SÁNDOR FARAGÓ Co-ordinates: N E

Transcription

1 Effects of Ecological Factors to the Grey Partridge Population in the Lajta Project (Western Hungary) SÁNDOR FARAGÓ University of West Hungary Faculty of Forestry Institute of Wildlife Management and Vertebrate Zoology Co-ordinates: 7 N 7 E

2 LAJTA Project: Study area: ha Mean annual temperature: 9. C Annual amount of precipitation: mm Relative atmospheric humidity: 7 % Days with rough weather (min - C) days Days with winterly weather (max. = C) 9 days Frosty days (min. = C) 9 days Days with summerly weather (max. C) days Heat days (max. C) days WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS FOR THE PAST TWO DECADES How changed the size/density of the partridge population? How the parameters of the population change, like natality, chick survival rate, and mortality? What the mortality periods are, that basically determine population dynamics? What environmental parameters influence the change of population, and what are the most important ones?

3 DURING THE INVESTIGATIONS WE HAVE USED THE FOLLOWING METHODS For partridge stock we have used total population assessment with a mapping method during weekly records In the case of birds of prey, fox and badger we have mapped nests and burrows We carried out total population assessments every two weeks to get the of birds of prey. (We also calculated the monthly average) We recorded/mapped habitats according to the th day of each month on a map We mapped habitat-improvements, too We collected the meteorological data from the meteorological station of Mosonmagyaróvár The game-keeper of the Project keeps a record of the data of the predator control The chick survival rate was calculated after POTTS (9) Farmland diversity was calculated by applying the Shannon-Wiener diversity measure to landscape composition, using the area of the land cover types In the course of the processing linear regression analysis, Pearson correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were applied. SPATIAL AND TIME PATTERN OF GREY PARTRIDGE IN THE LAJTA PROJECT, 99- Partridge population in spring and autumn, Birds observed in spring Total birds in August

4 Egg and chick losses 9 7 Chick survival rate % CHANGES IN MORTALITY CSR% AND % Adult birds losses % Winter losses % 9 KEY-FACTOR ANALYSIS,,,, K,,,, y =,x -, r =,7, k, ,,,7,, K,,, k,,,, y =,9x -, r =,, k, ,,,, K,, k,,, y =,x +, r =, ,,7,,,,,, k,, k,, K

5 MONTHLY CHANGE OF HABITAT PATTERN IN THE LAJTA PROJECT, DYNAMICS OF YEARLY HABITAT AVAILABILITY AND DIVERSITY IN BREEDING SEASON IN THE LAJTA PROJECT Ha Perennial plants Winter crops Spring crops, Habitat diversity,, H',,,

6 TYPES OF FIELD MARGINS OR ECOTONS IN THE LAJTA PROJECT DESIGN OF HABITAT IMPROVEMENT FOR GREY PARTRIDGE IN THE LAJTA PROJECT, AND CHANGE OF LENGTH OF ECOTONS,,,, Long-term change of length of ecotons in LAJTA Project, 99- m/ha,,,,,, Basic density (m/ha) Increase in density(m/ha)

7 Kestrel - Falco tinnunculus, 99- Buzzard - Buteo buteo, 99- num y = -,97x +, r =, num y = -,x +, r =, 7 9 TRENDS OF BREEDING AVIAN PREDATORS IN THE LAJTA PROJECT num 9 Long-eared Owl - Asio otus, 99- y = -,9x +,779 r =,9 num Red-footed Falcon - Falco tinnunculus, 99- y = -,x +, r =, Hooded Crow - Corvus cornix, 99- Magpie - Pica pica, 99- num 9 y = -,9x +, r =, 9 y = -,x +,9 r =, num Numbers of Fox and Badger burrows Fox burrow Badger burrow NUMBER AND PATTERN OF RED FOX AND BADGER BURROWS 7

8 MONTHLY DYNAMICS OF RAPTORS IN THE LAJTA PROJECT, num/sq km,9,,7,,,,,, Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. Jun. Jul. Aug. Sep. Oct. Nov. Dec. BUTBUT BUTLAG FALTIN FALVES CIRAER CIRPYG CIRCYA ACCNIS ACCGEN DYNAMICS OF KEY AVIAN PREDATOR SPECIES IN THE BREEDING AND THE WINTER SEASONS Number of Marsh Harrier and Goshawk (apr-aug) CIR AER summer ACC GEN summer 9 7 Number of Hen Harrier and Goshawk (oct-mar) CIR CYA winter ACC GEN winter

9 MONTHLY BAG DYNAMICS OF THE IMPORTANT PREDATOR SPECIES IN IN THE LAJTA PROJECT Fox Feral dog J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D Feral cat Magpie J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D Hooded crow Jay J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D TRENDS OF YEARLY BAG DYNAMICS OF PREDATOR SPECIES IN THE LAJTA PROJECT Fox Feral dog y =,x +,7 r =,9 9 7 y = -,7x +,7 r =, Feral cat Magpie y = -,x +,7 r =, 7 y =,7x -,9 r =, Hooded crow y =,x +,7 r =, 7 y =,7x -,77 r=, Jay

10 DYNAMICS OF TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION IN THE BREEDING SEASON (APRIL AUGUST) Average temperature (apr-aug) Precipitation (apr-aug),, C mm,, Anomalies from the normal values Anomalies from the normal values, 9, 7 C, mm , , - DYNAMICS OF TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION IN THE WINTER SEASON (OCTOBER MARCH) Average temperature (oct-mar) Precipitation (oct-mar) 7 C mm 99/9 99/9 99/9 99/9 99/97 997/9 99/99 999/ / / / / / / /7 7/ /9 9/ / 99/9 99/9 99/9 99/9 99/97 997/9 99/99 999/ / / / / / / /7 7/ /9 9/ / Anomalies from the normal values Anomalies from the normal values,, C, -, 99/9 99/9 99/9 99/9 99/97 997/9 99/99 999/ / / / / / / /7 7/ /9 9/ / mm /9 99/9 99/9 99/9 99/97 997/9 99/99 999/ / / / / / / /7 7/ /9 9/ / - -, -

11 REGRESSION BETWEEN THE ADULT:JUVENILE RELATIONS AND THE KEY CLIMATIC FACTORS jouv./adul 7 Regression between the adult:juvenile relations and the mean temperature of the reproduction periode or the mean June temperature b =, r =, b =, r =, 7 9 ºC jouv./adul 7 Regression between the adult:jouvenile relations and the total precipitation of the reproduction periode b = -,9 r =, mm FROM THE CORRELATIONS OF THE DIFFERENT PARAMETERS OF PARTRIDGE POPULATION AND THOSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS WE CONCLUDE THE FOLLOWINGS: Partridge spring density was strongly and positively correlated with habitat diversity and feral dog bag. The partridge August density was strongly and positively correlated with habitat diversity, negatively correlated against the s of red fox burrows. Adult partridge summer mortality was positively correlated with the of Marsh harrier, too, and the winter mortality negatively correlated against the bags of feral dogs and feral cats. The positive correlation of the of fox burrows and the rise in the summer temperature in terms of chicks mortality moved on the statistical limit of error. Relations Correlations P Habiatat diversity Partridge spring density Feral dog bag Partridge spring density +.. Habitat diversity Partridge August density +.. Partridge August density Nr. Fox borrows.9. CIR AER Adult partridge mortality CIR AER in apr-aug periode K Ecotone density K +.9. Feral dog bag K.. Feral cat bag K..7 Mean temperature of apr-aug periode K -..9 Nr. Fox burrows K +.9. Increasing of length of ecotones K..9 Precipitation of apr-aug periode K +.. Nr. Badger burrows K +..

12 MULTIPLE LINEAR REGRESSION MODEL August density (dependent). Nr. Of fox borrow /. Habitat diversity Coeff. Std.err. t p R^ Constant,,9,, Nr. Of fox borrow -,, -,7,7, Habitat_diversity,9,9,,, K (dependent). Feral dog + cat bag /. Ecotone density Coeff. Std.err. t p R^ Constant,9,,7, Feral_dog_and_cat_bag -,, -,,7,7 Ecotone density,97,,,,9 R =. R^ =. F =. P =. The multiple linear regression model for the grey partridge august density had an R =. (F =., P <.). That is. % of the variance in population changes explained by the model. R =.79 R^ =. F = 7.77 P =. The multiple linear regression model for the grey partridge winter losses (K) had an R =. (F = 7.77, P <.). That is. % of the variance in population changes explained by the model. Our investigations have confirmed the favourable effect of habitat diversity for spring and winter partridge population density. The same is true for the red fox, which is a key predator and has a negative effect on population density. The other predators that caused mortality in different periods were also confirmed. All these facts require the increase of wise use, which we apply in our practice, and also require using them more effectively in the future in the LAJTA Project.

13 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! Acknowledgements: This research was supported by European Union, European Social Funds, TÁMOP...B-9//KONV--. Fotó: Dr. Kovács Gábor