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Covariation in population trends and demography reveals targets for conservation action.

Authors :
Morrison, Catriona A.
Butler, Simon J.
Robinson, Robert A.
Clark, Jacquie A.
Arizaga, Juan
Aunins, Ainars
Baltà, Oriol
Cepák, Jaroslav
Chodkiewicz, Tomasz
Escandell, Virginia
Foppen, Ruud P. B.
Gregory, Richard D.
Husby, Magne
Jiguet, Frédéric
Kålås, John Atle
Lehikoinen, Aleksi
Lindström, Åke
Moshøj, Charlotte M.
Nagy, Károly
Nebot, Arantza Leal
Source :
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 3/10/2021, Vol. 288 Issue 1946, p1-8. 8p.
Publication Year :
2021

Abstract

Wildlife conservation policies directed at common and widespread, but declining, species are difficult to design and implement effectively, as multiple environmental changes are likely to contribute to population declines. Conservation actions ultimately aim to influence demographic rates, but targeting actions towards feasible improvements in these is challenging in widespread species with ranges that encompass a wide range of environmental conditions. Across Europe, sharp declines in the abundance of migratory landbirds have driven international calls for action, but actions that could feasibly contribute to population recovery have yet to be identified. Targeted actions to improve conditions on poor-quality sites could be an effective approach, but only if local conditions consistently influence local demography and hence population trends. Using long-term measures of abundance and demography of breeding birds at survey sites across Europe, we show that co-occurring species with differing migration behaviours have similar directions of local population trends and magnitudes of productivity, but not survival rates. Targeted actions to boost local productivity within Europe, alongside large-scale (non-targeted) environmental protection across non-breeding ranges, could therefore help address the urgent need to halt migrant landbird declines. Such demographic routes to recovery are likely to be increasingly needed to address global wildlife declines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
09628452
Volume :
288
Issue :
1946
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
149295006
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.2955