Role of vernal pools in activity and diversity of bats and birds linked with the emergence of flying insects
Vernal pools are small temporary wetlands occurring in shallow depressions usually filled with precipitation in autumn and winter. They will dry seasonally, which makes them fishless ponds devoid of large aquatic predators. These ephemeral ponds are less studied compared to other freshwater ecosyste...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989423003578 |
| _version_ | 1797630580996702208 |
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| author | Basile Marteau Petri Nummi Thomas M. Lilley Janne Sundell |
| author_facet | Basile Marteau Petri Nummi Thomas M. Lilley Janne Sundell |
| author_sort | Basile Marteau |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Vernal pools are small temporary wetlands occurring in shallow depressions usually filled with precipitation in autumn and winter. They will dry seasonally, which makes them fishless ponds devoid of large aquatic predators. These ephemeral ponds are less studied compared to other freshwater ecosystems, such as lakes, although they are considered biodiversity hotspots. The aim was to study the use of vernal pools by birds and bats and compare this to permanent wetlands. We expected higher bat activity and bird abundance in vernal pools than permanent wetlands, and that is related to the spatial and temporal fluctuations of the emerging flying insects. However, no difference in bird abundance, diversity or community was found between the habitats. Regarding bats, the activity of Myotis spp was generally higher at lakes than vernal pools, while the activity of Eptesicus nilssonii increased during the study period regardless of habitat type. No relationship was found between the emergence of insects and the occurrence of bird and bats. Although, vernal pools were not more attractive habitats compared to lakes, they still form an important, largely neglected, diverse habitat type within the boreal landscape. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:10:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-23cc8d5cc5b24fc78495d1ece66bf267 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2351-9894 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:10:11Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-23cc8d5cc5b24fc78495d1ece66bf2672023-11-12T04:40:10ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942023-12-0148e02722Role of vernal pools in activity and diversity of bats and birds linked with the emergence of flying insectsBasile Marteau0Petri Nummi1Thomas M. Lilley2Janne Sundell3Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Pääjärventie 320, FI-16900 Lammi, Finland; Corresponding author.Department of Forestry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 27, FI-00014 Helsinki, FinlandFinnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, FinlandLammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Pääjärventie 320, FI-16900 Lammi, FinlandVernal pools are small temporary wetlands occurring in shallow depressions usually filled with precipitation in autumn and winter. They will dry seasonally, which makes them fishless ponds devoid of large aquatic predators. These ephemeral ponds are less studied compared to other freshwater ecosystems, such as lakes, although they are considered biodiversity hotspots. The aim was to study the use of vernal pools by birds and bats and compare this to permanent wetlands. We expected higher bat activity and bird abundance in vernal pools than permanent wetlands, and that is related to the spatial and temporal fluctuations of the emerging flying insects. However, no difference in bird abundance, diversity or community was found between the habitats. Regarding bats, the activity of Myotis spp was generally higher at lakes than vernal pools, while the activity of Eptesicus nilssonii increased during the study period regardless of habitat type. No relationship was found between the emergence of insects and the occurrence of bird and bats. Although, vernal pools were not more attractive habitats compared to lakes, they still form an important, largely neglected, diverse habitat type within the boreal landscape.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989423003578Boreal forestEptesicus nilssoniiFood availabilityInsectivorous birdsMosquitoesMyotis |
| spellingShingle | Basile Marteau Petri Nummi Thomas M. Lilley Janne Sundell Role of vernal pools in activity and diversity of bats and birds linked with the emergence of flying insects Global Ecology and Conservation Boreal forest Eptesicus nilssonii Food availability Insectivorous birds Mosquitoes Myotis |
| title | Role of vernal pools in activity and diversity of bats and birds linked with the emergence of flying insects |
| title_full | Role of vernal pools in activity and diversity of bats and birds linked with the emergence of flying insects |
| title_fullStr | Role of vernal pools in activity and diversity of bats and birds linked with the emergence of flying insects |
| title_full_unstemmed | Role of vernal pools in activity and diversity of bats and birds linked with the emergence of flying insects |
| title_short | Role of vernal pools in activity and diversity of bats and birds linked with the emergence of flying insects |
| title_sort | role of vernal pools in activity and diversity of bats and birds linked with the emergence of flying insects |
| topic | Boreal forest Eptesicus nilssonii Food availability Insectivorous birds Mosquitoes Myotis |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989423003578 |
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