1. The design of artificial nestboxes for the study of secondary hole-nesting birds: A review of methodological inconsistencies and potential biases
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Jean Charles Bouvier, Martyn J. Stenning, Caren B. Cooper, Chan Ryul Park, Christopher M. Perrins, Tapio Eeva, Marcel M. Lambrechts, Beat Naef-Daenzer, Emilio Barba, Bengt Silverin, Henrik G. Smith, Arie J. van Noordwijk, L. Scott Johnson, Jordi Camprodon, Anders Pape Møller, Charles F. Thompson, Paulo E. Llambías, Anne E. Goodenough, Oskars Keišs, Bruno Faivre, Jaime Potti, Jan Ke Nilsson, Francisco Atiénzar, Nadia Ziane, Jerzy Bańbura, Alberto Sorace, Tore Slagsvold, Daniel R. Ardia, Arnaud Grégoire, Simon C. Griffith, Lars Gustafsson, Frank Adriaensen, János Török, Marcel Eens, Markku Orell, Alexandr Artemyev, Heinz Richner, Jan Pinowski, Andrew G. Gosler, Ian R. K. Stewart, Vladimír Remeš, Juan Moreno, Jiri Porkert, Seppo Rytkönen, Tomasz D. Mazgajski, David W. Winkler, Bruno Massa, Russell D. Dawson, Ken A. Otter, Ming Tang Shiao, László Zsolt Garamszegi, Piotr Tryjanowski, Wojciech Kania, Mark C. Mainwaring, Raivo Mänd, Ana Cláudia Norte, Animal Ecology (AnE), Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp (UA), Department of Biology, Franklin & Marshall College, Institute of Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences [Moscow] (RAS), Terrestrial Vertebrates Research Unit 'Cavanilles', University of Valencia-Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Experimental Zoology & Evolutionary Biology, Łódź University of Technology, Unité de recherche Plantes et Systèmes de Culture Horticoles (PSH), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Biodiversity Department, Forest Technology Center of Catalonia, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ecosystem Science and Management Program, University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), Department of Biology (Ethology), Section of Ecology, University of Turku, Biogéosciences [UMR 6282] [Dijon] (BGS), Université de Bourgogne (UB)-AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estacion Biologica de Donana, Department of Natural and Social Sciences, University of Gloucestershire, Department of Zoology, Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology-Institute of Human Sciences, Department of Brain, Behaviour and Evolution, Macquarie University, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Towson University [Towson, MD, United States], University of Maryland System-University of Maryland System, Ornithological Station, Polska Akademia Nauk (PAN)-Museum and Institute of Zoology, Laboratory of Ornithology, University of Latvia (LU), Ecologia del Comportamiento Animal, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas [Buenos Aires] (CONICET), Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, University of Tartu, Stazione Inanellamento c/o Dipartimento SEN-FIMIZO, Università di Palermo, Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polska Akademia Nauk (PAN), Ecologie Systématique et Evolution (ESE), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-AgroParisTech-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Center for Advanced Study, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Spain] (CSIC)-Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), Swiss Ornithological Institute, Animal Ecology, Lund University [Lund], Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra [Portugal] (UC), University of Oulu, Warm-temperate Forest Research Center, Korea Forest Research Institute, Center of Ecological Research, Palacky University, Institute of Ecology & Evolution (IEE), University of Bern, Wildlife laboratory, National Taiwan University [Taiwan] (NTU), University of Gothenburg (GU), Department of Biosciences [Oslo], Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences [Oslo], University of Oslo (UiO)-University of Oslo (UiO), School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, University of Kentucky, Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics Section, Illinois State University, Behavioural Ecology Group, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Institute of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Laboratory of Ornithology and Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Laboratoire d'Ecophysiologie animale, Département de Biologie, Lambrechts, M M, Adriaensen, F, Ardia, D R, Artemyev, A V, Atiénzar, F, Bańbura, J, Barba, E, Bouvier, J-C, Camprodon, J, Cooper, C B, Dawson, R D, Eens, M, Eeva, T, Faivre, B, Garamszegi, L Z, Goodenough, A E, Gosler, A G, Grégoire, A, Griffith, S C, Gustafsson, L, Johnson, L S, Kania, W, Keišs, O, Llambias, P E, Mainwaring, M C, Mänd, R, Massa, B, Mazgajski, T D, Møller, A P, Moreno, J, Naef-Daenzer, B, Nilsson, J-C, Norte, A C, Orell, M, Otter, K A, Park, Ch R, Perrins, Ch M, Pinowski, J, Porkert, J, Potti, J, Remes, V, Richner, H, Rytkönen, S, Shiao, M-T, Silverin, B, Slagsvold, T, Smith, H G, Sorace, A, Stenning, M J, Stewart, I, Thompson, Ch F, Török, J, Tryjanowski, P, van Noordwijk, A J, Winkler, D W, Ziane, N, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud]), Centre de Ciència i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya (CTFC), Cornell University [New York], University of Northern British Columbia [Prince George] (UNBC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Bourgogne (UB)-AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC)-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC), Polska Akademia Nauk = Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN)-Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polska Akademia Nauk = Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC)-Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), Palacky University Olomouc, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive ( CEFE ), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 ( UM3 ) -Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques ( Montpellier SupAgro ) -École pratique des hautes études ( EPHE ) -Institut national de la recherche agronomique [Montpellier] ( INRA Montpellier ) -Université de Montpellier ( UM ) -Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ) -Institut de Recherche pour le Développement ( IRD [France-Sud] ) -Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier ( Montpellier SupAgro ), University of Antwerp ( UA ), Russian Academy of Sciences [Moscow] ( RAS ), Unité de recherche Plantes et Systèmes de Culture Horticoles ( PSH ), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique ( INRA ), University of Northern British Columbia ( UNBC ), Biogéosciences [Dijon] ( BGS ), Université de Bourgogne ( UB ) -AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ), Polska Akademia Nauk ( PAN ) -Museum and Institute of Zoology, University of Latvia ( LU ), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas ( CONICET ), Polska Akademia Nauk ( PAN ), Ecologie Systématique et Evolution ( ESE ), Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 ( UP11 ) -AgroParisTech-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ( CNRS ), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Spain] ( CSIC ) -Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, University of Coimbra [Portugal] ( UC ), Institute of Ecology & Evolution ( IEE ), National Taiwan University [Taiwan] ( NTU ), University of Gothenburg ( GU ), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo ( UiO ), Eötvös Loránd University ( ELTE ), and Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates
- Subjects
PASSERINES ,0106 biological sciences ,Nest-box, design, measures ,PARUS ,SECONDARY CAVITY-NESTING BIRDS ,Otras Ciencias Biológicas ,NEST SITES ,FLYCATCHER ,Ficedula ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,[ SDV.EE ] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment ,010605 ornithology ,methods ,field experiments ,Ciencias Biológicas ,nestboxes ,tit ,Cyanistes ,Research based ,Statistics ,NESTBOXES ,FIELD EXPERIMENTS ,Nest box ,Biological sciences ,Biology ,secondary cavity-nesting birds ,FICEDULA ,Parus ,[SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment ,[ SDE.BE ] Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology ,biology ,Ecology ,nest sites ,passerines ,biology.organism_classification ,3. Good health ,TIT ,Settore AGR/11 - Entomologia Generale E Applicata ,CYANISTES ,flycatcher ,METHODS ,Nesting (computing) ,Animal Science and Zoology ,[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology ,CIENCIAS NATURALES Y EXACTAS - Abstract
The widespread use of artificial nestboxes has led to significant advances in our knowledge of the ecology, behaviour and physiology of cavity nesting birds, especially small passerines. Nestboxes have made it easier to perform routine monitoring and experimental manipulation of eggs or nestlings, and also repeatedly to capture, identify and manipulate the parents. However, when comparing results across study sites the use of nestboxes may also introduce a potentially significant confounding variable in the form of differences in nestbox design amongst studies, such as their physical dimensions, placement height, and the way in which they are constructed and maintained. However, the use of nestboxes may also introduce an unconsidered and potentially significant confounding variable due to differences in nestbox design amongst studies, such as their physical dimensions, placement height, and the way in which they are constructed and maintained. Here we review to what extent the characteristics of artificial nestboxes (e.g. size, shape, construction material, colour) are documented in the 'methods' sections of publications involving hole-nesting passerine birds using natural or excavated cavities or artificial nestboxes for reproduction and roosting. Despite explicit previous recommendations that authors describe in detail the characteristics of the nestboxes used, we found that the description of nestbox characteristics in most recent publications remains poor and insufficient. We therefore list the types of descriptive data that should be included in the methods sections of relevant manuscripts and justify this by discussing how variation in nestbox characteristics can affect or confound conclusions from nestbox studies. We also propose several recommendations to improve the reliability and usefulness of research based on long-term studies of any secondary hole-nesting species using artificial nestboxes for breeding or roosting.
- Published
- 2010
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