose breeding phenology and vegetation phenological indices:gosling hatching coincided with the start of growing season(SOS),autumn migration initiation with the end of growing season(EOS).We determined temporal and geographical variation in vegetation SOS,EOS and the length of growing season(LOS=EOS-SOS) as a proxy for gosling development windows across the Mongolian Plateau.Mean LOS was 107±13 days,generally sufficient for gosling development(c.113 days),but showed spatial heterogeneity,increasing in the west but shortening in the east of Mongolian Plateau.SOS was delayed with higher land surface temperature and lower precipitation/aridity in central/eastern Mongolian Plateau,but advanced in the west.Elevation of these three climatic factors delayed EOS across Mongolian Plateau.Climate warming and hydric stress may trigger synergistic SOS-delay and EOS-advance effects in the central and eastern Mongolian Plateau,increasing differential phenological mismatch risks to offspring fitness,thereby potentially affecting population growth rates and distributions.

摘要: Great Snipe(Gallinago media) is a shore bird which has a Near Threatened status on the global scale.However,little is known about its migration strategy from the breeding range in Russia.This study is the first one aiming to reveal migration routes,stopovers and wintering grounds of adult Great Snipes from their breeding range in Russia using GPS devices.We also analyzed connectivity of Great Snipes from different breeding populations of this species during non-breeding season.In 2021,we equipped seven males and three females with satellite transmitters,ICARUS Basic Tags,in the breeding range in central European Russia(56°75′N,37°65 E).One female appeared later in tundra of north-eastern Europe.In the second half of July to early September,birds migrated to Africa in a fairly wide front and made stopovers in Europe before crossing seas and the Sahara.Our data allowed to suppose high mortality of birds on migration,especially during the trans-Saharan flight.Only four Great Snipes reached Africa alive during southward migration.These birds spread over across wide area from Eritrea to Ghana after the trans-Saharan flight,after which they moved in a general westward direction and made final prolonged stopovers in Ghana or to the south of Chad Lake.In October/December birds relocated to wintering grounds in Sub-Equatorial Afrotropics as far as the south of Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia;with intermediate winter sites in low and middle reaches of the Congo Basin.Together with other published results,our data showed wide overlap of African non-breeding grounds of birds coming from lowland Eastern European and mountain Scandinavian breeding populations.The results also indicated insufficient conservation status of migration stopovers and wintering sites,used by Great Snipes,and demonstrated high importance of West Africa for conservation of this species.

摘要: Shorebirds migrate long-distances along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway(EAAF),exhibiting distinct spatiotemporal fluctuations in population dynamics.Because of habitat degradation and population declines at key stopover sites along the EAAF,the South Korea's coastal wetlands have gained increasing attention for their ecological value.This study analyzed the shorebird population dynamics across 35 coastal wetlands in South Korea from 2016 to 2024 using data from the National Marine Ecosystem Monitoring Program.For the timeseries analysis,we employed three indicators:seasonal chan ges in abundance,short-term fluctuations(Fi),and long-term trends,assessed using the TRends and Indices for Monitoring data(TRIM) model.Abundance,species richness,and Shannon diversity indices were assessed across the regions during spring and autumn.The TRIM results revealed significant population increases in both seasons( "Strong increase" in spring and "Moderate increase" in autumn).Species-level trends indicated notable increases in large-bodied shorebirds,including globally threatened species such as the Far Eastern Curlew(Numenius madagascariensis). Eurasian Curlew(N.arquata),and Eurasian Oystercatcher(Haematopus ostralegus),whereas other species showed variable responses.The Yellow Sea region(Gyeonggi,Chungcheong,and Western Jeolla) showed high biodiversity indices in spring,which may be associated with time-minimization strategies,whereas autumn patterns were characterized by more flexible and selective stopover use,possibly related to energy-minimization strategies.The East Coast and Jeju regions showed the lowest biodiversity indices.Furthermore,community-level analyses using Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling(NMDS) and PERMANOVA revealed distinct clustering of bird assemblages by macro-region and season,confirming significant spatial differentiation in community composition.These findings contrast with the broader declining trends reported across the EAAF and suggest that South Korea's coastal wetlands may serve as stable alternative stopover habitats,potentially supporting the redistribution or recovery of some species.This study highlights the importance of transboundary cooperation and region-specific habitat management that reflects local ecological contexts for effective conservation.

摘要: Migratory birds undertake regular seasonal movements between breeding and non-breeding grounds each year,often spanning intercontinental distances.Several migratory waterbirds are declining globally,owing to multiple threats from parts of annual migration.Therefore,understanding the spatial distribution and conservation challenges of migratory waterbirds is critical for effective flyway-scale conservation.In this study,we compiled a comprehensive dataset of 199 migratory waterbird species,mapped seasonal distribution,and identified population trends and threats along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and Central Asian Flyway.Species richness exhibited latitudinal gradients along the two flyways,peaking at approximately 60°N in the breeding season and15° N in the non-breeding season.Migration distance and geographic spread significantly varied among orders.More than half of the waterbird species(50.75%) showed decreasing population trends;however,no significant difference in the proportion of population decline was noticed across flyways or orders.A total of 31 species(15.58%) were listed as threatened,most of which were concentrated in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and primarily affected by the use of biological resources,pollution,and agricultural expansion.Overall,this study provides a comparative assessment of migratory waterbirds in Asian flyways.Our findings highlight the importance of multinational conservation efforts targeting key breeding and non-breeding regions,specifically for threatened species,and underscore the need for coordinated strategies to mitigate multiple,overlapping threats across flyways.These further emphasize that conservation actions should prioritize transboundary habitat networks and policy integration among flyway countries to enhance the long-term resilience of migratory waterbird populations.

摘要: Many bird species are known to differ in their vocal repertoires between populations across a range of geographic scales.This is generally assumed to be caused by acoustic drift and social learning of small differences in songs among individuals in separate populations.To determine the extent to which vocal repertoire is structured in a highly nomadic species with a low degree of isolation among populations,we characterized the vocalizations of the 'Apapane(Himatione sanguinea) and described the variations in its songs on a microgeographic scale.'Apapane had significant shifts in their songs in both fragmented and non-fragmented forest habitats,with little to no overlap in song meme structure within distances as short as 2 km,despite birds moving freely between areas with distinct songs.Forest fragments had unique song compositions and shared more syllables with closer fragments than with the ones further apart.Furthermore,microgeographic variation was relatively stable at a given recording location even over multiple years.This pattern of song differentiation in a highly mobile species at the microgeographic scale may be a consequence of their ability to learn new vocalizations over their life and of intraspecific mimicry,or “vocal matching” by individuals visiting other populations.

摘要: Understanding how diet and host phylogeny shape gut microbiota is fundamental to elucidating host-microbe interactions in extreme environments.The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP),characterized by harsh conditions,provides a natural laboratory for examining these relationships among sympatric species.Here,we investigated the dietary composition and gut microbiota of six passerine species inhabiting the QTP,comprising two endemic residents(White-rumped Snowfinch Onychostruthus taczanowskii and Ground Tit Pseudopodoces humilis),two nonendemic residents(Rock Sparrow Petronia petronia and Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus),and two nonendemic migratory species(Twite Linaria flavirostris and Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros),using highthroughput 18S and 16S rRNA sequencing.Our results revealed that dietary composition—dominated by Archaeplastida,Metazoa,Fungi,and the SAR supergroup—exhibited no significant interspecific variation,reflecting a high degree of trophic niche overlap.Although the overall diet was similar across species,the relative abundances of certain dietary components independently influenced specific microbial taxa.In particular,dietary Archaeplastida and Fungi showed phylogeny-independent positive correlations with 16 and 3 microbial genera,respectively,revealing fine-scale diet-microbiota associations.Evidence of phylosymbiosis was detected,as closely related species harbored more similar microbial communities driven by species-specific microbial biomarkers.Notably,our results suggested deterministic processes played a stronger role in endemic species,whereas stochastic community assembly dominated in non-endemic species,indicating distinct assembly mechanisms shaped by biogeographic history.Overall,this study reveals that while dietary similarity promotes convergent trophic niches among sympatric passerines,host phylogeny exerts a stronger influence on gut microbiota composition and assembly.These findings underline the synergistic roles of diet-microbiota interactions and phylosymbiosis dynamics as key adaptive strategies that enable birds to cope with the extreme environments of the QTP.

摘要: Haemosporidian parasites are widespread among birds globally,with impacts ranging from severe disease to negligible effects,particularly in host species that have coevolved with their parasites.Despite their ecological importance,the divereity and prevalence of these parasites in the Afrotropical region remain poorly understood,especially in urban environments.Our study investigated the prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites in Afrotropical avian hosts,focusing on differences between urban and non-urban habitats.We screened 95birds from various species in Nigeria and investigated whether urbanization is associated with chan ges in the prevalence and richness of lineages of three haemosporidian parasites(Haemoproteus,Plasmodium,and Leucocytozoon).We found a haemosporidian prevalence of 36.8% with genus-specific differences between urban and non-urban habitats.The probability of Haemoproteus infection was higher in urban than non-urban habitats,but Plasmodium and Leucocytozoon did not differ between these habitats.Moreover,Haemoproteus lineages were exclusively found in urban habitats,while most Plasmodium lineages were restricted to non-urban habitats.Notably,we expanded the knowledge on diversity of haemosporidian lineages and avian hosts in the Afrotropics,with the first-ever record of hPYNJOC1 and pLUME2 lineages for the region,and the addition of new hosts for four Haemoproteus and two Plasmodium lineages.Our findings highlight the complexity of host-parasite relationships and the need for further research into the dynamics of haemosporidian parasites in Afrotropical avian hosts inhabiting diverse habitats.Overall,our study contributes to a better understanding of the prevalence,diversity,and distribution of haemosporidian parasites in the Afrotropics,emphasizing the importance of continued surveillance and monitoring to inform strategies for avian conservation and management.